Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Reilly on St. Fleur

Hot off the presses, here's our first glimpse of how Tom Reilly will sell Marie St. Fleur. (Because the full spiel doesn't seem to appear on Reilly's web site, I've pasted the missive below.)

I'll be offering my take on the St. Fleur pick in this week's Phoenix. Here's a preview: I think Reilly's decision is great in the short term and dangerous in the long run.

"Dear Friend,

On Sunday afternoon, I had the opportunity to go to Dorchester to visit with a friend, a dynamic young leader and the next Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Marie St. Fleur.

Marie and I come from different places, but our journeys have been very similar. Marie immigrated to this country from Haiti with her parents when she was seven years old. My parents left Ireland in search of a better life and settled in Springfield.

Both of us share the same values. Both of were fortunate to have families and communities that wouldn't let us fall behind. And both of us have devoted our lives to serving others, giving voice to those who have had no voice, and fighting for ordinary people and their families.

I asked Marie to join me in helping change Massachusetts and move this state forward as the Lieutenant Governor on my ticket.

I have known Marie for more than 15 years. She started her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex when I was First Assistant District Attorney. She was an Assistant Attorney General under Scott Harshbarger, managing her own division. And she has been an effective representative for her constituents as a member of the legislature. At every stop, she has stayed true to her roots and used the opportunities she has been given to give voice to people who have been forgotten by our current leadership.

She is passionate. She is energetic. She will fight for what she believes in. And she is driven to help improve the quality of life of the people of this state.

Believe me, there is no better person than Marie St. Fleur to help me get Massachusetts moving and to give ordinary people a voice in government again. And she is going to make a terrific Lieutenant Governor.

Marie and I will make a great team. Together, we have the vision, passion and commitment to change Massachusetts for the better; to build a better future for our children and grandchildren; and to grow our economy and create jobs.

We will offer more than grand visions with no substance or no follow-through. We are both ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work on behalf of the people of Massachusetts, finding real solutions to the problems facing our state, our communities and our people.

Marie and I understand the lives of ordinary people, because those are the lives each of us has led. As a ticket, we offer a unique opportunity to speak to the issues that are facing families every day in every region and corner of this state.

I am so pleased that Marie agreed to join with me. She will be a true partner in this campaign and I would be honored to serve alongside her as we change Massachusetts and make this state great again. Please join me in welcoming Marie to our campaign and keep watching for updates on how we're going to make history and win in November.

Your friend,

Tom"

Comments are closed.