Tomorrow is the country’s first presidential primary, and for the past few weeks, residents of the tiny state of New Hampshire have been inundated with the circus-like atmosphere of the presidential campaign — from candidates’ visits to dinners, to the endless polling phone calls, to the media frenzy that accompanies the candidates wherever they go.

With races tightening both for the Democrats and the Republicans, Democrat Bill Bradley and Republican Senator John McCain are trying to woo independent voters who are now on the fence between the two candidates — voters who are allowed to cast ballots for either political party.

The race between Texas Governor George W. Bush and McCain remains too close to call, while the latest tracking poll shows Vice President Gore ahead of Bradley.

While McCain is keeping up attacks on “special interests” and campaign financing, Bradley has also increased his criticism of the source of Gore’s financial contributions, questioning his role in the fund-raising scandal that dogged the democrats after the 1996 elections.

Meanwhile, the Bush campaign has already surpassed the $63 million mark, and while Bush claimed on the campaign trail that he too would go after special interests, most campaign watchers predict that his coffers will soon be taking in millions of dollars in soft money.

We now turn to a speech by Jim Hightower, radio host and former Secretary of Agriculture of Texas, who recently wrote a book called ??If the Gods Had Meant for Us to Vote They Would Have Given Us Candidates.

Tape:

• Jim Hightower, speaking in Colorado Springs, Colorado.