As part of the ongoing publicity rounds for his new book, Linc Chafee taped WPRI-WNAC's Newsmakers this morning. The show will be broadcast Sunday, at 5:30 am on Channel 12 and at 10 am on Fox 64.

Here's a short version of some of the highlights:

-- Why aren't people more upset about the Bush presidency? Chafee points to the lack of a draft and the lack of appetite for dissent following 9/11.

-- Chafee says he's been having conversation with Ken Block of the Moderate Party.

-- In response to those who criticize him for not being more vocal, earlier on, in his criticism of the Bush White House, Chafee said he was getting "roasted" and facing accusations of being a modern-day Neville Chamberlain just for questioning the White House line following September 11.

Miguel Sanchez-Hartwein, executive director of the Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy (CHisPA), also appears on the show, taking part in some spirited dialogue about the ever-popular immigration issue.

Speaking of Chafee, he was his idiosyncratic self during his appearance yesterday with Rappleye on 10 News Conference.

It sometimes seems like some of the gubernatorial hopefuls for 2010, including David Cicilline, Patrick Lynch, and Steve Laffey, have been preparing forever. Yet Chafee, citing a mixed message about a return to public life, is very, very relaxed about the whole thing. Asked about the next statewide election cycle, in 2010, he told Rappleye, "That's a long way away." Rappleye responded, correctly, by saying it's not that far away.

Chafee repeated his prospective areas of interest as mayor of Providence, general treasurer, and possibly governor.

"I don't understand it," he said, when asked about the Carcieri administration's axing of his popular former aide, J.R. Pagliarini. 

Asked earlier in the show about Governor Carcieri's job performance, Chafee said, "He's got a tough job. I'm not looking at that. That's 2010."

Later, Chafee said he is putting all his energy into his job at Brown's Watson Institute. As it stands, he said, "I'm not thinking tactical terms about 2010."

Dan Barbarisi has the news today that John Kelly, whose incipient Providence mayoral campaign was first reported by Matt, is being replaced as chair of the Providence Zoning Board of Review by three-time former gubernatorial candidate Myrth York.

Kelly, who in November became the first candidate to file papers to run for mayor, is the CEO of Meeting Street School. He was appointed to the zoning board by Cicilline in 2006 for a term to expire in 2011.

“I want to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Unfortunately, these races become more and more expensive. Any time you start raising money, it raises those issues,” Kelly said.

“I’ve been talking to the mayor about it and I really felt like it’s a good time to get off. We’ve done a lot over there.”

Kelly tells Barbarisi that he will not run against Cicilline, should the incumbent choose not to shoot for a higher office. 

I reported last month on how Providence City Solicitor Joseph M. Fernandez has filed papers to run for AG, so he can also be expected to leave his city post at some point in the future.

During yesterday's broadcast of A Lively Experiment, Lou Pulner raised the possibility that Frank Caprio -- who unveiled a furlough plan for the treasurer's office earlier in the week --had been tipped off by the Carcieri administration that it was moving forward with its own furlough plan.

It's certainly possible. As I wrote back in 2006, some RI Democrats have been concerned by Caprio's friendly ties with the governor:

These factors [Caprio's early start for the treasurer's office, as well as his strong war chest], as well as the relatively thin Republican bench, could explain the current lack of any other contenders for the treasurer’s job, which will be vacated in January by the term-limited Paul Tavares. Still, it did nothing to dim questions on the part of some Democrats about a possible inside deal when Governor Carcieri gushed to Providence Journal political columnist M. Charles Bakst last November about Caprio’s qualifications as a potential state treasurer. “He tried to choose his words carefully because, he noted, Caprio is running as a Democrat,” Bakst wrote. “Nevertheless, Carcieri said, ‘He’s got all the skills . . . He’s very bright, hardworking . . . was Senate Finance chair . . . He’s got all of the requisite background.’ "

Bringing things into the present, many Rhode Islanders presumably appreciate the willingness of various officeholders to find savings in their own offices. The more salient point, though, is how Caprio might enjoy certain advantages in a busy Democratic gubernatorial field in 2010.

Compared with Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, Caprio -- because of his more traditional profile, including his full-blooded Italian ancestry -- is said to be the favored son of much of Rhode Island's Italo-American political establishment, including two previous Providence mayors.

Of course, it's possible that Caprio could run for an office other than governor in 2010, including mayor of Providence, or perhaps even seek a second term as treasurer (and Cicilline is not without his own advantages), but the inside game as it relates to his future bears watching.

Matt has the details:

I am extremely impressed to see at least one of the 2010 Providence mayoral candidates getting serious about the city's economic future:

City Council Majority Leader Terrence M. Hassett, Ward 12, has asked the City Council’s Committee on Finance to take up the Living Wage ordinance, a long debated and sometimes controversial legislative measure that was postponed during the last session of the City Council, it was announced today.  Hassett said that the previous council attempted to pass the ordinance in the last stretch of the council session, but instead it was referred to the Finance Committee.  He said he promised then that the matter would be revived during the current council session. 

