Cape Politics

The "old media", "old guard", Anti-Christy cabal

GOP Old Guard in tandem with Globe and Herald pick your candidates for you
Journalists don't believe in coincidence and neither should you

By Walter Brooks

Frank Phillips, the Boston Globe's political columnist, must be getting frightened that Christy Mihos is becoming too popular because his inaccurate attack against him last November used the photo on the left while for today's attack he found the one on right. It must have taken a while because it's hard to take a bad photo of the ever-cheerful Christy Mihos.

I imagine there are still a few innocents reading this who imagine democracy works here in Massachusetts (the "Cradle of Liberty") , and that you voters get to choose the candidates you eventually choose in party primaries.

Sure, and the Easter Bunny is the one laying all those eggs.

But if you pay attention between now and primary time you can figure out who is picking your candidates for you, and in this case, laying all those (rotten) eggs.

In Sunday's two largest Massachusetts newspapers it is Frank Phillips of the Boston Globe and Dave Wedge of the Boston Herald.

Phillips is charging that Christy Mihos isn't paying his bills. That flies in the face of anyone's experience who has ever done business with him here on Cape Cod as well as this media company, but Phillips also even managed to restate a phony charge from a staffer who was paid in full and discharged last fall, a story Phillips harped on last November even after Mihos explained the circumstances.

What business it is of a newspaper when a politician fires a staffer? It's not the usual stuff of political criticism, but maybe that's all they have, evevn if it's not true.

If Christy has a problem it's not hiring a competent and professional communications director to handle these kinds of brouhahas and an PR person to get his message across to voters without the help of the likes of Phillips and Wedge, one of whom has stated his animus towards Christy.

A "populist" or a health insurance executive for governor?

But remember, he's a populist, just like Scott Brown who scares the crap out of the Boston establishment., and he's out there right now talking to the "real" people.

His message is not getting through in the "old media", however, and the "powers that be" will do everything they can to bring him down. He is his own man, completely free of the strings attached to most politicians. He's self-made, rich, independent and not to be confused with someone who give a damn what the Globe, Herald of party bosses want.

Wedge's column Sunday tries to make fun of the fact that if Mihos had run for the U.S. Senate instead of for Governor he might have won. That's like saying that if former Attorney General Tom Reilly had won the nomination in  '06 instead of Deval Patrick he would be Governor today.

The Herald's crystal ball needs cleaning.

As a lifelong newspaperman I am shocked at the way The Globe's editors allow Phillips to pull his shams. I never voted for Christy, and probably never will. This is about simple decency and fairness in media.

A couple months ago Phillips was writing about Mihos being investigated by the IRS when in fact Christy was being apologized to by them, a fact Phillips was fully aware of at the time he wrote his lie because he interviewed Mihos and the latter sent him the IRS letter of apology as we reported on September 29, 2009.

Since the Republican Old Guard is working just as hard to deny Mihos the nomination to run against Deval Patrick this November, and you and I have always been led to believe that The Globe was the liberal newspaper while The Herald the conservative one, it is hard not to think that the Old Guard and the Old Media are in cahoots to stop Christy.

It is a tradition in American politics, especially GOP politics, to support a candidate from your own town or county.

But even here on Cape Cod our lone Republican State Rep, Jeff Perry, is working hard to get a former health insurance company C.E.O., Charlie Baker, the GOP nomination for Governor. Perry even stopped Mihos from speaking to a party of fellow-Republicans gathered at a Perry function last fall.

So much for the Republican "11th Commandment."

The men behind the curtain should get their dates straight

These two hacks-for-hire are so obvious that they plan their unfounded attacks and then publish them the same day in two newspapers which are supposedly in opposite camps politically.

And they've done it twice on the same day!

Wedge did it previously last November as well, as did Phillips on the same day.

These two got away with their shenanigans before the Internet, but today their cunning can be tracked and voters reminded and warned.

I don't know if I'd vote for Mihos if he becomes the GOP candidate to oppose Patrick this November, but I do know this:

• He's be a hell of a lot stronger candidate than a a health insurance executive who has "Big Dig" dust on his coattails, and
• I'd rather have the GOP rank and file choosing candidates than two daily newspapers and the Republican "Old Guard".
  

