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  • May 31, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein

    Could it be that Deval Patrick's administration has got its sea legs? Consider this: the guy portrayed as just waiting to free all the rapists and cop-killers just made his first nomination to the Parole Board without stirring the slightest hint of controversy.

    I look at what last week's appointments say about the state of the Patrick administration, in tomorrow's issue -- online now.

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  • May 30, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    Political think-tank and Commonwealth Magazine publisher MassInc. has found a replacement for the talented and well-respected Ian Bowles, who left to work for Deval Patrick (and quickly learned how even the alternative press can turn on you). The new chairman is Gregory Torres, a one-time aide to one of my favorite local pols, Pat McGovern; a member of Deval Patrick's transition team; and long-time head of the Mentor Network, which provides community-based human services.

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  • May 30, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    Politico is reporting that Fred Thompson will form an exploratory committee on June 4th, and announce his candidacy for President over the July 4th holiday.

    (June 4 is not random -- it ensures that he'll get lots and lots of face time around the Republicans' June 5 debate. July 4, in addition to being all patriotic and stuff, is conveniently just after the close of the second-quarter campaign-finance period.

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  • May 30, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    As anyone who has driven through Eastie in the past month or two could have predicted (signs, signs, everywhere signs), Anthony Petrucelli coasted to victory in yesterday's special election primary for state senate. With no Republican on the ballot -- hello, Torky? -- the win means Tony P. will soon join the august 40-person body.

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  • May 29, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    I got my hands on the new (June) Boston Magazine today, and it's got a few items of political interest -- although it's hard to divert one's attention away from John Gonzalez's openly salacious drool-fest on Maria Stephanos.

    First up is wise former Phoenix political writer Seth Gitell arguing, in essence, that Deval Patrick's supporters need to accept that the new Governor will have to play the insiders' games in order to get the outcomes they want.

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  • May 24, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    Give some props to state senator Mark Montigny, who saw the growing student-loan scandal -- which I've written about -- and decided to actually do something about it. Imagine! In a recent budget hearing, he pestered UMass's Jack Wilson and members of the state Board of Higher Ed on the topic. Hardly satisfied with the responses, Montigny introduced a budget amendment creating a "Higher Ed Code of Conduct."

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  • May 24, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein

    Current headline on BPDnews.com:

    BOSTON POLICE OFFICER SHOT ONE PERSON IN CUSTODY

  • May 23, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    In this week's issue, out tomorrow, I dissect Mitt Romney's well-plotted rise from obscure also-ran to surging frontrunner in the GOP Presidential race -- and explain the next critical piece of the campaign strategy. It's online now.
    The Mormonator
    Mitt Romney has a steely-eyed mission to crush his opponents. Next battlefield: Ames, Iowa.

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  • May 23, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    So, a year and a half after I wrote that the state lacks any coordinated effort to locate missing children, not even placing their faces on their public safety web site, the state has unveiled such a web site, according to the Herald. I must have missed the press release.

    Mmm, no, there doesn't seem to have been a press release.

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  • May 22, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    --First off, State House News Service reports that Jarrett Barrios will leave his state senate seat to head the grant-giving Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation. Congrats to Jarrett, etc. etc.... START YOUR ENGINES, CAMBRIDGE!

    --Today is deadline day for submitting signatures to run for Boston city council, and Susan Passoni announced that she will not run again for district 2, after losing to Bill Linehan in the recent special-election runoff.

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  • May 21, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein

    That's a dollar figure -- Anthony Petruccelli has $43,000 more on hand than his opponent, Daniel Rizzo, as they enter the final push to the May 29 primary that will decide who succeeds former pres. Traviglini in the state senate.

    Campaign-finance reports filed today show that Rizzo has spent $50,773 to Petruccelli's $48,946, but Rizzo has just $11,605 left in his campaign account.

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  • May 21, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    State House News Service reports that Cheryl Coakley-Rivera is pushing hard for her bill to outlaw methadone clinics within 1000 feet of schools, public parks, and Head Start programs.... In other words, anywhere in Boston or other major urban areas where junkies might actually be looking for help. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

  • May 21, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    Is the Mass. Convention Center Authority dragging its feet on selling naming rights for the South Boston convention center, to keep open the option of naming it for Tom Menino? Probably. And I say, good.

    I'd much rather see the thing named for a local figure -- like New York (Javitz), Chicago (McCormick), San Francisco (Moscone), Detroit (Cobo), Pittsburgh (Lawrence), and of course our own Hynes -- than for a company that will move away or change names or go bankrupt in a few years anyway.

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  • May 17, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein
    Utah's Deseret Newsreports today that those who contribute $1000 to Mitt Romney's campaign receive a "Mitt Bobble-Head."

    But will it hold its value as a collectible?

  • May 17, 2007
    By David S. Bernstein

    Deval Patrick's not the only rookie in statewide elected office; in the new issue out tomorrow I look at how Martha Coakley is already using the Attorney General's office differently than her predecessor, Tom Reilly, did. The article is here online now.

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