Healey On The Offensive
DEVAL THE INSIDER
Healey Pounds On Patrick's 'Outsider' Claims
After facing a tremendous amount of criticism for not being aggressive enough against her opponents, Lt Gov Kerry Healey went on the offensive yesterday, attacking Democrat Deval Patrick as a Beacon Hill insider trying to trick the voters.
From the Boston Herald's Dave Wedge:
Deval Patrick’s closed-door meeting with top Beacon Hill power brokers is a signal that the gubernatorial hopeful would be a tool of the Democratic leadership and beholden to special interests, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey charged.
In Plymouth to unveil a plan to post the pictures of Level 2 sex offenders on the Internet, Healey unloaded on Patrick for meeting privately this week with House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi and Senate President Robert E. Travaglini to solicit their support.
“He has lost all ability to make the argument that he has no debt to the political establishment on Beacon Hill,” Healey told the Herald. “He will have connections now on Beacon Hill that will prevent him from acting in the best interests of the people of Massachusetts.”
Healey said the meeting flies in the face of Patrick’s claims of being a political outsider and is a sign that he would quickly become a party loyalist if elected governor.
For Healey, this is a good start, but she must be ready to repeat these tactics almost daily between now and election day. Otherwise, it isn't going to be enough to overcome the perception of weakness.
Technorati tags: kerry healey massachusetts governor\'s race deval patrick boston boston herald 2006
Kennedy To Debate Chase
TED'S TOKEN CAMPAIGN
Kennedy Agrees To Debate
Apparently deciding he will pretend to campaign this year, Senator Ted Kennedy has agreed to a whopping 30 minute debate with his place- holding GOP opponent, Kenneth Chase.
Because major Republican figures stayed out of the race this year, the only question in this contest is whether Teddy will win by 50 percentage points, or 60.
In addition, Kennedy has a huge warchest to use this time around, though it was primarily raised for the benefit of other Democrats.
From the Boston Globe:
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Correspondent
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the 44-year incumbent Democrat, has agreed to participate in his first campaign debate since 1994.
Kennedy will face off with Kenneth B. Chase, his Republican challenger, for 30 minutes on a New England Cable News forum hosted by Chet Curtis at a time and date that have yet to be announced.
"Because of (NECN's) wide reach and Chet Curtis' breadth of experience, Senator Kennedy has accepted the invitation and looks forward to discussing the important issues facing the people of Massachusetts," the Senator’s campaigns said in a written statement.
Kennedy's last debate was in 1994 when he faced off with Mitt Romney, who was challenging him in that year's Senate race.
Chase, who narrowly defeated Kevin Scott in the GOP primary, said he will "accept any an all debate offers" and will appear with Kennedy on NECN. The Belmont resident has proposed 11 hour-long debates with Kennedy – 60 minutes for every four years the senator has been in office.
There may be some entertainment value in this debate, otherwise, it's a throwaway.
Technorati tags: ted kennedy kenneth chase us senate boston massachusetts debate 2006 election boston globe
Deval Patrick, Pro- Business?
GIVING US THE BUSINESS
Patrick Claims GOP Support
Rather than a Howard Dean- like extremist, is Deval Patrick really a pro- business, Republican- friendly guy?
Since the primary, the Democrat Party's choice for governor in the Bay State has been working to moderate his image. But isn't this a bit too much of a stretch?
From Jay Fitzgerald and Jesse Noyes at the Boston Herald:
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick yesterday tried to shore up his support within the business community, creating a new “business cabinet” and vowing to “rebuild” the Massachusetts economy.
Patrick, whose liberal candidacy has attracted surprising support from some business quarters, said Gloria Larson, a former economic secretary under GOP governor William Weld and current chairwoman of the state’s convention authority, will head up the cabinet.
Fellow co-chairmen of the cabinet, which Patrick said will meet with him regularly to advise him on business issues, include Cleve Killingsworth Jr., president and chief executive of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and Josh Boger, president and chief executive of Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
Patrick said he has “more than 50” business leaders and innovators who are supporting his campaign.
The Patrick campaign initially balked at releasing the list of those backers, saying members were part of a “working committee.”
Late yesterday afternoon, a partial list was released. While it wasn’t exactly a who’s-who list of heavyweight business leaders, it did contain some big names, such as Peter Slavin, president of Mass. General Hospital, Tom Alperin, president of National Development, and John Fish, president of Suffolk Construction.
“We’re releasing to you the names of the people who agreed to be public at this point. Some people wanted to be private at the moment,” said Patrick spokeswoman Libby DeVecchi.
If they're so gung- ho about Deval, then why is their "support" a secret?
Technorati tags: deval patrick kerry healey massachusetts boston boston herald gubernatorial race
Photo: Angela Rowlings, Boston Herald
Deval Patrick's (Lack Of) Voting Record
MR NO-SHOW
Deval Patrick Missed Crucial Votes
Memo to Deval Patrick: your Massachusetts honeymoon is officially over.
Buoyed by post- primary polls showing him leagues ahead of Republican Lt Gov Kerry Healey, the Democrat gubernatorial candidate probably expected to coast to victory.
But not so fast, as the Boston Herald reports in today's editions. It seems our friend failed to vote in a number of crucial elections, including the one that re- elected his boss, Bill Clinton!
From the Herald:
Deval Patrick has rallied apathetic voters to “check back in,” but his own voting record shows he has personally checked out on several occasions - including failing to cast ballots in two presidential elections and a key U.S. Senate race.
A Herald review of Patrick’s voting record on file in his hometown of Milton shows he has skipped voting in at least seven local and state elections over the past 10 years, including the 1996 and 2000 presidential campaigns. The 1996 missed vote is especially significant, because it shows Patrick apparently did not cast a vote for President Bill Clinton, who hired Patrick to work as a top Justice Department attorney in 1994.
The Democratic gubernatorial hopeful also didn’t vote in a crucial 2001 special state election to replace the late U.S. Rep. Joseph Moakley (D-South Boston), records show. U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch won that congressional race over state Sen. Brian Joyce, who is a devout Patrick supporter. Patrick donated $2,000 to Joyce’s campaign in 2001, even though he never made it to the polls for his pal. Joyce has donated $1,000 to Patrick’s bid for governor.
If you intend to run for governor, be sure to vote! How basic is that?
To visit the Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney, click here.
Technorati tags: deval patrick kerry healey radio equalizer boston herald massachusetts boston Technorati Profile
Image: Boston Herald library
Introducing Bay State Showdown: 2006
WELCOME!
We're Ready For Battle, Are You?
Because there simply isn't room on our main site for all of the latest 
developments in New England's hottest political contests, we've created this additional site to track the latest.
Watch for a special focus on this year's gubernatorial showdown between Republican Kerry Healey, Democrat Deval Patrick, independent Christy Mihos and Green candidate Grace Ross.
Be sure to leave your own comments below!
Image: Boston Herald
After facing a tremendous amount of criticism for not being aggressive enough against her opponents, Lt Gov Kerry Healey went on the offensive yesterday, attacking Democrat Deval Patrick as a Beacon Hill insider trying to trick the voters.
