N.H. Democrats grill Iowa governor on new caucus plan

HENNIKER, N.H. -- Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa, a potential 2008 Democratic presidential contender, journeyed to New Hampshire this weekend and faced questions about whether his state's representatives had done enough to back the Granite State's efforts to fend off a plan to add another presidential caucus between Iowa's and the New Hampshire primary.

The Democratic National Committee's recent decision to add a Nevada caucus before the New Hampshire primary angered many leaders in New Hampshire, and spawned complaints that Vilsack could have instructed his close political allies to work harder to preserve the 30-year tradition of Iowa and New Hampshire as the first two steps in the presidential nominating process.

Voters at his first event at St. Anselm College on Thursday night wasted no time in grilling Vilsack on why Iowa didn't do more to help New Hampshire. In a later interview, he emphasized that he supports maintaining the Iowa and New Hampshire tradition.

``I think I probably have a unique appreciation for it because where I come from and Iowans feel the same way," said Vilsack. ``I just really believe that New Hampshire people and Iowa people do a really good job in this first job interview process. . . . My preference would have been that you retain the calendar and that South Carolina immediately follows."

Vilsack said that after failing to support New Hampshire in a key vote in December , Iowa's representatives stood beside the Granite State in numerous subsequent votes.

Nonetheless, some New Hampshire leaders remain embittered, and many speculated that the issue could cloud Vilsack's chances in the next primary, should he decide to run for president.

``I wouldn't suggest he didn't do all he could to help our primary," said former Ambassador Terry Shumaker , one of the two New Hampshire representatives at the December DNC vote. ``I will say I was very disappointed that the Iowa representatives, who are close to Governor Vilsack, decided they weren't going to support us."

While some New Hampshire Democrats predicted the issue will be long forgotten by the time anyone votes, it bothered influential state Representative Jim Ryan , a Democrat from Franklin, enough that he talked with Vilsack and those involved in that vote at least 10 times before helping organize Vilsack's recent trip.

``You have to investigate on your own before you help out," Ryan said. ``For me this was an issue I had to understand before I did anything. I think what people will find, though, is that he agrees completely with us."

Vilsack attended town hall events at St. Anselm College and at New England College in Henniker before journeying north on Friday and yesterday for two political dinners. At the college events, Vilsack, a Sunday School teacher, stressed the importance of living by religious values. He also emphasized the need for the United States to achieve energy independence.

State Senate candidate Harold Janeway , a Democrat from Webster, said he felt all the primary calendar discussion these days was ``just inside baseball" among a few in the party's elite, and that average voters would judge a potential Vilsack candidacy on a broader range of issues.

This sentiment was echoed by state Senate Democratic Leader Sylvia Larsen of Concord.

``Vilsack will rise and fall depending on how he performs in the state," said Larsen. ``I don't think the majority of voters will use this as their litmus test. It certainly means a lot to us in this state, but choosing a president is a really serious issue so those types of vindictive behaviors may be something of a few partisans, but it is not going to affect an outcome."