What’s the secret mayor?
Wu keeping NH stops under wraps
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s trip to New Hampshire for President Biden is shrouded in secrecy, with her campaign refusing to provide the exact location of her events to the public. The move to shield Wu’s campaign stops is highly unusual in New Hampshire, where voters pride themselves on getting up close and personal with candidates and their surrogates and asking tough questions.
Wu has been dogged by protesters throughout her first two years in office and her campaign apparently has decided to try and avoid any uncomfortable confrontations in the Granite State.
Wu’s campaign sent out an email to media asking reporters to RSVP her press aide to get the locations of the events in Nashua and Manchester on Saturday.
“These are locally-managed, grassroots events — mostly small gatherings of friends and neighbors,” the email from Wu’s press office said.
The Nashua event with Wu Saturday morning is an “open house with local leaders” and the Manchester event is a “GOTV visibility.” It’s unclear if Wu — a leftist lightning rod for some conservatives — will be mingling or talking to any actual undecided voters.
It sounds like the events are more like glorified photo ops. By requiring an RSVP, the campaign wants to know exactly who is going and what reporters are attending. It’s more likely that Wu will be talking to Biden volunteers rather than real voters.
The decision to shield the exact locations do not bode well for Wu’s political ambitions outside Boston.
How could she run for statewide office or take any job outside the safety net of WGBH and Java Jimmy?
Wu has become a national face of the woke wing of the Democratic Party and has drawn protesters outside her house and at some events in Boston. Her State of the City address was interrupted by pro-Palestinian hecklers last week.
The storyline that Wu is now taking heat from the left for not being progressive enough is hogwash. The heat is coming from Republicans and independents — not the left.
Wu has become extremely sensitive to any protests or criticism, going so far as to pass an ordinance that limits when people can protest outside her Roslindale House. Some protesters have been arrested under the ordinance.
And that’s in liberal Boston. Wu is taking somewhat of a risk by campaigning in much more moderate and independent-minded New Hampshire, where the Biden campaign is trying to organize a write-in campaign for the president.
Biden and the Democratic National Committee is boycotting what they call a “meaningless” primary — preferring instead to focus on the South Carolina primary next on the calendar.
But New Hampshire officials have strongly objected to the DNC’s move — and Biden could be hurt by the backlash though he faces no serious competition on the Democratic side.