Choose your enemies wisely — or have them choose themselves? David did a nice job taking apart the warning of three supposedly conservative Dems to Patrick’s campaign, which is plainly meant as a shot across the bow that Patrick will meet resistance from entrenched interests in the Democratic establishment.
Look, Patrick does indeed need to reach out to more conservative voters. That is the way of the world: you win your party’s nomination, then appeal to a broader audience. (I asked Patrick about that back in June, at the convention. Here’s his answer on mp3.)
But contrary to some posters here, the most important thing about this particular story is that it’s not about liberal vs. conservative. I don’t fear “the party tearing itself apart,” at least not because of this latest salvo from the O’Flaherty wing of the party, if you can call it that. This is the hackocracy defending its turf.
O’Flaherty in particular cannot be called especially conservative. Sure, he’s been anti-gay marriage and pro-life, but he’s also anti-death penalty, anti-tax rollback, and his antics in the Melanie’s Law showdown are the stuff of legend. Gene O’Flaherty as Crime Dog McGruff? Please.
For his part, Sen. Steven “Bechtel” Baddour is a charter member of the Big Dig Culture, having accepted $30,000 of contractor-related contributions from 2002 to 2005. This is while co-chairing the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation. Baddour claims “You can’t make a connection between the campaign side and the governing side.” Yeah, that’s the ticket — in fact, hardly anyone is ever swayed by campaign cash from special interests, right? Let’s try giving a trial judge a few thousand bucks and have him claim that it doesn’t affect his judgement. Patrick has vowed to fix the Big Dig Culture on Beacon Hill; you think Baddour might have a problem with that?
(For his part, Ernie’s got a lot on Conley.)
Maybe I’m projecting, but I’ll bet that things like Zell’s O’Flaherty’s antics, and Baddour’s blatant conflicts of interest are exactly what all kinds of people — liberal, moderate and conservative — want to change. Like mildew, these guys can flourish under the protection of a Democratic super-majority. Patrick represents much more of a threat to that culture than any Republican governor ever has.
For what it’s worth, I think Baddour was right on the mark with his comments yesterday, at least the ones quoted in the Globe:
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“He has to take some of these liberal issues off the table and address them head on and explain his positions,” Baddour said. He is confident that Patrick has the ability to do that, Baddour added. “He is an amazing public figure and has incredible ability to sway voters.”
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O’Flaherty wants Patrick to change. Baddour wants Patrick to tell the voters directly what he believes, not let the Republicans do it. “Head on” is the way to go.
And on balance, Baddour’s voting record is decent.
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I’m still pissed about the donations, though. I can’t see how he’s supposed to be trusted with whatever oversight he’s supposed to have.
I couldn’t agree more with Charley on the MTA about Patrick representing more of a threat to the democratic super-majority than any republican. Since dem chair Johnston and his old-boy hacks twisted arms and traded votes at the state convention to make sure Gabrieli got on the ballot, to putting Gabrieli’s name first on the ballot (a perk normally reserved for the convention winner), they will continue to do everything possible to derail Patrick’s campaign.
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Johnston’s race-baiting comment today, from which Patrick distanced himself, is a prime example of how the dems will publicly embrace Patrick while insidiously doing all they can to deep-six his chances of actually winning. If Patrick wins and carries through on his promise to change the culture of politics in this state (and perhaps nationally), Johnston and his state and national democratic committe cronies can kiss their jobs goodbye.
First, screw those guys.
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Second, Patrick should use it to his advantage. Point out how some of the insiders even among his own party don’t want him there. This focuses in on his outsider status (blunting Healey’s ‘one party’ meme) and turns those attacks into strengths. He can follow that up by talking about bringing the true spirit of the Democratic party to Beacon Hill, including acceptance and inclusion instead of attacks.
Don’t you realize how hypocritical you sound? The original diary says “O’Flaherty in particular cannot be called especially conservative. Sure, he’s been anti-gay marriage and pro-life, but he’s also anti-death penalty, anti-tax rollback . . . “
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So unless they are 100% in agreement with DP we shoud “screw these guys”. Inclusion? I don’t think so.
The three Dems mouthed the core concepts of Healey’s campaign while praising her performance in order to criticize the official Democratic candidate the day after Democratic voters selected him. They don’t like him because his ideology doesn’t fit theirs – and truthfully because he’s not a party insider. That is what they are being criticized for – not ideological impurity but their expressions of the bitter entitlement.
