The Wild Reed: Campaigning for Marianne Williamson in New Hampshire

Monday, January 22, 2024

Campaigning for Marianne Williamson in New Hampshire – Day 3

My friend Kate and I are currently in New Hampshire, campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson in the Granite State’s “First in the Nation” presidential primary.

It is our third of five days in New Hampshire and we started it by enjoying breakfast at The Green Beautiful, a “gourmet vegan cafe.” We then visited the New Hampshire headquarters of Marianne’s 2024 presidential campaign. Along the way, we placed some more “Marianne Williamson for President” yard signs at various locales.

Above: Enjoying the chill vibe at The Green Beautiful.

Above: Marianne Williamson’s New Hampshire campaign headquarters in Manchester, the state’s largest city. When we visited, the office was being set-up for tomorrow night’s election results viewing party.

Above: Kiki and Carl, two of Marianne Williamson’s campaign staff members. Kiki serves as the campaign’s National Volunteer Coordinator. Like everyone Kate and I have met associated with the campaign – whether staff, volunteers and/or supporters – the highly efficient Kiki and Carl are welcoming, dedicated . . . and a lot of fun!

After visiting the campaign office, Kate and I joined Serena and Drew, two young people from Manchester, for some bannering on the Hands Across the Merrimack Footbridge in Manchester (see opening image and image at right).

Where this footbridge crosses over a busy highway, we had a perfect spot to display our “Marianne for President” banner, which Kate brought all the way from Minnesota in her carry-on luggage! We estimated that close to 2,500 vehciles passed below us in the hour or so we were there. We received many honks and waves of support. But by far the most supportive were truckers!

Above: Serena, Kate and Drew.

Above: With Serena and Drew.

Above: I have to say that bannering today in New Hampshire was a lot less cold than last Thursday in Minnesota!

Above and below: This evening Kate and I attended Marianne’s last official New Hampshire speaking and Q&A event before tomorrow’s primary.

Tonight’s event was held at Heartsong, a healing center in Hooksett, NH.

In reporting back to the Minnesota for Marianne Williamson 2024 Facebook group about our time so far in New Hampshire, Kate shared the following.

Marianne’s events have been packed and the last three were standing room only. High energy attendees, excellent and sometimes difficult questions which she answered with respect and completely. Enthusiasm is high!

A number of people, including a reporter from Florida who is keen on Trump but likes many of Marianne’s ideas, came to her event tonight in Hookset after they were kicked out of Dean Phillips’ event as he wasn’t accepting any questions (Wow). I had a very brief conversation with them afterwards and it was very clear that Marianne made a strong impression. (She can bridge the divide!) I don’t know how well-attended Phillips’ event was.

Marianne is getting more air time and tonight’s event was covered by media. I haven’t been in enough to turn the TV on but Nikki Haley is on one TV ad after another. Then the MAGA machine runs an attack ad to counter hers. This is such an amazing time in American politics. I almost can’t believe it’s real. Michael and I will head over to the results watch party at Manchester HQ after 7pm tomorrow.

Above: Marianne in conversation with the self-identifying “Trump-supporting reporter from Florida” mentioned in Kate’s report above.

We later learned that this “reporter” was Laura Loomer, a far-right and anti-Muslim conservative political activist, white nationalist, conspiracy theorist and internet personality. Notes Wikipedia:

In April 2023 it was reported that Donald Trump wanted to hire Loomer for a campaign role. However the idea was said to be met with backlash from Trump’s team, who described hefty resistance to her involvement, as well as warnings from Marjorie Taylor Greene over hiring a “documented liar.” Since October 2023, Loomer has written and posted false claims about the Israel–Hamas war.

Above: Marianne Williamson at the Heartsong Center in Hooksett, NH – Monday, January 22, 2024.

Above: Rob, Karen and Orson at Marianne’s January 22 speaking and Q&A event at the Heartsong Center in Hooksett, NH.

Above: Marianne stands with two of her supporters for a photograph.

Following is Ethan Cotler’s Boston Public Radio story on Marianne published earlier today. It’s entitled, “Marianne Williamson Says She’s a ‘Homeopathic Remedy’ in the 2024 Presidential Election.”

After a failed bid for president in 2020, author Marianne Williamson is back on the campaign trail.

“The things that I talked about four years ago are even more urgent today,” the Democratic candidate told Boston Public Radio Monday in New Hampshire, one day ahead of the state’s primary. “Somebody’s got to talk about those things and present to the American people the option of an economic U-turn.”

Williamson's platform is comprised of policies such as universal health care, tuition-free college, paid family and medical leave, adult basic income, and a federal law aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ people.

To accomplish major changes, Williamson believes Democrats need to be more hard-nosed in their positions. She claims if she were president, she would have had “sharper elbows” when it came to Biden’s Build Back Better plan, for instance.

“Democrats need to get our spine back and stop kowtowing to the forces that would make these issues so difficult to solve,” she said.

Williamson said the fact she has not held political office makes her an ideal candidate to go up against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

“If we want to beat Donald Trump, I would argue that the last thing we need is a status quo politician. I’m a kind of homeopathic remedy. I’ve got the same kind of energy going on that he does. That’s why I’m the one to take him on,” she said.

Williamson added that Trump employs psychology, not traditional politics.

“He’s very clever and very strong at pulling people down,” Williamson said. “We need a pro at lifting people up.”

When asked what her goal is with polling demonstrating she’s likely not going to be the nominee, she said what happens at the polls is out of her control.

“I cannot control how people vote. I cannot control how the media elite sees me,” she said.

Further, she clarified that she’s not worried about people turning up to vote for Trump. Instead, she worries about those who aren’t enthusiastically voting against him.

“People who love Donald Trump are going to vote for Donald Trump. We could indict him 91 more times. They’re going to vote for him, even if he’s in prison,” she said. “The danger for us is people staying home. The danger for us is people who are not inspired by someone who says, ‘Let’s continue with what’s happening now’ because they’re drowning. We need to inspire people and motivate people.”