We’ve all heard about “low information voters.” These are the folks who, according to Wikipedia, “are people who may vote, but who are generally poorly informed about politics.” The article continues:
Low-information voters tend to rely on cues or heuristics about the candidates that are often of limited usefulness, and sometimes in the absence of real information make decisions based on stereotypical beliefs about what traits such as physical attractiveness, race and gender can tell them about candidates’ suitability for office.
All well and good. But I was surprised to learn that former Boston mayor Ray Flynn seems to be taking this to a new level by publicly endorsing a political candidate, and filming TV ads on his behalf, based on the same kinds of information. Here’s today’s Globe:
Flynn said he came to his conclusions about Brown based on “what I knew about his personal life growing up.”
“It’s really a nonpolitical message about the man, rather than it is about politics or ideology,” he said. “I didn’t go through his congressional record or roll call. I don’t have time for that. People don’t have time for that. I am interested if the guy is honest, that he has personal integrity.” …
As for [Elizabeth] Warren, Flynn said it’s not personal. “I never met her,” he said. “I never said hello, not that I wouldn’t. I never met her, I never saw her, I don’t know the first thing about her.”
Wow. So Flynn says he (1) is not interested in what Scott Brown has done in Congress – “do[es]n’t have time for that”; (2) thinks he knows all he needs to know about Brown based on “his personal life growing up”; and (3) “do[es]n’t know the first thing” about Brown’s opponent, Elizabeth Warren. As a bonus, he apparently has little respect for Massachusetts voters, who in his view “don’t have time” to look into the candidates’ positions on issues that he is evidently far too busy to worry about.
Based on all of that, Flynn is convinced that Brown is the best guy to do what he says is most important to him, namely, to represent “people I grew up with, people who work for a living, they have kids, they pay tuitions, they are struggling, they lost their jobs, they have a kid that is sick, they have a parent that needs to get in a nursing home.”
Hey Ray, remember when Brown repeatedly cast the deciding vote against extending unemployment benefits for people who “lost their jobs”? And when he wanted to repeal Obamacare, thereby making it much harder for people who “have a kid that is sick” or “have a parent that needs to get in a nursing home”? And when Brown blocked a bill that would keep student loan rates low so that people who “pay tuitions” would get a break? And when he said he was “crystal clear” that he would oppose a bill to keep taxes from increasing on the middle class unless the super-rich also get a break?
Oh right – you “didn’t go through his congressional record or roll call.” Because you “don’t have time for that.”
There really are only two possibilities here. First, Flynn is genuinely completely ignorant about Brown’s record in Congress, and about Warren’s positions on the issues, just like he says, and he really is basing his support on Brown’s life story (and perhaps his rugged good looks).
But I doubt it. I suspect what’s really going on is the one substantive issue Flynn mentioned to the Globe:
“He was endorsed by Massachusetts Citizens for Life,” Flynn said. “That’s an organization I believe in. That means there must be something there, that he has a lot of respect for life and the needy.”
Setting aside the ludicrous notion that a MCFL endorsement has anything to do with “the needy,” it looks to me like Flynn is simply looking for the most anti-choice candidate in the race, and Brown, despite his “pro-choice” claim, is clearly that. Flynn’s former chief policy adviser agrees:
Neil Sullivan, who was chief policy adviser to the former mayor, described Flynn’s backing of the Republican as “a single-issue endorsement.”
“I view his endorsement of Scott Brown as Ray Flynn, citizen for life,” Sullivan said.
SomervilleTom says
Ray Flynn hasn’t cared about any issue except religion/abortion since stepping down as Mayor. I think that’s his sole concern, and he needs little or no information to make up his mind.
marc-davidson says
He’s endorsed Mitt Romney too.
jconway says
He had no problem endorsing pro-choice Bill Clinton when he promised him a job
SomervilleTom says
The job promised by Mr. Clinton was ambassador to the Vatican. It was classic Clinton and classic Flynn — each got what they wanted. President Clinton got points with pro-Catholic and anti-abortion voters, and Ray Flynn got to rub elbows with the Vatican.
Mr. Clinton had one or two other things on his plate at the same time. Mr. Flynn did not.
oceandreams says
In the last 15 years probably don’t know much about Ray Flynn, see the endorsement and could think, former Democratic mayor of Boston endorsed Brown, sign of bipartisanship. It’s important that this get out there among pro-choice voters.
Bob Neer says
Old guy in a city I don’t live in endorses Mitt Romney’s buddy,
The people who do care, and who know who Flynn is, will care far more about Menino.
The value of this ad is with senior citizens who live outside Boston and vaguely remember Flynn as the Major who went on to work with the Vatican, and had some problems.
sco says
Scott Brown is running ads saying he’s pro-choice. If that’s so why is he getting endorsements from prominent pro-lifers and anti-abortion groups? What do they know that the rest of us know?
perry41 says
is his voting record, which has very little to do with his campaign blather.