At some point in the 1970s, a man in Manchester, New Hampshire asks his friend, “What do you think about Mo Udall for president?’’ The other man replies, “I don’t know, I only met him twice.’’

Or so goes John McCain’s oft–repeatedjoke about the Granite State’s brand of personal politics.

Now it appears that Hillary Clinton’s campaign is starting to get on New Hampshire’s nerves for being impersonal.

The Nashua Telegraphpublished an editorial Thursday that said a conference call by Clinton’s campaign with local media was “the antithesis of what NH is about.’’


According to the Telegraph, the former secretary of state’s campaign expected that participating media would write stories from the call using unnamed sources only, even though it had “little or no substance.’’ Clinton’s campaign wanted to talk about their social media outreach plan.

From the Telegraph’s editorial:

“And then there was this: New Hampshire voters “would be seeing a lot of (Clinton) in the months ahead,’’ said a campaign strategist. That’s not exactly stop-the-presses material right there. The importance of what was said by campaign operatives in no way rose to a level that required anonymity. In fact, the nature of the call itself runs counter to a long tradition where the appearance of unnamed sources – be they presidential candidates or their operatives – are few and far between in New Hampshire newspapers, including this one. Anonymity, as a matter of course and for its own sake, is part of the culture in Washington, not New Hampshire.’’

The editorial came one day after a prominent Democratic activist in New Hampshire told The Boston Globethat when it comes to Clinton, “We feel like we don’t matter. I feel like she doesn’t realize it is personal in New Hampshire.’’

During her first New Hampshire visit, Clinton held panel discussions and house parties, only open to pre-credentialed media and individuals selected by campaign organizers.

As The Globe’s Annie Linskey pointed out, “Those everyday Americans who want to quiz Hillary Rodham Clinton on trade, foreign policy, or even her favorite color have one option: They need to be on the right invite list to get in a room with her.’’

However, a spokesman for the campaign told Linskey the pattern is not part of a long-term strategy, noting there is “plenty of time’’ before the state’s primary February 9, 2016.

Clinton’s campaign is set to return to New Hampshire this weekend, visiting Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton and an organizing event in Exeter. A campaign press release indicates neither will be open to the public.


Clinton’s national and New Hampshire campaigns didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.