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Transcript/ScriptNew Hampshire Primary
HEADLINE: New Hampshire Vows to Keep First-in-Nation Primary in 2024
TEASER: White House wants to move primary to South Carolina, a state whose voters are seen as more friendly to President Joe Biden
PUBLISHED: 1/26/2023 at 11AM
BYLINE: Steve Herman
CONTRIBUTOR: Anita Powell at the White House
DATELINE: Steve Herman
VIDEOGRAPHER: Adam Greenbaum
VIDEO EDITOR: Adam Greenbaum
SCRIPT EDITORS: Reifenrath, Sharon Shahid
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, AP, AFP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X__ RADIO X__
TRT: 3:36
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:
((INTRO))
[[There’s a big political mess in New Hampshire. The White House wants to move the first presidential primary from its long-established home to the more ethnically diverse South Carolina, a state seen as more voter-friendly for incumbent Joe Biden. VOA’s chief national correspondent Steve Herman, in Manchester, New Hampshire, reports voters there are firmly opposed to the change proposed for next year and vow their primary will go on as planned no matter the objections from out-of-state Democratic Party bosses. ]]
((NATS – Traffic))
((NARRATOR))
Voters across New Hampshire’s political spectrum appear united on one issue — South Carolina should not replace the Granite State as the first to hold a 2024 presidential primary.
((NATS – Chris Ryan: “Joe Biden is making a colossal mistake here”))
Their sentiment is channeled through Chris Ryan, who hosts "New Hampshire Today" on WGIR Radio.
((Chris Ryan, WGIR Radio))
“This is the biggest threat that New Hampshire has ever faced in over 100 years of voting, and it’s being brought by Joe Biden, an individual that ran for president three times here.”
((NATS – Plate of food coming out))
((NARRATOR))
Feelings are also hurt at Manchester’s Red Arrow, known as the diner every future U.S. president must visit.
((Mark Hanneman, Red Arrow Diner Customer))
“New Hampshire’s got a lot of pride that it has that role in the primary, and to take that away without some sort of deep reasoning is kind of offensive in some ways, but it’s more just like a slap.”
((Ellen Ryan, Red Arrow Diner Server))
“It’s very important to the economy. We plan on that around here, especially the hotels and … all the restaurants. … It brings a lot of people in. It’s nice. Please don’t take it away.”
((NARRATOR))
In 2020, Biden finished fifth in New Hampshire’s primary but subsequently won South Carolina’s primary.
((NATS – Joe Biden: “It ain’t over man, we’re just getting started”))
New Hampshire has a reputation for boosting underfunded, unknown politicians while undermining well-financed famous faces, says Neil Levesque of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
((Neil Levesque, New Hampshire Institute of Politics))
“I think the White House is clearly trying to rig and change the election schedule and calendar to the best advantage of the incumbent president.”
((NATS – Applause))
((NARRATOR))
Asked by VOA why New Hampshire must yield to South Carolina or face punishment by the Democratic Party, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was reticent.
((Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary))
“The Democratic National Committee has addressed this. I’m just not going to go any further to what we’ve already shared.”
((Steve Herman, VOA News)) (standup)
“If New Hampshire is punished for holding an unauthorized primary, President Biden could face a Democratic Party challenger hoping to take advantage of a backlash.”
((Chris Ryan, WGIR Radio))
“I have no doubt there will be a candidate that runs against Joe Biden on the Democratic side, comes here and is going to have success.”
((NARRATOR))
Anna Brown, research director for the civic group Citizens Count, also expects Biden will face a challenger.
((Anna Brown, Citizens Count))
“If they move it away from New Hampshire, would that eliminate the possibility of a challenger to President Biden? No. It’s just going to change the dialogue and might even make New Hampshire noisier.”
((NARRATOR))
New Hampshire has no legal room to maneuver.
((Neil Levesque, New Hampshire Institute of Politics))
“We have a law here in New Hampshire that says we will go seven days prior to any other similar election.”
((NARRATOR))
That means New Hampshire, despite being one of the nation’s least ethnically diverse states, almost certainly will have the first primary next year, despite the objections of the president and the Democratic Party.
((Anna Brown, Citizens Count))
“I think that it’ll be a very exciting primary in New Hampshire regardless of whether Biden has a challenger or not. But I think especially if Biden has a challenger.”
((NARRATOR))
The Democratic National Committee early next month [February] is to give final approval to its 2024 primary elections calendar.
((NATS – Traffic))
Steve Herman, VOA News, Manchester, New Hampshire
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
at the White House
Embargo DateJanuary 26, 2023 18:10 EST
Byline
Steve Herman, VOA News, Manchester, New Hampshire
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
