Obama shows Deval the way

Published Dec 11 2006, 01:45 PM by Adam Reilly

In my recent article about Deval Patrick's potential New Hampshire dilemma, I wondered how he would negotiate the New Hampshire vs. Nevada controversy -- that is, how to support NH's desire to hold its primary before Nevada's caucus, while endorsing the Democratic Party's desire to give racial minorities a greater say in the nomination process.

Well, Barack Obama got the question over the weekend in an interview with the Union Leader, and showed how to have it both ways. He said that he will support the NH primary if they move it up, in defiance of the DNC. But he also said that he thought the early Nevada caucus is a "great idea."

Will that double-talk work? We'll see. But anyone who doubted the importance of the issue in the Granite State should take note that the Union Leader made this the lead of the article from their interview with Obama on his first trip to New Hampshire. Patrick had better be practicing his own answer, because I guarantee you the question is coming.

[David S. Bernstein]