So if you still think you have some power left to have a voice in your own elected officials, it now becomes YOUR duty to do something about it.

You could always email this column to Marty Bacon, Editor of  The Boston Globe, send a letter or use this contact form, and Kevin Convey. Editor of The Boston Herald or use this contact form.
                                                           ---------------------------------------------------------
Disclosure: In the interests of full disclosure, we have a connection or two with Christy Mihos ourselves.

1. He advertises on Cape Cod TODAY. When he called me to ask our rates I asked why he'd want to advertise on a newssite which made fun of him in the '06 race for Governor, even picturing him in a beanie hat with a propeller. Christy said it was because he got a kick out of it and that he thought our coverage was the fairest.
2. Christy if the co:chair of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, an organization we have vilified for years and deeply oppose.
3. I am a lifelong, liberal Democrat who made a political contribution to, endorsed and voted for Christy's opponent Deval Patrick in the '06 election.
   

18 comments »

Lucy, you have some 'splaning to do!

"If Martha Coakley were not a woman, what would her base of support be?"

If you aren't a women looking for the "glass ceiling" rationale, you're looking for the rational reason to vote for her. Unfortunately, Martha Coakley didn't give the rest of us one.

That was the question I asked in a blog on November 29th, just prior to the Democratic primary. That's the problem with gender politics. Focused on electing a women "making history", they risked the task at hand, getting a Democrat elected.

If you aren't  a women looking for the "glass ceiling" rationale, you're looking for the rational reason to vote for her.  Unfortunately, Martha Coakley didn't give the rest of us much of one.  Her sponsors including Emily's List, the Senate President Terese Murray, or Congressman Niki Tsongas, didn't either.

Looking for an explanation for the loss? Here's one. You can get nominated with the women's vote, but it isn't enough to get elected. They should have learned that lesson from the 2002 Governor's race that saw Shannon O'Brien  lose to Mitt Romney, while trying to make history. Maybe Democratic women vote for women candidates, but Independent and Republican women do not.

Like many other observers, I saw an electorate that was given a narrow choice. A traditional liberal, who would vote to support the President, or a tea bagger Republican, who will vote to obstruct the President's agenda. (And just when you get a chance to vote for a Kennedy that actually supports Cape Wind, like Libertarian Joe Kennedy, you can't.)

Another explanation offered is the one referred to as the Kennedy Seat mistake, as in "It's not the Kennedy's seat. It's the people's seat."  True. Just happens that Ted Kennedy sat in it for 47 years and JFK before him for another 5. So let's call it the Kennedy seat, but let's agree that it's not. 

Problem was that Governor Deval Patrick bought into that notion when he appointd Paul Kirk, Ted Kennedy's consigliere to keep the seat warm, thus perpetuating the idea that the rightful heir should be a Kennedy-ite. Had he appointed Mike Dukakis, there would have been some gratuitous ridicule, but no trap to fall into.

One more look at the primaries will tell you that 8 other Congressmen, all men, supported Mike Capuano for the party's nomination.  Capuano, always running scared, would have campaigned hard for the job, unlike Coakley.

Scott Brown's tenure is only assured for the next 3 years. He has to run again in 2012. Mike Capuano should also. With President Obama running for re-election on the same ticket, the outcome of a general election in Massachusetts should be very different. But who knows, Mitt Romney might be heading the Republican ticket then as well.  See, everything really does revolve around Massachusetts, all the time.

One more thing, I don't think health care really figured into this election.  Massachusetts already has universal health insurance coverage mandated by the state. We don't have as great a stake in the debate as other states.  I do think voters are angry that they are unemployed, or afraid of being laid off.

Who do you trust to get you back to work or save your job?  That's how I would have framed the race.

Want more? We in Massachusetts distrust our elected prosecutors. More like fear them. We elect lawyers as District Attornies and promote them to Attornies General. But rarely do we then elect them Governor or Senator. Recent AGs, Frank Bellotti, Scott Harshbarger, Tom Reilly and now Martha Coakley all failed to make the move up.  A healthly scepticism by the electorate, and another lesson not learned.

9 comments »

Scott Brown over Martha Coakley, 57% to 42%, Joseph Kennedy 1%

Brown sweeping Harwich in early exit poll results, even among women

By 11am today over 2,000 votes had been cast, as many as in most Presidential year elections. cc2dayvideo.

