Joe Jehlen! No, wait – it’s … Pat Mackey! No, wait …
That’s right, folks. We can’t make up our minds. So we’re endorsing both Jehlen and Mackey as clearly preferable to Michael Callahan (a charter member of the hackocracy who seems to have few convictions other than "more bucks for my district," which is fine as far as it goes, but one does yearn for just a tad more) and Paul Casey (too conservative for our taste). But we’re not going to take a position on Jehlen vs. Mackey.
Instead, as those of you who live in the district and haven’t yet made up your minds march toward election day (a week from today), we’ll float a couple of questions you might keep in mind:
- Which candidate will work for you, your family, and your community by
- voting the way you want on issues you care about?
- making sure that roads, bridges, parks, schools, libraries, and other public facilities in the district are kept in shape?
- answering the phone when you call and working with you and the community when you bring a constituent issue to his or her attention?
- working effectively with other legislators to advance all of the above?
- Are you worried about "splitting" the "progressive vote"?
- If so, which way does that cut? Jehlen has the interest group endorsements and the edge in cash, but Mackey has the Globe and arguably the momentum.
- Are you worried about who might take Jehlen’s place in the House if she were to win?
- Do you feel that you can "send a message" with your vote beyond voting for the person whose interests most closely match yours?
- If so, what is the message, and why do you think your vote can send it?
I’m sure there are other good questions voters should ask themselves. Those are just off the top of my head. If you’ve got some, or if you’ve got answers to ours, drop them in the comments.
“Which candidate will work for you, your family, and your community byvoting the way you want on issues you care about? making sure that roads, bridges, parks, schools, libraries, and other public facilities in the district are kept in shape? answering the phone when you call and working with you and the community when you bring a constituent issue to his or her attention? working effectively with other legislators to advance all of the above?”By asking the above you have basically endorsed Mackey. Jeheln fails miserably in that test
Troll: prove it.
Troll: I lived in Jehlen’s Somerville district for seven years, and I know a host of people who still live there now. The overwhelming opinion of her constituents is that Jehlen is very effective, and works for them and the issues they care about. She is extraordinarily popular in Somerville, one of those rare state reps whose name people bring up in casual conversation, at parties or dinner or other nonpolitical contexts, when they’re not personal friends of hers, just because of how cool a legislator they think she is.We may not know who will win this race, but nobody should have any doubt that Jehlen will trounce all the other candidates in Somerville. I expect her to get a solid majority, beating all three of them combined. If she doesn’t fare as well in the rest of the district, and one of the other candidates squeaks out a victory, it will be because not enough voters in Medford got to know her as well as the voters in Somerville have. But among those who have seen her work and been affected by it, the verdict will be clear and overwhelmingly supportive. I don’t have the slightest doubt.Troll: How well do you actually know this district? Your comment seems wildly uninformed.
The message progressives voters will want to send with their vote is very clear: Pat Jehlen is the one who’s been in there for the past 15 years, taking courageous stands, fighting tough fights, and delivering on a host of important issues: increased funding for schools, contraceptive coverage, the minimum wage, help for the elderly and disabled, etc. Mackey has been out of politics for longer than most Somerville residents have been Somerville residents (yes, literally true, based on what I can tell from census reports). If we want to send a message that doing the things Pat Jehlen has done is worth support, and worth votes, we need to vote for her. If we were to vote for Mackey, the message you be: If you’re with us, we’re not necessarily with you. Someone else can butt in at the last moment, put some nice positions on paper, and we’ll vote for him. That “message” lends no support to legislators who are ambivalent, or worried about a challenge. They need to know that if they stick with us, we’ll support them when they need us.
