New Hampshire's Largest Newspaper Endorses Gingrich

New Hampshire's largest newspaper on Sunday, Nov. 27, endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

"We are in critical need of the innovative, forward-looking strategy and positive leadership that Gingrich has shown he is capable of providing," wrote Union Leader Publisher Joseph W. McQuaid in an editorial that appeared on the newspaper's front page.

A pre-Thanksgiving University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll found that 42 percent of likely Republican primary voters would vote for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, compared to only 15 percent who said they would back Gingrich. A USA Today/Gallup poll released on Nov. 21 showed that Gingrich was within two percentage points of Romney.

"We don't back candidates based on popularity polls or big-shot backers," stressed McQuaid, who conceded that Gingrich is "by no means a perfect candidate." "We look for conservatives of courage and conviction who are independent-minded, grounded in their core beliefs about this nation and its people, and best equipped for the job."

While anything can happen between now and the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 10, this endorsement is an obvious shot in the arm to the insurgent Gingrich campaign.

Union Leader declines to publish gay couple’s wedding announcement

This native Granite Stater finds the growing outrage over the Union Leader’s decision not to publish a gay couple's wedding announcement rather curious.

Mo Baxley, executive director of New Hampshire Freedom to Marry, correctly pointed out in a statement the newspaper’s “opposition to gays and lesbians being treated equally under the law is no secret to those of us that live in New Hampshire.” The Union Leader consistently opined against the state’s marriage equality law that took effect in January. And the newspaper once again highlighted this editorial position in defense of its decision not to publish Greg Gould and Aurelio Tine's wedding announcement.

“This newspaper has never published wedding or engagement announcements from homosexual couples," wrote the Union Leader in a statement. "It would be hypocritical of us to do so, given our belief that marriage is and needs to remain a social and civil structure between men and women."

While unfortunate, the newspaper has the right to publish (or in this case not publish) what it chooses. And while the outrage over the Union Leader’s decision not to publish Gould and Tine’s wedding announcement is certainly justified, anyone who thinks this rag will suddenly embrace LGBT people and their families is woefully naïve.

Veteran N.H. sports reporter arrested on prostitution-related charges

Police arrested a veteran Union Leader sports reporter at his Manchester home earlier today in connection with prostitution-related charges in Northern Massachusetts.

Officers took Kevin Provencher into custody for allegedly deriving income from prostitution. He reportedly waived arraignment in Manchester District Court before he was escorted to the Bay State to answer to the two felony charges the Andover Police Department filed against him.

The Union Leader reported on its Web site Provencher has been with the paper for more than 25 years. He has been the publication's beat reporter for the Manchester Monarchs--an American Hockey League team in the Queen City--since 2001. Provencher has been the Union Leader's primary NASCAR correspondent at the New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon since 1990. And the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association have honored him for his reporting.

The newspaper declined to comment on his arrest, but it did announce it had suspended Provencher due to the "nature and seriousness of the charges."

Union Leader once again opines against marriage for same-sex couples

I'm honestly surprised it took the Union Leader two days to officially speak out against the bill Gov. John Lynch signed into law on Wednesday that extends marriage to same-sex couples, but opine it did in today's editorial.

Publisher Joe McQuaid wrote an editorial published on the rag's front page titled "Dishonesty in Concord." He opined "New Hampshire this week has witnessed intellectual and political dishonesty from Gov. John Lynch (whom he has dubbed Gov. Flynch) and his liberal Democratic legislative allies that is downright breathtaking." McQuaid further criticized the highly popular governor's thoughts about those who campaigned against the bill.

"Lynch is also intellectually dishonest in his implication that people opposed gay marriages solely because they didn't want traditional churches to be forced to participate," he said.

Really?

McQuaid also challenged New Hampshire residents to take action against Lynch and those who supported the bill at the polls next year.

"If they get away with it, Granite State voters will have only themselves to blame," he said.

The fact more than 50 percent of New Hampshire residents support marriage for same-sex couples indicates McQuaid and his newspaper's conservative perspective are increasingly out-of-touch with the state on which they claim to represent. One has come to expect these ridiculous arguments from a publication that continues to grab straws to justify its desperate attempt to block the inevitable change that continues to transform the Granite State for the better. Its increasing irrelevance, however, speaks for itself.