Fred Clarkson has this interesting write-up of one of western MA’s big retail politicking events, the Hampden County Sheriff’s annual picnic at Six Flags in Agawam. Fred reports that Deval Patrick, Kerry Healey, and a host of other elected officials were present to press the flesh of the roughly 2,500 attendees.
Curiously absent, however, was Tom Reilly. (Romney also didn’t show, but no shock there – these folks don’t vote in the Republican primaries in Iowa or New Hampshire.) Fred mentions a press report that Reilly was ill – but so what? Even if Reilly himself couldn’t attend, couldn’t his campaign manager, or some other Reilly stand-in, have made an appearance? It’s not like Reilly, a Springfield native, is a candidate likely to lose sight of the importance of looking for votes beyond Route 495. Fred also notes the apparent (based on Reilly’s website) lack of events over the last few weeks. Maybe Reilly is so confident of his fundraising advantage that he feels it’s OK to get lazy during August’s dog days. Maybe he’s right. But maybe not.
And speaking of Route 495, a recent comment left here by Mariposa, who often comments here, on Daily Kos, and elsewhere, pointed us to Mariposa’s own blog entitled Beyond 495. A belated welcome, Mariposa, to our burgeoning little blogosphere! Check out Mariposa’s post about the Six Flags picnic, which features a hilarious photo of Deval Patrick chatting up some fellow picnickers – while holding a cup emblazoned with the Coca Cola logo. Memo to Mr. Patrick: you might want to stick to beverage containers that do not advertise the name of your former employer.
UPDATE: In the credit where credit is due department, I should have noted (as Mariposa did) that the Patrick/Coke photo first appeared at The Fray.
Aw, shucks thanks for the welcome! I’m just doing my thing out here in the woods.