Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Healey calls for debates

By

Lt. Gov Healey called today for four gubernatorial debates after the primary and before the general election.

I think it’s a bit odd that she did this now, before she officially received her party’s nomination and before the Democratic primary.  Perhaps she’s hoping that someone will refuse, thus making them look bad?  I also think that four debates in two months is a bit much.

I do give her credit for including all candidates, including the Green/Rainbow candidate, though cynics might argue that this is just a ploy to get liberal Dems to split the vote.

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0

Comments

  1. Obviously, she anticipates that she will still be trailing the Democratic nominee, whoever he is, after the primary, and not by a small amount.  Her internal polling must show considerable weakness if she is willing to commit to this now.  Otherwise, why take the risk?

    <

    p>
    Presumably, these debates would also include Christy Mihos, providing her with a chance to mitigate his impact on her numbers with a strong performance.  She has little to do between now and the Democrat Primary other than to fundraise and prepare for the debates.

  2. I don’t get why she’d want to do this when she has so much $$.  Why not go on TV all summer and let the Dems beat each other up?

    <

    p>
    I’d advocate for the SaintKermit style debate, though!  I loved that!

    • that her internal number are really, really weak.  She may recognize that with Mihos in the race for the long haul, she is in trouble even with major media buys.

  3. Even if her polling numbers are very weak, that’s still no reason to call for a debate now. In fact, that only tips her hand that her polling numbers are weak. I don’t understand why she would make that move.

  4. I don’t know why she’s doing this now, I’m sure the Democrats would agree for the most part, and I’m glad she’s invting Christy and Grace.

    <

    p>
    As for the “spoiler” issue, I came voted for the first time and came into politics as a Jill Stein Green, and I met Grace at the nominating convention this year, and though I voted against the idea of running a candidate for governor, I think she’s a strong figure, more of an activist than a politician, but with Christy in the fold, the progressive left will decide the election so the race will be a lock for the Democrats unless Reilly wins the nomination, where I think Grace’s campaign will play an important and significant role in the debate as the only left of center candidate.

  5. …a very premature move.  At this point there’s no sense reading to much into it.  I agree with the point above that IF her polling indicated weakness, a early shot of TV would be more helpful at this point.

    <

    p>
    I think Healey will regret this move.  Her only chance of winning is to run a very insulated campaign with Bush-liked controled events w/scripts.  She is a gaffe away from losing and 4 debates will be a huge mine field. 

    <

    p>
    My predication, she’ll be backing away from this in late Spetember.  They’ll negotiate and negotiate until there’s only time for one or two.

    • Kerry Healey speak. And I think we can all agree she’d do better if she pulled both feet out of her mouth.

      <

      p>
      But as a staunch Dem, I’d rather she keep ’em there.

    • She’s not bad.  She’s no Deval Patrick – even you, I trust, would admit that he’s the best public speaker of all the candidates this year (even the hardcore Reilly partisans on this site have admitted the same).  But she’s better than a lot of people think, and my view is that we Dems underestimate her at our peril.

Archives