Decoding the Weld Vibe in Somersworth: Intelligent, Charged, Friendly, Hopeful

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SUSAN DROMEY HEETER photo

Former Mass. Gov. William Weld is pictured Friday with Emmett Soldati, owner of the Teatotaller Cafe in Somersworth.

Welcome to Decoding the Vibe where I tell it like it really is as the first-in-the-nation primary parade of candidates comes to town. Join me behind the scenes where you might just find out what the candidate is really like.

By SUSAN DROMEY HEETER, Decoding the Vibe

SOMERSWORTH – Initially, the vibe of former Governor William Weld on Friday at the Teatotaller Cafe felt a bit like the start of a Netflix program I’d heard about but had not committed to watching. 

Weld is 74 years old, was the 68th Governor of Massachusetts from 1991 – 1997, and is seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States.  

At 6’ 4” he’s a tall drink of water, Oxford and Harvard educated and, like many a Netflix series, starts off slow but then rivets you in with intelligence, with lines of dialog so good they must be written down, with hope that after the first season, the series will be picked up.

And when Weld, wearing a red tie and Mephisto shoes, spoke, he celebrated his long support of LGBTQ causes, he spoke of his fiscal conservatism, remarking, “I want government out of your pocketbook and out of your bedrooms.” 



The crowd at Teatotaller started off around 20 and then swarmed to 50 people of various ages, various interests, various political backgrounds.  On a warm August afternoon, the vibe felt friendly, felt intelligent, felt charged, felt hopeful.

Susan Dromey Heeter

The Daly family of Rochester arrived simply to be “exposed to candidates.”  Parents Tom and Jen brought their children to hear more of what Weld had to say. Tom was excited as he remarked, Weld was “the first guy I ever voted for.”

Weld referred to Trump as suffering from “malignant narcissism” and as one not “processing information” and with “zero preparation.”

The vibe?  Finally a Republican calling out the naked emperor.  What a relief. 

The vibe of Weld felt humane, felt realistic, felt like being in someone’s company who reads, who reflects, who truly believes. “There is no such thing as government money, it’s taxpayers’ money.”  

When asked by a friend, “Does he sound like a reasonable, sensible, respectable candidate?” 

My answer? Yes, yes, and yes.

And, yes, may the Weld Netflix series continue. I’ll happily binge watch Season 2. 

Susan Dromey Heeter is a writer from Dover who recently let her hair go au natural white. Writing has been her passion since her English majoring days at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.  Dromey Heeter has lived in The Netherlands, Alaska and currently basks in all things New England, including the frigid winters. An avid swimmer, Dromey Heeter’s great passion is to bring back body surfing as most children have no idea how to ride waves without ridiculous boogie boards.

The opinions expressed are those of the writer. InDepthNH.org takes no position on politics, but welcomes diverse opinions. email nancywestnews@gmail.com

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