“This legislation has been debated numerous times and its impact reviewed numerous times,” Hassett said.  “Given the ongoing economic slide adversely impacting hard working people who are trying to make ends meet, I think that the city needs to act.  The cost, which is not as deep as originally proffered, is worth the investment in the city’s workforce.  The long debate has been about the cost of the measure to the city and its vendors, thus giving city leaders pause in enacting it.” 

“The price of the ordinance was inflated so as to appear that it was just too costly to approve,” Hassett said.  “I believe those numbers were exaggerated and the positive economic impact was not given its due consideration.” 

“If multi-million dollar businesses can receive attractive tax deals, why shouldn’t people who live and work in the city be able to earn a competitive wage?” Hassett asked. 

Hassett, who was originally hesitant in supporting the ordinance because of the financial impact, said that the current economy is being taken down by the high cost of fuel, utilities, food and other essential expenses. 

“There are more people today who are just not able to make it or who are barely getting by,” said Hassett.  “The council is hoping that this ordinance will help.” 

Hassett pointed out that the ordinance requires action by the Finance Committee and then by the full City Council.  The matter will be heard on [Thursday] January 17th.

Matt just beat me to the punch in reporting what has become widely known in Providence -- that John Kelly, the CEO of Meeting Street School, the chief of the Providence Zoning Board, and a former in-house lawyer for Buff Chace's Cornish Associates -- is in the mayoral mix for 2010. Kelly has formed a political organization for the purpose of fundraising, and been working to build a war chest.

With the news that John Kelly, CEO of Meeting St. School, had a fundraiser on November 18th that all but declared his candidacy for Mayor of Providence at the East Side home of prominent Democratic Party donor, Paul Moran, I figured I would continue our ongoing speculation  about who will compete in the 2010 race for Mayor of Providence (alphabetical order after Cicilline):

• David Cicilline incumbent (d) - Probably running for Governor, but assured re-election if he runs again for Mayor.
• Frank Caprio (d) - The General Treasurer and former Senate finance chairman who has good relations in the Latino community and who can raise hundreds of thousands of dollars pretty easily might easily take out a crowded field if he jumps out of the Governor's race and into this race.
• Lincoln Chafee (r or i) - Word has it that if he runs for anything, it will be Mayor of his new city, Providence. While his numbers in Ward 1, 2, 3 and 5 would likely be high, Chafee would have real problems in the Black and Latino wards of the city. 
• Rep. Steve Costantino or Rep. Gordon Fox (d) - Expect the person who is not going to succeed Bill Murphy as Speaker in 2010 to run for Mayor. It looks to be Costantino now. If so, Costantino can surely raise lots of money through his experience on House Finance, but will face tough questions about underfunding Providence schools when he controlled the purse strings.
• Jim DeRentis (d) - This executive vice president of Bank Rhode Island would have great fundraising prowess and solid name recognition in the West Broadway and East Side communities.
• Dean Esserman (d) - The current Providence police chief has moved mountains in reforming one of the nation's most troubled police departments.  Running on the police reform issue alone could move Esserman to the front of the pack quickly.   
• Terry Hassett (d) - Ward 12 Councilman (Smith Hill) and current City Council majority leader. An extremely outgoing and likeable elected official, his fate might likely be determined by his first few years in power in the Council and what he and Mancini can accomplish regarding economic development, a living wage ordinance and resizing of the City Council.
• Kevin Jackson (d) - Jackson has great relationships in Providence's communities of color because of his advocacy and his years supporting youth sports opportunities.  However, the popular Ward 3 councilman (Mt. Hope, Summit) would have to increase his name recognition and his fundraising capacity if he were to make a run. 
• John Kelly (d) - (see above) A prolific fundraiser for Meeting St. school, Kelly would go after the East Side and growing young professional vote in the city.  He is currently chair of the Providence Zoning Board.
• Sen. Juan Pichardo (d) - Represents South Providence and the West End and, like Tavares, has a strong Latino base and an affability to win over non-Latino voters. Challenges for him would be fundraising the dollars to run a city-wide campaign.
• Mike Solomon - This Ward 5 Councilman won a huge victory over incumbent Councilman Patrick Butler in 2006 and represents the highest turnout ward in the City besides the East Side.  He also has high name recognition because of his family's political history and his neighborhood activism in Olneyville (he owns Wes' Rib House). 
• Angel Taveras (d) - Ran for Congress in 2000 against Langevin, Coyne-McCoy and McAllister and finished a respectable third. Currently, a Providence attorney and the chair of the RI John Edwards campaign as well as a new Providence Housing Court judge. He is a top-tier candidate. He would likely get 20% of the total vote just from the Latino community if he is the only Latino in the race.
• Cliff Wood (d) - Ward 2 Councilman (East Side) who easily disposed of incumbent Rita Williams in 2006. He would count on the East Side and young, artsy scene for his base and would talk about his experience as a cabinet level aide in the Cicilline administration.

