USA: A small crowd gathers outside the Republican debate in New Hampshire to voice their opinions on which candidate should win -- just two days before voters head to the polls

Record ID: 346482

  • Title: USA: A small crowd gathers outside the Republican debate in New Hampshire to voice their opinions on which candidate should win -- just two days before voters head to the polls
  • Date: 9th January 2012
  • Summary: CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 8, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF VENUE FOR REPUBLICAN DEBATE GROUP OF "OCCUPY NEW HAMPSHIRE" PROTESTERS HOLDING UP A SIGN READING: "MONEY OUT OF POLITICS" CLOSE-UP OF MAN HOLDING SIGN MAN HOLDING SIGN, READING: "WHY DOES THE 1 PERCENT HAVE 2 PARTIES AND WE HAVE NONE?" MAN SEATED ON GRASS WITH HIS GOAT / HOLDING HUNTSMAN POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) BILL HIGGINS, SUPPORTER OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE JON HUNTSMAN, SAYING: "I think he's done pretty good. His numbers have started to come up since he's been spending more time in New Hampshire. I think he might come in second or third, yeah." GOAT (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOB WELLS, SUPPORTER OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE RON PAUL, SAYING: "Freedom. He is clearly the only candidate that will follow the constitution and protect the freedom of all Americans." RON PAUL SUPPORTERS HOLDING POSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOB WELLS, SUPPORTER OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE RON PAUL, SAYING: "He's going to do very well. Strong, strong second place if not winning the state of New Hampshire. Much better than the polls indicate." TWO PROTESTERS WITH THE "OCCUPY NEW HAMPSHIRE" MOVEMENT, ONE DRESSED AS "BANK OF AMERICA" AND THE OTHER AS A BRIDE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ELIZABETH ROPP, OCCUPY NEW HAMPSHIRE PROTESTER, SAYING: "I personally feel that not all the candidates are represented. You can only be a candidate and be in the debate if you have enough money to be there. All of our politicians have money. We just keep electing the one percent, over and over and over again and not looking out for the common good." BANNER READING: "MONEY OUT OF POLITICS" (SOUNDBITE) (English) ERIC ZULASKI, OCCUPY NEW HAMPSHIRE PROTESTER, SAYING: "We feel that the people's voice is not being heard. The election process is really a sham. We go through this process every four years to elect our president, but we don't feel like we're being represented." VERMIN SUPREME GREETING SUPPORTERS CLOSE-UP OF VERMIN'S TIE (SOUNDBITE) (English) VERMIN SUPREME, CANDIDATE, SAYING: "As you know, I have four planks in my platform. One: mandatory toothbrushing. Two: zombie preparedness. Three: time travel research and four: free ponies for all Americans. Thank you. My name is Vermin Supreme and I approve this message." VERMIN SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS
  • Embargoed: 24th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5YG2MTLPZHOQIOZHVUI54ERGE
  • Story Text: A small group rallied outside the Republican debate in New Hampshire on Sunday (January 8) as presidential candidates stepped up their attacks on frontrunner Mitt Romney in Concord.
    The televised debate took place just two days before voters in New Hampshire head to the polls.
    Outside the debate venue a group of around 60 people gathered to voice their opinions. Most of them were supporters of Texas congressman Ron Paul.
    Among them sat Bill Higgins -- the only supporter of Jon Huntsman to have attended the rally -- seated on the grass outside, with his pet goat, Isaac.
    "I think he's done pretty good. His numbers have started to come up since he's been spending more time in New Hampshire. I think he might come in second or third," Higgins said of Huntsman.
    Alongside them were a group of "Occupy New Hampshire" protesters who were rallying against the election process.
    Bob Wells, a staunch supporter of Paul, said his favourite candidate was doing much better than the polls were indicating.
    "He is clearly the only candidate that will follow the constitution and protect the freedom of all Americans," Wells said.
    "He's going to do very well. Strong, strong second place if not winning the state of New Hampshire. Much better than the polls indicate," he added.
    Among the "Occupy New Hampshire" protesters were Elizabeth Ropp and Eric Zulaski.
    Zulaski, wearing a "Bank of America" costume, said: "We feel that the people's voice is not being heard. The election process is really a sham. We go through this process every four years to elect our president, but we don't feel like we're being represented."
    "I personally feel that not all the candidates are represented. You can only be a candidate and be in the debate if you have enough money to be there. All of our politicians have money. We just keep electing the one percent, over and over and over again and not looking out for the common good," Ropp said.
    Also present at the gathering was fringe candidate Vermin Supreme who spelled out his campaign promises to the crowd.
    "As you know, I have four planks in my platform. One: mandatory toothbrushing. Two: zombie preparedness. Three: time travel research and four: free ponies for all Americans. Thank you. My name is Vermin Supreme and I approve this message," he said.
    Opinion polls show Romney holds a wide lead in New Hampshire, which holds its first in the nation primary election on Tuesday (January 10), and also leads in South Carolina, the next state in the nominating process.
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