Gabrieli, Swift attend McCain event in N.H.

By Sasha Issenberg, Globe Staff

ROCHESTER, N.H. -- Deval Patrick may have spent Saturday campaigning across southern New Hampshire for Barack Obama, but his 2006 primary rival Chris Gabrieli was spotted in a more unlikely spot along the state's primary trail: sitting alongside former governor Jane Swift at
a John McCain town-hall meeting here.

The two were in New Hampshire as part of a day-long trip Gabrieli led for approximately fifty Harvard alumni to get an up-close view of the primary process. The group visited Hillary Clinton's state headquarters in Manchester, and heard from a variety of political insiders including Swift, a McCain supporter.

"He was impressive and the most honest I've ever seen at an event like this," said Gabrieli, chairman of the Massachusetts 2020 Foundation, who says he is not supporting any candidate in his party's presidential primary but came away impressed with McCain's skill engaging with his audience. "I know what it's like as a candidate when you get a question and you have a moment to decide how to answer it."