Cliff Wood, who claimed Rita Williams's Ward 2 Providence City Council seat in 2006, continues to be the subject of some mayoral speculation for 2010.

N4N thinks Councilman Cliff, a member in good standing of the Cicilline-Cornish Associates' nexus, is less likely to go for it than a number of other candidates, but you never know. And one way to keep one's options open is by replenishing your war chest.

Accordingly, while there's a time around the corner tonight for Barack Obama, Wood will be the subject of a fundraiser (6-8) at the Peerless Roof Garden, Peerless Lofts, 150 Union Street. The suggested donation is $75.

Former US Senator Lincoln Chafee says he won't support Hillary Clinton -- or anyone who voted for the Senate authorization for the war in Iraq -- for president in 2008.

"Anyone who voted for the war is disqualified in my view," Chafee said during an appearance broadcast yesterday on WJAR-TV's 10 News Conference. " . . . It was a key moment in our history . . . Anyone who bought in . . . has no right to be our next president."

The former senator, now ensconced at Brown University's Watson Institute, was the only Senate Republican to vote against the war authorization.

Other highlights from Chafee's appearance:

-- The Republican-turned-independent liked Barack Obama's recent answer about why he doesn't wear an American flag pin. "It's almost suspect, those that wear their flags [on their proverbial sleeve]," Chafee said. "What, you've got wear it [your patriotism] on your lapel?"

-- Post-Senate life is "terrific," and beyond receiving fundraising letters, he does not remain in touch with his former Senate colleagues.

-- Chafee, who, with his wife, is super-duper-rich, continues to blame the cost of Steve Laffey's primary challenge last year with costing him his Senate seat. Chafee defended his decision to run as a Republican, saying that leaving the party while in office would have hurt Rhode Island.

-- The former senator doesn't yet have an answer on whether he will run again for elected office, but he said he "spends a lot of time thinking about it." If he is to run for mayor of Providence in 2010, he noted, he will have to "get busy" in the city's neighborhoods.

Despite his characteristic candor, Linc Chafee remains a somewhat enigmatic figure.

If the Republican Party has moved too far to the right for his taste, as he told the Sunday ProJo's Bruce Landis in explaining his decision to disaffiliate, it's not like this is a new development. Chafee was an (understandably) uncomfortable member of the national GOP well before the election that cost him his seat last year.

Yet Chafee seemed constitutionally incapable of leaving the Republican Party while serving in the seat that he basically inherited from his late father. After flirting with a change around the time of Jim Jeffords' departure from the GOP, Chafee pretty much ruled it out while in office.

So why now?

Perhaps it presages a run for mayor of Providence -- even though he used his Exeter, rather than his Providence address to make the affiliation change. While the Chafee name goes a long way in transcending partisan labels in Rhode Island, Linc would be a more palatable mayoral candidate as an independent than as a Republican.

Then again, it could be that Chafee will remain ensconced at Brown for years to come, and that being free of the hurly-burly of politics gave him the final push to do something that he was unwilling to do as a sitting senator.

Kudos, btw, to Anchor Rising and RI Report for breaking the story of Chafee's disaffiliation ahead of the Sunday ProJo.

General Treasurer Frank Caprio offered the standard boilerplate when asked about his political future during a taping today of WPRI/WNAC-TV's Newsmakers. In response to the query from Steve Aveson, Caprio basically said that, for now, he remains focused on the job at hand.

While Caprio has been on a short list of possible Democratic gubernatorial candidates, Matt recently reported that he might also be looking at a Providence mayoral bid.

In other news, Caprio touted Rhode Island's new ban on state investment in Sudan, pointing to how it helped lead Rolls Royce to stop doing business in that African nation.

The treasurer suggested that downsizing state government shouldn't be that difficult, since about 1000 state employees retire each year, and about 30 percent of state workers aren't unionized. But he also said that tough negotiations will be required to scale back state employment.

Also appearing on Newsmakers this week (broadcast Sunday, at 5:30 am on Channel 12, and at 10 am on Fox 64) are state child advocate Jametta Alston and Jorge Garcia, deputy director of the state Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Matt Jerzyk, an occasional Phoenix contributor, has blogged the second quarter fundraising numbers of top Rhode Island officials, and he offers some smart handicapping as the early maneuvering continues for 2010.

In his latest roundup on the prospective Providence mayoral field for 2010, RI Future's Matt Jerzyk interestingly includes the name of General Treasurer Frank Caprio. Perhaps, with a potentially crowded gubernatorial field on the Democratic side, Caprio is keeping his options open. Speaking of the gubernatorial field, AG Patrick Lynch hasn't helped himself with his quickly rescinded threat not to sign off on the state tobacco bond money.