Karger Conquers Mortgage Hill [VIDEO]

The sound of a bagpipe filled the lunchtime Saturday air on Sept. 10, as Republican presidential candidate Fred Karger made his way around some of the more tonier homes of West Concord, searching for voters and support.

Karger’s campaign canvassed Ridge Road, Forest and Centre streets, a neighborhood traditionally known as Mortgage Hill by old-timers, talking to voters about the campaign and handing out the now memorable and always fun to toss around, “Fred Who?” flying discs.

This sunny Saturday was a bit sleepy. But the bagpiping, provided by Kirk Brunson of Derry, who was hired by the campaign to play while canvassing, proved to be a draw.

Donna Cole of Contoocook, who was checking out yard sales in the neighborhood, stopped her car and listened to Brunson play before hearing over to a sale on Park Ridge. After Brunson finished, she clapped and cheered for him.

“He absolutely got my attention,” she said. “I think it’s a fantastic attention-getter for anybody who would like to draw people in.”

Cole said she and her children enjoyed attending the Hopkinton Fair when the Highland Games used to be on the fairgrounds.

“They would follow the bagpipers around,” she said, laughing. “He played them very well … I might be drawn to the polls just for the bagpipes.”

Park Ridge residents Linda Maloney also enjoyed the bagpipe music floating through the neighborhood.

“I think this is the best idea I’ve seen with anybody,” she said. “It’s brought everybody out.”

Maloney and her husband chatted with Karger about the bad economy, President Obama’s recent jobs speech, and the debt ceiling debacle in Washington, D.C. Karger called Obama’s job plan like spending “$447 billion on his re-election campaign” and didn’t agree with his call to cut the payroll tax.

“I worked for Reagan, and what Reagan did, which I hoped Obama would do, which was bring that great spirit and optimism,” he said. “He tried and got up there and was a little more animated than usual. But he’s just throwing money at the problem and cutting taxes, and I think that’s gotta stop.”

Karger said that unlike a lot of other Republicans, he knew that was both a revenue spending problem as well as a spending problem. He said he would like to cut corporate taxes to spur growth and job creation while at the same time cutting loopholes and enhancements.

“We can’t do what Washington has been doing for decades, cutting taxes and raising spending,” he said.

Maloney said that she had younger children who were having problems finding long-term work, including a son who worked for more than two years as an appraiser but was now finding limited options.

“He sees nothing … nothing,” she said. “They came out of college with a degree thinking they had a life. They have no life and it’s really sad.”

Across the street, Mike Ruedig was drawn to the flying disc … well, mostly for his dog, Tuck. Tuck ran out to Karger as he approached Ruedig in his Centre Street driveway preparing to do yard work.

“My favorite past time,” Karger said, while rubbing the dog. “This dog could use a little lovin’”

“Very clever with the bagpipes,” Ruedig said, while Karger laughed.

After a bit of small talk, Ruedig attempted to get Tuck to jump up and grab the flying disc with her teeth, which she did.

“Yeah, she’s a good dog,” Ruedig said.

“So far so good,” Karger said, about the campaign. “I’m having a blast.”

Karger said as a result of not getting into the last Fox News debate, he has seen website traffic increase by five times what it was, and had noticed that a lot more young people were getting involved in the campaign.

Karger estimated he had given away about 500 flying discs on Sept. 10. Some were handed out to the neighborhood; others were handed out at the Concord Farmers’ Market, before an organizer booted him out of the market, claiming it was private property and he couldn’t talk to people there.