Jeb Bradley and Me on Mount Washington: What are the Odds?
Last week I enjoyed my third backcountry ski trip to Mt. Washington and Tuckerman Ravine. The picture above was taken below the summit. That's Tuckerman Ravine below me. I traversed across the headwall and skied the Left Gully to return to camp.
Unbelievably I ran into Jeb Bradley while hiking up with three days supplies. A fellow passed me with a day pack . We made some light conversation and I said, " You look familiar." He turned to me and said, "I'm Jeb Bradley."
I of course announced that I was Chaz Proulx and we had a terrific laugh. What are the chances? We walked along for a while. Jeb had read my last articles about him. He told me that the Harpers piece I had cut and pasted was heavily cherry picked, and that his voting record didn't reflect favoritism.
I'll take him at his word on that. I'm glad I wrote that Jeb Bradley is known as a nice guy. My criticisms are based on policy, world view and political philosophy, not personality. I think that the first district is lucky in that regard.
We also discussed the clean tough fight ahead between him and my favorite Congresswoman, Carol Shea-Porter (That is, if Jeb Bradley defeats John Stephen in the Republican primary.
Before parting I joked, What in Hell are we doing up here anyway? Jeb answered that we want to see how long we can do this. That was the right answer.
In future columns I'll be as critical of Jeb Bradley' s policies as I've always been. But for just a little while we were two aging guys trudging up Mount Washington for the best view of the first congressional district anywhere.
Chaz Proulx
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Reader Comments (5)
And Jeb IS a nice guy. I've enjoyed him in the NH Legislature. I wish he didn't get associated with certain people and lobbyists in Washington. Sometimes the crowd you hang with...
Anyway, Carol Shea-Porter is doing quite fine, and Jeb should instead "go home again" and run for the New Hampshire House, and work to protect the environment so a hundred years from now other young men and women will be able to follow his and your footsteps on Mt. Washington.
"I've enjoyed him in the NH Legislature." Probally stands to reason your both members of the same political party. Democrat and RINO.
I was in the legislature during this time on Science, Technology and Energy. I think the most productive member of the house at the time was Rep. Phil Cobbin especially his floor speeches "I'm going to keep speaking out about what is wrong with this house." I think a vast majority of this problem was the top down leadership and individuals like Chairman Bradley.
Consider the following:
Jeb Bradley was chairman of the Science, Technology and Energy Cmte. during the time of the all important electric utility deregulation legislation. Look what happened to the legislation.
Compare capital projects that happened in New England Congressional districts during the period Mr. Bradley was in office. I think you'll find the first congressional district probally ranked near the bottom in terms of capital investment and taxbase expansion.
Name one piece of legislation or any venture that required Mr. Bradley to use his own iniative, capital or political experience to get something done sans veteran's issues.
When your finished answering these questions take some time to look at the record and performance of former Commissioner John Stephen I think you'll see which candidate would do a better job in Washington.
P.S. I also ask you to consider the editorial that appeared in the Union Leader right after Messrs. Bass and Bradley were defeated. It likened both of these individuals to re-arranging old furniture when asking if they should ever be re-elected. Old furniture.
Back channel I'm hearing from people (Dems) who think John Stephen has a pretty good chance of winning the Republican Primary.
Thus far, its been pretty hard to get a handle on who has the upper hand. I hear that John Stephen has been running hard in the North Country.
Of course no one in Republican leadership is going to tell me what's really happening behind the scenes.
I hope your back channel is right. John Stephen would be quality representative of the first congressional district.
For no other reason than he knows how to consider new ideas and more importantly, I think he would bring a practical, realistic voice to Congress.
I've already said enough about what I think is the failed leadership and lack of iniative on the part of the former Congressman. The Union Leader has it right. Mr. Bradley is just old furniture.