If the New Hampshire primary’s date won’t be set until after the filing date – Nov. 2, so the soonest it would be announced would be Saturday, November 3 – can Secretary of State William Gardner really schedule it for December 11? Five weeks later?

Only five more weeks of political ads? Only five more weeks of candidate visits? Only five more weeks of national television journalists walking around diners asking ordinary joes their thoughts on health care reform?

Color me skeptical. I suspect January 8 or sometime around then.