Am I the only one who kind of stopped paying attention last week's flurry of polls, all of which showed Deval Patrick with a big fat lead over Kerry Healey?

Thankfully, my Phoenix colleague David Bernstein hasn't checked out yet. Which is why I can tell you that a brand-new Zogby/Wall Street Journal poll shows Patrick with--you guessed it!--a 25-percentage-point margin.

Now I'm going to go back to reading political porn.

10/31/2006 4:17:38 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [4] |  

Fishy, fishy, fishy. So that's what Rove was talking about!

Here's a justifiably skeptical reaction from Media Matters.

10/27/2006 3:26:34 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

New in this week's Phoenix: I chronicle two straight days of WRKO chatter, including a caller's baseless assertion (not rejected by John DePetro) that Deval Patrick thinks rape is just rough sex.

10/26/2006 11:20:57 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [5] |  

More good news for Patrick partisans: according to Pollster.com, a new Rasmussen poll shows Healey trailing Patrick by a healthy 24 percentage points.

Coupled with the new Suffolk poll all the kids are talking about, this should officially squash all talk of Kerry Healey closing the gap.

10/24/2006 3:05:08 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [0] |  

If you know anybody who hasn't followed Patrick versus Healey and needs to get up to speed, this Wall Street Journal article is a great start. (Gracias to the ever-vigilant men and women of Blue Mass. Group.)

Here's the bad part for Healey: "Mr. Patrick, a political newcomer, appears to have the race well in hand...." And for Mitt Romney, whose presidential ambitions prompted the piece: "For Mr. Romney, a one-term governor with no prior political experience, Ms. Healey's fortunes may speak volumes about his ability to leave a legacy or rally a political base."

As an added plus, the story features some unconvincing praise of Massachusetts from Romney--delivered via Eric Fehrnstrom, natch.

10/24/2006 1:47:05 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

"Inmate" 1: Hey fag.

"Inmate" 2: Shut up, you pussy!

[Sounds of scuffling]

"Inmate" 1 [winded]: Dude, Healey's still getting her ass kicked by the black guy. Let's put on our fake prisoner outfits and make a ruckus in front of his house--and his campaign manager's!

"Inmate" 2: I don't know, man. I mean, we're not going to get Patrick or his campaign manager to vote for Healey. Plus, we might piss off their neighbors and make them vote for Patrick too. And what if things really backfire--like, if Patrick's campaign manager and his wife aren't home, and it's just their twelve-year-old kid in the house, and we scare him shitless, and the papers find out about it?

[Long pause]

"Inmate" 2: But fuck that shit, brutha! Let's roll!"

10/23/2006 9:22:22 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [9] |  

Ross wins. She's the new Eugene Debs.

Healey should have followed Alison King's lead and panned Mitt Romney's anti-MA stumping. Bad move, Kerry! Other than that, she was good on substance (if you like her shtick, which I don't) but bad on aesthetics.

Patrick's reputation as a vague talker got worse tonight. His roughest debate, I'd say. Deval, you've got figure out how to pull that Boston Common stuff on TV.

Mihos is going to crack 10 percent in the final.

Gergen's a milquetoast.

We need a Patrick-Healey debate.

10/19/2006 7:57:53 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [8] |  

Grace Ross is winning.

Deval Patrick is off his game.

Kerry Healey's getting stronger as the evening progresses, but looked like she was going to cry when the crowd booed her.

Mihos seems to have just rolled out of bed and had a couple drinks, but he's doing almost as well as Ross.

David Gergen's an awkward guy.

10/19/2006 7:30:43 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

Seems it's Dot Joyce, a segment producer for the FOX-25 Morning Show. She replaces ex-Phoenician Seth Gitell, who left in June to return to journalism.

Best of luck, Dot--you've got a tough job.

Here's the official press release:

Mayor Menino Appoints Dot Joyce as Press Secretary

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced his appointment of Dot Joyce, segment producer for the FOX Morning Show, as his press secretary.

“Dot’s experience in broadcast journalism and her insight into the news industry will be a terrific asset to my administration,” Mayor Menino said. “I look forward to working closely with her as we continue to move Boston forward.”

Joyce has been with FOX News for almost eight years and has developed a strong network of contacts with local news makers and their staff. As a producer and assignment editor for FOX News, Joyce has organized and managed crew assignments for major news events such as the political campaigns and elections of 2000 and 2004 as well as the Patriots Superbowl Victory parade and rally. She was also the Field Producer for all major news events including FOX’s live coverage of the 2004 World Series in St. Louis. Before joining FOX, Joyce was a freelance assignment editor with WLVI 56 and had interned with Congressman Martin Meehan in Washington, D.C.

