Ted Danson campaigns for Hillary Clinton in Laconia

Ted Danson reminisced about his 11 seasons as Sam “Mayday” Malone, the owner of “Cheers,” with three avid fans of the show. From left are Robert Schepis, Brendan Wallace and Steve Saucieris, all of whom are campaigning for Hillary Clinton in Boston. A longtime friend of the Clintons, Danson spent yesterday on the campaign trail, which included a stop in Laconia. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Michael Kitch)

By MICHAEL KITCH, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — The regional office of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on Court Street became a place "where everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came" when Ted Danson, who played Sam Malone in the celebrated sit-com "Cheers," dropped in to lend support to his longtime friend's campaign.

"Pour me Sam Adams," someone shouted as Danson stepped through the door.

Danson said he has been a close friend of the Clintons for the past 22 years, his wife, the actress Mary Steenburgen, grew up in Arkansas and won an Oscar during Bill Clinton's first term as governor. Danson recalled that her father heard the governor speak of her success and told him "If you're going to talk about my daughter, you should meet her." The Clintons and Steenburgen quickly became best friends. Danson said he first met the Clintons when he and Steenburgen were courting and she took him to the White House to win the approval of her friends, and the couple married in 1995. The President walked the bride down the aisle.

Danson signed autographs and posed for photographs while sharing memories of "Cheers" with fans, including three campaign workers from the Boston office who drove to Laconia for his signature on their memorabilia.

Danson described Clinton as the "hardest working, best prepared candidate for president" and "the kindest, most loyal, trustworthy person I know." He said that "everything she has done in her life has prepared her to run the business of America."