Health care biggest issue, Coakley loses even among Obama supporters.

Joseph Kennedy III, nephew of the late US Senator Ted Kennedy and son of Joseph Kennedy, votes in election to replace his uncle in the US Senate on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. As he was leaving the Hyannis Youth and Community Center after voting, Kennedy stated that the race is going to be a "close one".

Harwich student Cody Degroff administering the poll today. Photo courtesy of Harwich High School.

As in previous elections, government students at Harwich High School conducted an exit poll today at the special election for the US Senate seat. 

By 11am over 2,000 Harwich voters had cast ballots, and while the numbers from the HHS exit pollers are still being crunched, Coakley has lost by over 10% if Harwich is typical of today's voting state-wide.

Students were at the Harwich Community Center on Oak Street between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. asking Harwich voters questions about the election.

Today's Poll Results

In an exit poll conducted today by Harwich High School government students, Scott Brown was supported over Martha Coakley, 57% to 42%, with independent Joseph Kennedy receiving 1%. The poll of 430 voters was conducted at the Harwich Community Center between 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM. One poll at one polling place cannot be expected to predict the statewide result, however there were many additional details in the poll that would seem to favor Brown.

By gender, Brown did better among men (61% to 38%), but also won the majority among the women we polled (54% to 45%). By age, all groups supported Brown, with young people (18-39) supporting him the most (60% to 36%).

By party, Brown got 12% support among Democrats, compared to 3% of Republicans for Coakley. Most importantly, independents broke strongly for Brown, 58% to 40%.

We asked voters to identify one or two issues that were most important to them in deciding how to vote. The top issue was health care, which 69% cited as important. Among these voters, Coakley did better than overall, though Brown still got a majority (53% to 47%), this despite the fact that only 40% think we should pass the health care bill pending in Congress. Other issues broke more strongly for Brown. The economy was cited by 38% of voters, and these voted for Brown, 65% to 35%. Candidates' character and integrity were cited by 19% and these went for Brown, 66% to 33%. And foreign policy/security was cited by 13%, supporting Brown, 66% to 32%. Only abortion broke for Coakley, 70% to 30%, but this was mentioned by only 10%.

One group that did support Coakley were those that decided in the last few days who to vote for. This group favored her 56% to 40%, but represented only 11% of the poll. Those that decided in the last few weeks supported Brown 66% to 31%, and those that decided before then supported him 56% to 44%.

Another bad sign for Coakley was that a slim majority (51%) actually approve of the job Obama is doing as president. But a significant part of this group (21%) voted for Brown, compared to only 7% of those who disapprove of the president supporting Coakley.

We asked voters whether they were influenced by debates, ads, and calls. The 26% that were influenced by the debates heavily supported Brown (75% to 25%), as did the 28% influenced by ads (76% to 22%). Only 10% said they were influenced by calls, and these also supported Brown (60% to 40%). These numbers would suggest that Brown ran a better campaign than Coakley, since the specific efforts to influence voters favored him so strongly. Also interesting was the number of calls received - an average of 14.4 in our poll, and a median of 10.

Anecdotally, the students reported a greater enthusiasm among Brown voters. Voters also often discussed their negative reaction to the ads and calls. Many who said they were influenced said it was in reaction against a candidate's ads and calls, particularly Coakley's attack ads.

Again, one poll cannot be expected to predict to statewide result, but the results we see in our analysis would seem to bode well for Scott Brown. We would like to thank all the voters who took the time to discuss their vote with the students. For them, the poll was very educational, giving them a window into how different people make political decisions.

For complete results of the poll, please visit the school website:

John Dickson, Harwich High School Government Teacher

Here is the questions the students asked well over 400 Harwich voters today:

Are you...

• a Republican
• a Democrat
• an Independent

Who did you vote for today?

• Scott Brown
• Martha Coakley
• Joseph Kennedy

How strong is your support of this candidate?

• Very strong
• Somewhat strong
• Not strong/I don’t like the others

When did you decide who you would vote for?

• In the last few days
• In the last couple weeks
• Before that

Which one or two issues were most important to you in deciding how to vote?

• Foreign Policy/Security
• Economy/Tax policy
• Health care
• The candidates’ character/integrity/experience
• Immigration
• Education
• Environment/Climate Change
• Abortion

Was your decision influenced by any of the candidates’ debates?

