First, lets talk about the general election. Patrick skeptics on this site have basically argued that he’s “too” something–usually liberal or reluctant to cut the income tax or attack undocumented immigratsto beat Kerry Healy (just as, offline and in private, some Democratic honchos mutter that he’s too, well, um, you know…black). Whatever other issues might pose challenges to his ability to win in November (and I hope to address that question in a subsequent post) it is simply absurd to suggest that his corporate ties are likely to be a significant problem at that stage. To think otherwise is to believewhat?that a Republican underwritten by her megamillionaire businessman husband will seek, or will actually gain, mileage by bashing the Democrat as a tool of corporate America. And presumably Deval would accuse Healy of favoring fluoridated water and socialized medicine? Get real. There are many Independents and centrists for whom Deval’s business background will be part of his appeal, part of what makes him seem both moderate and legitimate. (This just in: not a lot of voters are busy boycotting Coca Cola.) I think Gabrielis background is similarly helpful: my claim here is not that Deval’s business experience is a unique asset, merely that it would very much not be a liability against Healy. (In the context of a more comprehensive discussion, though, Id also argue Deval has the most advantageous background among Democrats, in that he has distinguished himself in both government and the corporate world.) Though I tend to doubt it, the primary may prove another story: perhaps one of the other Democratic candidates, his operatives, and assorted lazy drones at the Globe will throw enough mud at Deval, and enough will stick, that it will cost him the nomination. But if he wins in September, as I think he will, this issue is simply over. We should be honest enough to acknowledge that.
So, second, let’s put aside irrelevant tactical speculations and turn to the question of whether or not Deval’s history should deter primary voters who are seeking a progressive candidate. I formulate it that way because the tone of the critiques is that Deval is some kind of a faux progressive, a self-serving fraud who has profited while doing little to help others or fight oppression. And this raises an obvious question: if Deval’s really just a guy interested in climbing the corporate ladder, why has he captured the progressive activist vote? That he has done so isfuzziness of the category, progressive notwithstandinga more or less empirical claim, one for which Im providing neither links nor evidence. But Im not bothering simply because I dont think anyone here is sincerely going to dispute it: if youre reading in good faith, Im pretty confident you know both what the claim means and that it is, in broad outlines at least, accurate. So why have so many of us embraced Deval’s candidacy? Are we dupes and suckers? Are we deluded (suffering Kool-Aid induced hallucinations, perhaps)? I think the answer is pretty simple: when Deval articulates his vision for Massachusetts, we think he is someone who will vigorously pursue that vision and who has the skills to do so effectively. When he speaks in terms of our obligations to each other and our common commitment to an equitable society, we believe that he means it. And we believe him because the balance of his record demonstrates his commitment to social justice. If Deval’s employment history consisted solely of his work in corporate America, I am sure that many more of us would be skeptics and that hed have a much harder row to hoe. Butagain, lets be honestthats not his history. We know that Deval worked for years at the premier civil rights law firm in the United States. We know that he was the nation’s top civil rights enforcer under Bill Clinton. We know that he did notable pro bono work while in private practice and that a key focus of his practice after he left the Justice Department was on helping institutions assess and address claims of discrimination. (He was, for instance, hired in this capacity by the institution where I work, and his findings of gender inequality led to improved pay for some of my female colleagues.) It was because of that history that he was appointed by a district court to address discrimination at Texaco. And this is what became, essentially, his corporate gig.
