Primaries: Defining the Battle in New Hampshire

Every four years presidential candidates saturate the state of New Hampshire with a flood of television ads (150 to 200 per day), spending more than $15 million, and make personal visits to the living rooms and kitchens of registered voters who number less than the population of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Is there a method to this madness? Primaries: Defining the Battle in New Hampshire draws on the 2004 Democratic campaign to illustrate how New Hampshire serves as a microcosm for the rest of the country, a politically active battleground where candidates can hone their positions, recruit hundreds of volunteers and poll workers, and try out new ideas or slogans. The citizens of New Hampshire--or at least the whopping 72% who vote---have accurately predicted in a high number of races who will win their party's nomination. Featuring interviews with political scholars and journalists, Primaries offers an eye-opening look at a key stop on the road to Pennsylvania Avenue. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Carlson)