• Yes      
• No

Was your decision influenced by any of the candidates’ ads?

• Yes     
• No

Was your decision influenced by any phone calls you received at home?

• Yes   
• No

How many calls would you estimate that you received?                                  

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Obama is handling his job as president?           

• Approve       
• Disapprove       
• Don’t Know/Unsure

Should Congress pass the Health Care Reform bill currently being considered?

• Yes      
• No                        
• Don’t Know/Unsure

The voter's gender and age will also be recorded.  The class will provide the results of the poll after they are analyzed this afternoon.

17 comments »

Panic in the Senate Race

How they made Martha Coakley an offer she couldn't refuse.
Should win easily, so why is she running scared?

On the verge of making history, Martha Coakley has succumbed to the sweet embrace of bare knuckle  politics. She will be the next US Senator from Massachusetts and the first women elected to that office from this state. She should win election by at 10 points, maybe as many as 20. So why is she running scared?

What has been going on this week has less to do with the outcome of the election, a foregone conclusion since the primary. It has more to do with the spending of political capital to make even more.

The Democratic establishment has made her an offer she can't refuse; accept their help, or else.

What has been going on this week has less to do with the outcome of the election, a foregone conclusion since the primary.  It has to do more with the spending of political capital to make even more.

Martha Coakley didn't have to go negative to win. But there's only so much money she could spend running a positive campaign. All the other players in the race; the womens groups, unions, health insurance industry, etc. need to spend money with the eventual winner, so they can collect favors from them when she gets to the US Senate. The list includes the Kennedys, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, the Boston Globe and the rest of Democratic establishment here and in Washington. 

Check all the panic and chaos created to get Martha to take their help based on 2 dubious polls. Contrived  first by the Republicans, claiming that her opponent, the erstwhile Scott Brown is running close to even with her. And then by the Democrats poll claiming that he's running too close for comfort. (Today's latest poll by the discredited Suffolk University right-wing think tank has Brown "surging ahead by 4 points.")

What to do? Go negative. Run attack ads. Character assasinate Scott Brown. Scare the party faithful to vote, and  scare away the independents. Witness the buckets of money they have poured into local TV, radio and internet advertising  to get the word out; Scott Brown is not one of us, he's one of them.

What to do? Go negative. Run attack ads. Character assasinate Scott Brown. Scare the party faithful to vote, and scare away the independents.

So the Democrat party have now taken over the special election from Martha Coakley. She'll still win. Probably by the same margin she would have without the help of  the good old boys. But she will owe them. And that's the way it's suppose to work.

Martha Coakley is a credible but un-inspiring candidate. Her politics are in line with the majority of Massachusetts voters. She did well to get the nomination of her party with only the help of her base; women.  But that isn't good enough.  The Democrats don't trust the girls to win on their own. 

So here comes Bill Clinton to the rescue. Only thing Martha Coakley needs now is for The President to come to Boston. In other words, to take credit for a race that she should win anyway. That's how the big boys play. 

51 comments »

December 8th

Polls are one thing. Voting is another
The Independent factor in Massachusetts Primaries.

By Spyro Mitrokostas

The special election in Massachusetts is next week, and every poll has Martha Coakley ahead in the race to seat a new US Senator.  I wouldn't be so sure. Polls are one thing. Voting is another.

There are really 2 races going on inside the Democratic primary.  The one for the votes of Democrats, the other for the votes of Independents. Each has a different dynamic.

Democrats tend to be more liberal. Independents tend to be more conservative. Democrats vote only in their primary. Independents go back and forth between parties. Democrats vote regularly in their party's primary. Independents vote without regularity in either party's.  Democrats will shop for a candidate within their party. Independents will shop for one from either party. 

These and other variables, like if the other party's primary is competitive, will determine who will actually be motivated to vote.

In this year's race, the Democrats have a full spectrum of candidates to choose from.  From most liberal to most conservative they are; Alan Khazei, Mike Capuano, Martha Coakley, Steve Pagliuca. This is important because among other things, they are each competing against one other as well as each other. In other words, Khazie takes votes away from Capuano,  and Pagliuca takes votes away from Coakley.  Think of it as who do you like second best.

