It's fun to think about, but there are so many obstacles, and Ted Kennedy isn't buying, he said on Bloomberg Television's "Political Capital With Al Hunt," which airs this weekend.
"I don't think it's possible," he told Hunt of the joint ticket, continuing that:
Obama should choose a running mate who "is in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people," Kennedy said. "If we had real leadership - as we do with Barack Obama - in the No. 2 spot as well, it'd be enormously helpful."
Ouch.
UPDATE: Kennedy spokesman Anthony Coley says in a statement:
Senator Kennedy thinks Senator Clinton is more than qualified to be Vice President, but doesn't think it's likely given the tenor of the campaign in recent weeks.
By Ben Smith 12:48 PM
Keep this in mind the next time you hear ranting and wailing about how the Superdelegates are IGNORING the will of the PEEE-PuLLL! Hillary won Mass. handily, and the Largest Superdelegate has not only refused to acknowledge the views of his constituents, he actually implies that Clinton is unfit to be Veep.
Want to see an example of how Republican legislators not only thumb its collective nose at their party's base but also reify the Democrat paradigm? Look no further than last week's vote on two amendments which provided an increase in funding for homosexual programs in the state's public schools.
The 2009 House budget originally had a line item of $500,000 set aside for the Massachusetts Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Youth to fund the aforementioned programs. Last Thursday morning an amendment was offered to add an additional $100,000 to said line item. The amendment passed 142 to 16. Not one Democrat voted against the appropriation; three members of the minority party (specifically Hargraves, Loscocco, & Ross) joined the majority party to increase the appropriation. Later that day, ANOTHER amendment was offered to add an additional $150,000 to the same line item. THAT amendment passed 148 to 10. Again, not one Democrat voted against the increase but this time even more Republicans joined the majority party (specifically Barrows, Frost, Gifford, Hargraves, Hill, Humason, Loscocco, Ross, & Smola) to increase the additional appropriation. The line item is now $750,000 from its original $500,000. Yet another money tree grows on Beacon Hill.
BlOgonowski, Jim Ogonowksi's epynonymously named blog relaunched this week. I just noticed it. The first post was about the delivery of signature papers on Tuesday. Welcome back to the blogosphere Jim.
Today was a full day as my staff and I were delivering signature sheets to meet the 5pm deadline to get on the ballot for US Senate. The day began early as we all drove across the state of Massachusetts to deliver over 20,000 signatures!
My field director, Matt Talancy was in before 8am to start coordinating drop-offs throughout the state. As we each set off to deliver papers, I couldn¹t help but feel a great sense of relief and satisfaction. As much work as it is collecting the signatures, I am glad that I do not have to certify them like the town clerks do!
(Kos Kids Running Wild, A MA-5 district just doesn't fit into the Greek Kid's idea of a socialist workers paridise does it? - promoted by EaBo Clipper)
from Dick The Daily Kos blog is boasting or posting a series of commentaries on all 50 states as part of a look at the 50-state Democratic strategy. Today's focus falls on Massachusetts. While the post is quite positive - in fact listing our "Blue" Massachusetts as #1 of the 50 states, it's disturbing to read the view that the 5th CD is so expendable and should be the CD to go when as expected the Commonwealth loses a Congressional seat after the next census and inevitable redistricting.
from Kos I expect the lost seat will be the 5th district, which is as close as MA gets to a "conservative" district, which is contiguous to four other districts, and which is held by the most junior member of the delegation to boot.
Move the 2d west into the 1st, and the 1st east to the 5th; move the 4th west into the 3rd and the 3rd north into the 5th; move the 6th southwest into the 5th; move the 10th, 9th and 8th north into the 7th, and the rest of the 7th takes up what is left of the 5th.
Kos sounds just a little "facist", with no concern about the economic/geographical make up of a community gerry-mandering congressional districts to promote a collective ideal.
Yes, it is a bit ego-centric, living in Lowell to save the 5th.
Is this fallout from Brad Jones's unfortunate comments to the Boston Globe last Friday? Or is Jones looking to give up the mantle of leadership? Either way Statehouse News Service is reporting that Brad Jones's senior leadership team is resigning.
Two top aides to House Minority Leader Bradley Jones are starting a Republican consulting outfit they hope can resuscitate the state GOP. Chief of staff FRED VAN MAGNESS and communications director MEREDITH WARREN will found Lyric Consulting, a public relations and consulting business "focused on the opportunities out there for Republicans," Warren said this morning. She added, "We want to work on it outside the building, in a different capacity." Their last day is next Friday.
Ashley Maagero, the former Secretary of the Greater Boston Young Republicans, has been named by John McCain's presidential campaign State Director for NH. Ashley previously was a regional field coordinator for Merrimack and Strafford counties for the primary. In that role, Ashley won every precinct in the two counties for the Senator. That is an unbelievable statistic in modern politics.
