<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4bc2a1a7b0" >First WBZ Governors debate</a>
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Why does Baker speak, and then ignore the others to scribble on his pad? A debate doesn't mean that only you talk, and listening isn't just waiting for the other person to stop speaking. Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican
You can dismiss this as trivial, but people often vote their gut rather than issues. According to BMG, one of the tabs on the SHNS poll says the over fifty percent of voters don't know who he is. I find that incomprehensible, myself, but I know that I am abnormally absorbed with politics.
MANY people who DO wind up voting don't even find out who's running until October - and they won't be reading ten point plans. Baker needs to find a way of appearing more likeable without seeming phoney. Yr. Obedient Servant, Peter Porcupine, Republican
Jill Stein came off as being very nervous. She was speaking about obtuse things - completely disconnected.
Tim Cahill - looked and sounded like Timmy Turner from the kid's cartoon "Fairy Odd Parents". Tried to triangulate Baker and Patrick and it didn't work. Got stuck in the middle.
Deval Patrick - a complete cry baby and failure. He kept talking about all the success Massachusetts has had over the last few years. So where is it Deval? Tried to bring anecdotal stories into the debate. "Gee, I met a woman from Chelmsford and she wanted me to cut taxes. So I said where - from schools, from health care...". Hey *sshole, how about pensions, pork and bureaucracy?.
Charlie Baker - knew his stuff. The guy was solid as a rock. He absolutely earned my vote tonight..... Sincerely, Customercentricity and Resource Allocations Coordinator Chief Aggravation Officer Redmassgroup.com
Actually, in all honesty, I expected Baker to do better. I thought he would come across as a super-smart, intellectual, policy wonk-type, rattling off data and policy proposals. But he didn't really do that. Even his discussion of the Baker's Dozen was done in a general, non-specific way that was too vague for new followers of the election. The structural deficit question was tailor-made for him to knock out of the park; he didn't. And he was a tad too argumentative.
And, by the way, why on earth were there (both pro and anti) Paul Hodes ads in a debate nobody in New Hampshire should be watching?
Followed closely by Jill "uh, I uh have uh only 2 uh talking points" Stein.
Tim Cahill kept forgetting he's not supposed to be a Democrat anymore, which was very telling. & Forget about Cahill's mumbling, his hands were a distracting mess.
It was like watching Elaine Benes dance or Bill Shatner overact.
People can spin it no matter how they want, Charlie Baker won this debate hands down. Watch for a big bounce.
"If there are degrees of evil it is hard to say who is the more contemptible: the brute who assumes the right to force the mind of others or the moral degenerate who grants to others the right to force his mind." John Galt's proclamation Atlas Shrugged "When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness." Alexis de Tocqueville
Deval: Was consistent, but tried too hard to include Cahill, and oddly, Stein. Was mixed on defending his record. Also wasn't as strong on going after Baker as him primary enemy, and that was a net negative. This is his election to lose, and I don't think he gained any votes tonight. He gets a C+
Stein: Did a good job, much better than Grace Ross in '06, articulating a Democratic Socialist view of governance. Seemed like a 'real' candidate, not just some third-party gadfly. Someone 'progressive' voters can vote for and live with themselves after. Still had some moments of zaniness (NAFTA is to blame fore illegal immigration??) so she loses points for that. Still, she definitely advanced her cause off getting 3-5% of the vote, which will hurt Patrick in the end. I give her a B.
Baker: Started slow, but after the first 15 minutes, caught his stride, and never let up. Gave a very good answer on the big dig, went after Deval, ignored Stein, and only went after Cahill as an aside to attacking Deval ("this governor and treasurer"). Needs to work on quick ways of laying out specific ideas in a debate format, such as running off a few of his "Bakers Dozen" proposals. Getting the "passion" thing, losing the technocrat feel, and talking about issues. Still areas of improvement, but I think he did the best of the candidates tonight. I give him a B+ "(He) is a Meathead"
Charlie was BY FAR the strongest candidate tonight. I generally agree with the previous comments, but just want to point out that there were at least 4 or 5 places where Charlie SLAMMED Patrick and Cahill, using their own records and words to point out their inconsistencies, which is something they did not do. He controlled the debate, never once looked nervous, never stumbled, and did a GREAT job of stuffing them when they tried to pin the Big Dig costs on him. He nailed Cahill on benefits for illegals, and on taxes, noting that he supported the Governor 4 years ago and only this year changed his tune in time for the election. He nailed Patrick on taxes and government waste, and I am looking forward to watching him grill Patrick on education in future debates.
Stein was visibly nervous but got in some good, detailed points about ethics and patronage. She's definitely a moonbat, but we knew that.
Cahill was awful - when asked to be specific about what he would cut, all he could say was "EVERYTHING" - and when he wasn't sputtering about letting Charlie and Deval duke it out, all he could talk about was "school buildings" as and "casinos" as the answer to our unemployment woes.
Patrick was about as good as one could expect given how little he has to show for himself - he made efforts to hold his own, with the personal anecdote about the woman from Chelmsford, but Charlie turned that ploy right around and brought up all the people suffering from EIGHT tax increases, especially along the NH border.
Charlie had to go on offense without being offensive, and I think he showed how to do that tonight - he had some great moments, my favorite was when Patrick tried claiming credit for some government reforms and Charlie said "Name ONE!" and then Patrick stuttered and got flustered - if Charlie can keep this up for another 60 days, we'll be celebrating on November 2nd!!! Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood. - H. L. Mencken
Can you fix that?
Cahill did well on style, but he didn't exactly come across as the smartest guy in the room (what's an "illegal citizen"?).
Deval was good, even if he was mostly playing defense. His "we just have different values" refrain was annoying. He used it from the very beginning, even when everyone seemed to share the common goals of bringing back jobs and balancing the budget. The term was really just a winky-wink to his base (Ok Deval, I get it, you're a progressive and he's a robber baron) but using it as a rhetorical crutch is odd for such an otherwise smooth debater.
Stein had substance but did not execute well. I expected better from her.