Now, Democrats being more liberal,  they will tend to vote for Khazei and Capuano. And for those Independents who will vote in the Democratic primary, they being more conservative, will tend to vote for Pagliuca and Coakley.

Arguably,  at this late date the candidates have fallen into 2 categories:  front runners (Coakley, Capuano) and challengers (Pagliuca, Khazei).

More I's than D's

There are more registered Independents than there are Democrats, but they are less likely to vote.  So you have to do some political math.  In raw numbers, more Democrats will vote in the Democratic primary on December 8th than Independents. (Anywhere from 800,000 to 1 million votes will be cast in the Democratic primary.)

I did the math. I came up with: 36% Capuano, 34%Coakley, 16%Khazei, 14%Pagliuca.

Even as Khazei is taking Democrat votes away from Capuano, Pagliuca is stealing Independent votes away from Coakley.   (That's what makes the last debate so curious. Capuano and Pagliuca were going after each other while Coakley and Khazei were criticizing one other. It should have been the other way around.)

If Capuano wins among Democrats, and Coakley wins among Independents, chances are that Capuano will win the primary. If Capuano can get the most Democrat votes, he wins, because there won't be enough Independent votes for Coakley to make up the difference. Although it will be very close because each are leaking votes to Khazei and Pagliuca.

12 comments »

I Like Mike

Mike Capuano should be our next U.S. Senator.

By Spyro Mitrokostas

"I like Mike because he is the most experienced candidate for the job."

With the news that former Governor Michael Dukakis is breaking with tradition and endorsing a Democrat in a statewide primary, it would be a good time to focus on a very important election that is only 10 days away.

You would think that replacing Ted Kennedy, "Lion of the Senate", would be monumental struggle between titans of Massachusetts politics. But this race is anything but.  And only 1 in five voters will vote, about the same as the number of voters who even know there is a special election on December 8th.

The field has a lot to do with it. 4 decidedly un-noteworthy Democrats. I'm discounting the 2 Republicans, because this is Massachusetts after all. 

He is considered a leader in Congress, as one of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's most effective Lieutenants.

If you believe the polls, Martha Coakley, the State's Attorney General is leading with those who say they will vote (note: not actually vote). Followed by veteran Congressman Mike Capuano, business owner Steve Pagliuca and community organizer Alan Khazei.

Pagliuca and Khazei critics have questions about how they made their fortune (raiding pension funds) and who (don't ask who) they raise their money from.  Pagliuca and Khazei will end up being the spoilers in the race; Pagliuca from the right, and Khazei from the left. Otherwise we would be focusing on a two way race.

I like Mike because he is  the most experienced candidate for the job.  He is already a legislator in the Congress he now wants to serve in the Senate.  He is probably the most experienced legislator to run for the US Senate from Massachusetts in 50 years.   He is considered a leader in the House, as one of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's most effective Lieutenants.

Martha Coakely is not a legislator. Neither are the other candidates. Coakely is a cautious prosecutor.  Pagliuca is a rich investor and Khazie is a social activist. They are, after all, applying for a job as a legislator.

I could live with many portfolios as long as the candidate grasps the seriousness of the national issues at hand. Again, I like Mike because he understood that the War in Iraq was wrong, based on fabrications by Bush/Cheney. He voted against it.  He stood up against the assault on civil liberties known as the (ironically named) Patriot Act as well. 

When he was in a position to speak the truth, he did.  The others weren't even in the game.

"Congressmen get money for their districts.
Capuano got money for his state. And lots of it."

Congressmen get money for their districts. Capuano got money for his state. An lots of it. For all you fiscal conservatives out there, when its federal pork, it's money that would otherwise go to Texas, Florida or California. I like Mike because he will continue to bring home the bacon for both our aging infrastructure and our new industries. Just like Senator Kennedy did.

Mike Capuano was the Mayor of one of our gateway cities. He built public parks in poor neighborhoods where there were none. He did this admittedly because he had kids and no back yard. I like Mike because he has kids and can see the future through the next generation's eyes.   I don't trust candidates who don't have kids. They will not do the right thing for the next generation. They are too busy placating the current one. Pagliuca and Khazei also have kids.

Cape Wind is about the next generation.  It's about a vision for the future, and not the view of the few.  All the candidates support Cape Wind.  But which one is best suited to see it gets built?  I'll bet on Mike.

