Everyone appreciates a good one-liner. David Bernstein of the Boston Phoenix on Friday’s “Ask me anything” used one while talking about my campaign finance disclosure. I am a diabetic. I am under the care of my physician and endocrinologist and my diabetes is well regulated. That having been said, in the course of campaigning 10-12 and sometimes 14 hours a day, I need to take time away from the campaign trail to address my blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association advises diabetics to eat 4-5 smaller but significant meals during the course of the day. As a practical matter that means I need to stop and eat every few hours. As such, between campaign activity #4 and #5 in a given day, I may need to stop. It also means that many of our campaign events occur around coffeehouses and restaurants. I do not apologize for this. In fact, a diabetic not managing their blood sugar spikes and dips might present in a way similar to an individual who is drunk.
Managing our campaign as we are is responsible, and reflects an abundance of caution. Using campaign funds to engage in conduct which will permit me to continue to campaign is a prudent albeit less than ideal use of campaign funds. As someone who has managed diabetes for nearly a decade, this is simply what I need to do in order to function on a daily basis. To be completely clear, I do not use campaign funds in this way unless I am in the course of campaign activities. Those who believe that our conduct is an exercise in gluttony simply don’t get it.
We have been blessed by supporters who understand that I am challenging an opponent with a generation’s head start. The work of closing that gap continues to be significant as we go forward. We hope our supporters will continue to understand the role this condition plays in my life, and will recognize that well regulated, diabetes should have little impact on my ability to serve the people of the South Shore.
Certainly, no one choose to live this way, but by the same measure my health challenges have made me (and by extension our campaign) more receptive to the needs of people confronting chronic and rare health conditions, and informs our understanding of issues including healthcare reform, and prescription drug pricing to name a few. As someone with considerable history in the helping professions I have devoted much of my adult life to serving rare and chronic disease populations. I intend to champion the needs of people with chronic health needs as I have across the course of my professional life. That will not change whether I am elected or not.
To those who might read this as think that as a diabetic one should just pack a sac of peanuts or a container of yogurt- let me tell you we do that on a daily basis already (and frankly it helps, but that is the beginning not the end of the story). The ADA admonition is that one should EAT not SNACK. On the road we are often in a position where we need to choose amongst food options that are frankly less than ideal. But, when a change in blood sugar levels occurs, one often has little advance knowledge. Even with planning, occasionally, our bodies deceive us. Not every fast food establishment is created equal but, fast food is often the quickest way to avoid a more serious health concern.
Having addressed this matter in detail we look forward to returning to the political matters of the day, namely addressing the day-to-day concerns confronting working families from Weymouth to Duxbury.
Steve May (D-Hull)
May is seeking the Democratic nomination for the State Senate from the Norfolk and Plymouth district covering the towns of: Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate and Weymouth.
That you hold campaign events at eating establishments? It’s a rare campaign event that I attend that isn’t either at such an establishment or otherwise catered. Or that you take enough of a break between events to eat a bit? I’m sure plenty of candidates do that. I definitely feel like I’m missing something here.
rather than a complaint about having events in restaurants. Mr. Bernstein apparently feels the candidate is damaging his health by eating fast food.
This is bizarre, you have to eat lots of fast food for your health? Do you have to smoke cigarettes for your health too?
Why don’t you learn some healthy eating habits, make some bag lunches with whole grain bread, veggies, lean meat, etc?
I started to reply to kirth, but then thought I should just make a reply to the original post, so I scrolled up and hit “Leave a Comment Below” and typed my comment. But apparently once you click “Reply” to a comment you are stuck doing that, you have to refresh the page again to respond to the OP (?)
Seems to me you can get a salad at any of those places. We really don’t know what is going on here in terms of diet and exercise. What’s clear to me is that whatever has been said- based on what we know of May he is not Bill Clinton lurching from one big mac to the next…
Mr. may got my attention with this strange post so I went to his OCPF Report to see what Bernstein was talking about…as it turns out Mr. May’s report is a long list of small individual expenditures at fast food joints and coffee shops.
http://www.efs.cpf.state.ma.us/DisplayReport.aspx?reportId=146703&schedule=DisplayScheduleB
Every candidate uses campaign donations to pay for food for fundraising events and for campaign related meetings…but it is rare for a candidate to charge every morsel of food that goes into their own mouth while out campaigning. Mr. May would have to control his eating habits to accommodate his diabetes whether he was a candidate or not, so that is really not the issue. What it comes down to is: Do the contributors to his campaign realize that they are just paying to feed Mr. May and gas up his car? That is not appropriate. (Mr. Hedlund must be pleased.)
On both sides. He lists every nickel he spends himself as a contribution as well.