“I've always respected the mayor,” Joyce said. “I don’t think the city has ever looked better or felt better, and I look forward to helping him continue that success.”

Joyce is an Emerson College graduate, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication, Management & Public Policy with a Concentration in Broadcast Journalism. She also received a certificate from The Fund for American Studies Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University.

Joyce begins her new position on November 13th.

10/19/2006 4:42:01 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

This Zogby Interactive poll, which was conducted between October 10 and 16, gives Patrick a 22.4 percentage-point lead over Kerry Healey. It's the second-biggest margin of the 19 gubernatorial races Zogby polled. Christy Mihos gets 6.4 percent; margin of error is 3.6 percentage points.

Looks like the Healey camp needs to unveil this new ad asap.

10/19/2006 2:04:32 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

Today's excllent Globe story on Mitt Romney's efforts to build a national LDS network is a must-read that could neutralize, in one fell swoop, Mitt's attempts to deal with his Mormonism by running as a hard-core social conservative.

I told you so.

10/19/2006 8:12:27 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [0] |  

100 words or less. Best entry (as judged by me and my Phoenix colleagues) gets a $10 certificate for El Pelon Taqueria!!! (Sorry, Kerry, your latest spot isn't eligible).

Example:

(Angriest possible image of Deval Patrick on screen)

VOICEOVER: For centuries, black men were feared as violent sexual predators.

(Fade to photo of black man menacing white woman, maybe from "The Birth of a Nation")

VOICEOVER: Granted, Deval Patrick isn't a violent sexual predator.... But as a criminal defense attorney, he's sided with rapists and cop killers.

(Fade back to original image of angry Patrick)

VOICEOVER: Unfortunately, lawyers are free to represent violent sexual predators. But do we really want one as our governor?

10/18/2006 3:19:03 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [18] |  

It sure looks that way. As the Herald's Margery Eagan noted yesterday, Mitt's buffoonery at the Boston edition of Liberty Sunday probably won't help Healey with undecided voters who happen to be social moderates. And yesterday, during an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Romney accepted Blitzer's contention that the Mass. governor's job would probably switch from red to blue this year:

BLITZER: So there will be a majority of Democratic governors as opposed to a majority of Republican governors?

ROMNEY: Oh, sure. I don’t think there is anyone who has looked at the poll numbers that doesn’t think that will happen. You have got states like New York and Arkansas that are blue states that have Republican governors.

BLITZER: And Massachusetts.

ROMNEY: And Massachusetts. With governors not running for reelection and so the math would say that’s going to be pretty hard for us to hold onto all those states.

What's Mitt up to? Well, first off, a Healey loss might look bad for Mitt if it's taken as a referendum on his administration. By classing Healey's hypothetical loss as part of a national trend, Mitt gets to do damage control in advance.

But there's another, more nefarious possibility here. Mitt has already convinced the national press that his win in 2002 was remarkable, despite ample evidence that we love our Republican governors here in Massachusetts. And a Healey loss would lend credibility to this utterly bogus argument. After all, if Healey can't win--even though she's been blessed by her association with Romney--Massachusetts must be rough for Republicans, right? I dare say Mitt might even incorporate Healey's loss into his national stump speech.

Honestly, I think Explanation #1 is the most plausible. Then again, Mitt is all about Mitt. If Romney and his advisers decide a Healey loss would help them, even slightly, they'll have no compunction about making it happen.

10/18/2006 10:05:38 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [14] |  

A little something different here, folks, since Media Log is on ice and one of the biggest names in Boston journalism is making news. Ordinary Phoenix readers have to wait 'til Thursday for this content; you get it today!

When Christopher Lydon--ex-New York Times reporter, former Boston mayoral candidate, self-styled “venture broadcaster,” and host of the radio program Open Source--announced earlier this week that his show and the University of Massachusetts Lowell were parting ways, he did so in typically Lydonian fashion. “We wanted UMass Lowell around for the longer term,” Lydon wrote at RadioOpenSource.org. “We loved the association along Thoreau’s own Merrimack River with both town (as in: Kerouac, Whistler, Tsongas) and gown (as in: green chemistry, nanotechnology, and endless regeneration of immigrants and industry).”

Alas, it was not to be. According to UMass Lowell spokesperson Patti McCafferty, interim chancellor David McKenzie decided the school couldn’t afford to keep paying Lydon $12,500 a month to host Open Source--which, confusingly, is broadcast in Boston by WGBH (89.7 FM) and distributed nationally by Public Radio International. (UMass Lowell has also been footing the bill for five other Open Source staffers, including longtime Lydon producer Mary McGrath; the total monthly tab comes to $38,000) “It was entirely for financial reasons,” McCafferty said. “We always reevaluate contracts when they come up”--the Open Source contracts expire at the end of December--“and the chancellor made the decision that this was not something we could continue, given our limited resources.”

