April 2007 - Posts - Talking Politics

April 23, 2007

Klein Leaving Globe
By David S. Bernstein
Rick Klein, the Boston Globe's excellent national political reporter, is leaving to become ABCNews.com's chief political correspondent -- and more importantly, to write the insanely obligatory "The Note" blog. So says Hotline OnCall today.

Great gig for Klein; it should quickly catapult him into the elite tier of reporter/pundits with Mark Halperin, who was responsible for The Note until he recently stepped down as ABC News's political director.

Post a comment

3

April 20, 2007

Anti-Crime Council: Color Me Skeptical
By David S. Bernstein

Deval Patrick announced his Anti-Crime Council yesterday, which he will chair, and which will meet monthly to discuss gun and gang violence. I'd prefer the name reflect that purpose more accurately -- crime per se is well under control in the state -- but the idea is solid.

Unfortunately, this looks like one of those committees designed to look impressive and accomplish little or nothing.

Post a comment

1

April 20, 2007

State Senators Heart Hillary
By David S. Bernstein
The Hillary Clinton campaign just released a list of endorsements from 19 Massachusetts legislators, including an impressive 13 state senators -- out of 34 Democrats in the chamber.

Is it a coincidence that this comes the day of Barack Obama's big rally at BU? Methinks not.

Her list of senators:
--Edward Augustus
--Steven Baddour

Post a comment

4

April 19, 2007

Groundwater: Ian Bowles's Response
By David S. Bernstein
In last week's issue I ran a story about Boston's groundwater problem, asking whether the state and city are doing enough to ensure the long-term preservation of the city's homes and architecture. In the article, I quoted from testimony given by Ian Bowles, secretary of energy and environment, but I did not interview him directly on the topic.

Post a comment

3

April 19, 2007

They Don't Know Mitt, But They Don't Like Him
By David S. Bernstein
A new national CNN poll says that a stunning 54 percent of Americans say they would definitely not vote for Mitt Romney in the general election if he is the Republican nominee. Just 7 percent say they definitely would, and 32 percent say they would consider voting for him. His numbers on that question are the worst of any of the major candidates.

Post a comment

1

April 18, 2007

Maine Headed For A Senate Tussle
By David S. Bernstein
According to The Hill, Maine congressman Tom Allen will likely announce his Senate candidacy sometime next month, confirming what has been increasingly believed -- and wished for -- by Democrats hoping to gain that seat in 2008.

Allen raised a solid $400,000 in the first three months of the year, and figures to be able raise the dough to compete against Republican incumbent Susan Collins.

Post a comment

2

April 18, 2007

"Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban OK'd
By David S. Bernstein
In case anyone thought that abortion and judge appointments might not be a big part of the Presidential campaign cycle this time, guess again. Today the Supreme Court -- with Alito in and O'Connor out -- upheld the 2003 federal ban on late-term abortions.

Post a comment

1

April 18, 2007

District 2 Results -- Alert the Globe?
By David S. Bernstein
With 30 percent of the precincts counted, Linehan holds a slight lead over Flynn, with everybody else way behind; of course, the meaning of that depends entirely upon which precincts have been counted and which haven't.

No mention of the results, or anything about it being election day, on Boston.com. Which is right in keeping with the Globe's almost totally ignoring the race all along.

Post a comment

4

April 13, 2007

District 2 Predictions?
By David S. Bernstein
It's time to make your predictions for Tuesday's Southie/South End City Council preliminary election. Who will get the top two slots, to face each other in the final?

The contestants are Mary Cooney, Bob Ferrara, Ed Flynn, Michael Linehan, Bob O'Shea, and Susan Passoni.

I think Linehan will survive the backlash of the rumored heavy hand of City Hall behind his campaign, and finish first.

Post a comment

3

April 13, 2007

The Romney Boys Blog
By David S. Bernstein
If you don't know who Ben, Craig, Josh, Matt, and Tagg are, well, you just haven't been paying enough attention to your former governor's family portraits. They are, of course, the offspring of Mitt and Ann Romney.

They are also now bloggers from the campaign trail, with the cleverly titled "Five Brothers" [corrected!] blog on Dad's campaign web site.

Post a comment

3

April 12, 2007

Wallace-Benjamin Out
By David S. Bernstein
Joan Wallace-Benjamin will resign as Deval Patrick's Chief of Staff and return to running the Home for Little Wanderers, according to a press release just sent out by the governor's office.

I can't say this is going to come as a shock to many people. Not that she's caused any disasters (to my knowledge), but she just hasn't seemed like the right person for the job, and the job is too important to not have the right person in it.

Post a comment

1

April 12, 2007

Is the Bad Weather Saving the Weekend?
By David S. Bernstein
Very little media attention has been paid to the fact that wage employees are likely at any moment to go on strike at four of Boston's biggest hotels -- the Copley Westin, Sheraton Boston, Park Plaza, and the new Westin by the Convention Center, all owned by Starwood. The union voted to authorize a strike as of April 1, and the contract still hasn't been reached, which means that the strike could start any day that the union negotiators feel like it.

Post a comment

0

April 12, 2007

Wired For Niki?
By David S. Bernstein
About two weeks ago I was chatting with someone who is, let's just say, privvy to the inner circle of departing congressman Marty Meehan. When I asked how the race for Meehan's seat might shape up, this person said something to the effect of: "Well, I think it's pretty much been wired for Niki, don't you?"

Well, I didn't know that, but gosh it's starting to look like it now, huh? Baddour and Tucker stay out, Mrs.

Post a comment

0

April 11, 2007

New In The Phoenix -- Groundwater
By David S. Bernstein
In tomorrow's edition, I look at the groundwater issue that threatens Boston's homes and historic buildings, and ask: Why doesn't Deval Patrick want his Department of Environmental Protection to get involved?

It's online now. That Dirty Water: Why doesn't the Patrick administration think it's an environmental issue?

Post a comment

0

April 10, 2007

More Romney Rats
By David S. Bernstein

I recently got hold of a list of co-chairs for a Mitt Romney fundraiser in DC back on February 27, that’s chock-full of top-level lobbyists. Several are with Dutko, the firm of Massachusetts’s RNC committeeman and Romney supporter Ron Kaufman. Several are current or former lobbyists for big Pharma or big tobacco. Several have direct connections to indicted former speaker Tom DeLay and/or convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Post a comment

0

1 | 2 | Next >

Follow the Boston Phoenix

All Blogs

Phlog (1,395)
Laser Orgy (22)
Outside The Frame (299)
Dont Quote Me (511)
On The Download (2,141)
Talking Politics (1,504)

Latest Comments

City Council Forums - УЗНАЙ ПРО ВСЕ СКРЫТЫЕ ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ СЕТИ «VKONTAKTE.RU» Ты знаешь, что такое «Вконтакте»...

By roolcateptara on 11-07-2009 in Talking Politics

City Council Forums - Гипнотическое видео - уникальная разработка группы ученых из Университетского колледжа Лондона, Оксфордского...

By haummofessews on 11-07-2009 in Talking Politics

City Council Forums - Вы верите своей второй половине? По статистике 96% супружеских пар изменяют. Вы хотите знать правду?...

By neargeinfunda on 11-07-2009 in Talking Politics

City Council Forums - Контроль передвижных объектов (автомобилей, грузов, ценных предметов и документов, сотрудников, детей...

By brooraWrany on 11-07-2009 in Talking Politics

City Council Forums - Привет. Я новый юзер на thephoenix.com Полагаюсь, что пощу в необходимый раздел, если нет, то уважаемые...

By Cicoccase on 11-07-2009 in Talking Politics

Latest Comments from Talking Politics