Prove it. Hmmm well i just go by reputatioon among her peers and political types from somerville. I know i am repetitive, but most of the comments from Jehlen supporters on this blog seem to be from the same3 circle of people. Is there any one here who was raised in Somerville, wernt to schols in somerville, have reletives in somerville, consider somerville their home (no mater where they move to in the future).These are people that rwally jknow their reps. This is where reputations are made.No one has shown me an original idea or issue thAt Jehlen is responsible for. She falls in line with what she ids told. And those endorsemts from fellow reps, nothing there.I know a person in somerville who was tryiong to get her aged father into the Soldiers Home in Chelsea. Among those whose help she sought was Jehlen’s (her rep)Jehlen told her she does not get involved in that sort of stuff, plus she said she wouldn’t know how to help.Now I diod not go loking for that story, but I heard t. Perhaps I should start making calls and get more.But that story is consistent with what I know about her.This “prove it” stuf is rediculous, Charley.And Sco, about knowing the districr. Please.I could write a doctoral thesis on the district. And I do not liove there.WEhat do you guys know about Woburn and Winchester. (Other then one is blue collar and the other is wealthy) What is the difference betwen Ball Square and Powder House Square (other then location)What is the difference in people from South Medford and North Medford. >From Hillside in medford to Winter Hill in Somerville.Pop Quiz, Who were these people and relationship to the district?1. Eugene Brune2. S. Lester Ralph3. George Sacco4. Anthony GiglioSome of these people are dead and some are alive. This is an easy list, I could make a real long one. These people still matter because many voters remmebr them and knew them. To understand the diustrict you need a sense of History and perspective.But anyway Sco, you shouldn’t care, because I expect you will be moving to another hip placxe soon or when your kids start to get to school age you wiull move to a more appropriate place to raise a family.Progressives have been coming and going in Somerville, Medford, even Chelsea for years.The names keep changing, but the”thank god we came along to save your city” attitude has not.
SORY I meant Cos, not Sco. Sorry Sco. Alsheimers
Troll rules again!Yes I hear the same thing about Jehlen and no I can?t prove a thing, but it is out there Charley & Cos (you to eury). Maybe I?m just buying into a well planned campaign to discredit the good rep from Somerville but this stuff (this stuff being she can?t get anything done for the district, she?s more interested in human rights in Guatemala than in gang fights at Foss Park, social justice for all rather than answering my phone call etc etc..) comes from everyone I talk with.All that said; I think she is going to win. Turnout will be so low (10,500 tops) and the Jehlen people have done such a good job of IDing their voters, they will squeak by on the 30th. Biggest disappointment: Callahan. Poor candidate, poor campaign, poor organization, all-time worst political slogan when you consider he can?t name one person he has helped.
Whoa; Callahan has filed with OCPF and it is worse than I thought (<40K). Pretty good record keeping too (Mr. Un-itemized was very generous).
That is right about Callahan. I think Callahan and Casey are going to get out a lot of Mackey Votes. People who will be remonded of the race on election day and when thsy get to the polls will think about it and vote for Mackey. They see Mackey beating Jehlen, whom from what they hear is a “real liberal” who doesn’t get things done. Mackey is a familiar name to many in the district.(believe it or not all you newbies) They understand that Casey hasn’t worked in the race and Callahan is a nut.Count on Mackey beating Jehlen in most medford precincts (hillside a toss -up) winchester and probably woburn (is Carol Donovan doing any work for her friend? Endorsement means shit without work.) Then the race comes down to Somerville where anything can happen.
Mackey also picks up a lot of somerville votes now. People see he can win, these were prior callahan votes.Don’t be surprised if mackey wins somerville.
“Troll: How well do you actually know this district? Your comment seems wildly uninformed.”Hey Coz, what do you think now?
In fact. The more I think about it, Jehlen workers maybe driving and getting out a many Mackey votes.It happens all the time.
Hey, I forgot about a voting block in the district. The medford black vote. Oh, i’m sorry. African American.One of oldest black middle class neighborhoods in country. Historical. Not group that hisrtorically votes progressive locally. I think Marzilli is the rep. but he has small piece of medford and he does not do well there.Also, many middle class blacks favor vouchers, as do poor blacks. But the middle class see progressives as hypocrites and when it comes to an issue they really help them with , thney run away.They have been burnt too many tiomes by the progressives.But Mackey isn’t viewed woth progressive stain. He will have a few votes from this group.
He will have a few votes from this group.I think that’s right. I attended a Mackey speech in West Medford, and there was a sizeable African-American turnout, most of whom I assume were from the neighborhood.
