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 Preshow Return to index of stories... |
Next on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| Hello Return to index of stories... |
Hello. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to NH Outlook. |
| Intro Smith/Sununu Return to index of stories... |
Thursday night, Bob Smith and John Sununu face off in a debate which you can see here on New Hampshire Public Television. The 7 o'clock debate is just one in a series for the two republicans. The race is among the most watched in the country. Whoever wins in the September 10th primary will face Jeanne Shaheen in the General Election. And that could directly affect the balance of power in Washington. Richard Ager takes us behind the campaigns of Bob Smith and John Sununu. |
| Smith/Sununu Return to index of stories... |
Script: Soundup: Sununu campaigns tape 2 00:28:48 ** Appreciate your vote in Sept. How you doing guys? Track: It's one of the biggest political stories of the year; Congressman John E. Sununu running for the U.S. Senate against fellow Republican Senator Bob Smith. Soundup: Smith campaigns tape 1 05:40 ** up close "Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate. Bob Smith." Bite: Smith/Sununu forum tape 4 11:49:02 The Jeanne Shaheen's of the world are having a field day with this. I'm spending four million dollars against John. He's spending a million dollars against me. That's five million dollars we ought to be spending against Jeanne Shaheen.. Bite: Smith/Sununu forum tape 4 11:50:53 John Sununu "I've never forgotten who sent me to represent them in Washington. I've never forgotten the party that gave me their nomination. Track: In forums and tv ads, the two candidates have engaged in an increasingly bitter campaign. Soundup: "Gone Washington" ad tape "Even worse, Bob Smith has changed. He's gone Washington - become a Washington insider. Bob, after 18 years, we've had enough." Soundup: "Key Differences" tape "John Sununu voted to let judges raise taxes. Smith's prescription drug plan lowers costs and keeps bureaucrats from getting between you and your doctor. Sununu voted against seniors getting cheaper medicine from Canada." Soundup: Smith campaigns tape 1 04:30:46 *** "I was listening to the debate the other night." "Uh, oh. How'd I do?" " Well, I was like, why do they have to be so mean to each other?" "Oh, I didn't think it was that bad." Track: How did it ever come to this: Two staunchly conservative Republicans, each with a string of election victories behind him, in a battle that will certainly leave one, and perhaps both out of office? Proving there's no war like a civil war, both parties even dispute what order they march in at a parade. Soundup: Smith campaigns tape 1 02:20 tight on parade drums Standup: Normally, a contest of this magnitude pivots on a difference of political philosophy - each candidate offering a different vision on issues or the role of government. But not this one. Bite: Smith/Sununu forum tape 4 11:59:02 I agree they are both good conservative Republicans so they agree on a lot of things, but you want to take that and put it forward into the best candidate, because in the end, the general election is the one that's really important. It'll likely decide what our U.S. Senate looks like for the next 6 years - at least for sure the next 2 years whether the Republicans control or the Democrats control so it's a very important decision. Track: And so, the voters must look at each candidate's story, and decide. Track: When Bob Smith was 3, his father, a naval aviator, was killed, leaving his mother to raise him on his grandparent's farm in New Jersey. After college, Smith joined the navy during the Cuban missile crisis, but his active duty ended up being in Vietnam. Bite: Smith campaigns tape 3 040:4:00:44 WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? I was aboard ship in the Navy. I didn't have it real tough, not like the guys on the ground, but we were in the combat zone. We operated off a Yankee station. I was on an oiler and we refueled all the aircraft carriers who sent the planes into North Vietnam……So we saw plenty and it was- I'm glad I went though, it was a really good experience for me. It was a very life defining for me. You feel good that you did it. Track: Smith married Mary Jo, his wife of 36 years, before leaving for duty, and after his discharge, both looked for teaching jobs, and found them in Wolfeboro. But Bob Smith wanted to get involved in politics, and so he began his own real-estate business, which gave him the time to run for Congress in 1980. Soundup: LPA 355 17;12:42 I believe that the greatest days of America are still ahead of us. Track: On his second attempt, he won the Republican primary, but lost to Democrat Norm D'Amours. Soundup: LPA 362 14:18:08 **** I ask you to consider me one more time. Track: On his third attempt, Smith ran against Democrat Dudley Dudley on conservative issues like voluntary prayer in school, which won him the backing of former Governor Mel Thomson and the Union Leader newspaper. Track: And he made a pledge after talking with voters … Bite: LPA 338 17:25:50 They're disgusted with politicians. They really are. The question comes through constantly: are you going to be just like the rest of them? No