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Criticizing them for not being inclusive is not being exclusive. Criticizing me (or others) for criticizing their criticism is.
that the problem with some of those who knelt at Healey’s signing “event” (can someone fetch me a coupla victims and call Geno) is the that everything about their statements reeks of hypocrisy. Baddour and O’Flaherty have been stalwart obstructionists to Mitt & Murph’s agenda. Not that they frequently shouldn’t, but throughout the previous 3.5 years neither has raised a finger to support the administration on anything. For Geno, Murph crawled across the Judiciary Committee floor to get Geno to move mandatory supervision and several other “progressive” crime bills out of committee. Geno laughed. Only when Geno badly mishandled Melanie’s Bill did the administration gain any traction.
For Stevie Bechtel, well let’s start and end with Romney’s efforts to remove Amorello. Matt actually had his La-Z-Boy moved into Stevie’s State House office during “the troubles” as their known in the Building. Stevie and doubled over in pain with the thought of Matt’s absence from his “annual dinners”.
Whatever their voting record, their allegiance to Democratic (or democratic) ideals, their deep desire to help the little guy (so long it’s a well-placed constituent) their willingness to step on stage with Healey, two days after the primary and extol her virtues and the wonderful working relationship they have, and criticize the preceived liberal leanings of Patrick is as disingenuous as you can get. This isn’t about keeping Ds in line or requiring they drink the Kool-aid or kiss the ring. This is about self-serving, politics and a need to begin to protect their turf.
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For those finding a shred of legitimacy in any of their statements, I’ll drink your bath water if you can provide a similar display occurring during a budget period over the previous three years. If this was such a stand-up moment for these hacks, why didn’t they do this earlier?
You know … I need a full scouting report on this guy. What can you feed me? Can you post some links, drek?
I think if you dig around you’ll find that Baddour has done a lot with the romney/healey folks. I am pretty sure he’s been at a bunch of their highly choreographed, taxpayer boondoggle events – oh I mean bill signings. Maybe he’s one of these guys that gives lip to hating romney’s policies but doesn’t miss a chance to be on stage with him with the cameras? Most of them are like that – if there’s an opportunity to mug for the cameras – they ain’t going to pass.
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And by the way, I have heard that he and Amorello hate each other.
This is enough to get me to work my a$$ for Deval. IF electing Deval puts an end to Phil Johnston’s rule on the State Party I am all over it!!! It is time to send Phil back to wishing he was invited to Hyannis more often!!!
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Go Victory 06!!!
Any elected official pulling crap like this should be sensored by the party. Listen many of us did not support deval but that was before the primary. The primary is over – the voters have spoken and it is time to get our asses in gear to elect the DEMOCRAT.
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These guys should be banned from the next nominating convention and urged to move to the unenrolled party. What we need is a strong leadership in the State Party demanding that our legislative leadership get in line or get out!!!
A bigger favor could not be had
Look, I want Deval to win as much as anyone, but this is just nuts. They’re not even endorsing Healey, they’re just expressing their concerns. Is it helpful for them to do it to reporters, rather than internally? No, not particularly.
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Still, a better response would be to explain why they’re wrong. Telling them to shut up and go away isn’t going to help us address voters who might share their concerns.
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That said, David is completely right that Eugene O’Flaherty is not exactly a great source of political advice after the whole Melanie’s Law/Portugal debacle, and maybe he doesn’t want Deval to be governor after all. Still, the best way to deal with concern trolls is to use them as an opportunity to pump up your candidate more, not to tear into the critic.
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That’s my two cents anyway.
You sound like a member of the Politburo. How about getting a band of Devalistas together (sort of a left wing paramilitary group) knock on Rep O’Flaherty’s door at 3 am and make him disappear like Trotsky or Snowball.
You want to censure an elected official who stated his support for the Democratic nominee but raised a concern about his electability?
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OUR PARTY’S strength lies in the fact the we have room for well thought, differing views, that is what makes our party strong. That is the reason we have dominated Massachusetts politics for the past 60 years.
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I guess it was “Together We Can” as long as “we” agree on every single issue..That is not MY PARTY.
we all know the identity of Kerry Healey’s political idol.
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1995 St. Patrick’s Day breakfast, The Boston Globe.
Now that’s terrifying. Awful.