To be clear: We endorsed two candidates, not one; I now live in the district, but cannot vote in the primary and therefore don’t have a dog in this fight; I don’t claim to know any more than anyone else about the district. The fact is that Somerville has high turnover; and while people live there, it’s their neighborhood, too. If you vote, you count.I am concerned about the unsubstantiated claims about “lack of constituent service.” “Hmmm well i just go by reputation among her peers and political types from Somerville.” That’s not good enough. That’s not proof, that’s innuendo. Should we be naive enough to think that everyone would like Pat Jehlen if she just did a better job?One Hand, I don’t know who you talk with, but I do know that sometimes people get reputations they don’t deserve. And so for me to understand whether it’s deserved or not, I need evidence. You are welcome to provide such evidence here. That’s not ridiculous, that’s fair.
Oh yeah, By the way. The west medford black do not want the green lne comong to west medford
I gave an example Charley, the woman trying to get her father in to the soldiers home.Shall i get off my ass and reallY ask naround?Besides Charley in politics, as in a lot of things, reputation is fact. How did Billy Bulger maintain power? Becv ausae people thoiught if they did not fall in line he would figureivly cut their balls off. And Charley, what the christ does living in the district and having a dog in the fight have to do with it. I have more dogs then wonderland race track and can’t vote for 99% of them.This hissy firt of yours Charley is not your usual M.O.
TROLL MAKES A DEALI promise if Pat Jehlen wins I will forever stop commenting on any of the massachusetts progressive blogs including BlueMassGroup and .08. (My favorites)Except to say good byeSigned Under The Pains And Penalties Of Perjury, This 24th Day of August, 2005.The Troll
Well, we’d miss you, in some strange way.Sorry Troll, it’s not a hissy fit. Would Mackey, or Callahan, or Casey have done a better job getting this woman’s father into the home? You’re absolutely right, reputations are reality in politics. That’s why we should make sure they’re well-deserved.
The “no dog in this fight” disclaimer was intended to clarify that I’m not objecting to the characterization of Jehlen out of partisan interest. She may or may not deserve it, I don’t know. That’s what I’d like to find out.
Troll, is this “deal” a secret ploy to generate votes for Mackey?? I, for one, would hate to see you go. Anyway, I trust you are in jest!
No ploy. Jehlen is the type of politician that helps to keep barriers up. There are many progressive thinking politicians who have, for lack of a better term, “street smarts”. People who understand there are all types of people and can accept and work with them. Progressives like Jehlen and Barrios, Alice Wolf Ruth Balzar are not some of these. They put their districts second. My example of soldiers home was not enough? Most reputations are deserved. Don’t forget, Billy Bulger did cut people’s balls off. (not leiterally)And Barrios was soo good he had his rep district split up six ways. The district, and the constsituents be damned.That is not my kind of pol.Barney Frank would never act this way.So don’t tell me i am anti gay or anti liberal or anti progressive or anti whatever. Barney Frank is great politician. Pat Jehlen is not. And Barrios is worse.If the progressives ever realize this perhaps we can get somewhere. If not, well i’m tired of “preaching” and pointing out what are believe are flaws in arguments. So this election as a decision maker for me.
Clarification: Not that if Jehlen wins we are doomed and you should have listened to me.No, i have big ego, but not that big.I am just using this election as one would use a coin flip.
But i am standing by my prediction that she loses. perhaps even third, behind Mackey and Callahan. Stranger things have happened.By the way, what is ther info on who tyurned in most absentee ballots. Not just in somerville, but all cities.
Oh and Charley, Casey, Callahan , or Mackey would have tried. Believe me. Atleast wrote a letter that may go in the circular file.That is my point. She Sucks! As a politician. Probably nice person.
And Chaley, my point is you don’t have to be a registered voter ina specific district to be partisan. Jeez louise.
Charlie-I?m not out to fight you here. I?m just telling you what I hear. Apparently we travel in different circles. I don?t have a smoking gun and for this argument and I really don?t need one. Perception is reality What I hear- Rep. Jehlen is not well liked by her brethren in the statehouse- Rep. Jehlen can not get anything done, she can?t/refuses to compromise- Trav can?t work with Rep. Jehlen – Rep. Jehlen provides little or no constituent servicesThis comes from people in Somerville, people in Medford, people in Winchester, Mackey people, Callahan people, people with no preference and even people who need people (sorry couldn?t help myself).The troll says; as the Callahan campaign craters his voters have only one place to go and that is with Mackey. I believe the Callahan people stay home, the turnout is driven even lower and the Jehlen base holds and she sneaks by.
