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SEABROOK, N.H., 3:41 p.m. — The campaign trail is hopping today. A few items to consider:

  • Senator Barack Obama’s even this morning was scheduled for 9 a.m.; it began at 10:21 a.m. Are rallies supposed to begin fashionably late, or something?
  • Third pseudo-celebrity sighting of the trip: MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, standing in the lobby of the Palace Theater before Obama’s rally.
  • Obama entered to U2’s “City of Blinding Lights” and exited to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” Neither song contains the word “change” (I checked). I thought candidates were supposed to stay on message!
  • More after the jump, plus photos from the campaign trail.

    • As he did in the Democratic debate last night, Obama promised to give the New Hampshire people “straight talk.” Original.
    • After enduring Obama’s “change” spiel, I’m parking my car in Salem, N.H., for a town hall debate with Senator John McCain. Two middle-aged women walk by me, silently. “You know,” one of them suddenly says to the other, “we really do need change.” Oy.
    • McCain had a special guest at his rally today. His answer to Chuck Norris? Wilford Brimley.
    • I’m not sure why, but the Straight Talk Express is 10 times cooler than any other candidate’s bus.
    • — Thomas Kaplan

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      Spotted in Salem: Could this be Chris Dodd’s VW Beetle? Or did someone actually support him?

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      An impressive sight from the balcony of the Palace Theater.

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      There are about as many media members here in the Granite state as there are actual registered voters, so after every rally, reporters swarm attendees to gather soundbites.