This is the background against which we assess Devals account of his subsequent time at Texaco and Coke, and his service on assorted boards. Did he make a lot of money? Undeniably. Was that part of the appeal to him? I’m sure it wasand only a prig, an unworldly saint, or a rank hypocrite would suggest that theres something surprising or peculiar about that. But when the candidate with the longest and clearest history of pursuing the rights of the vulnerable and fighting for a more equitable society, and who entered into corporate America on a mission to reform racist practices, explains that he sought to make the businesses for which he worked more responsible and equitable, we are inclined to give him a pretty sympathetic hearing. We certainly don’t infer from this part of his career that he has no concern for civil rights or social justice, or that, as Governor, he’d abandon the needs and rights of the socially marginal, the poor, or the working class. Quite the contrary. It is, after all, Deval, alone among candidates, who says he won’t roll back the income tax as long as doing so will undercut our health care and educational commitments, imperil local aid, or lead to divisive (generation against generation and class against class) override battles. (You may find this position on taxes politically risky. You may even disagree with the substance of it, though Id say then that youre in no position to complain about his not being a true progressive. But what you cant plausibly do is call it the calculated maneuvering of a corporate shill.) It is Deval who has most consistently and unequivocally taken a stand on alternative energy and who has been most explicit about the importance of protecting the civil rights of gays and lesbians. In this context, the potshots at his corporate past tend to seem opportunistic, the attacks of people whose real reasons for opposing him are to be found elsewhere. Sure, there are some for whom hes unacceptable because he’s not far enough to the leftthough I doubt this characterizes many on this site. If you are one of those people, and hes just not pure enough for you, then by all means, throw your vote away on Grace Ross or some other fringe candidate (though you might as well, while you’re at it, make a donation to the Healy campaignmaybe they’ll pass it on to Killer Coke). But such concerns wont lead you to another Democrat in this race.
Ive spoken in a fictitious, and perhaps presumptuous we, giving my account of how I think many progressives I know feel. Let me end on a more personal note. I have known Deval for over 20 years. Im not a good friend or even a close acquaintance, but I have seen him in different contexts, all of which are consistent with the way he presents himself now. I also know intimately and talk all the time with people who have either worked for him or for whom he has worked. They are as enthusiastic about him as any newbie delegate who has posted to this site. They say hes the real deal, not only a man of vision and integrity but also someone who is just a cut above most people one encounters in electoral politics. You can dismiss this as vague hearsay, if you like. (I dont expect it will sway, say, a committed Reilly supporter.)
But to me it suggests a very parsimonious account of why, despite starting off as a candidate that the insiders dismissed as doomed, Deval has done so well to date. That account goes like this: You know that guy who gives the inspiring speeches? The one who makes people think that maybe the Democratic party could rediscover what its supposed to be about? The one who moves people to believe that maybe a better politics and government might be possible again? The guy, in short, who those ordinary citizens who support him think theyre voting for? Thats who Deval Patrick really is. Its because thats who he is that I not only hope but also believe that he will be our next Governor.
Following up on your “That’s who Deval Patrick really is”, maybe people are afraid to believe that again of someone running for office. If you’ve known Deval for 20 years and met him in many different contexts, it’s easy to say that. Even if you’ve met him slightly, it’s easy to come to that conclusion. There is no artifice. He’s what he is. We need him here in MA.
Especially the last 88 words, which are already posted over my desk.
Hi. Interesting and well-written post.
<
p>
1. I agree with your general proposition that “corporate experience” to many moderate voters is a signal of “reasonable person” and could help Deval in a general election. Few left-wing firebrands are successful (or choose to try to be successful) at Fortune 500 companies.
<
p>
2. I disagree, however, that the issue will be closed in September if Deval wins.
<
p>
Your view is that “if DP wins in September, as I think he will, this issue is simply over.” My view is that Healey will, in fact, attack his specific corporate roles. I suspect those ads are actually in the can now.
<
p>
We’ll know the definitive answer in September and October if his primary lead holds up. Since you seem to imply it’s “dishonest” to disagree with you on whether the corporate issue would continue in a general election campaign, let’s put a friendly 6-pack on it!
<
p>
3. You said: “The tone of the critiques is that Deval is some kind of a faux progressive.”
<
p>
Perhaps some critiques have that tone.
<
p>
Other critiques esssentially do not question Deval at all on the corporate issue. They are aimed instead at some of his supporters.
<
p>
That is my question. I wonder: do many in the “far left” base (let’s define that as the 15% most to the left in MA…ie I’m not being pejorative, there is a group that definitionally must be most to the left) both support Deval but usually tend to be virulently critical of moderate and right wing pols’ link to corporate boards?
<
p>
I suspect yes. That’s the critique. Deval also has many moderate supporters, so the point is not that all of Deval’s supporters are hypocritical, nor that Deval is faux anything.
<
p>
In other words, the same way some DP supporters remind me of, say, when far right (15% most conservative in the country) Rush Limbaugh supporters want mega drug prison time for users as their policy view, but then their boy is cold busted and suddenly they hypocritically defend him.