If the ambitious vision outlined when Open Source and UMass Lowell first teamed up had been realized, things might have turned out differently (see “Lydon returns,” News & Features, March 11, 2005). Lydon was supposed to help develop a new communications major at the university and launch a Lowell-focused program on campus station WUML; meanwhile, after a fancy new studio was completed on campus, WUML was supposed to replace WGBH as Open Source’s permanent broadcast home. The communications program remains a work in progress, however, and a lack of funding has scotched plans for the aforementioned studio.

According to McCafferty, Lydon’s been a good colleague. “He’s been up here for meetings and events; we used him in our television advertising last year,” McCafferty said. “He was on campus whenever we needed him to be.” She added that UMass Lowell had benefited from its affiliation with Lydon, short though it was: “He definitely increased the visibility of the UMass Lowell name. As part of the show, our name was out there four nights a week in markets we don’t usually hit, regionally and nationally.”

The Phoenix was unable to contact Lydon in time for this story. But at RadioOpenSource.org, he was already looking to cushion the blow. “We are reaching out — a little more urgently than we were last week — for new sponsors, large and small, and new ways of paying for what has always been, and will always be, a lean mean staff of professionals,” Lydon wrote Monday. “We have wildly grand ambitions in the global transformation of media, which is to say: of human conversation. We need your help and encouragement as we have from the start, or maybe just a little more so.” That’s life in public radio.

10/17/2006 5:14:15 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [2] |  

There was a fascinating phrase buried on page B7 of the Globe yesterday. At a campaign stop in Beverly, Kerry Healey had this to say about Deval Patrick's clear implication that her campaign was behind the Bernard Sigh story:

"We had absolutely nothing to do with the Herald's description of this information." [emphasis added]

Ponder that formulation for a moment. Healey's statement would be true if, say, her campaign had obtained Sigh's criminal history and anonymously delivered it to the Globe (which passed on the story) and the Herald (which didn't).

Healey's tepid remarks are especially striking because her campaign manager, Tim O'Brien, has been so much more emphatic. (Saturday's Globe quotes O'Brien as follows: "This campaign had nothing to do with the story. This is a wild accusation without any proof.") So why is the LG choosing her words so carefully?

10/16/2006 11:15:36 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [2] |  

This is bullshit.

And, to answer Dan Kennedy's very apt question: I have no doubt whatsoever that the info came straight from the Kerry Healey campaign.

If anyone tell me why the criminal past of Deval Patrick's brother-in-law is relevant to the governor's race, please do.

In the meantime, shame on Massachusetts if this garbage makes us elect Kerry Healey.

10/13/2006 8:56:42 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [13] |  

Our governor's ability to hoodwink the national media continues to astound me. Today, the LA Times gives Mitt the star treatment [sub. req.] heaping on the praise while noting that Romney's Mormonism will be a liability in '08. And--like innumerable previous articles--this one totally misreads the significance of Romney's ability to get elected in Massachusetts.

Here's the lede:

In seeking a presidential candidate for 2008, why would Republicans look further than the governor of Massachusetts?

Tall and urbane, Mitt Romney has a prime political pedigree, an unblemished personal life and the cool confidence of a CEO. He is a conservative Republican who won easy election in a fiercely liberal state — then streamlined Massachusetts' government and enacted the country's most sweeping healthcare overhaul. [Emphasis added]

Then, a few paragraphs down:

After a breakfast here for Iowa Republicans, Romney admitted in an interview that he would have been "a lot smarter to stay in Michigan" if he had foreseen his plunge into GOP politics.

OMFG.

First off, by saying Romney "admitted" this alleged fact, Times reporter Elizabeth Mehren is basically telling us she's not going to critically assess the claim in question. That's bad enough, but MEHREN'S OWN LEDE shows Mitt's argument is bogus. By making MA his presidential springboard, Mitt got one of his big presidential talking points: I succeeded in that wacky liberal ghetto! What was Mehren thinking? And where were her editors?!?

Finally, it cannot be emphasized enough that Mitt's victory in Massachusetts is far less impressive than he claims. Republicans have had a stranglehold on the Corner Office since 1990. Why people insist on overlooking this is beyond me. Chalk it up to Mitt's Harold Hill-like powers of persuasion.

