Friday, April 21, 2006

St. Patrick, indeed

Deval Patrick's campaign just distributed a letter from their guy to the other Democratic candidates for the Massachusetts governor's job.

Strategically, this is a good move on Patrick's part. If his suggestions are accepted, he gets credit for keeping the race clean and helping the MA Democratic Party out; if they're rejected, he looks high-minded compared to his opponents. And, of course, his proposals have substantive appeal as well.

Here's the full text--complete with the original formatting!

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Thomas F. Reilly, Democrat for Governor

Tom Reilly Committee
270 Congress Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02210

Chris Gabrieli, Democrat for Governor

The Gabrieli Committee

164 Canal Street, 4th Floor

Boston, MA 02114

Dear Tom and Chris:

There can be no doubt that our Party’s divisive and late primaries have contributed to the difficulty Democrats have had in winning the race for Governor of Massachusetts. I hope you agree that too much is at stake for our Party, our Commonwealth and, frankly, the Nation for us not to learn from this history.

Yesterday, at the Victory ’06 launch, our Party chair called for unity. All three of us stood with him in agreement that if we work together we can deliver a Democratic victory in November. I believe that.

In that spirit, I am asking you to join me in committing to a plan to assure a dignified, substantive primary, and a Democratic victory in November. I propose three parts to the plan:

First, join me in agreeing to actively support the Democratic nominee — whoever of us it may be —beginning the morning after the primary vote. To be successful this year, we will not have the luxury of prolonging our own differences once the primary is over.

Second, join me in a pledge against negative advertising. Specifically, let’s agree not to name any other Democratic candidate in any of our respective campaign’s paid advertising. Let’s keep our focus on substance and vision, on why we, as individuals and as Democrats, should hold the highest executive office in Massachusetts. It is what the voters want and deserve.

Third, let's commit to at least one media-sponsored debate each month between now and the primary. It can be on television, the radio or the Internet. Let’s do some with Spanish and Portuguese outlets, as well as in additional languages that may be helpful to voters. We have real and principled differences in vision and policy. Let’s give the voters a chance to choose based on substance, not just rhetoric.

I ask you to join me in these three, simple concepts. I believe this is a better way to present a spirited and exciting primary to Democratic primary voters, and to ensure a Democratic victory in November.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Deval L. Patrick

Democratic Candidate for Governor

4/21/2006 11:33:11 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [6] |
Tracked by:
"Vicodin." (Vicodin.) [Trackback]
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Friday, April 21, 2006 1:09:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

A Democratic Candidate responds:
Ernie Boch III, Democrat for Governor Responds

"First, I don't need you to tell me how to graciously and expeditiously except a defeat in life. I don’t need you to tell me about loyalty and how to display it. I don’t need you to tell me to look a person in the eye and give him a firm hand shake.

"Second, you want me to agree to ignore my opponents? I can't point out bad policy ideas and past failures which call into question my opponents ability to govern the state? I can't compare my record with my opponents? Sorry Deval, why would I agree not to do that?

"Third, if you want to debate we will have several opportunities in several formats. We had one today. Do you want more? Let's talk about it. You, like I, have scores of proposals for debates sitting on our desks.

"Deval, the Democratic Party is here for the people, not the other way around. That is my primary campaign message. Your three public requests are no different than the phony junk and substance-lacking-spin coming from the governor's office since 1992. The worse sin of all however, more than the blatant self-serving bull crap, is the attempted mass appeal to middle brow senses.

“How anti Harvard/Milton Academy/Cabrini-Green Housing Projects.

“I ask you to join me in this little concept. Don’t insult our inteeligence.”

Sincerely,
ERNIE BOCH III
Democratic Candidate for Governor (write in)

Ernie Boch, III

Friday, April 21, 2006 3:09:28 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Bitter, much?

Lynne

Friday, April 21, 2006 9:41:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Deval must be feeling like Robert Reich & Howard Dean these days. Lots of lefties like him, but most feel he can't win in November. He's trying to distinguish himself, but it is disunity that he is promoting (despite his plea for unity -- phony.

Kerry Healey has work to do, but while she's building herself up, the Dems are tearing themselves apart.

Kurt

Saturday, April 22, 2006 4:54:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

"most feel he cannot win in November" please, spare us, he's probably the only Dem who can keep the voters awake on Election Day.

I think Deval showed a bit more statewide support than Mr. Reich did 4 years ago. The only candidate who had such a strong statewide organization in the caucuses got himself elected as our last Democratic Governor. Not that Deval is Michael, just comparing levels of organization and enthusiam.

Media Watch

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 7:34:24 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Adam, I typically enjoy reading your work in the Phoenix, but I am surprised that you are giving this letter any attention. It was produced for two audiences, neither of whom are the adressees (Gabrieli and Reilly). It was written for Patrick's supporters (to whom it as emailed) and the media (to whom it was released).

I highly doubt that either the Gabrieli camp or the Reilly camp will consider crafting their strategy around Patrick's letter. Who can blame them? They are responsible for their own fates and accountable to the voters, not Patrick. In fact, I doubt that even Patrick's own campaign believes that his opponents will spend a second considering his letter. The letter is no-risk propoganda: it makes the troops feel warm and fuzzy and presumably gives Patrick a disclaimer when the campaign intensifies.

I don't knock Patrick for throwing it out there, but let's judge it for what it really is (political gamesmanship) rather than what, I suppose, the most ardent of Patrick supporters may wish it to be. (The "Saint Patrick, indeed" title belies a lack of objectivity, at least on this issue.)

MaverickDem

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 6:09:03 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

I think Kurt has it right. The Dems have no chance. Massholes like the ying and yang relationship of having a democratic state house/senate and a republican gov. Its like a checks and balances...they also think a republican will cut taxes.....

John

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