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What DeLeo and Murray should do

The Editorial Page

Gabrieli’s promise

With the jury still out — but not at all promising with regard to Mihos — it’s clear that any of the three Democrats would make a better governor than Healey. Reilly would be marginally better, but his ties to the business-as-usual Democratic clubhouse and his political ineptitude raise serious questions about his ability to beat Healey. Add to that the fact that in recent memory no attorney general — not even the admirable Frank Belotti (who lost the 1990 primary to John Silber) or the stalwart Scott Harshbarger (who lost the 1998 final election to Paul Cellucci) — has been able to make the leap into the governor’s chair, and the Democrats would do well to wonder why they think Reilly can.

There is no doubt that Patrick, an underprivileged kid from Chicago who won scholarships to Milton Academy and Harvard, showed guts and imagination by jumping into the race against what was once considered an unbeatable Reilly. And maybe it’s a sign of his shrewdness that this onetime underdog is waiting to capture his party’s top spot before he shows voters more of what he’s made of. But we don’t think we’re alone in thinking that he has squandered a political opportunity by allowing what should have been a plus with vote-tipping suburban-independent voters — his knowledge of how the private sector works — to be turned into a political liability. Reilly has made political hay out of Patrick’s board membership in a predatory finance company. And Patrick has been unconvincing — so far — in his efforts to paint himself as a corporate reformer, as opposed to a corporate seat warmer.

Is Gabrieli a better bet than Patrick? We’re not sure. But Gabrieli, who seems to be politically beholden to no one, is good on education, good on economic development, good on gay marriage, and he promises to attract first-rate talent to serve Massachusetts. His financially lucrative private-sector experience, unlike Governor Romney’s, created thousands of jobs, while his record of working to make government better by making it more thoughtful is second to none. And his willingness to sign on in the number-two spot in the ill-fated Shannon O’Brien campaign — as well as his further willingness to put his considerable personal fortune at the Democrats’ disposal in doing so — should silence soreheads who say he is trying to buy his way into the race.

By any stretch of the imagination Gabrieli deserves to have his candidacy put before voters who participate in September’s Democratic primary. If the Democrats deny him a shot, they may end up denying themselves the governor’s office — yet again.