Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Governor... Baker?

This is the best MA political news I've heard since Scott Brown beat Marsha Coakley like a rented mule:

Obama to stump in New England; Coakley kicks off campaign

(NECN: Alison King) - President Barack Obama is scheduled to take a swing through Massachusetts in support of Governor Deval Patrick this weekend.

Obama is scheduled to attend a rally and fundraiser alongside singer James Taylor at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on Saturday.

Given what Øbama's endorsement of Jon Corzine in NJ, Creigh Deeds in VA, and, yes, Martha Coakley in MA has meant, I'm more than happy to welcome President Øbama here in MA to stump for "Cadillac" Deval. We can only hope that the appeal and star power that President Øbama has brought to recent campaigns will continue its record with Governor Patrick's re-election bid, with the same effect as with Corzine, Deeds, and Coakley. If Patrick is hoping that a last-minute appeal to the hard left will be achieved by bringing in Øbama, he's counting on the rest of the electorate (undecideds outnumber both Republicans and Democrats in MA) not paying attention.

This year, governor, that's not a winning strategy. This year it's not a winning strategy to be an incumbent, period; even less so when your four years have been marked by rampant unemployment, raising taxes, and rookie missteps like $30K office makeovers in times of economic crisis. Bringing in the < 30% approval rating President, a man whose only answer to the two years of economic failure during his tenure has been to blame his predecessor, runs the risk of hurting Patrick more than helping. It raises the question of whether Patrick is really doing so poorly in fundraising efforts that he needs the star power of the President.

In any case, my hopes for Patrick's ejection from office just rose a little today.

That is all.

5 comments:

Lokidude said...

May his perfect streak continue.

Bubblehead Les. said...

Well, one can Hope for Change in Mass. But something tells me the DemiCommies are going to be getting Carpel Tunnel from stuffing all those Ballot boxes. Think there's going to be a lot of Court Rulings about the Election this Thanksgiving.

Weer'd Beard said...

"May his perfect streak continue."

+1

Ross said...

You forgot to mention Patrick's hiring all his buddies into $100K/year jobs, his tax hike to 6.25 percent, and my favorite, his comment about "it's a free country. I wish it weren't, but it is."

wolfwalker said...

This is the best MA political news I've heard since Scott Brown beat Marsha Coakley like a rented mule:

I've got better: with three weeks to go til the election, Cook has changed the status of MA-4 from "Safe" to "Likely Democrat."

MA-4 is the congressional district currently represented by Barney [spit!] Frank. That's right: in a district he's held since Moses was a rug rat, and routinely wins by 25-30 points when he has an opponent at all, Frank is only up by 14.