Ashley began her political career two short years ago as a volunteer on the Jeff Beatty for Congress campaign, gathering signatures on weekends for Jeff. In fact she collected the most signatures on that campaign. After the Beatty Campaign Ashley worked as Russel Evan's press secretary on his bid for state representative in Brookline. Ashley caught the bug. In 2007 Ashley started working for the Senator.
Ashley's rise in politics is a testament to hard work, and proves that politics is a performance based business. Ashley has proven herself. John McCain is in good hands in NH with Ashley at the helm.
Congrats Ashley, don't forget us little people on your way up!
The Massachusetts Federation of Young Republicans PAC has just cut checks to seven legislative candidates. These seven candidates do not have primaries, as it is against our charter to as an organization endorse in primaries. We are actively raising money and plan to give to more candidates in the near future. The candidates that have recently received $250.00 checks from our organization are:
Susan Pope, running for State Rep.
Steven Levy, running for State Senate seat.
Santino "Sonny" Parente, running for State Rep.
Arthur Vigeant, running for State Rep
Ron Chernisky running for State Rep.
Kevin Kuros, running for State Rep.
Bill Scibella, running for State Rep.
These recent disbursements plus the $100 each we gave to the three recent candidates in special elections, and $250 we gave to Steve Levy earlier this year brings us to $2300 in donations this cycle. I'd like to thank Governor Cellucci for hosting a fundraiser in Boston for us earlier last month which allowed us to contribute to these candidates.
(If at first you don't succeed try, try again. - promoted by EaBo Clipper)
According to today's Boston Globe (5-7-08), Governor Deval Patrick has expressed interest reviving his proposal to bring casino gambling to Massachusetts. The "Together-We-Can" cheerleader seems determined to give said proposal another shot at becoming reality in spite of the fact that it went down in flames at the House of Representatives a few months ago.
Patrick said he wasn't basing his statement on the possible departure of House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, a gambling opponent, but a confluence of other factors.
The Democrat told a Brookline Chamber of Commerce audience that an unyielding need for property tax relief, the possibility of slot machines at the state's racetracks and ongoing efforts by the Wampanoag Indians to build their own casino will reignite the discussions.
"There's a lot of interest in it, and issues that die in one session don't die a permanent death. They tend to come back over time," the governor said afterward.
The Boston Globe contains the full story. Is this a savvy move by the man whose campaign signs once touted him as "no ordinary leader"? Or is Patrick transforming himself into a modern day Sisyphus whose political desperation becomes more pronounced with every labored step he takes? What say you, RMG?
Now that the signature drive is over, Jim Ogonowski's campaign for US Senate has taken the next step. Starting today they have gone on cable television statewide with the ad below. The ad captures the heartbeat of the Commonwealth pretty well. What do you think?
(Thanks Angelic One. I meant to post this yesterday. This is exactly what he was talking about on Friday afternoon to us at the Young Republican Leadership Conference. His main point was, we aren't going to win by running on Reverend Wright. We need to stand for something. - promoted by EaBo Clipper)
Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich had an article published in yesterday's online edition of Human Events titled "My Plea to Republicans: It's Time for Real Change to Avoid Real Disaster". The gist of his article is that recent GOP electoral losses "validate a national pattern" which, if left unattended, will result in "a catastrophic collapse of trust in Republicans built up over three generations on the deficit, two generations on taxes, and two generations on national security." To stave off disaster, Gingrich suggests:
Repeal the gas tax for the summer, and pay for the repeal by cutting domestic discretionary spending so that the transportation infrastructure trust fund would not be hurt. At a time when, according to The Hill newspaper, Senator Clinton is asking for $2.3billion in earmarks, it should be possible for Republicans to establish a "government spending versus your pocketbook" fight over cutting the gas tax that would resonate with most Americans. Lower taxes and less government spending should be a battle cry most taxpayers and all conservatives could rally behind.
Redirect the oil being put into the national petroleum reserve onto the open market. That oil would lower the price of gasoline an extra 5 to 6 cents per gallon, and its sale would lower the deficit.
Introduce a "more energy at lower cost with less environmental damage and greater national security bill" as a replacement for the Warner-Lieberman "tax and trade" bill which is coming to the floor of the Senate in the next few weeks (see my newsletter next week for an outline of a solid pro-economy, pro-national security, pro-environment energy bill). When the American people realize how much the current energy prices are actually a "politicians' energy crisis" they will demand real change in our policies.
Establish an earmark moratorium for one year and pledge to uphold the presidential veto of bills with earmarks through the end of 2009. The American people are fed up with politicians spending their money. They currently believe both parties are equally bad. This is a real opportunity to show the difference.
