Charley noted this below, but it strikes me as important enough to make a bigger deal out of.
In response to the fact that Deval Patrick has personally experienced violent crime — “sources told the Herald that Patrick was referring to being mugged as a teenager in his native Chicago neighborhood and that his childhood home had been burglarized” — and Kerry Healey apparently has not, Healey spokeschap Tim O’Brien uncorked this beauty:
I dont think that personal experience as victim of crime is really relevant to the debate.
That O’Brien could utter such a statement one day after the Healey campaign was touting its endorsement by — that’s right — “victims of crime,” such as Magi Bish and Annette Presti, is nothing short of astounding. What’s he saying — that the views of Bish, Presti, and others (like Ron Bersani, the subject of two Healey TV ads) are not “really relevant to the debate”? If that’s the case, why is the campaign going to such lengths to publicize the fact that some people with “personal experience” as crime victims are backing Healey? Conversely, if the views of Bish, Presti, and others do matter, why don’t Deval Patrick’s own experiences count for something?
Which is it, Tim? You can’t have it both ways.
PERSONAL experience isn’t relevant…someone ELSE’s personal experience is what matters…isn’t that pretty much the entire Muffy background? Criminal theorist, never stepped foot in a courtroom…etc etc etc…