Capuano is for the "Public Option" and for Universal Healthcare. And because he was in the thick of the fight for healthcare reform in Congress, I like Mike to make it happen in the Senate.

"If Martha Coakley were not a woman, what would her base of support be?"

Mike Capuano was an early supporter of Deval Patrick for Governor, when the Democratic establishment was lining up behind Tom Riley. Martha Coakley again lined up with the Democratic establishment in Massachusetts by endorsing  Hillary Clinton for President.

If Martha Coakley were not a woman, what would her base of support be?  If we were all to look past gender, the way we now look beyond race and ethnicity, what would be the most compelling reason to vote for Martha Coakley?

Do you just want someone who will vote in Congress the way you would like them to?  Or do you want someone who will be a leader in the Senate, for Massachusetts and the country? I like Mike to be that Senator.

VOTE in the POLL "Which Democrat will you vote for US Senator on Dec. 8?" here.

30 comments »

Christy Mihos interviewed in the Fox Boston Studios Monday

Mihos calls himself the "classic outsider", calls Charlie Baker "the classic insider"

Republican gubernatorial candidate Christy Mihos followed up his Sunday appearance at the GOP Roundup in Chatham with an interview on Fox Boston this morning.  During the interview, Mihos said he considered running for Senator for only a brief time and that his sights are clearly set on the 2010 Gubernatorial Race. 

Click the image above to watch the video.  Read about Sunday's GOP Roundup attended by both Mihos and his Republican opponent for the Governor's Office, Charlie Baker here.

More on Mihos and his bid for Deval Patrick's seat below:

• Gubernatorial contenders Mihos and Baker speak at GOP Roundup in Chatham
• Run, Christy, run
• Christy clears the air

3 comments »

Run Christy Run

I was first surprised and then disappointed to learn that Christy Mihos was, and then was not running for the US Senate seat vacated by Ted Kennedy. Surprised that he would be so adept politically to shift to a more plausible race. Disappointed to learn that it was not true, and that he either stepped on his own candidacy for Governor or that he was manuevered to do so.

The case for the US Senate

Either way, a rookie mistake that does not bode well for the erstwhile candidate for Governor.  Christy should run for the Senate seat and give up his quixotic quest for Governor.

The special primaries for the open US Senate seat are only 90 days away.  Name recognition is paramount, even in a small Republican primary.  Only money is more imporant, because it can buy you the former. And then there is the competition within the party.

On the first count, Christy enjoys wide name recognition as a former candidate for office and for his ubiquitous namesake business, but also for his legendary battles with the state's former Governors and (Turnpike) agencies.

He also is able and willing to spend his own fortune to get elected.  He spent over $3 million of his own lunch money to run for governor 3 years ago. He's the only potential candidate for any office who can do that again. 

And there is the decided lack of enthusiam by any other Republican to run for a seat held by a liberal icon that will most likely end up staying in Democratic hands or butt if you will. Christy is about the only candidate that doesn't reek of Republican conservatism, read extremism. With Christy, there might actually be civil discourse between the candidates for the 5 weeks of the general campaign.

So what's the alternative?

Christy continues to run for Governor, in a party with regulars that have a strong dislike for him after he single handedly took Kerry (Muffy) Healy to the woodshed last time around as an Independent (spiteful) candidate in the Governor's race.

Republican candidate for Governor, Charlie Baker is not only a credible candidate for Governor, but also a loyal Republican, having faithfully served two Republican Governors and deliverd the health insurance industry to a third, making it possible for Mitt Romney to sign a landmark healthcare bill.

Charlie Baker has plenty of time to raise enough money and get enough name recognition to beat Christy in a head to head race one year from now.  Even though Christy is a businessman disguised as the everyman, he is still out of step with a very important constituency, environmentalists and renewable energy cohorts.

Cape Wind - The Issue

Christy is a well documented opponent to Cape Wind. He even finances the oppostion when he's not co-chairing the Alliance to Save the Sound (ASS).  But with over two-thirds of the Cape voters now in favor, and 85% of the states residents demanding the project, Christy is seriously out of step with the voters.  And due in part to his efforts, the issue won't go away in time for him to run for Governor in the wake of its aftermath. 

