All of the candidates running for president have been invited to speak at a major global warming conference in Manchester October 12 and 13. From what I've been told its open to Rs and Ds - and each candidate is afforded solo stage time to communicate his (her) priorities on energy and global warming.

NH has communicated global warming as a priority in many ways this past year, right under the noses of the candidates.

Here are the top ten reasons why every candidate should show up at the conference:
1.
A statewide poll showed 70% of likely Republican primary voters feel global warming is a serious threat and needs to be addressed (and most feel it is man-induced), while almost 90% of likely D primary voters feel the same way
2.
164 out of 177 towns passed a town meeting resolution calling on the next president to require national greenhouse gas reductions in ways that protect the economy (of the 164 towns, a majority performed republican in 2004)
3.
The governor & executive council signed a commendation thanking the 300 volunteers who made the resolution a statewide referendum.
4.
More than 40 civic associations and 9 newspapers endorsed the resolution (which has been endorsed now by Richardson, Dodd and McCain)
5.
Researchers in the science and economic disciplines came together for the first time and illustrated how inextricably linked local NH economies are to cold winters, and how northern communities will suffer from slushy winters.
6.
College students marched from Nashua to Concord and others climbed to the tops of the Presidentials to make their point and send a message that global warming action must be a priority for the next president.
7.
A spring conference on global warming and the NH forest economy drew a standing room only crowd of more than 300
8.
Thanks to hundreds of civic-minded volunteers, more than 50 local energy committees have emerged from the results of the town meeting resolution. These people are not your every-day branded enviros: they are civic leaders and taxpayers.
9.
Candidates are getting lots of questions and are talking about energy and global warming on the stump, and in some ways the retail politicking has helped candidates test their messages and reform a few policy directions. That said, the conference is the only chance between now and the primaries for candidates to really showcase their climate change and energy action plans with people for whom this is a priority (which people?-- see ## 1-8)
10.
The upcoming conference comes at peak foliage season - so get up here and enjoy the season .... while we still can.