For Red Arrow Patrons, December Primary Would Mean Blue Christmas

It's fall at the Red Arrow, but even so, for most of the patrons, the idea of a New Hampshire primary sometime in the next eight weeks seems, well, just a bit much.

It's not that they don't like politics. This is, after all, New Hampshire and the people here are used to the deluge of television commercials and the rush of candidates in the final week of campaigning.

But that's usually in February.

In interviews this week, it's clear that many New Hampshirites are shaking their heads at the prospect of an early January primary, and are even more incredulous at the possibility of a primary in December.

The women seemed most disturbed at the prospect of an election getting in the way of holiday shopping, cooking and merriment, though some men agreed with that sentiment.

But when presented with the option -- letting another state, like Michigan, go first -- almost eveyone said they didn't want to see that happen.

No one yet knows when the primary will be. But at least at the Red Arrow diner, it's a topic of much interest.

--Michael D. Shear