10/11/2006 10:49:52 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [3] |  

Ted Kennedy. Ken Chase. Mano a mano tonight at 8 p.m. on NECN, with Chet Curtis orchestrating the proceedings. Tune in, fools!

I still can't figure out exactly why Chase blames Kennedy for the Iraq war. Seriously--it's kind of weird. But maybe everything will become clear this evening.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for something to watch between now and 8, this clip of Chase on Judge Mathis is always entertaining (the good stuff starts at 4:00):

10/10/2006 5:07:15 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

Q. When is an apology not an apology?

A. When it's phrased conditionally, e.g., "I apologize if..."

Example: Deval Patrick's pseudo-apology for failing to detail the full extent of his involvement with the Benjamin LaGuer case. Here's what Patrick said yesterday: "I apologize to anyone who feels we didn't come forward with all the facts." [emphasis added]

Let me be clear: Patrick had good reason to get involved with the LaGuer case. And it's absurd to criticize him for effectively representing Carl Ray Songer. The fact that Kerry Healey is making these major campaign issues highlights the basic poverty of her candidacy. But Patrick needs to handle Healey's attacks far more artfully. If he can't, he'll be trouble come November.

10/6/2006 7:37:10 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [9] |  

Whacking Mitt Romney for ignoring Massachusetts and shamelessly promoting himself is like shooting fish in a barrel. But really, Mitt--did you have to announce the T's new bag-checking regimen in the New York Times?

Spurned Bay Staters can take solace in this, however: the Times story didn't mention Mitt's presidential hopes. What a shame.

10/5/2006 3:10:32 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [0] |  

More in today's Globe on the connection between Deval Patrick and convicted rapist Benjamin LaGuer: Andrea Estes reports that Patrick actually helped pay for the 2002 DNA test that upheld LaGuer's connection to the crime in question.

Also today: Blue Mass. Group's Charley on the MTA notes that some experts remain unconvinced that the test's results were legit. (Charley's post also cites some serious shortcomings in the original case against LaGuer.)

The problem--for Patrick and his supporters--is that at this point, the story here isn't LaGuer's guilt or innocence. It's Patrick's inability or unwillingness to accurately describe his involvement with the case from the outset. If Kerry Healey capitalizes on this inability/unwillingness to win support from undecideds and soft Patrick backers, Patrick himself will be largely to blame.

P.S.--Is it just me, or does Patrick's clumsy handling of this issue remind anybody else of Tom Reilly and Southborough?

10/5/2006 6:50:33 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [10] |  

Earlier today, I labelled today's Globe story on the connection between Deval Patrick and convicted rapist Benjamin LaGuer Kerry Healey's October surprise.

I was wrong. That would be the attack ad Healey unveiled today, which hammers Patrick for working to get a Florida cop killer off death row during his years as an NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorney. (Although the story and ad make a nice two-fer, don't you think?)

Anyway, the ad strikes me as both rough and effective. Here it is for your perusal. (I'll link to the Patrick camp's response as soon as it's posted on line; the statement from Patrick communications director Richard Chacon hits Healey's own public-safety record but doesn't dispute the ad's substance.)

This afternoon, NECN's Jim Braude and I agreed that the ad spells big trouble for Patrick. 24 hours from now, we should all have a better sense of whether this is actually the case.

In the meantime, since crime is suddenly front and center in the governor's race, let me recommend my colleague David Bernstein's deeply skeptical assessment of Healey's criminology background. (Note: we put the shirt on the LG, but that's really her head. Honest.)

10/4/2006 9:18:48 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

There may be more to come from the Healey camp, but the revelations in today's Globe detailing Deval Patrick's corresponsdence with convicted rapist Benjamin LaGuer are--to my mind, anyway--pretty bad for Patrick.

The problem isn't that Patrick lobbied for parole for LaGuer: as Patrick communications director Richard Chacon has noted a few times, plenty of high-profile personages, included then-BU prez John Silber, weighed in on LaGuer's behalf. It's that A) the Globe piece makes Patrick's previous characterizations of his involvement with LaGuer look dishonest and B) judging from the letter that's reproduced on the top of B1, Patrick's support of parole for LaGuer (at least in 1998, before a DNA test strongly supported LaGuer's guilt) was apparently based on the fact that LaGuer writes a mean letter.

Earlier today, the Patrick camp responded with a press release I've reprinted below. It's a decent rejoinder--but the damage is already done.

STATEMENT ON THE ROMNEY/HEALEY AND REED HILLMAN “RECORD” ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONTACTING PAROLE BOARDS

BOSTON—Wednesday, October 4, 2006—The following is a statement from Richard Chacon, communications director for the Deval Patrick campaign.