I'm not. Soundup: 14:19:04 * "Once again we have a Republican out front, Bob Smith" Soundup: LPA 367 07;41:00 "I'm pleased and proud to accept this victory tonight as the next congressman. Track: On his first re-election bid, Smith was challenged by Republican Executive Councilor Louis Georgopolous. Soundup: LPA 377 06:46:32 Everyone knows that my opponent is the weakling of the Republican Party. There's no question about it. Track; It was not the last time Bob Smith would be underestimated. He went on to win the primary and defeat his Democratic opponent in 1986 and again in 1988. LPA 378 08;18;40 ** Smith walks on with Keefe - shakes hands and takes place Bite: LPA 407 00:39;45 I vote on principle. You either stand for something or you stand for nothing. And if I stand for something, I cast a vote and it happens to be 434-1, so be it. If I feel I'm right, that's the way it is Track: Smith earned a reputation for being in the minority on many votes, sometimes a very small minority as when he was one of three to oppose a 50% Congressional pay increase. Bite: LPA 406 01:44:49 Mr. Speaker, we are public servants, public servants. The American people can pay us anything they wish. We don't have to like it, and we don't have to serve. Track: Smith's stance provoked outrage by other members… Track: And it solidified his reputation as a legislative loner. Soundup: LPA 417 01:30:15 Two terms is plenty… Track: When Sen. Gordon Humphrey announced he would not run again, Bob Smith announced… Bite; LPA 417 01:30:40 …I am a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Soundup: LPA 422 00:07:02 The new senator from the state of NH, his wife Mary Jo and their children. Bite: LPA 422 00;07:30 It's just the ultimate dream and I'm just overwhelmed. Track: In his time in the Senate, Bob Smith championed issues like American soldiers still missing from the Vietnam War. He co-chaired a Senate committee on POW-MIAs that went to Vietnam to investigate. Bite: LPA 451 01:55:33 ** In your conversations with others in the govt. and in Vietnam, have you ever heard anyone discuss a living American anywhere in Vietnam? "He's heard lots of conversations about remains. Not one about a living American. Track: Smith is still serving on a commission looking in the POW-MIA issue. Bite: ARC 60-151 04:50:40 "I will answer your question." "Well,I." "The point is, you're not telling the truth and I'm not letting polluters off the hook." Track: In his last election, Bob Smith was in a race so tight, the networks actually declared Democrat Dick Swett the winner. The late results showed a different outcome. Soundup: Smith HQ tape '96 00:21:34 One of the important towns that wasn't in yet came in. Hudson, Sen. Smith 3,964, Swett 3,449. Soundup: Bob Smith Announces tape 1 01:01:08 Smith family enters Track: Just over two years after reelection, Bob Smith made two momentous personal decisions. The first was to seek the White House. Bite: Bob Smith Announces tape 2 01:34:00 My life's goal is to protect all children, born and unborn, and as President - you need to know this - I will nominate only pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. Track: But Smith's campaign went nowhere, barely registering even in NH polls. Later that year, Smith denounced the Republican party for ignoring its conservative platform. Bite: C-Span tape 07;56:25 The Republican platform is a meaningless document that has been put out there so suckers like me and maybe suckers like you out there can read it. I did not come here for that reason. I did not come here to compromise my values to promote the interests of a political party. I came here to promote the interests of my country. And after a lot of soul-searching, and no anger--no anger--I have decided to change my registration from Republican to Independent. Bite: Smith campaigns tape 3 04:54:00 I think there are some who will not be able to vote for me because of that and I respect that. But I think many will move beyond it because they know what I did was an act of conscience, that's all it was. It was to help my party come back to its roots, to come back to the principles it believed in that the party stands for. Standup/Track: Smith returned to the party 3 months later, but his decision to leave angered many Republicans, and alienated former supporters like Warren Rudman who now back John E. Sununu. Bite: Candidates Speak Reel 2 14:15:02 My business and my technical background sets me apart from this busy primary field. Track: Sununu first ran for office in 1996, but his political experience began long before that. Soundup: LPA 494 02:27:47 "Mr. Speaker, his excellency the governor, John H. Sununu and his wife Nancy." Track: With a father who became governor, and later chief of staff to the first President Bush, the 37-year old Sununu has spent most of his life involved in politics. Here he is at 19 - watching his father's 2nd inauguration. Bite: Sununu campaigns tape 3 00:10:40 I have a lot of stories of growing up working on campaigns in '74, '76 and '78 right here in Rockingham County campaigning door to door, putting up signs. Locally my mother was chairman of the school board when I was in junior high and high school. So that taught me a lot about public service but it was also incredible to watch a woman raise 8 