In the fourth installment in our Granite State Stories series we look at the New Hampshire’s rich political history through the pages of Winston Churchill’s “Conistonâ€. It’s the story of Granite State politics during the era of progressive reform, of colorful politicians, corruption and the long time respect for our long standing political traditions which for such a small state has made a large impression throughout history. A Saint Louis native, Churchill moved to New Hampshire as an adult, became acclaimed for his books on historical fiction and played with Granite State politics himself as a one-term legislator and Gubernatorial candidate. His fame was so great that the English Winston Churchill wrote him in 1899 to say that he would henceforth sign his name Winston Spencer Churchill to distinguish himself from the more famous American. Both before and after Churchill’s writings our state has distinguished itself as a place of political greatness from our Town Meetings, to our grass roots politics to our First in the Nation Presidential Primary that puts our state under the political microscope every four years. Today on the Exchange we talk about these traditions, our long political history and Winston Churchill’s “Conistonâ€. Laura's guests are Stephen Winship, author of three books on New Hampshire history who has written a column on history for the Concord Monitor for the past twenty years, David Watters, Professor of English at the University of New Hampshire and Director of the Center for New England Culture and Charles Bass, Republican Congressman representing the Second District of New Hampshire.
*This show originally broadcast on 9/9/05*