Even thougn we're not quite sure where Charlie Baker stands on the issue, he has not incurred the ire of the supporters of the project yet, and would still have to deal with the Democrat, Governor Patrick, on the issue during the general election. In other words, there still time for him to endorse the project.

But Christy has to live (and die) with his opposition. Except if he runs for the Senate. Because there, he has the cover from the previous seat holder, Ted Kennedy, to hide behind.  "See, even Ted Kennedy, the man I want to replace, was against it!"  " If you could keep him in office despite his opposition to Cape Wind, why not give me the same benefit of the doubt. "

In truth, Senator Kennedy could not stop Cape Wind. Neither can Christy. So it becomes a non- issue on the Senate campaign.  Not so in the Governor's race.

So you see, Christy would have a much easier time of it running for US Senate. Probably still could not get elected,  but at least he would win the Republican primary, and in one brief shining moment, reclaim his status and position in the Republican party. 

2 comments »

Christy Mihos addresses small business leaders in Waltham

"Entrepreneur With A Political Vision" discusses ways to improve climate for Massachusetts small businesses

   Businessman, entrepreneur and candidate for governor Christy Mihos of West Yarmouth (right) greets Ed Ostrowski, Chairman of the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE) and CEO of GoldStar Advisory Services of Hingham, at SBANE’s Massachusetts Breakfast Series. 

Recently, Christy Mihos, owner of Christy’s of Cape Cod Corp., was featured speaker at the  Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE)'s Massachusetts Breakfast Series event held at the Westin Hotel in Waltham.  Speaking before a large crowd of Massachusetts small business owners and managers, Mihos addressed the extraordinary challenges facing small business during this economic downturn, and discussed ways the government could help create a climate that is more favorable to small business.  

Mihos is running for governor in 2010, and is vowing to use his business experience to implement policies that would help small businesses grow and prosper in the Bay State.  SBANE, headquartered in Waltham, hosts monthly breakfast meetings throughout the six New England states.  The events provide attendees an opportunity to network with peers and gain insights and sound advice on current topics of concern for small business owners, entrepreneurs and their advisors.

Release courtesy of SBANE. 

3 comments »

What I Learned in Springfield

I was a delegate to the Democratic State Convention this weekend
The Cape Cod delegation was noticeable by its absence

Treasurer Tim Cahill will not be running for Governor as a Democrat in 2010. I deduced this from the fact that he was not at the convention! Anyone running for Governor next year absolutely positively had to be at this year's convention. Waiting until next year's nominating convention would be too late and risk not even getting the 15% minimum to get on the ballot.

AG Martha Coakley is running for US Senate.  She was at the Convention big time, with the biggest and best visibility. Realistically she's staking out the "somebody other than a Kennedy" territory despite her claims that she's waiting for John Kerry to retire.

Senate President Therese Murray was not there. Neither was State Senator Rob O'Leary. In fact, no member of the Cape Cod delegation was there. My guess is that they've gone into hiding until next year.

Lt. Gov. Tim Murray is running scared. He too was at the Convention in a big way, hosting a pre-convention party. He's raised alot of money this year and he's spending it. But for what? Getting re-elected Lt. Governor? He correctly assumes that he is vulnerable.

Anyone who thinks that Deval Patrick will not finish out his second term would be smart to run for Lt. Governor next year.

Congressman Mike Capuano will be running for Governor.  Maybe not in 2010, but someday. So he is making the most of his early endorsement of Deval Patrick while he still can. The Governor made only one stop before the Convention Saturday morning; a breakfast hosted by Capuano.

President Barack Obama loomed large at this convention. Everyone was wearing their Obama '08 buttons.  They played the Wil.i.am music video. David Plouf gave the keynote address. We Democrats still can't believe our luck.

This was Governor Deval Patrick's convention. He gave another memorable speech. 2000 delegates are already committed to his re-election. And for the most part, the legislature was invisible. Except for House Speaker Robert DeLeo, there was only a smattering of State Reps. He did commit to ethics reform in his speech. That might one day look good in his pre-trial hearing.

Senate President Therese Murray was not there. Neither was State Senator Rob O'Leary. In fact, no member of the Cape Cod delegation was in the Mass Mutual Center, or in Springfield. My guess is that they've gone into hiding until next year.

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