GenealogyGadzooks, does this stick in my craw!
Gadzooks, does this stick in my craw! The Boston Globe reports that Tom Reilly had hoped to name Chris Gabrieli "as a lieutenant governor candidate just before Democratic activists gather in caucuses later this week."
What a huge insult to the Party faithful, who have been working for months now in preparation for Caucus Day!
I decided early on to devote my energies to the Deval Patrick campaign, and to stay out of the contest for Lieutenant Governor. There are four very talented and accomplished people who have announced their candidacy. I have met with each one of them, and have nothing but heartfelt respect and appreciation for the hard work they have done and are doing in the cause of public service. They deserve their chance to make their case to the voting public, and not to have their efforts undercut by what Jim McGovern has rightly called "a backroom deal" (see the Globe article).
"Reilly's low-key approach to wooing the Democratic rank and file has surprised party leaders. Even Reilly insiders concede that his aim is not to win the Democratic convention endorsement. He has instead concentrated for the past two years on building a large campaign war chest, which tops nearly $3.7 million, six times what Patrick has on hand in his political account."
So, the Reilly campaign, it seems by its own admission, is about big-money politics-as-usual. Enough! This smacks of the "Father Knows Best" attitude that is so prevalent in Washington these days. This is the attitude that has gotten us into one mess after another, from the Medicare Part D fiasco to our misadventure in Iraq (an effort that Tom Reilly fully supports, by the way! see my relevant posts).
Contrast this with Patrick's respect for the democratic process. "Kahlil Byrd, campaign spokesman for Patrick, said that Patrick has no intention of choosing a running mate," according to the article.
I was already going full steam ahead, promoting Deval Patrick and his vision of government. Now that I have been handed this insult, I will work even harder to help that vision become a reality. Please join me in that effort.
Remarks concluding a talk given by Deval Patrick at the Berkshire Brigades Candidates' Night in Pittsfield, January 12, 2006, as transcribed by me from a videotape of the event:
"So now let's stand for something. Let's use this election, and I ask you to use my candidacy, as an example of what the Democratic Party can stand for. Not that government can or should try to solve every problem in everyone's life (we know that!), but that government has a role in helping people help themselves.
"And that when people say, 'government is bad' let's say 'wait a minute! government is us! it's us!' and so we ought to want that to be smart and effective and efficient and pragmatic and compassionate, because that is the best of who we are and what we have.
"And if this is the kind of government that you can get behind, that is the kind of government I am ready to lead, and I hope I can have your support."
» MFW's blog | 1455 reads