Dick Howe’s got a rundown of the final debate between the MA-05 candidates. Eileen Donoghue is making a run at Niki Tsongas’ experience — portraying herself as a seasoned public servant and Tsongas as, well, a political wife who didn’t have much enthusiasm for politics. (Jim Miceli’s doing the same thing, but nobody cares about him.) Anyway, I dunno if that sticks … seems to me if you’re willing to throw yourself into the hassle of a Congressional race, you’re probably prepared to serve with some vigor. I suppose I could be wrong.
This cuts a little closer to the bone — from Dick’s notes of an exchange between Donoghue and Tsongas:
Donoghue says “You raised over $1 mil and you sound like you don?t want any competition.” Donoghue replies pretty forcefully about leadership not being about reading a briefing paper or gaining experience simply by being near someone. Donoghue goes back to the newspaper article. Tsongas is rattled – she goes back to her position on Iraq but her voice is a little shaky. Donoghue really threw her off stride. Tsongas is slowly recovering and asks Donoghue to withdraw the ad. Donoghue says my ad says you have no specific plan and that?s what your whole campaign is about, no specifics and no leadership.
Dick calls the whole exchange — and the evening — decidedly for Donoghue. That’s an interesting turnaround, because in previous debates I’ve felt that Donoghue has left a comfortable but somewhat bureaucratic impression. Not so last night, I guess.
Jackie Doherty was also impressed by Donoghue’s fire:
… [S]he demonstrated an articulate forcefulness and focus that was inspiring and scary to behold. (Scary because I can?t help imagining myself up there and worrying how I would handle such an onslaught.)
Anyway, check out Dick’s liveblogging of the whole debate, in six sections.
A refreshing antidote to the Globe’s superficial and condescending endorsement. The argument and the tone imply there is no need for a primary at all.
Good Lord, I’m not supporting her, but I could have rustled up something better than what the Globe drooled out. Phooey.
Definitely a non-endorsement endorsement — did they even say anything good about her?
Sometimes people only see what they want to read. I thought they were ringing endorsements! What was interesting was the fact that neither paper bothered to even mention the other candidates. Perhaps the Globe and the Herald did not think any of the other candidates or their campaigns were noteworthy.
I found the Globe’s endorsement of Tsongas about as vacant as Nikki herself is on the issues… with which, I might add, the Democratic candidates do NOT “mostly agree” — contrary to what is stated in the Globe.
How does this:
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qualify someone for public office?
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Really the Globe should have staid out of this one if that’s the best they can do.
Aww, come on. Give me a break. You may be supporting one of the other good Democrats in the race, but that kind of silly comment is really unnecessary and completely inaccurate.
…are never flattering. I was quite impressed that Tsongas secured the endorsements of both the Globe and the Herald. In my humble opinion, that’s quite a coup.
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And as far as raising money goes, folks can dicker all they want about what portion of Tsongas’ money was raised inside or outside the district, but the fact that she raised almost more than all the rest of these “experienced politicians” combined speaks for itself.
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I’m getting tired of seeing good Democrats trash other good Democrats.
I’m simply saying I think the Globe could have done a more compelling job of it.
…it was an enthusiastic endorsement. If I was Niki Tsongas, I’d be pretty happy with it.
is that two papers with zip codes in Boston endorsed Nikki Tsongas a candidate who lives in a zip code in Boston. The two major papers with zip codes inside the district endorsed Eileen Donoghue, a person who lives in a zip code in the district.
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Only Jim Ogonowski got the endorsements of all 4 papers found that interesting as well.
he’s the only real Republican candidate! No one is taking Tierney seriously. If Ogonowski hadn’t gotten all 4 endorsements, that would have been a story.
Just like her TV ads, any change in Eileen Donoghue’s debate performances (at the end of 20 something debates), is too little, too late. Why is there no mention on this site that the BOSTON GLOBE and the BOSTON HERALD both endorsed NIKI TSONGAS today??????? Provided Tsongas delivers the vote, this race is pretty much over.
was scored over where Niki’s money comes from. No candidate should really honestly be getting more than 50% of their money from outside their district…hell, just raise less money and be more efficient, please. I think the figure quoted was something like 75% of Tsongas’ money is from outside. And we all know, those outsiders are not the small grassroots donor kind.
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It’ll be interesting to get the final numbers from the state when all’s said and done.
That those outside donors will not be able to actually vote for Nikki on 9/4.
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I’m supporting Jamie in this race, but I must say that Eileen has continued to impress me — and last night’s showing really separated the pros (Eileen and Jamie) from the has-beens (Miceli) and the wannabes (Finegold and Tsongas).
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Tsongas in particular seems to be an empty bag — as I posted on LiL, there’s just no “there” there. At least with Miceli, there’s no mistaking where he stands!
Agree… Eileen was scary and appeared desperate at times. Imagine, Niki got 75% of her money from outside the district (a majority though in Massachusetts) and Eileen is SO outraged that she has to donate $450,000 to her own campaign. If Eileen had done a better job at fundraising and communicating, she’d have had more money. Eileen, work at success, don’t be outraged by it.
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Give Tsongas credit for a professional fundraising effort and campaign. That also says something about the quality and capacity she’ll bring to the office. As a frontrunner that no one has hesitated to criticize, she’s handled it with grace and kept her criticism focussed on the real target – George W. Bush – the worst president ever.
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As for a plan for Veterans, today Tsongas was endorsed by the group that put on the first Veteran’s debate, so they thought she had a plan. Along with the Globe and Herald, that’s a pretty good day for the office!
Will, my friend, you need to identify yourself as a Tsongas supporter and volunteer; that is one of the rules of the road in the blogsphere.
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I and other Donoghue supporters wished that we had $4,600 to donate to Eileen; we do not. So, Eileen is not as successful as Niki in raising money. What does that mean?
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You are not implying that Eileen cannot represent the 5th District as well as Niki because her supporters do not have those kinds of funds or more importantly those kinds of connections?
“Give Tsongas credit for a professional fundraising effort and campaign. That also says something about the quality and capacity she’ll bring to the office.”
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Yes, it does; it suggests she’ll be a competent D.C. pro, essentially CEO of a fundraising and PR operation. And her grace in ignoring criticism coincides perfectly with a strategy of maxing out name recognition with a polished image.
What will everyone do on September 5th??????? ALL of the candidates have pledged to support the winner of the primary. This suggests that even the candidates, all of whom have given this race their best, recognize that in order to maintain a progressive agenda (well, maybe not Micelli, who is just being a party loyalist) there is a benefit to hanging together. Otherwise we hang seperately and allow someone like George Bush to be President …. twice. No matter how dissappointed you might be that your candidate doesn’t win, you have to look at the big picture and put the sniping aside. I could support any candidate who won, except for Miceli who is not progressive. Could everyone make that pledge………don’t answer right away……think about it.
Is this really the REAL question???????? given that Sept. 5 is a week away? I would say the REAL!!!!!!!! question right now does not involve the assumption of one candidate winning.
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Snark aside, of course supporters of the other candidates will support the winner. This race isn’t nearly so contentious as to suggest otherwise.