<
p>
I’d suggest to those folks: keep your support of DP, and instead let go of your tendency towards hysterical and reflexive rants against moderate and right wing candidates who, like Deval, work as corporate execs.
<
p>
4. I take you at face value that Deval is a man of integrity. In my limited exposure, I actually have a very positive view of the integrity of all 3 Democratic Gov candidates (in contrast to my negative views of 2 of the 3 Dem LG candidates).
Clearly you genuinely do think that the Republicans won’t let this issue die, so I retract my suggestion that no one honestly thinks this is something that will matter in the general election. And you may have a point: if chickenhawk Republicans could go after Max Cleland’s patriotism, I suppose a rich Republican running on the profits of her venture capitalist husband can attack a Democrat for his corporate background.
<
p>
Now I can’t imagine this would have a big impact; I don’t think going after Deval’s corporate history is a winning strategy for Healy, especially since, as you and I agree, being linked to major corporations is one of Deval’s net assets in the struggle for moderates and independents. But maybe Healy will try, anyway–after all, I think she’ll have a tough time on substance.
<
p>
But you offer a wager, with beer at stake. It seems only sporting to take you up on it, especially as I’m the person who introduced shipping beer as a topic on this site [http://www.bluemassg…]. So a bet it is. If this becomes an issue after the primary (from Healy and not, say, Grace Ross or our friend at Killer Coke), I’ll supply you with a sixer of your choice, as long as it can reasonably be obtained in the northern end of Berkshire County. Deal?
I accidentally cut the line saying: “If I win, I’ll settle for a 4 pack of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA.”
“Few left-wing firebrands are successful (or choose to try to be successful) at Fortune 500 companies”
<
p>
Few true left-wing dissidents enter a Fortune 500 company because they understand what it means to work for a company like Coca-Cola. They shy away from it because they understand that their bank accounts would be filled with blood money.
I think everything that needs to be said on this topic has been said, which gives your post the feel of a fitting conclusion in the absence of any new information.
<
p>
Once again, well done.
For a while I’ve had to stop myself from shooting off angry responses I’d likely regret to some of the crazy posts BMG has been seeing lately. I’m glad I waited and allowed you to write the ultimate rebuttal instead, because your post is extremely eloquent.
From the start, the singularly unconvincing Deval-as-corporate-stooge campaign has sought to undermine Patricks core support among progressives and activists (like me).
<
p>
This misbegotten effort says volumes about the people behind it and their simple-minded stereotypes of progressive voters.
<
p>
Apparently the desired exchange is supposed to go like this:
<
p>
<
p>
It would be different were there any actual meat to these accusations, but each one of these stories turns out to be nothing more than a variation of, Patrick made money working for large corporations. For whom, exactly, is that dog supposed to hunt?
<
p>
Question: From what right-wing radio station have these people been learning about progressive Democrats in Massachusetts? It would be insulting if it werent so darned funny.
Replacing Venocchi or Bailey, perhaps? This is the first sensible and thoughtful discussion of Deval’s corporate experience and what it should (and shouldn’t) mean to voters that I’ve seen.
You YAHOOS have drank the bleepin kool-aid. You wonder why this super democratic state has elected a Republican Governor for the last 16 years… because you freakin YAHOOS got Mike Dukakis elected.
<
p>
But hey, hope is nice… The simple truth is Ameriquest=Predatory Lender, Texaco=Big Oil Strangling the American Public, Coca-Cola=Human Rights Violator and Deval Patrick’s house and car and “good life” come from the work he did for these companies.
<
p>
If he’s so friggen full of hope why did he take all that money, knowing good and well where it came from. You are telling me that I am supposed to ignore this, oh yeah, just ignore it, “we would all be in it a little for the money”, BS, not me. I walk in to reform a greedy, big oil company and a predatory lender and they offer me a couple million to do the job. I take it and by a big house, fancy car, and a mansion while Texaco is killing the everyday American with oil prices and Ameriquest is bankrupting people left and right. HELL NO! I tell them where they can stick their DIRTY MONEY!!! BUT DEVAL PATRICK TAKES THE DIRTY MONEY BECAUSE… WELL, WOULDN’T ANY OF US.
