Scott Brown's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Holiday Party

Concord – It is hard to imagine how Scott Brown’s holiday party with the NHGOP could have been any worse.  Everything that could have gone wrong did.  More than two hundred Granite Staters rallied in the snowy cold outside Brown’s event protesting his presence in their state, easily eclipsing those who came to see him, Brown was forced to sneak in the back door, and his antics may have even scored him another primary challenger.

Both press and political pundits lambasted his appearance as “A Granite State welcome wagon, it wasn’t,” “(Un)welcome committee in Nashua,” and “fairly counterproductive.”  In case you missed it (or more likely, just couldn’t keep track – it was hard for us too!), what follows is a summary of the coverage of Scott Brown’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, holiday party.

Politico: Pro-gun crowd to Scott Brown: Stay away from New Hampshire
 “The spectacle – protesters outnumbered activists who coughed up $50 to hear Brown speak – was a stark illustration of the treacherous political terrain facing the 54-year-old New Hampshire transplant if he launches a Senate…’His coming here is calculated disrespect, just as if he went to Saudi Arabia with pork chops in his suitcase,’ said Jay Simkin, a 60-something economic consultant who lives in Nashua.”

Boston Globe: Left, right unite against Scott Brown in N.H.
“A Granite State welcome wagon, it wasn’t….’He’s a Bloomberg liberal,’ Windsor, N.H. resident J.J. Valera, 66, said of Brown, referring to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a strong proponent of increased federal gun control measures, who endorsed Brown during his 2012 re-election campaign. Valera, chuckling, said opposition to Brown was the ‘only time we ever agreed with the Democrats.’ Standing nearby was Democrat Doug Whitbeck, a Mason, N.H. resident, who held a sign that read: ‘Welcome to N.H. now go home.’”

WMUR: Brown met by protesters from all sides at GOP event
“’We have so many people here in New Hampshire that I know very well who have been in the state House, that have been in the state Senate or executive councilors that want to run, why would the New Hampshire GOP not support them instead of bringing somebody in from somewhere else who’s failed?’ said the Rev. Garrett Lear Wakefield.”

Americans For Prosperity – NH State Director: “Fairly Counterproductive”
“Call me crazy, but having a major political event be closed press seems fairly counterproductive to me, but what do I know… #nhpolitics”

Nashua Telegraph: Brown greeted by pro-2nd Amendment, Democratic protesters in Nashua
“Hundreds of people, from two different political ideologies, crowded sidewalks at the corner of Amherst and Concord streets Wednesday night with the common goal of protesting former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown’s arrival in Nashua to speak at an annual GOP fundraiser.  Republicans and Democrats alike expressed disapproval of speculation that Brown will run against Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in 2014 as Brown spoke a few hundred feet away inside the Hunt Memorial Building.”

Nashua Patch: Scott Brown (Un)Welcome Committee In Nashua
“Although the crowd grew larger on Library Hill as the evening wore on, there were about 200 protesters by 6 p.m., when Brown was due to arrive.”

Union Leader: Al Baldasaro may run for U.S. Senate
“I am considering putting my hat in to run for the Senate,” Baldasaro said while joining a group of more than 200 peaceful protesters at Liberty Hill in downtown Nashua. Across the street, the New Hampshire Republican State Committee was hosting its holiday party with Brown as the guest speaker.”

Union Leader Editorial Page Editor: More Protesting Brown Than Were Inside
“However, there were more conservatives, Free Staters and libertarians across the street protesting Brown than there were GOP inside.”

Concord Monitor: Scott Brown stirs speculation over U.S. Senate run at Nashua fundraiser
Scott Brown received a mixed reaction from Republicans in Nashua last night, bringing to life the speculation surrounding his possible run for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire…. ‘I can tell you I have no idea,’ said Tom Rath, a Republican strategist and Concord lawyer. ‘I’ve not heard from anybody, either, or anybody connected with him…’”