NBC and 'Meet the Press' set up shop in armory; known for filming memorable moments

Jan. 22—Just as the sun rose Sunday morning, a crew from NBC started to film "Meet the Press" from the Armory Ballroom inside the DoubleTree Hotel in Manchester.

Banners with the words "New Hampshire Headquarters" lined the brick walls. A crew of four cameramen stood by to film multiple segments, to be pieced together for the final program airing later that morning at 10:30.

Host Kristen Welker started her morning doing spots for local affiliates, known in the industry as crosstalks. "Meet the Press," the longest-running show in TV history, has a history of filming on location for major political events — including the Iowa caucuses last week — and bringing some of the excitement to markets across the country.

The dozens working on the program are only a small part of the national media forces that descended on the Granite State in the days before Tuesday's primary, though the numbers by most accounts pale in comparison to past years, with the Republican field diminished and President Joe Biden not on the ballot.

Polls showing Trump beating Nikki Haley by a double-digit margin dominated much of the conversation.

During a crosstalk segment with Abby Dodge, an anchor with KSHB 41 in Kansas City, Welker talked about how polls show Haley and Trump "neck and neck" among independent voters.

"This is where your ground game really becomes critical," Welker said in an interview with the Union Leader after the taping.

Yes, KSHB broke away from coverage of the Kansas City Chiefs to get the latest from the Granite State.

The guests

Two of the guests this Sunday morning were familiar to Granite Staters: Republican Gov. Chris Sununu and U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., each making pitches for their candidates and talking about the latest scuttlebutt from the first-in-the-nation primary run-up.

"We wanted to capture everything that was happening on the ground here in New Hampshire and the run-up to the primary on Tuesday," Welker said after the taping. "We thought very carefully about our guests and our panel and we really wanted to bring people who can talk about New Hampshire."

David Gelles, who has been executive producer of the show since September 2022, has an extensive background in the industry, including executive producer for CNN's political and special events programming from 2016 to 2022, where he produced all national coverage around debates, town halls, election nights and inaugurations.

He grew up visiting his grandparents in Somersworth and speaks highly of Newick's Lobster House in Dover.

"The reason we needed to be in both Iowa and New Hampshire is this race could be over by Tuesday," Gelles said. "While we think it will at least go until Super Tuesday, the candidates are dropping out fast."

NBC and MSNBC have more than two dozen correspondents, producers, reporters, and embedded campaign reporters covering the New Hampshire primary.

Gelles said the Armory Ballroom's location enables the network to be in the center of much of the action and can be transformed into an ideal remote studio. Other networks broadcasted from other parts of the building and other well-known spots across southern New Hampshire.

On Monday morning, CNN broadcast live from MaryAnn's Diner's newest location in Amherst, and CBS mornings camped out at the Bookery in Manchester.

Fox & Friends filmed live from the Red Arrow Diner in Concord, according to the diner's Facebook page.

ABC has a broadcast booth with Manchester's City Hall in the background.

The production of "Meet the Press" operates like a well-lubed machine. The night before the show, the team reshuffled the schedule as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis canceled all his TV appearances and later in the day pulled out of the race.

Gelles said they were a bit surprised at the last-minute cancellation but fully prepared.

"One of the things we wanted to ask Governor DeSantis is why he wasn't in New Hampshire," he said.

Welker arrived the Thursday before the taping to talk to voters supporting different candidates and those who are undecided. Those discussions informed the questions guests were asked Sunday.

Show prep starts the minute a guest is booked for the program, which includes mock interviews.

"David typically plays the person I am going to interview and we try to think about, 'Am I missing questions? Am I missing potential follow-up?' To make sure I am as prepared as possible because these are really significant interviews," Welker said. "We think of them as interviews for the history books."

One of those historic interviews was done by then-host Tim Russert with John McCain in 2008, also from the ballroom of the storied Armory, which was built in 1904 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"A lot of voters in New Hampshire, we all know, make up their minds in the last few hours or even when they go into the ballot booth," McCain said.

The producers always try to get guests in person, but sometimes the interview takes place remotely. Hassan and Sununu were both ushered in quickly and filmed making small talk with Welker for the previews.

Hassan and Sununu tempered expectations for both Biden and Haley, Welker said.

Along with the production team, college students and others gathered in the impromptu studio.

During the program, even before DeSantis pulled out, Sununu called it a two-way race between Haley and Trump.

"I think she still can win. There is no doubt about it," Sununu said after being pushed by Welker to answer whether she could defy the polls.

Hassan, who said the Democratic National Committee made a "terrible decision" in trying to oust New Hampshire from its first-in-the-nation position, still spoke positively of a write-in campaign for Joe Biden.

"Write-in campaigns are really tough, but we are feeling really good about what we are seeing on the ground here, " Hassan said.

Gelles said that Biden's decision to skip the first-in-the-nation contest likely will be one of those moments that stand the test of time

"We certainly frame the questions around some of the largest issues that are facing voters on Tuesday in terms of the issues of threats to democracy and obviously the quality of candidates," Gelles said.

NBC News Chief Political Analyst Chuck Todd, former host of Meet the Press, opened his segment by saying, "We are searching for the energy."

But Welker said she's always excited to return to New Hampshire.

"This is the most exciting time of year, if you love politics," Welker said. "Election night is our Super Bowl, but we are in the playoffs, so being able to be out in the field is about as exciting as it gets."