Local New Hampshire blogger James Pindell behaved like a smug jerk during last night’s Senate debate between incumbent Jeanne Shaheen (D) and GOP challenger Scott Brown. In an exchange many liberals are describing as a "gaffe," Pindell tried to make Brown look ignorant of state geography. "Sullivan county is west of Concord, not north of Concord," Pindell said smugly after interrupting Brown mid-sentence. (Sullivan county is actually west AND north of Concord.)
After finishing with Brown, Pindell turned to ask Shaheen about the economic problems in Sullivan county. "Of course, you’ve been that county’s governor and senator for 12 years," he graciously reminded the audience. (FACT CHECK: Shaheen was governor of the entire state, not just Sullivan county.)
Pindell later admitted he was wrong and apologized, but not after every Democratic flak was able to clip the exchange and blast it across their listservs. Oops.
The local New Hampshire blogger gained notoriety for refusing to credit the Free Beacon for its reporting on Shaheen’s ties to a shady pawn shop. He refused to even name the Free Beacon, lest his readers have a chance to read the story and draw their own conclusions, instead referring to the story as one that had "popped up in a Washington Republican blog." Pindell's partisan affiliation was clear then, and it is certainly clear to all of New Hampshire now.