Oh my God!Talk about the same three people repeating the same thing over and over again!! Jehlen is VERY well liked in her district and most of Somerville — and if troll walked down the street and talked to random people (not just the ones that tell him stories) he would know that.And by the way, on the subject of the African American Neighborhoods in Medford, take a drive over that way — there’s a whole lot of Jehlen signs up that way.
Those jehlen signs in that section of west medford are on the homes of whites and very few blacks if any. And the whites came from the endorsements. Not a respresentation of anything.C’mon medford dem, you know if I walked down the street and randomly asked people i Jehlen’s distrixt about her, most would not know who the hell I am talking about. Maybe during this month because of campaign more will know name. But you are not convincing.One hand clapping see jehlen squeaking by. She very well may. Then it is bye bye troll.
Troll, you’re just wrong about the signs, but I’m curious… Exactly when were you there to check the signs? What did you do to figure out the race of the occupants of the houses with the signs? Or, do you just contradict anything anyone says that doesn’t fit your view and the view of the folks you talk to? I concur though that Jehlen will end up winning this. But I must say, I will be sad to see you go troll even though (or perhaps because) I’m not sure I’ve ever agreed with you. But I do hope you leave your options open.
There are always exceptions, but if Jehlen has a strong foot hold on the west medford black community then today is Christmas. Trust me when I say this, she is not their cip of tea.
in the troll’s defense, he is one of the few contributors to this post who has remained objective throughout this campaign. the same cant be said for most of us (ahem, medford dem), myself included, which is why i normally refrain from posting. GO MACKEY. sorry, i couldn’t help myself.
“Jehlen is VERY well liked in her district and most of Somerville — and if troll walked down the street and talked to random..”Medford Dem give us a call when you get sober
As you all know, I’ve spent time volunteering with the Jehlen campaign, and as such I’d like to relay two pieces of information that I’ve picked up:1 – while canvassing in Somerville I’ve come across far more supporters than not, including one woman who told me how helpful Pat was when her father was ill and how appreciative she would always be for her help (sorry, I don’t actually know the specifics of what Pat did. Although this may discredit me to some extent I didn’t feel the right to intrude.) Anyways, that’s my counterpart to Troll’s story, and I’m confident there are many more out there.2 – I’ve personally delivered some of the yard signs that are up in West Medford, and they are not all in front of white homes. There is support for Pat in the African American community. (I’ll ask for names next time I’m in the office if people want… I’m not sure if we’re supposed to release that info.)Since when did partisan opinion become a bad thing? I’m not a Jehlen supporter because someone told me to be. I checked out the candidates and am backing the one that stood out to me. My faith is not blind, and any “biased” opinions are just as worthy as the so called “objective” rest of them.Oh, and Troll I really would hate to lose you forever on these boards… this is fun!
Medford Dem give us a call when you get soberCome on… those are the comments I expect on the Somerville News website. I’d like to believe that over here we can stick to the issues and refrain from cheap shots.
