I think I've captured Gabrieli's
digressions from the prepared text, but I kept getting distracted by his
mother-in-law Smoki
Bacon's outrageously large glasses, so I may have missed a flourish or two.
Thank you all so much for being here
today.
[Thanks his family. Smoki Bacon's specs are colossal.]
But I especially want to thank those of you who spent weeks traveling across
Massachusetts, going door to door to collect the 500 signatures we needed to
get onto the ballot at the Democratic convention in June. You know, a lot of
people said it couldn't be done, but you did it. Thank you.
Now, I owe you an answer, so here it is: Yes! Yes, Massachusetts faces great
challenges. Yes, it's time to start getting results. And yes, I am running to
be the next governor of Massachusetts.
Now, I'm doing this for a lot of reasons, but more than anything, I'm doing
this for one reason: I love this state. You know, I went to college here. I met
my wife here. I'm raising my five kids here. And unlike Johnny Damon, I'm
staying right here.
You know, when I moved here, I couldn't imagine any better place in this whole
country to live. There's so much opportunity, so much history, such incredible
people, and I think all of us who live here still feel that way. But when I
look around today, I see jobs leaving the state. I see people moving elsewhere
because they can't find an affordable place to live. I see the cost of just
about everything skyrocketing. And I see too many parents worried the American
Dream is fading for their kids.
But you know what I don't see? I don't see Republican governors getting the job
done to solve our problems, and I'm tired of it. For 16 years, all we've heard
is promises, but we still haven't seen results. We're 46th in the nation in job
creation, we have the highest cost of housing, millions of tax dollars are
wasted every year. And yet there's no accountability to voters and taxpayers.
Even so, without fail, every four years, Republican candidates for governor
tell us balanced government alone is the most important thing. But what use is
balance if the only result we get is stagnation?
Like so many people across Massachusetts, I'm frustrated with the lack of
results we're getting from government--but I'm not discouraged. I refuse to
believe that Massachusetts can't do better. And I will always believe that with
the right leadership, government can get real results for people.
Real accountability for real results. Those principles have guided me my whole
life. I've spent my entire career bringing people together and getting things
done, and I'm proud of the results.
I spent 17 years helping dozens of innovative young businesses succeed and
grow. In total, over $1 billion was invested in the economy, and we helped
create over 100,000 new, good jobs.
These are real results, and I'm proud of them. [NOTE: This phrase, which you're
about to see again, was italicized on the text handed out to reporters, so it's
obviously a major point Gabrieli wants to hammer home. Oddly, however, he kept
offering variations on this theme, which was a little self-defeating. Read on.]
I've always been passionate about education, and when I realized our kids spent
only 20 percent of their time in school, I started my own nonprofit foundation
devoted entirely to expanding after-school programs. Thousands of kids now have
a place to go after school to learn and be safe...
I'm proud of the results, and they're real. [?]
It always bothered me how little Massachusetts pension money we actually invest
in our own states. So I brought people together, and working with Treasurer
Cahill, we convinced the state to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the
local economy--money that's expanding opportunity and home ownership, and
creating jobs in Massachusetts as we speak.
That's a real result, and I'm proud of that. [??]
When Mitt Romney threatened to veto stem-cell research--research that could
cure diabetes, Parkinson's and countless other diseases--I joined with the
Legislature, academics, doctors and parents to fight back, and we overrode
Governor Romney's veto.
That's a real result, and I'm proud of that. [Sigh.]
And really, at the end of the day, that's what we want from our
governor--results that help people.
Aren't you tired of all these politicians who stand in front of you every four
years and make nothing but big pronouncements, like "Mission
accomplished," or "No child left behind"? Please, find me one
person who's for leaving kids behind. Aren't we all for better schools?
The bottom line is, leadership shouldn't be a competition to see who can make
the grandest promises--it should be about who can get the best results. Results
you can measure; results that are tangible; results that improve people's lives
and make our state a better place to live.
Now, how do you get those results? You bring people together from all sides.
Governor Romney was right to join me in calling for after-school programs, but
he was wrong to oppose stem-cell research. When he was right, I worked with
him; when he was wrong, I worked against him. In both cases, we've gotten
results. As governor, I'll work with both Republicans and Democrats to get
things done. I won't get bogged down in petty political battles; I won't make
empty promises; I won't shy away from accountability.
When it comes to issues of principle, I’m
going to give a clear answer. Gay marriage? I’m for it. Death penalty? I’m
against it. Abortion? I’m pro-choice.
But when the issue is complicated, I’m not
going to give you some meaningless, poll-tested answer that gets us no closer
to solving problems.
Like on jobs--you know, you need more
than a pledge to personally recruit jobs. You need specific ideas, like getting
big pension funds and university endowments to invest in the local economy.
Like investing in technologies most likely to create jobs of the 21st Century,
such as stem cell research and renewable energy. And it’s the same on
education. It’s a complicated issue. Blaming teachers doesn’t get us anywhere.
And anyone who claims you can just throw money at the problem doesn’t get it.
You need concrete ideas, like expanding learning time and encouraging
enrichment through after school programs. Like making college tuition more
affordable by making college savings tax deductible. Like creating magnet
science and technology high schools for our most promising students.
Ideas like these--you know, they may not
make the biggest headlines, but I know they’ll get big results. This is a time
for serious leadership. We’ve got real problems here in Massachusetts, and we
can’t just sit around and wait for Washington to solve them for us. We need a
governor who will bring people together to try new things. A governor who will
tell you where he stands. A governor with concrete ideas to make people’s lives
a little easier. A governor who’s not going to promise everything and deliver
nothing. A governor who has a proven track record of getting things done. A
governor who’s going to hold himself accountable.
My name is Chris Gabrieli. And I’ll be a
governor who solves problems and gets results. In this campaign, I’m going to
travel all over the state, pounding the pavement, doing whatever it takes to
talk directly to people and win this race. And I believe that if I do my part,
and you do your part, then come November, we’ll have a great victory for
Massachusetts.
My name is Chris Gabrieli. I’ll be a
governor who solves problems and gets results. And I can’t wait to get started.
Thank you very much.