"We have been successful in getting Portsmouth into a small group (of military installations) the commission is looking at a second and third time," the senator said. "It’s an indication the commissioners are taking their job seriously."

The job of the delegation will be to keep issues concerning the local shipyard before the nine commissioners and BRAC staff members for the next 2½ weeks, until the commission makes its own recommendations to President Bush. The SOS group intends to stay visible as well.

Dick Ingram, the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce president and an SOS task force member, has arranged transportation and accommodations in New York City for Aug. 11 and 12 for approximately a dozen shipyard supporters. Dressed in their yellow T-shirts, the group plan to appear in the forefront of the crowd when weatherman Al Roker does his street interviews on "The Today Show" Friday morning.

Ingram said he has connected with the people who do promotions for the popular morning show in order to gain more national recognition for the plight of the Portsmouth yard.

"Since this is a political thing, they can’t require Al Roker to talk to us, but they can lead him in our direction," Ingram said.

Asked whether it was worth the price of sending a dozen people to New York just to get a few minutes of air time on "The Today Show," SOS member and Portsmouth chamber Business Development Manager Ginny Griffith said she believed it was.

"We have gained a lot of public awareness through our efforts, some of which were large, such as an 8,500-person rally, and some of which were small," she said.

Shipyard worker Don Hands pointed to the base closure criteria as justification for spending the several thousand dollars it would take to get the group to New York.

"One of the parameters the BRAC people are looking at is community support," Hands said. "We’re showing them national support."

The day following the planned TV appearance, Ingram and the others will be back in the Seacoast at the Shipyard Appreciation and Old Time Family Picnic planned for Saturday, Aug. 13, from 2 to 5 p.m., at Pease International Tradeport. Live bands and a BMX bicycle stunt team will entertain what is expected to be a huge crowd of shipyard supporters at the event.

Sununu said he will be there, along with Maine Gov. John Baldacci and New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch.

The following week - Monday, Aug. 22, and Tuesday, Aug. 23 - the commission will publicly deliberate in Washington and create its own list of proposed closure and realignment recommendations for submission to President Bush on Sept. 8.

By Shir Haberman
shaberman@seacoastonline.com

Also from Today's Herald:
Snowe blocks promotion
Sen. Olympia Snowe on Wednesday declined to confirm reports that she has blocked the nomination of Gordon England to the No. 2 Pentagon job because she is frustrated over the Pentagon’s base closure recommendations.

I don't think this is so complicated. The obvious omissions made during this BRAC process early on are big enough to drive a truck through. Now they are trying to discredit those who have uncovered the facts. Uncovering the truth is not about politics, it's justice. We have thier attention now with the community support only we can show. Let's do it one more time bigger than ever at Pease Tradeport on August 13th! 2-5pm

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