From the Union Leader

Drew Cline from the Union Leader weighs in on the latest little scuffle between Bob Clegg and Jennifer Horn:

Stop whining, Bob

Monday April 07th 2008, 3:51 pm
Filed under: Blog Posts

State Sen. Bob Clegg complained last week that state GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen had encouraged other candidates, particularly Jennifer Horn, to run for Congress in the 2nd District after Clegg had said he was considering a run.

“Fergus knew I was going to run. Everybody knew I was going run,” Clegg complained.

Well, no they didin’t. Until you are an announced candidate, no one knows anything. Everyone “knew” Frank Guinta was going to run for governor. He didn’t. You’re not in until you’re in.

And so Cullen did exactly what a party chairman is supposed to do. In the absence of an announced candidate, he encouraged good prospects to run.

Clegg hurts himself here in several ways.

One, he looks whiny. Why not just say he welcomes the challenge and project an image of cool confidence?

Two, he presents a scenario in which other influential Republicans think so little of him that they are scheming to derail his candidacy. Why would he create that storyline? It doesn’t help.

Three, he gives Jennifer Horn more credibility.

And four, he gives potential donors a reason to hesitate.

It’s just a bad move all around.