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This was the first time I heard Rudy talk in person; my initial impression is that the man loves to talk.  Rudy arrived late to the Town Hall meeting but no one in attendance seemed to mind, me included, until the time when his assistant informed the crowd that there'd be time for only one more question.  By that time, Rudy had only taken about five questions from the crowd.  There were several reasons why there weren't more questions (one mentioned above that he was late to the meeting, another was that he kicked the meeting off with what seemed to me to be a press release intended more for the journalists at the back of the hall than the citizens in attendance), but the main reason was because he was very long winded with his answers.  Not that that's a bad thing.  The problem for me was that I've read or heard the questions & answers either on campaign mailings, tv newscasts or tv debates.  And, I thought the questions were softball questions for him (economy, immigration, education/security, energy, global warming).  My impression of Rudy before the Town meeting was that he's an intelligent man with great leadership qualities.  Nothing I saw and heard at the Town meeting changed that impression.  What I was hoping to hear were answers to questions on how he's going to win over the religious and social conservatives on issues such as gay marriage/civil unions, abortion and gun control, to name a few. 

I believe Rudy will do well in New Hampshire because many of the registered republicans and independents are more fiscally conservative as opposed to being socially conservative.  I also believe most of the leading republican candidates can defeat the leading democrats in a head to head national race and that the only way one of the democrats can win is if the conservative vote is split by a third party conservative candidate.  At this time, that's the scenario I see if Rudy is the Republican nominee.  Unfortunately, the Town hall meeting in Exeter did nothing to change that opinion.