Political fashions are everywhere. The State House in Concord has the famous “Button Wall.” While at The Barley House tavern, the fad is autographed barstools.
Let’s start with those buttons. Virginia Drew runs the Visitors’ Center at the State House where the wall is a record of presidential candidates past to present.
[“The button wall began when we wanted to put up something to commemorate New Hampshire first-in-the-nation status. We found a old board plaque and we decided to bring things out.” Virginia Drew]
Everyone at the State House brought bumper stickers from their own homes to put on the wall. She made sure the presidential candidates would stop to take a picture in front of the wall after they registered. Virginia Drew says Republican Mike Huckabee started a new trend.
[“Governor Huckabee was the first one who offered to autograph a bumper sticker for us. Later Bill Richardson actually autographed some copies of ‘Richardson’s Rules’ from his book. And Hilary Clinton on her trip came in signed a bumper stick for us. It was really an exciting time.” Virginia Drew]
At The Barley House tavern, Bill Clinton started the fad for autographed barstools. Bill Clinton wanted to borrow a bar stool from The Barley House tavern when Senator Hillary Clinton made her speech in front on the State House. After he gave it back, he signed it.
Brian Shea, owner and chef of The Barley House, says the tavern has a new motto.
[“Now when all the candidates come in here, I’m having them sign barstools. So that’s kind of our thing now going forward.
“You got to stop at the Barley House, have a burger, but you have to sign our bar stool.” Brian Shea]
The vote for the New Hampshire primary is January 8.
This is Joyce Ogirri reporting for WATD News, Election 2008, Concord, New Hampshire.
(Joyce Ogirri, a broadcast journalism graduate student, is covering the New Hampshire primaries for WATD Radio in Marshfield, Mass. )
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