Vote First or Die, Scott Conroy
Vote First or Die, Scott Conroy
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Vote First or Die
The New Hampshire Primary: America's Discerning, Magnificent, and Absurd Road to the White House

Author: Scott Conroy

Narrator: Jeremy Arthur

Unabridged: 8 hr 27 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: PublicAffairs

Published: 04/18/2017


Synopsis

New Hampshire-a small state with a small, distinct population-is nevertheless the beacon of American democracy. Since 1920, its residents have been the first in the nation to cast their votes in the presidential primaries. History has shown that if you want to be commander in chief, you have to win, or at least place a strong second, in New Hampshire. Donald Trump bolstered the trend with his victory in 2016.

For that reason, the state is also the graveyard of political ambitions: incumbent presidents Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush were all wounded by strong primary challengers in New Hampshire--and well-known, well-funded candidates see the White House disappear when they can't figure out how to win it.

For a year and a half leading up to Primary Day, Scott Conroy followed the often absurd 2016 campaign up and down New Hampshire. Along the way, he got up close and personal with the candidates themselves, while absorbing local insights and entertaining anecdotes from the peppery state officials and wily operatives who have determined national political fates for generations. From far-flung towns like Dixville Notch and Berlin to "big cities" like Manchester and Portsmouth, in Vote First or Die, Conroy reveals the inner workings of American politics through the unforgettable characters who populate the exceedingly influential state of New Hampshire.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Robert on October 09, 2017

The West Wing covered a great deal of political ground in its seven season run, and the New Hampshire primary is one of them. One moment that stuck out to me was in the later seasons when Josh Lyman is grumbling about the New Hampshire's more arcane processes when one of the characters who is a nati......more

Goodreads review by Caitlin on January 13, 2020

Overall I enjoyed this, but parts of it really bothered me. 1.) There are lots of potshots taken at New Hampshire. Who did he think was going to read this? I'm sure there are political junkies all over who are interested in the NH primary, but I would bet that most of the of the readership for this......more

Goodreads review by Jason on May 09, 2017

Fantastic book about the New Hampshire Primary. Scott Conroy details various campaigns in the Granite State (most from 2016) and how unique the primary is. My only negative is that I do not feel that he ever actually answered his own question of whether we should give as much credit to the primary a......more

Goodreads review by Ian on January 01, 2018

Admittedly I never really knew why New Hampshire was the first primary and I didn't really understand that it was important to get off to a good start by winning there. Not that I don't understand politics but it was just something I didn't think about because every state had a primary. This book re......more

Goodreads review by Dustin on January 23, 2019

This was a great book and my first introduction to the New Hampshire primaries. As a new NH resident, I thought that this would be my self-imposed "required reading" to learn more about my new state.......more


Quotes

"Scott Conroy has produced a thoughtful, engaging and at times hilarious deep dive into the political soul of America's first primary state. Topical in any era, Vote First or Die is particularly relevant in understanding the roiling discontents of Granite Staters that gave rise to Donald Trump's first-ever electoral victory."
Robert Draper, author of Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside The House of Representatives and Dead Certain: The Presidency of George W. Bush

"A mix of Bill Bryson and Mark Leibovich-affectionate, hard-headed, laugh-out-loud funny, and always deeply informed. New Hampshire is the perfect stage for Scott Conroy's safari through the strange magic and frailty of a presidential campaign."
Evan Osnos, author of Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in New China

"As a reporter who chronicled my first New Hampshire primary in 1980, I love Scott Conroy's rollicking appreciation of the crown jewel of American democracy. Equally compelling and often funny are Conroy's anecdotes from the NH campaigns that he covered from John McCain to a fellow named Trump."
Walter Shapiro, columnist for Roll Call and author of One-Car Caravan: On the Road with the 2004 Democrats before America Tunes In

"Conroy can sting nicely...not letting anyone come out unscathed. ...A quirky, well-observed account of how electoral politics works."—Kirkus Reviews