children and still be able to throw herself into working on the school board which is so important to local politics here in NH. Soundup: Sununu campaigns tape 1 00:11:46 You're going to tell me I resemble my mother or something." "You resemble your father." "Well you can't fight genetics." Bite: Smith/Sununu forum tape 1 11:06 I'm a product of the public schools here, a graduate of Salem High. I have an engineering degree, I'm an engineer by training. Soundup: LPA376 09;21:00 Shot of mills - Kamen lands helicopter on roof Track: With his training, Sununu worked for with inventor Dean Kamen in his Manchester mill high-tech operations, before turning to politics. Six years ago, he narrowly won the primary before an easier win over Democrat Joe Keefe in the general election. Bite: Sununu Campaigns tape 3 00:16:57 I think bringing the perspective of an engineer, of someone who grew up in the state and went to the public schools in NH and someone who has worked in hi-tech manufacturing for small business is of great value for making sure that NH has a voice that's in touch with the needs of our employees and families here in the Granite State. But I also have a strong record of accomplishment in the house as vice-chairman of the budget committee working on issues that make a difference. Soundup: ARC 60-177 NH Debates 14:18;55 The point is, you did cut that budget from the President's request." Track: In 1998, Sununu beat Democrat Peter Flood for reelection. Soundup: Election night 98 tape 02:03:47 *** Have they announced the returns at all?" "No, but I can't imagine any big surprises here." Track: In 2000, Democrat Martha Fuller Clark surprised most observers by coming within 8 points of upsetting Sununu. Soundup: Sununu tape 2 00:37:45 "Hi John Sununu. Running for the Senate." Track: During his 3 terms in Congress, Sununu has fought to limit the size and role of government. Bite: Sununu politics 'n eggs tape 2 09:19:50 One of the things that has bothered me working in govt. - having come from the private sector - is to hear an elected official say I created or helped to create 10,000 jobs or a million jobs or 10 million jobs. We don't create jobs. The best we can hope to do is create the right environment, where many of the people in this room can work to create jobs. Making sure that we create fiscal responsibility at the federal level, good fiscal policies that keep interest rates low. We do something about the complexity and frustration of the tax code that might keep that entrepreneur from making the incremental investment. Soundup: Sununu/Globe Firefighters tape 00:13:31 It's an important time. Work is never more important than now. Track: The terrorist attacks of September 11th reminded all Americans of the need for government. Touring a plant that supplied equipment to the rescue effort in New York, Sununu pondered the country's future plans. Soundup: Sununu/Globe Firefighters tape 00:16:49 We can't allow any country to support people that would do something like that, that would come to America to attack Americans on American soil, and it's a question of getting rid of the govt. that support them. Track: A month later, he announced his own future plans. Bite: OL #36 03:27:09 I am concerned not only about America's place in the world, but also NH's place in America. And therefore I will run as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in 2002. Soundup: Smith campaigns tape 2 04:40:40 You're coming off of Labor Day, kids are going back to school, people are busy and then they think, 'whoops, I gotta vote here.' And who are they going to vote for? Soundup: Sununu campaigns tape 2 00:35:58 *** running and running "Hi, how are you?" Track: So now, in the race to primary day, both candidates are crisscrossing the state, searching out voters wherever they can… Soundup: Sununu campaigns tape 2 00:04:30 "It's time well spent, working over those undecided voters." Smith campaigns tape 4 05:20:22 *** singer in Spanish - Smith campaigns tape 4 05:20:50 "Hablo pocas palabos. Senora" Track: .delivering their messages about the issues… Soundup: Sununu campaigns tape 1 00;03:35 We've got to make sure we reduce that dependence on imports from the Middle East. That's the most important thing. Soundup: Medicare newser tape 11:16:03 I plan to make the prescription drug issue a top issue in my campaign. Track: …and about themselves. Soundup: Sununu politics n' eggs tape 1 8:50:50 I grew up in New Hampshire. Soundup: Smith campaigns tape 1 22:10 **I like to say I'm a country music Republican, not a country club republican. Bite: Sununu Campaigns tape 3 08:27 But let's make no doubt about it. It's not enough to be right on the issues. It's not enough to be a committed loyal Republican on principle. It's not enough to just know the state of NH like anyone else. We've got to be able to beat Jeanne Shaheen on November 5th. I'm the candidate who will do it and she knows it. Bite; Smith/Sununu **11:49:48 Bob Smith "And you're not going to be able to sit there on polls. You're going to have to be able to get out there on the ground with a strong grassroots organization. And I have it. And a strong financial base. And I have that. And a battle tested veteran who's been there. I'm a veteran in campaigns, I'm a veteran in the military, and I'm a