A Working Vacation

This week, I shared a harsh truth with Marra about our trip to NH. It was a risk to share this truth with Marra some 10 weeks before we leave, but I needed her to come to grips with the reality now. There are no amusement parks on the itinerary. She might not see the hotel pool. We won't have soft ice cream every night. We are going to New Hampshire to work.

Here's the nebulous plan - meals at all the candidate "drop in" hot spots, like the Red Arrow Diner and the Merrimack Restaurant. Some days working in someone's campaign headquarters, stuffing envelopes, distributing signs, whatever is needed. Visiting campaign stops to hear speeches and mix with the hard core activists. A day volunteering with the One.org crew get their message out to the voters. Lots of explaining to Marra the issues, positions, hypocrisies and contradictions (of which there will be many, no doubt) of the various campaigns. Oh, and she'll have to do her school homework in the evenings.

This might seem to the misinformed that I am just using my innocent daughter as an excuse to participate in what could be the last great retail political campaign for the Presidency in my lifetime. I mean, there are 18 major party candidates declared this cycle (and Fred Thompson would make 19). New Hampshire is already beginning to lose its unique place in the front of the primary line, with every state pressing their primary elections closer and closer to February to remain relevant. This is history in the making, and we can be right (or left) in the middle of it. But, as I say, you would be misinformed to think my intentions are anything but altruistic. This is an educational journey for her, a bonding experience for the both of us, and a gift from us to the democratic process. Nothing but unselfish intentions.

Yeah, right. And we probably will have soft ice cream every night. After all, I'm not a Communist.

JS