Our three Dem would-be governors served the big debate last night. They offered enough meat for, say, a burger, if not a satisfying meal. I let impressions simmer overnight, but awoke with the same impression -- Tom Reilly took himself out of the contest, trimming the ballot. Thanks.
Sources: Head to any of the sponsors to get analysis and a link to the hour-long video. The Globe has both up plus a transcript. WBUR promises analysis this morning. WHDH has their take and the link. I have no doubt real rumination will happen at Blue Mass Group and other political blogs. As a follow-up, I noticed a nice think piece on Reilly over at Ryan's Take, why hia comman-man junk is just that.
A key take-away is that Reilly is clearly our PIN candidate -- petty, irrational and nasty. Paint a big L on his forehead.
He tried repeatedly to slap Chris Gabrieli and Deval Patrick with what he considered stoppers -- schoolyard taunts. He came out of nowhere to claim that Gabrieli's staff stole and published the finances of his stupidly non-vetted looey candidate, Marie St. Fleur. He likewise oveplayed the guilt-by-association with Patrick, trying to link predatory lending by Ameriquest with board member Patrick.
Instead, in Patrick's case, it gave him several chances to reasonably claim he had a history of fixing problems, unlike Reilly and the Big Dig. Further, Gabrieli got to look innocent and elevated.
Reilly put himself deeply in the muck. We would have said he needs a handler, but it's too late. Only those who tuned in favoring Reilly could leave this thinking he can do anything other than layer on the bovine feces.
Trust him to run the show on his non-record as AG? In a pig's eye! He's arrogant and autocratic, nobody's leader. He's an old man with diaper rash, acting out.
Gabby and Deval both came off smooth, but not too smooth. They seemed like good guys to sit down for a drink with, and talk politics. We went in favoring Patrick and left thinking he had the slight edge here. He didn't knock Gabrieli out, but he had the best combo of goals and ways to get there. Gabby is still too general and pressing his few good ideas as though the government fairies will come at night and make them 1) happen and 2) fix everything else broken.
If you missed the show, do catch the video before you let the pundits fill you ears, eyes and brain with their jive. The decision is down from three to two. If you aren't ready to blacken the ballot yet, this will help...a little.
Tags: massmarrier, Massachusetts, governor, debate, Chris Gabrieli, Tom Reilly, Deval Patrick
2 comments:
Surprisingly, Deval Patrick is showing a bit of political savvy in his avoidance of this issue. I might have expected him to jump ugly on Reilly and Mihos given that both are knee deep in the muck. With Mihos having once served on the Turnpike Board and Reilly being the Attorney General and chief prosecutor of the Big Dig investigations they are inextricably involved. The temptation must be great to rub his opponent’s faces in it. Instead he is keeping as quiet as a church mouse.
Deval Patrick: “I think Mr. Amorello did the right thing by resigning because public confidence in the project could not be restored under his leadership. However, this project’s failed leadership is bigger than one person or one agency. We must confront the ‘Big Dig culture’ on Beacon Hill—which is one of neglect and inaction, where politics has been more important than governing. New, independent leadership at the top is the only way to help restore the public’s confidence in the project. None of our current political leadership has managed to get the job done.”
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