With the budget crisis, plummeting polls, bumbling transportation reorg, haunting emails from the past and the present, tax increases, feuding w/ legislative leaders, budget cuts and a whole lot more, it’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 18 months since Deval Patrick signed a book deal
Now we mere mortals don’t know the details, but at the time of the signing, it was reported that, “When the book is published in 2010, Patrick is planning a “vigorous media campaign,” a nationwide book-signing tour, multiple speaking engagements, and efforts to persuade big corporations to buy the book in bulk.”
Well it’s fair to say that a few things have changed since then. Frankly I’m at a lost for adjectives that would describe the political fallout the publishing of a book touting the successes of Patrick and, especially, the subsequent nationwide tour that would occur between now and November 2010. Particularly with all the past and future budget cuts the Governor will have to impose, never mind the current tax increases and, at the very least, talk of future tax increases.
There is a bright spot if Patrick does publish this book and goes on a national tour next Spring, based on the latest Mass Insight poll, Patrick’s approval rating will only fall 19 points…to ah, well, umm…ZERO.
Now Patrick’s political people are no doubt trying to delay the release of the book into 2011 to avoid the obvious fallout from this ticking bomb. But would a publisher really want to take the chance of releasing an book about a successful and inspiring person who just demonstrated these attributes by losing an election? What kind of return will they get for their reported $1,35 million advance, if their author just lost an election? If Patrick delays the release until 2011, will he have to forgo that advance…and pay back whatever money he has already received…with a reported $30,000 in monthly mortgages, can he afford that? Contracts are crappy reality in situations like this.
Even back 18 months ago, it seemed like a bad idea to write this book. Now, it seems like it may be the last nail in the coffin.
I can see that it would look pretty bad if Deval went on a national tour hawking his book like a used car salesman or something, but is it really that terrible if he has a reason to get on Good Morning America or the Daily Show in advance of an election? Isn’t it good for him to get on TV in a soft-focus controlled setting? Sure, maybe that means he tells the “every third night on the floor” story a few more times, but it also means he’s being seen by the mushy middle who only scan the Globe headlines and maybe watch the local news.
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p>I understand that if it takes him out of the state for any length of time, or causes him to miss any legislative action, or causes his rivals to stick the knife in further, there could be consequences. Still, I’m not sure that more TV exposure would be such a terrible thing.
The mushy middle doesn’t watch the Daily Show, but they will take offense to their Governor doing a book-signing in Los Angeles while polar bears are being euthanized in Stoneham.
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p>He has a very delicate balancing act to perform- he needs to get his story and his successes out there and get some exposure for his publisher without looking like he’s trying to run the celebrity circuit.
…is what was reported. To me that sounds a lot more than a quick trip in NY for GMA or the Daily Show. If you were a book publisher paying a $1.35 million, is that the level of promotion–going on a couple of national TV shows–you would expect for the money?
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p>Again, the news reports–which are very consistent with what a traditional promotion tour consists of–mentions book signings. That means setting up at a book store in major cities and signing books for a couple of hours. My stomach gets upset just thinking of the visuals that will create on the evening news or pictures in the Globe and Herald.
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p>I can see it now, a picture of a Deval smiling, while he’s signing a book surrounded by fans…next to a news story about police layoffs do to budget cuts.
You’re right, of course, about the book signings, and the potential for lots of conflict of interest with “big corporations [buying] the book in bulk”. A full court press would be unseemly and damaging to his reelection prospects.
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p>Still, Deval getting publicity on his own terms, and not in the pages of the Herald and the Globe, would not be in and of itself a bad thing. Anything that gets him on TV talking to people without Jon Keller or Frank Phillips or Joe Battenfeld or Howie Carr to whoever acting as an intermediary is a good thing.
This is not a ticking bomb.
It is not even a lite-brite of the Mooninites.
Sheesh.
…you really think Patrick on a national book tour next spring, in the middle of another round of budget cuts and talk of more tax increases is no big deal? Sheesh…I suppose you’re not a bit worried about 30% and lower approval rating either. But sheesh ain’t going to cut it.
The tagline ‘reality based commentary’ is looking more and more ironic by the day as the Devalphile’s come up with every excuse they can make about why he isn’t f—-d politically.
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p>I mean I would argue that on top of all the other scandals, missteps, and incompetence of this administration the book deal wouldn’t be that big of a factor. I mean we’ve already had vacationing in Jamaica with a state police detail while gutting local aid to police departments, we’ve already had drape gate and caddy gate and walsh gate and alosi gate and wilkerson gate. I can’t imagine book gate causing that much more damage.
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p>The real question is how low can it go but instead we have normally rational people like Charley saying it can only go up. They really remind me of the 25% of the country that still thought Bush was doing a good job through thick and thin. That level of partisanship where it blinds you to reality is quite frightening and reducing the integrity of this site.
…who comes up with every excuse about why he isn’t f8cked? If so, either I have to work on my writing skills or you need to work on your reading comprehension skills.
I am referring to Joel and Charley and others on BMG who insist that Deval is unbeatable and untouchable and things like the book deal will not effect him. No I am in complete agreement with you that a) BMGers do come up with every pathetic excuse for why he isn’t f***ed and b) you and are aren’t one of em. Sorry for the confusion.
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p>I do disagree with you that the book deal will have significantly added impact in f***ing deval, I think he has reached the base of his popularity so to speak and while I disagree with Charley that his numbers will go up I disagree with you that the book tour would push them down any further.
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p>But thinking that it will hurt him certainly does not make you a Devalphile.
..and I have yet to see anyone here suggest that the Governor. In fact from hearing the Governor speak I’m pretty sure he would be the first to tell you he isn’t. I DO feel, however, that a lot of what he gets criticized for is either not entirely his fault (the economic situation), has another side to the story (certain hirings), or just plain silly (taking a dip in his own swimming pool). His budget priorties and which legislation he supports/proposes are what should be debated (casinos, gas tax, etc.). I also am not quite so willing to write someone’s political obituary quite so soon. As I recall at this point in Clinton’s presidency he was practically begging us all to consider him relevant.
Maybe the Governeor and Cheney can go on tour together! Their books are scheduled to come out around the same time!
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p>The Gov. can sneer at Mihos/Baker and say, “Yeah? But can you write a BOOK??”
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p>He can explain how he wrote the book to boost sales tax revenue from bookstores!