<
p>
You freakin YAHOOS kill me.
<
p>
Once this is all over hopefully Deval Patrick will be back “reforming” corporate America (I hear there are some predatory lenders out there who could use a lawyer and have some $ to throw around), but if by some crazy course of events, if somehow you kool-aid drinking YAHOOS get him through the Primary and then somehow Kerry Healey and the GOP don’t tear his “Record of Reforming Corporate America” a new one, then you’ll reap the benefits of having elected a Governor of hope who won’t do much but have the voters running to the polls 4 years later to elect a Republican Governor.
We all look forward to many more of your thoughtful and informative posts in the future.
<
p>
Penetrating analysis! Trenchant insight! Effective USE OF CAPS! Idiosyncratic but charmin’ use of punctuation, syntax, and “friggen” slang! I’ve SEEN THE FRIGGEN LIGHT! YAHOO! JA WOHL!
This isn’t as blue a state as you think.
<
p>
Most Dems are moderate to conservative here. It’s just that the Dem party is the only game in town in many cases. If there was a decent Republican party, you’d see a lot of these people switch.
<
p>
Case in point, the Dem mayor (of Gloucester? north shore somewhere) which endorsed Healey even BEFORE the Dem nominating convention and got kicked out of his convention voting rights for it, rightfully so.
The mayor of Malden was kicked out for backing Gabrieli endorsing a Republican Senator over a Democratic challenger (who was no prize, speaking as someone who helped her campaign). I didn’t know the mayor of Gloucester was kicked out as well.
was one of 4 people invited by Kerry Healy to stand with her while she announced her candidacy and to then give an endorsement speech. After he did that, why should he be credentialed to attend the Democratic Party nominating convention????
When he was at Justice, he successfully sued Ameriquest for predatory lending. Read the link, Seymour.
Deval Patrick Cheering Squad webpage????
<
p>
Is that the only authority you can point to?
Frank Phillips, no less:
It is all very disappointing! Deval is a person that brought a true change to Massachusetts politics energizing Democrats, Independents, minorities… We knew he earned a lot of money from a corporate world but his work on civil rights at the Justice Department gave him all the credibility he needed. Until now
<
p>
At this point, we have more questions than answers and might never know if he came to Coke to change the corporate culture or was he just looking for a cushy job as all of those high ranking government guys do. The only thing we probably don’t have to guess about is that Coke and others brought a high profile black former nation’s top civil rights boss for pure business reasons making it harder to accuse those corporate monsters in civil rights violations.
It is all very disappointing! Deval is a person that brought a true change to Massachusetts politics energizing Democrats, Independents, minorities… We knew he earned a lot of money from a corporate world but his work on civil rights at the Justice Department gave him all the credibility he needed. Until now
<
p>
At this point, we have more questions than answers and might never know if he came to Coke to change the corporate culture or was he just looking for a cushy job as all of those high ranking government guys do. The only thing we probably don’t have to guess about is that Coke and others brought a high profile black former nation’s top civil rights boss for pure business reasons making it harder to accuse those corporate monsters in civil rights violations.
Is he now, or was he ever, just looking for a cushy job? You don’t seem to know Deval at all. Do you think what Deval is doing now (running for governor) is a cushy job? Do you think trying to make Massachusetts strong again from the governor’s office will be a cushy job? Sure the corner office can be quite cushy if you have no interest in actually doing the job. Deval, and I have heard this directly from the man, will work his hardest every day to make Massachusets great.
All I’m saying is that we’ll never know the truth and only will hear accusations that we cannot confirm or deny with “hard” facts on our hands. Most of people will say that governor’s job is cushy enough but I guess you’re right – it all depends on a person and if Deval is who he says he is then he’ll be good for Massachusetts. But if he’s like Lieberman and only cares about himself then we’re in trouble. I don’t know Deval much and that is why I cannot be sure… Again, I hope you’re right, because as it stands today, he will probably be our next Governor.
but I specifically requested thoughtful argument rather than invective when I promoted this post. sigh
I too, gave it a zero (my first), but then Charley brought it back to life. Oh well, at least it motivated me to post a thoughtful comment.