For a quick reminder of why trust in government is near historic lows — just 24 percent of Americans trust the federal government, according to Pew — take a look at the Beacon Hill insiders ELKEY Awards organized by “Strategic Marketing with a Conscience” firm The Rendon Group. The name is a fusion of ELephant and donKEY.
On the one hand, it is splendid that the group is celebrating political operatives. As individuals, these are often wonderful, funny, hard working and principled people. Cast a ballot with pleasure for “Rising Future Political Star” (I chose my friend state rep Marjorie Decker), Political Operative – Rookie of the Year (I voted for Chloe Gotsis from the Healey for Attorney General campaign), or ratify the Ethic Media award being given to Josiane Martinez of the Coakley for Governor campaign with a smile: in fine Massachusetts tradition, she’s the only candidate on the ballot.
Voting is open to the public. The Survey Monkey platform that hosts the ballot allows voters to cast multiple ballots so long as they use different browsers — but it seems unlikely that an audience of political operatives would hold themselves to anything less than the highest standards of principled conscience when it comes to balloting.
Which brings me to my larger point. Page through the awards, and the intertwined loyalties of the Beacon Hill politicalistas and the power of lobbying corporations in our government becomes strikingly obvious. Here’s the award for Best Ballot Campaign: choose O’Neill & Associates (No on Question 2 / Bottle Deposits), Holly Robichaud (No on Question 1 / Tank the Gas Tank), or The Dewey Square Group (No on Question 3 / Protect MA Jobs). Here’s Fundraiser of the Year: among the choices, Julia Hoffman (Kennedy for Congress / Coakley for Governor / Tolman for Attorney General) and Kellie O’Neill (Baker for Governor / Polito for Lt. Governor / Walsh for Mayor). Remember those stirring appeals from the Walsh campaign for support? From the same talented keyboard as those urging citizens of conscience to support Baker and Polito. Result: people don’t believe in the sincerity of politicians, and they don’t trust the government.
The Awards will be conveyed on Thursday, December 3, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Omni Parker House Rooftop Ballroom. Tickets are free: RSVP here. It should be a great time for those on the roof, as they survey the city and Commonwealth below them, to “celebrate democracy in action and political campaigns.”
MSNBC’s (not the South Shore’s!) Chris Matthews is a hack extraordinaire…
The Rendons epitomize everything that is wrong with our politics, here in MA and in the US. Values do not matter but your skill at dissembling, dishonesty and getting attention gets an upgrade here. Does anyone else remember when the Rendons were paid huge amounts of money to represent the fascists in Kuwait during the first Gulf War? And Holly Robichaud, a woman who cross dresses as a (Herald) media person AND a political consultant???
Why is BMG promoting this event with date, time and ticket source? How low will BMG, and Neer in particular, go? And BTW, after a half century of activism in MA politics, I never saw Neer participate in state politics.
This is a political blog, participated by political junkies many of whom have also worked in the field. The interest to BMGers would seem obvious. I’ve been in MA politics to varying degrees for a couple decades myself and I still meet activists from time to time with whom I have not been previously acquainted. The slap at Bob was completely uncalled for, especially since I for one still don’t know who YOU are.
Who are the Rendons?
I read too quickly, but stand by the rest of the comment.
I understand your confusion. After all, the Rendon family name was not mentioned until the first sentence.
You are on the DSC and you don’t know the company? Really?
Oh Man! Totally calling out Christopher!
every time I get down rated by a young person #jconway who lives in the Midwest and who has nearly zero experience in Mass politics, I giggle. Today, it is especially poignant because his comments are in defense of a turd commercial organization (Rendon) that represents countries and companies that he opposes and that have taken us to war. On Veteran’s Day, he is defending the Rendons, who were on the payroll of the Kuwait national government to push America to war. If he took a moment to do a little bit of GOOGLE UNIVERSITY research on the Rendons, he would know this. If he were paying attention during the first Gulf war, he would know this. Instead, he downrates me and exposes himself.
…and it’s not about the Rendons and I don’t see any comments defending that group from anyone else either. His downrate of you a couple of comments up should probably be construed as a knock on your attitude rather than anything about the Rendons. Jconway knows quite a bit about MA politics and was probably about 3 during the Gulf War. Again, I must ask, what’s eating you. Have the Rendons harmed you personally?
Care to enlighten us as to who you are or why you got out of MA politics?
You actually stuck up for jconway and it’s like he still dumped on you! Maybe it’s a reflex, but damn it’s funny!
Yeah jconway! Yeah!
I know who he is and the good work he does at the DSC.
Your comment nested perfectly from where I sit.
It should be easy to understand my reference point here. It was you. You called me out without even knowing who the Rendons are, a family of the biggest hacks in MA politics. #jconway agreed with your ill-informed comments, even though he had ZERO idea of whom he was writing.
I whacked BMG at the top of this post for promoting, along with the address and price of a ticket to an event to honor both the Rendons and Holly Robichaud. Now the author Neer, is retreating from his comment.
…but you did refer to jconway’s comments. Even so, I did not defend them, just asked who they were. The polite thing would be to answer the question. Even if I knew who the Rendons were and/or saw the reference on the first read you still are coming across with your usual bullying. Yes, I called you out for that and make no apologies.
The post isn’t promoting this event, but exposing it for what it is — a self-promotion gimmick for the state’s leading political operatives. But more than that, the post points out that the same political operatives are running the campaigns and raising the money for politicians from both parties. Why do you think Bob starts off making the point that public trust in government is at an all-time low?
…but then he did say he participated and encouraged others to, so I wasn’t completely sure.
This event is a shining reminder of why Americans hate politics.
The Rendon Group was essentially the CIA’s public relations firm that help “sell” the 2003 invasion of Iraq to Americans. Of course after that they got big contracts with the DNC to host lavish parties at the 2004 DNC convention in Boston.
The Mass Dems should be ashamed of themselves to be associated with The Rendon Group. A quick google search and a little browsing will be enlightening for the unaware.
Oh man! A dig at Christopher!
You’ve acted rather immaturely on this thread.
The way it reads over here is like, you can’t win no matter how hard you try! It’s fun that’s all.