I think Don Berwick is the first to officially jump into the 2014 MA-Gov race. And I’m glad he’s in: he’s very smart, and he knows a lot about health care. Plus, he was unconfirmable as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (he served in that capacity under a presidential recess appointment) because the GOP would have filibustered him – that, surely, is a badge of honor in Massachusetts that will set him up nicely as a guy who stands for everything that Washington Republicans hate. Full announcement is on the flip (email, no link).
To the rest of the potential candidates: come on in, the water’s fine!
Today, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Don Berwick released the following statement regarding his candidacy for Governor of Massachusetts:
“A few months ago I announced that I was exploring a run for Governor of Massachusetts. I feel proud of and grateful to this state, and I want to find the best way to give back. Over these past few months I have visited with and heard from folks in towns around the Commonwealth – from the Berkshires to Boston and from Cape Cod to Cape Ann.
We talked about the amazing progress our state has made in education, in building a healthcare system that can be a model for the nation, and in reaching out to its most vulnerable citizens. We talked about the spirit and values of Massachusetts – how in spite of an economic downturn, and in the face of adversity and challenges, our people and our leaders have been able to persevere and continue the progress of our forebears.
But we also talked about how we can do better. We can do more to ensure that the opportunities Massachusetts has given to me and to so many others are open to every single child in the Commonwealth.
We lead the nation – with hard work and a continued commitment to making our state better and taking care of the most vulnerable among us, we can ensure that tradition of leadership continues.
As a doctor, an educator, an innovator and someone who has dedicated his professional career to making things work better and to helping people – I am ready to lead.
That is why I am announcing today that I am a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts.
Our state faces many great challenges, and I want to work with you to address them together.
There will be a time for an announcement tour and traditional campaigning later – but for now, I am encouraging all of my supporters to take another step toward ensuring Massachusetts continues to lead the nation – by doing everything they can to elect my friend Ed Markey to the United States Senate.
We need to ensure that reliable, strong leaders like Ed Markey represent Massachusetts in Washington and that they stand up for progressive values and common sense leadership.
I look forward to working hand in hand with Senator Markey in the coming months and as your next Governor.”
…that when you threaten a Bay Stater with denial of confirmation to head an agency he or she is clearly qualified to lead, that person will go home and seek elective office. So how do they like our senior senator, anyway?
I sat on a panel with Don Berwick at the Progressive Mass policy conference a little while ago. He’s an incredible speaker and thinker. Especially as Massachusetts looks to implement health care cost control legislation, he is an intriguing candidate. I’m neutral in this race so far (I think the field has yet to really take shape, and there are other intriguing candidates as well) but I know that Berwick will definitely add a lot to the conversation that others simply cannot. People really should pay attention to this campaign as it develops.
I don’t doubt that Mr. Berwick is ab-fab w.r.t. health care. My question is: doesn’t that make him more well suited to head an agency than the executive branch? And, more importantly, doesn’t that suggest that Massachusetts would be better served with a more generalist leader in the executive branch leadership role rather than an expert in one subject area?
My sense is that he’s a good systems thinker and understands a lot of different types of public policy. And, frankly, given a lot of the things I’m seeing out of the state house right now, what I’m looking for is somebody who will be compassionate towards those with the least among us. Not a lot of people seem to be fitting the bill on that front — Berwick at least has a record of trying to bring dignity to those who cannot afford it.
But, as I said above, there are a lot of intriguing candidates in the field. I’m not tied to Berwick at all. I like, for example, how progressive Senator Dan Wolf is. I appreciate how much Treasurer Grossman has done for the Commonwealth and has really transformed that office. I like Capuano (and supported him against Coakley when he ran for Senate) and think he could bring a lot to the table should he run. And there are others. So, I guess, we’ll see. But I think Berwick is somebody to pay attention to and at the very least give serious consideration.
Should be: cannot afford *health care* not dignity. Obviously, dignity is not something you can buy.
Wait, what??
Isn’t that in Maine, across the river from Somersworth NH?
That said, I heard him on WBUR this morning (calling in from Florids). First mistake, don’t announce your candidacy when you are out of state. Second mistake, he sounded like nothing more than pre-packaged talking points.
Trying to follow the Deval Warren path, but I don’t think Berwick has their stuff.