In the lead story in this morning’s Globe, Senate President Travaglini is said to have issued a stern warning to Deval Patrick that he had better `cooperate’ with the legislature if he wants his agenda to move forward. Whether this is positive or negative depends a little bit on how you interpret the word cooperate. Deval has said all along that he wants to work with the legislature to reach consensus on key issues. However, the sense of the story is that Travaglini has a little different definition in mind.
Here’s the worst case definition of cooperation:
1) Appoint my friends, not my enemies to key positions. Travaglini is said to not be too happy about the appointment of Leslie Kirwan to be the Secretary of Finance and Administraton due to some conflicts he had with her while she was at Massport. A close friend of Travaglini is said to be in the running for the Secretary of Transportation post. Is Travaglini trying to tell the Governor that he has to choose the friend in order to make up for the Kirwan appointment?
2) Don’t touch my earmarks. There’s also a lot of discussion in the article about Deval’s campaign statements concerning $700M in waste that he thinks he can cut from the state budget. Travaglini appears to have taken this personally, assuming that it implies he hasn’t been doing his job. If items that Deval considers wasteful spending are viewed by Travaglini as `legislator’s priorities’, there could be a fight ahead because with the current budget situation as tight as it is, Deval’s going to need to find some significant savings to be able to pay for many of his key campaign promises without raising taxes.
And then again, maybe Travaglini really just doesn’t like the idea of the outdoor inauguration. I guess we’ll see in January.
UPDATE: In another thread, amicus, who was at the meeting where the remarks in question were made, says that the Globe took Travaglini out of context and that the tone of the speech wasn’t nearly as combative as portrayed in the paper. Let’s hope so.
Crossposted at Jim’s Attic
I guess Travaglini is feeling like it’s time to retire from Massachusetts politics?
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He just made the “list” for how many activated Deval supporters? Do you think the entire 40,000? (They told us at the Coordinators’ meeting last weekend that the number had approached 40K.) It’s 8am and we’re already talking, blogging and emailing about this comment. This will become synonomous with his name.
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How inappropriate of Travaglini to “communicate” with the Governor-elect in this manner — as if he were powerless, with no way to be heard. He is apparently not a team player — and oh my, what an impressive love of power. Knocks the socks right off.
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The more I think about this, the more I think that he must definitely be planning to retire.
It’s starting to look like everyone except Patrick is going to be on this “list” within the next four months. If you publicly question the million-dollar corporate ego stroking that is being planned, you’re on the list. If you allow elected officials to talk first at a meeting, you’re on the list. If you’re a journalist that fluffed his campaign all year, then ask one question, you’re on the list.
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Maybe Travaligni is just getting it over with.
Honestly, was that worthy of you?
Did any of this not happen? Did Travaligni not just get slammed by Deval’s biggest fans (including one who couldn’t bother to learn how to spell his name) for saying that he had his own perspective? Then when he repeats what he said, and another fan says it’s because Deval “brought the hammer down on him.” Meanwhile, I see talk that makes me wonder if some people now picture “the grassroots” as a nebulously essential part to legislating.
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Funny, I thought the circular firing squad happened after a loss, but it’s nothing compared to what’s already going down after the victory. If EBIII, OpenSociety, or me ask questions, we get personal attacks. And we’re making lists, I’m told. Lynne, you busted your butt for a great candidate. He won, and of the candidates on the ballot last November, he was my number one choice. Reading a lot of the stuff around here reminds of of Huey Long’s followers in their worst days. Such uncritical devotion of a politician falls far short of Jefferson’s injunction of “eternal vigilance.”
If Travaglini had wanted to say that he had his own perspective, he would have said, “I have my own perspective.” Or at least indicated that he would have to be a negotiating partner, without all the rancor he apparently chucked out there.
You’re right. I was being entirely fair. I was being too harsh on Trav. What he said was:
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In other words, if Deval doesn’t share the power he constitutionally is obligated to share in this state, or if Deval stops caring about Mass. (a la our last 4 governors), then Trav will do what he can to work against that. So either people don’t like that Travaligni will do his job, or they don’t like the fact that someone dared suggest that Deval could be human. Either way, this is feeling less like politics and more like religion…
A little Gilbert and Sullivan on the State House steps…the chorus can be sung by those 40,000 volunteers you expect to show up on the Common…
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Ko-Ko.