“It is the height of politics-as-usual that the Healey/Hillman campaign is criticizing Deval Patrick today, when their Lt. Governor candidate Reed Hillman’s record includes contacting the parole board on behalf of James W. Mitchell, a “buddy”, who was accused of assaulting a police officer and other crimes; when Kerry Healey skipped more than half of the meetings of the Criminal History Systems Board during her two year appointment there; and when the Romney/Healey Administration has vetoed support for the sex offender registry and their record on crime and public safety is one of cuts in public safety initiatives and rising crime and violence.

“Deval Patrick has said that almost 10 years ago he wrote a letter on Mr. LaGuer's behalf. He was not alone in expressing concern about the case at the time. Dr. John Silber of Boston University, legal scholars, newspaper editorials and many news reporters also expressed concern; indeed, several investigative reporters looked into the case and raised questions as well. 

“Deval felt strongly at the time - and does so today - that whenever issues of fairness are raised in our court system, they should be addressed in a serious manner.

“Deval has said that after reviewing an update to the case--including DNA evidence that was not available at the time --he now feels that the right outcome has been achieved and that justice has been served in this case.”

“Deval Patrick has been endorsed by former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, former US Attorney Donald Stern, Wayne Budd and other public safety and law enforcement officers today. Deval Patrick has been a prosecutor in the Justice Department and lead the largest federal law enforcement investigation prior to September 11. Deval Patrick and Tim Murray are the strongest team on public safety issues in this race."

10/4/2006 1:34:52 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [2] |  

In the current issue of Bay Windows, Laura Kiritsy argues that Green-Rainbow gov. candidate Grace Ross--who's a lesbian--is missing a precious opportunity to highlight gay and lesbian issues.

With Ross becoming a kind of underground political folk hero, and Debate #2 of the governor's race just a few hours away, Laura's piece is well worth reading.

10/3/2006 4:43:00 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [3] |  

According to Kim Atkins, the Herald's ace political reporter, Democratic senator Steve Baddour promised to back Republican Kerry Healey behind the scenes if Tom Reilly, who Baddour supported, lost in the Democratic governor's primary.

Baddour insists it's not true, but unnamed sources from both parties say otherwise. The phrase "too cute by half" comes to mind here.

10/3/2006 10:09:16 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [2] |  

If you haven't seen it already, here's how the Mass. GOP spun yesterday's totally unconvincing Mass. Dems press conference, at which a bunch of Democratic legislators pretended to support Deval Patrick (nb: edited for space).

Memo to Phil Johnston: keep these guys away from the camera.

DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS REAFFIRM SUPPORT FOR HEALEY ON SEX OFFENDER LEGISLATION

BOSTON – For the second time in 10 days Senator Steven Baddour and Representatives James Vallee, Eugene O’Flaherty and Peter Koutoujian today offered up effusive praise for Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey’s effort to pass important legislation to help protect our families and children from dangerous sex offenders.

Here they are in their own words at today’s press conference:

Senator Baddour

“She deserved credit for getting that bill backed and getting that bill signed into law.”
 
“Quite frankly, going forward our children will be much safer under this bill.”
 
Reporter:  [quoting Baddour’s statements from last week’s bill signing] “But for her leadership.  But for her standing up and continuing to push and to aggressively pursue this bill, today would not be happening.”  Is that still your feeling?

Baddour:  “Sure.  It’s an accurate statement.”

Representative O’Flaherty

“I have absolutely no problem with the Lieutenant Governor pointing out her record.  The record speaks for itself.”
 
“It’s no secret that yes, she has worked with us.  That’s clear.  Her record speaks for itself.”
 
Representative Koutoujian

“Our work with her brought some good results.”
 
Reporter: Could you point to an issue where you disagree with Kerry Healey?
Koutoujian: No.  Today we’re here talking about the overall issue of Deval Patrick.

10/2/2006 5:54:20 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |  

Are you listening, all you wannabe flacks out there? Check out how Kyle Sullivan--the spokesperson for House Speaker Sal DiMasi--finessed Republican LG Kerry Healey's kvetching about Deval Patrick's recent meeting with DiMasi and Senate President Robert Travaglini (from State House News Service):

Asked for comment, DiMasi spokesman Kyle Sullivan said, 'The lieutenant governor’s recent statements are curious since she has met privately with Speaker DiMasi herself on a number of occasions when it was politically convenient for her to do so. Also, Governor Romney has met with House and Senate leadership on a regular basis without complaint, though Kerry Healey was not usually present for those senior leadership meetings.'

That's good shit, yo.

10/2/2006 5:42:55 PM by Adam Reilly | Comments [1] |