Danforth and Converse

[Kat Kanning]

NH House Trivia...did you know there is a Danforth and a Converse in the NH house?

[Kat Kanning]

A Hellwig too, but with more l's

[Lloyd Danforth]

Any Tiltons?  I am related to Eatons, too.

[Kat Kanning]

Two Tiltons...one's in Keene.  Two Eatons.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Healds?

[Kat Kanning]

Didn't notice.

[Pat McCotter]

I know it's not NH but there is this guy:

McCotter performs for troops
By Pam Fleming
STAFF WRITER

There's nothin' like a little rock 'n' roll to put U.S. troops in the holiday spirit.

That's just what local Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) had in mind.

McCotter, the Republican congressman from Livonia who serves the 11th District, which includes Novi, left the day after Christmas to entertain soldiers as a member of the band, the Second Amendments.

The band is made up of five members of the U.S. Congress. McCotter plays lead guitar and does not sing.

"You have to have hair in our band to sing," he joked.

McCotter said Congress had a band called the First Amendments in the 1990s, so one of the new band members suggested they call the band the Second Amendments.

This is an appropriate name for a wartime band, so to speak, since the Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms.

The band has been together since earlier this year, according to McCotter, who resurrected the congressional band.

Other members include Reps. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) on lead vocals, Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) on bass; Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.) on drums; and John Porter (R-Nev.) on keyboards.

Peterson used to play with the former band, the First Amendments.

Of course, McCotter and friends won't be just jammin' while visiting the troops. They'll be part of a congressional delegation to learn what's happening overseas.

"You get a better sense of what's going on in the military when you're actually there," McCotter said.

"And we always try to do something special for the troops at the end of the day."

Members of the Second Amendments will be entertaining the troops each day they're overseas.

"We'll be in a different military theater every day," McCotter said.

They will play six shows in Europe and the Middle East.

He describes their music as a bad marriage between classic rock and classic country.

"We do a few George Strait songs," McCotter said. "I never listened to country particularly, so this is new for me."

The band practices about once a week, and it's a bipartisan group.

"There's no talk of politics while we're playing," McCotter said. "There are plenty of other opportunities for that."

The Second Amendments will return from their overseas gig after the first of the year.

McCotter, who has already been overseas twice, said he's looking forward to entertaining the troops because a lot of the men and women in the U.S. military won't be able to spend the holidays with their families.

"We want to let them know we're proud of what they're doing," he said.

He also wants to learn first-hand what's going on not only militarily but politically and economically in Iraq.

"You don't rely on second-hand reports," McCotter said. "You've got to see it for yourself. It's critical to do this."

Pam Fleming is a staff writer for the Novi News. She can be reached at (248) 349-1700, ext. 105, or by e-mail at pfleming@gannett.com.

[Kat Kanning]

That's so strange.

[Dreepa]

I think that the Dem Eaton in the house is the brother of the GOP Eaton in the Senate.

[Kat Kanning]

Yes.

[KBCraig]

NH House Trivia...did you know there is a Danforth and a Converse in the NH house?

What about Nikes or Reeboks? Any Keds?

[Kat Kanning]

Why?  Need a swift kick in the rear?

[Tunga]

"Redball Jets" help you run faster and jump higher.

We saw it on TV so it must be true.