And that Nisi Prius nuisance, who just now is rather rife,
The Judicial humorist – I’ve got him on the list!
All funny fellows, comic men, and clowns of private life –
They’d none of ’em be missed – they’d none of ’em be missed.
And apologetic statesmen of a compromising kind,
Such as – What d’ye call him – Thing’em-bob, and likewise – Never-mind,
And ‘St- ‘st- ‘st- and What’s-his-name, and also You-know-who –
The task of filling up the blanks I’d rather leave to you.
But it really doesn’t matter whom you put upon the list,
For they’d none of ’em be missed – they’d none of ’em be missed!
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Chorus.
You may put ’em on the list – you may put ’em on the list;
And they’ll none of ’em be missed – they’ll none of ’em be missed!
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On second thought, nah…the campaign is over. It’s time to replace blue smoke and mirrors with real actions…it’s time to replace posturing with governing and rhetoric with results.
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The party is already over. There’s work to do. The voters in Senate President Travaglini’s district have no interest in your “list”. He’s aces with them.
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Politics is the art of compromise not sermonize…they will work together or it will be a very long and unproductive four years. Can the lists. I’m afraid the holier-than- thou-and-know-better-than-you attitude of some of the Army of 44,000 may end up creating a “King vs. Dukakis” redux in 4 years. That would be an unnecessary shame.
One party rule = arrogance. Isn’t that what we’ve been hearing about the federal government?
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Who, in their right mind, expected Travaglini to treat the GovElect with any more respect than he does the voters?
simple poker. DP bet, Trav raised.
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why raise?
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1. Trav believes DP has a weak hand. BMG view tends to is that margin of victory suggests DP has King-King, a powerhouse hand.
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But Venocchi View is that Patrick won with modest hand (A-10) against weak Healey hand (K-deuce, which she then misplayed to compound her ill fortunes).
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or
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2. Trav is trying to get info — quite simply, how does DP respond to aggression?
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or
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3. Trav messed up. He meant to simply call the bet, got confused on chip color, and threw a $100 chip in when he meant to put in $10. Seems possible. He’s used to blasting Kerry Healey all day long — without remarks on front page of Globe.
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4. Early poker hands are important. although it’s true that early stakes are low, you’re shaping your image for the duration of the game, and everyone is watching.
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if you fold, other players will perceive you as soft. they will bully you and bet aggressively.
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if you respond to an early raise with a re-raise and the other guy folds the hand, you establish a dominant persona. of course if you lose, you’re weak before the pizza has even arrived.
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5. what would you do?
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a. phone “Trav, nobody is saying that earmarks equals your fault. Let’s work together.” (fold)
b. no direct response, leak that you’re fuming, crack a joke next time you see Trav. (call the raise).
c. phone “We need to talk. Today. In my office.” (re-raise).
b) No direct response, but leave the leak out. People will either guess that you’re fuming, or it might be more effective to maintain silence. The joke will come at the natural opportunity, as humor is such an essential tool in Mass. politics.
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c) Instead of trying to call him in, maybe drop by his office unannounced for an informal chat. I guess that’s harder to do these days if state troopers follow you everywhere.
Possibly one more option:
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d.refuse to play this game. (i.e., say and do nothing, till Trav shows up at the door, with flowers and chocolate, and eating humble pie.) To me, this seems dignified. And you know he’s gonna show up at the door.
Ignore the Senate President, who’s doing enough damage to himself that he’ll quickly become irrelevant, and proceed with business. With Deval’s field team sticking around, I’m quite confident that Trav will either learn to work together to do big things… or retire as a disgraced politician.
it’s not quite that simple, Ryan, at least in my experience. When I worked at the State House, Tom Finneran ran — and I mean RAN — the House. It’s very difficult to get completely around the leadership. They can perhaps be finessed, but they cannot be ignored.
And I assure you, Mistah Speakah didn’t RUN things because of the Governor being a GOP. He had the force of personality to install DiMasi as his successor. And Traviglini is shaping up to assume the mantle of Bill Bulger.
Get better at winning primaries.
Tommy never had to deal with a popular guy, with a strong field team, like Deval Patrick. He didn’t even really have to deal with a Democrat in the Corner Office.
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Plus, Travs is no Tom Finneran. To put it honestly, I don’t think we’ll see another Tom Finneran in a long, long time.