veteran in the US senate and I think those are good assets for us to win and stop the democrats from taking control of the united states senate and defeating President Bush's agenda." Bite: Sununu campaigns tape 3 00:18:15 There are a lot of unusual things about this race. The fact that I've been supported by 4 or 5 incumbent US senators as a challenger. That I've been endorsed by the US Chamber of Commerce, by the National Review. They're looking at the one basic question: "Who's the best candidate. Who'll be the best senator and who will ensure that Republicans hold this seat and regain a working majority for President Bush." Bite: Smith campaigns tape 3 04:56:55 I love to surprise all those people who think they know everything, especially the ones from out of state who write all this stuff. They've been writing it now for two years, they've been kicking me in sensitive areas over and over and over again in the press. It's going to be fun, it's going to be fun to prove them all wrong again. And I say that not with cockiness but with a real strong feeling that people understand what is going on in this state and I think that they understand that if you've done a good job, you know, they'll return you to office. And I feel that they know I have done a good job. They know I've made a mistake here and there, but I think we should be about contributions, not retribution, and I think people know that. Soundup: Sununu campaigns tape 2 00:35:20 **My birthday is Sept. 10th. That's the primary. No cards. No cards. Just a couple of votes." Track: Those votes, whichever way they are cast, will hinge on how Republican voters view the candidates, and the different stories they tell about politics, power and the meaning of party loyalty. For NH Outlook, I'm Richard Ager. Smith campaigns tape 1 11:50 ** neat shot - rolling along - "Good to see you - is this the end? Whoo!" |
| Toss Richard Return to index of stories... |
Richard, we didn't hear a lot about where the candidates stand on various issues. Are there any differences between them? |
| Smith/Sununu Tag Return to index of stories... |
Well Ally, both candidates have a solid reputation as conservative republicans. Both are strong second amendment proponents and consider themselves pro-life. Smith co-sponsored and Sununu supported the ban on human cloning; both favor tax reform and would support a flat tax on all Americans. Here's a few places where they differ: Smith is against drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Sunnunu supports it. On Prescription drugs, Smith proposes adding a benefit for seniors. cutting costs by 50 percent. Sununu supports a benefit with a premium. cutting costs by 40 percent. On the current debate waging over privatization of social security, Smith says he's against privatization of the agency for the current generation of beneficiaries, but would support a small portion of investing in so-called "safe accounts" in the future. Sununu says he favors "portable pensions." |
| Intro Discussion Return to index of stories... |
Not major differences on the issues. But the real issue seems to be who can beat Jeanne Shaheen in November. Joining us in our conversation Andy Smith of the UNH Survey Center and Mark Wrighton from the UNH Political Science Department. |
| Discussion Return to index of stories... |
Andy Smith and Mark Wrighton discuss the closely watched senate race between Smith, Sununu and Shaheen and discuss the campaigns of the candidates. |
| Tomorrow Return to index of stories... |
On the next New Hampshire Outlook - Highlights and analysis of the US Senate debate between Bob Smith and John E. Sununu. |
| Goodnight Return to index of stories... |
That's it for this edition of our program. For all of us here at New Hampshire Public Television, I'm Ally McNair. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| founders Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Public Service of New Hampshire Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust Putnam Foundation Stratford Foundation |
| WEB PROMO Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Highlights and analysis of the US Senate debate between Bob Smith and John E. Sununu. Tonight at 10pm on New Hampshire Public Television. |
| key: state politics / government Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:8/28/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 16:40 In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a report on the campaigns of Bob Smith and John Sununu. PRODUCER/REPORTER:Richard Ager NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: John Dowd\Chairman, NH GOP Senator Bob Smith\R - New Hampshire Louis Georgopolous\Fmr Rep Exec Councilor Congressman John E. Sununu\R - New Hampshire |
| key: state politics / government Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:8/28/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 7:00 In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a discussion on the Senate race. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Allison McNair NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Andy Smith\UNH Survey Center Mark Wrighton\UNH Political Science |
| Tonight 10:00 Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Join us tonight at 10:00 only on New Hampshire Outlook. |