Eury, nobody ever tells you your candidate sucks, people are polite. Think of all the houses that don’t have jehlen signs. And another thing, if everyone voted for your candidate who said they would you would win by ten thousand votes. True for all candidates.You will learn.As for “sober up” comment, you are right.Instead,”Hey. Medford Dem, get off the crack pipe”
Troll: What do I think now? Well, you have impressed me again with your ability to sling assumptions around. You’d probably be surprised to know that I lived by Magoun Square a long time ago, and near Union Square more recently, but never near Davis. Or that I can name several of this years Woburn High graduates off the top of my head. Or that the first time I went canvassing for Jehlen they sent me to Winchester and one of the houses on my list was a friend of mine (who wasn’t home, but I sent email later). Or a bunch of other things. Please throw aside your fictional picture of me, it’s not helping you understand our discussions, it’s only helping you discard anything you don’t want to hear.Secondly, what I think now is that you probably used to know this district, but haven’t kept up with how it has changed in recent decades. Your most telling comment is that you think Mackey has a chance of beating Jehlen in Somerville. Even putting aside everything else I’ve seen you say, that comment alone shows that you’re thinking of 1980s Somerville not 2005 Somerville. A solid majority of current Somerville residents weren’t here yet in 1990.I saw your deal but I wouldn’t want you to leave us, I just hope you’ll be less quick to making assumptions. And while I think Jehlen will likely win this, it’s far from a sure thing, so a more appropriate deal would be this: If Jehlen beats Mackey in Somerville by more than 10 points, you’ll learn from the experience and make fewer assumptions about what other people know and what they’re like, and fewer assumptions about how right you are. Then we’ll have more fruitful discussions here. Does that sound good?P.S. As you may recall, you were wrong about Schofield vs. Moran. The Moran campaign won in the nick of time, by successfully spreading a message of “Moran is ahead and progressives need to unite behind him or Glennon will win”. It was false but it was also very effective (and kudos to them). The result was that enough people switched their votes from Schofield to Moran in the last few days, to give him a very narrow victory, but also to actually split the progressive vote nearly evenly, giving Glennon his best chance (but he didn’t quite have enough votes to take advantage of it). You were surprised by how well Schofield did even despite that, because you never thought he was anywhere close, even though in fact he was leading the field a week before election.This situation is similar. Whether Jehlen wins or not, many of the things you’re saying are false and show a misunderstanding of this district and this campaign.And with that, I’m off to east Medford to talk to some more voters. Cheers!
Minor clarification: When I say “this situation is similar” I don’t mean the dynamics of the race – they’re very different! I mean the relation between what the Troll says and what’s actually there in reality.
“East Medford”…….again you guys just crack me up. Where are you heading next Cos….North Boston?
Cos, the more you talk, the more you hurt your cause, cos. (get it)show me those census numbers with voters and most likly to vote. Then lets talk about vacations. Old timers and hard cores don’t go away. ASnd if they do they will be leaving thursday. They will be around top vote. How did Jehlen do on absentee ballots? How many in somerville. I hoipe she turned in ove 300, at least 300, or she is toast. By the way I am impressed with your deep deep background and knowledge of the district. I took a dump once in alaska. Now I teach eskimo anthropology at harvard.
I’d like to weigh in on this discussion as a life-time resident of the district. Based on people I have contact with, Pat is NOT well-liked by most people in the district. The only reason she’s been re-elected so many times is because she’s never had a serious opponent (look it up). She’s become a typical career politician, probably something her followers would despise in another candidate, but there you have it. THe people who fall behind her are generally die-hard progressives who vote the way the ‘progressive groups’ tell them to vote! Thus, her list of endorsements needs to be long. THese people will vote for her simply because the word progressive is attached to her name. By the way, one of her biggest support groups is the ‘Progressive Democrats of Somerville’ – this group has been asked repeatedly not to use the word ‘Democrats'(by the Mass Democratic Party) as part of their title. But they’re progressives, so they do what they want! By the way, what a vague term that is. I could also give you many anecdotal stories about Jehlen’s lack of concern for her constitutents. There are several incidents that took place during this campaign (did anyone hear about the Jehlen supporter doing drops and writing ‘He’s a baby-killer’ on the Mackey flyers that had been left previously?) The story about the soldiers home is the most telling, though, because her response says everything: ‘I don’t get involved in that sort of thing’!
If Pat was not well-liked, don’t you think someone ‘serious’ would have run against her by now?
Not necessarily. If you make it through your first term or 2, it becomes more difficult as each year passes to run against you. Incumbents have a tremendous advantage, and if the right candidate doesn’t come along soon, it becomes too late. Many people who are uninformed will vote for the incumbent automatically, also. For years, there were not enough people interested in local politics to make a run for office and many local incumbents were able to hang on for years. It is also extremely expensive to run an effective campaign, and if you have ‘a real job’ it’s almost impossible to do! Working 9-5 makes it very difficult to effectively campaign against an incumbent rep whose hours are, to put it mildly, flexible.
Are you kidding? How many contenders have you seen go up against Tom Menino, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Barney Frank, Ed Markey, Tom Reilly……….If you play your cards right you can almost retire while still holding office!
Well, Vinny Ciampa lost popularity and attracted opponents over and over again until one of them finally did him in. So it does happen.
Vinny Ciampa is the exception that proves the rule, Ron. Like Arnold Swatzenager