The Attitude with Arnie Arneson

Currently Arnie Arnesen is the host of The Attitude on WNHN 94.7FM in Concord NH  a daily one hour talk show that focuses on policy, politics and people that make a difference in our lives and rarely get discussed and is a a regular commentator on WGBH radio  (Boston public radio), WGIR a commercial radio station in Manchester NH and WKBK a commercial radio station in Keene NH. For over a decade Arnie and Professor Steffen Schmidt (aka Dr. Politics from Iowa State) provided political commentary for Iowa Public Radio.

Arnesen  has played a pivotal role in the political education of several “generations” of Fellows from the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. These senior-level practitioners of international affairs from around the world – diplomats, including ambassadors, politicians, military officers, heads of NGOs, journalists, and business leaders – have had the privilege of learning from Ms. Arnesen about both state and national politics, including New Hampshire’s important role in the selection of presidential candidates. On their most recent visit to New Hampshire, just a few days before the 2012 presidential election, Ms. Arnesen shared her thoughts on the presidential campaign, described the legal challenges faced by key groups of voters in casting their ballots, and discussed some of the  significant differences among states.

Arnesen previously hosted two award-winning political shows, Political Chowder on WZMY TV and Capital Ideas” on WNDS-TV. During the presidential election cycle, Arnesen can be seen as a regular analyst on New England Cable News, and makes regular appearances on WBUR’s “Greater Boston,” “The Agenda” on TV Ontario, SBS-TV Australia, and Al Jazeera.

The New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters chose Arnesen as the Air Personality of the Year in 2004 and 2005, as well as the Air Personality of the Year for TV in 2008. In 2000, Talkers Magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most powerful talk show hosts in America.

Arnesen earned her political knowledge through extensive and historic involvement in New Hampshire government. She began her political career in 1984 when she was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives. In 1990 she received national recognition as the recipient of the Council of State Government’s Toll Fellowship, which recognizes the 30 best and brightest emerging leaders in the nation from all three branches of state government. That same year she was named Environmentalist of the Year by the NH Sierra Club, Citizen of the Year by the NH Association of Social Workers and a Visiting Scholar at Harvard’s School of Public Health.

In 1992, after a hotly contested primary, Arnesen became the first woman in state history to be nominated by a major party for Governor. After the ’92 campaign Arnesen taught Political Science at New England College, ran the Wiss Institute for Public Policy Research, and was elected to the National Board of Common Cause. In 1996 she was the Democratic nominee for Congress. Her loss led to a Fellowship at the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School and a faculty position at Franklin Pierce College.

Arnesen has been a key political speaker for  Leadership NH, the National Education Association, various centers at The Kennedy School at Harvard and is a regular college commencement speaker. In 2006 Arnesen was chosen to join 8 members of the national media to tour Israel and the Palestinian territories. She was a religion major at St Olaf College and received her JD from Vermont Law School.