Why not just pay for the lunch yourself and call it a wash?
A couple of things worth noting. May’s campaign finance disclosure is as transparent as any I’ve ever seen. If anything he might be accused of being too earnest… also, this disclosure set aside, May is running one of the best challenger races this state has seen in a while. Living in the district I see Steve May everywhere. He’s not flashy but he is tenacious, and if he keeps his current pace getting around the district, Hedlund should be VERY concerned.
I remember when I was in high school that my friend and I considered different ways of trying to get a fake person graduated. Maybe he’s the electoral version?
Judging from his website, he doesn’t have a job, though he is an alternate to the Hull Historical District Committee. His Facebook page has no friend activity. He links to a bizarro website called Genetics Are Great with the address GeneticsEquity.org, which has random posts about headaches, some guy named Dan Kennedy and how many wives he has, and minor league hockey in Edmonton. In short, the posts concern everything but genetics and/or equity.
I have diabetes. My doctor would flip if he saw me eating at the places listed on May’s OCPF report. I’m working out and trying to lose weight right now. I don’t believe this post, and I don’t believe Steve May is a real person.
So clearly all you need when a Democratic candidate in MA to get money from PACs is a pulse….. and a appetite for take-out food.
This campaign finance filing aside, May is working incredibly hard, and he’s been just about everywhere. He’s ability is the only thing that should matter.
So I’ll refrain from commenting on his worth as a candidate. But, man oh man, his web presence definitely needs a makeover. Campaign websites tend to be pretty lame, as a rule. But I’ve never seen one go live without at least a smidgeon of content. Bio? Picture? At least give me some hackneyed motivational prose!
As for the fast food: I’ve worked on a lot of campaigns and it always amazes me how fast the bill for junk carbs and caffiene racks up, with or without a diabetic candidate. If nothing else, I have to admire the meticulous bean-counting on display in that OCPF report. But why is a South Shore candidate getting printing done in Vermont?
and has some connection to a labor organization.
on that mysteriously linked genetics site: Michael Goldman? Charles Yancey? Hmmm…
Friends or foes of Dan Kennedy?
first Mark-Bail made me laugh. Mr May is actually a real person.
I looked at the link to OCPF and that is bizzare. Mr May has sold items that appear to be personal in nature to his campaign committee? ( a book collection?) Regarding his almost daily fast food consumption; as someone with a family member with diabetes he may want to check with a Dr. or a nutritionist as his explanation re blood sugar issues is terribly misguided. However that is his business. OCPF reports are the publics business and it seems the vast majority of Mr May’s dining experiences occur OUTSIDE the district he is running in! They are also of single serving sizes, and occur almost every day.
It appears Mr May is utilizing his campaign account to live off of, feeding himself and fueling his car.
If he is engaging in “volunteer activity it seems an odd strategy to be doing that outside of the district one is running in. Is this legal?
Also of interest is the fact that we actually have a 3 way primary for State Senate against Hedlund
A quick overview of candidates ;
Tim Schaefer- progressive, resides in Hull with his husband. Retail Mgr. No elective experience. New to district. From 2nd smallest community in district.
Genevieve Davis, Also progressive, deep roots in Norwell, active in school system. Channels Elizabeth Warren! Unfortunately from smallest Town in the District, has raised no money.
Steve May; new to district, no roots. Loose Cannon type. Was running against incumbent Dem State Committee Man then withdrew. Has interjected himself into a number of local races making some enemies within party. Fundraising-not too shabby but as Mark pointed out has appeared to have spent it unwisely. cloudy resume, unemployed.
Final election prospects- A tough one here. Hedlund has beaten some giants (Delahunt, Cantwell, MacDonald, LeClair, etc) , even has been outspent a few times I believe.. Last go round I believe recieved more votes than any Senator in State.
Although May has been aggressive to date, best bet here would be Davis but even then a prohibitive long shot.
Real weak Republican Farm team here. This seat will be in play someday.
How do you keep all of your BMG usernames straight?
This financial report and blog post speak to the heart of the reasons I want to give Steve May a chance to take on the odious Bob Hedlund in November. In all my dealings with Steve he’s been nothing but honest, forthright, and transparent. I believe that if given the chance he will bring these same qualities to Beacon Hill, and actually give the Plymouth and Norfolk district the full representation that it deserves in the legislature. I hope others will get on board and give Steve a chance as well.
As to the other issues, it looks like the Facebook page info for the non-profit has not been updated since the page was created and since then it looks like Canadian spammers have taken over the domain name since that time.
@kosta I assure you the web presence is being worked on.
I’m glad this conversation is happening now though, and hopefully we will have some productive discussions in the future on shaping policy and going about the business of defeating Bob Hedlund in November.