Overhaul the census and cut its budget radically. The recent announcement that the Census Bureau could not build an effective hand-held computer for $1.3 billion and is turning instead to 600,000 temporary workers to do a paper and pencil census in 2010 is an opportunity to slash its budget, shrink its bureaucracy, and turn to entrepreneurial internet-based companies to build an information-age census. This is an absurdity that cries out for bold, decisive reform (see my YouTube video "FedEx versus federal bureaucracy" for an example of what I mean).
Implement a space-based, GPS-style air traffic control system. The problems of the Federal Aviation Administration are symptoms of a union-dominated bureaucracy resisting change. If we implemented a space-based GPS-style air traffic system we would get 40% more air travel with one-half the bureaucrats. The union has stopped 200,000,000 passengers from enjoying more reliable air travel to protect 7,000 obsolete jobs. This real change would allow the millions of frustrated travelers to have champions in congress trying to help them get places better, safer, faster.
Declare English the official language of government. This real change is supported by 87% of the American people including a majority of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and Latinos. It is an issue of national unity that brings Americans together in a red, white, and blue majority.
Protect the workers' right to a secret ballot. The vast majority (around 81%) of Americans believe that American workers have a right to have a secret ballot election before they are forced to join a union. Last year the House Democrats passed a bill that would strip American workers of the secret ballot. A new bill should be introduced reaffirming that right, and it should be brought up again and again until marginal Democrats are forced to vote with the American people against the union power structure.
Remind Americans that judges matter. Senate Republicans should mount an ongoing fight (including a filibuster of other activities if necessary) to get the American people to realize that liberals want to block all current judicial appointments in order to maximize the number of left wing radical judges they can appoint if they win the White House. This issue has three advantages. It reminds people that judges matter and that a leftwing radical Supreme Court would be bad for the values of most (70 to 90 percent, depending on the issue) Americans. It shows the Democrats are not engaged in fair play. It arouses the activism of those who have been disappointed by Republicans and have forgotten how bad a liberal Democratic Presidency would be.
The revenues are rolling in but don't expect any property tax relief! Remember there's always a "structural deficit" that occupies the minds of Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and the Boston Globe. Nonetheless, there's always a lot of play money for the legislature. Remember the following: surpluses are bad for the taxpayer; they are a blatant overcharge. If public utilities "overcharge" they get in trouble; if landlords overcharge they get in trouble. If governments do the same, they call you selfish.
Tax collections shot up in April by $400 million compared with the same month last year, but administration officials said the state isn't out of the economic woods and still needs the added revenue of proposed cigarette and corporate tax hikes.
The state Revenue Department said it collected more than $2.7 billion in April, an increase of 17 percent compared with April of last year.
That puts the revenues collected for the current fiscal year, which ends in June, at more than $1.1 billion over the original estimate.
Reason #83473792 why the free market is better than government intervention:
BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's biggest retailer, said Monday it will offer 90-day prescriptions for $10 and lower the prices of more than 1,000 over-the-counter medications to $4 or less.
The company said the offerings are the third phase of its $4 prescription program.
Beginning Monday, Wal-Mart said it will begin filling prescriptions for up to 350 generic medications at $10 for a 90-day supply.
The company said with the over-the-counter medication price rollbacks, about one-third of its over-the-counter medicines are now $4 or lower.
The company said it also added several women's medications to its list of prescriptions available for $9. The medications include alendronate, the generic version of osteoporosis medication Fosamax.
All without congressional bickering.
All without raising taxes.
All without pork barrel spending.
All without government mandates.
All without more bureaucrats.
This is the same Wal-Mart that liberals despise for supposedly "exploiting" people.
Well baby, if this is wrong then I don't wanna be right.
"I want you to know that I'm not only aware of what was said, but I've been in this building a long time and I know a lot of people, and if I want to I could make your life really difficult. I could really hurt you if I wanted to."
Who said it?
Nobody's talking.
The Globe story identifies the dispute as being related to the internicine maneuvering for DiMasi succession (can you say "blood in the water?"). The WCVB story suggests it had to do with her advocacy on a health care-related matter.
DiMasi henchman associate Eugene "Let 'em Go" O'Flaherty, doing his job as the Cleaner, says "I think two people may have different versions.""
She must have misremembered -- the unnamed member didn't threaten her, he asked for a stick of gum.
But no one's talking, and it's "in the hands of the Speaker's office."
I would think that this would be a perfect issue on which the Republican Leader should demand an investigation by the House Ethics Committee. There is one, you know. They don't do much, obviously, but there is one.
Who threatened this woman. He must be held publicly accountable.
DEMOCRAT State Senator James Marzilli has been accused of sexual assault by an Arlington woman. The DEMOCRAT Senator was at a fundraiser with the woman and returned to her house where the alleged incident involving the DEMOCRAT Senator occurred. No charges have been made in the case with the DEMOCRAT Senator, but he victim alleges he groped her and made unwanted advances toward her.
The attorney for the DEMOCRAT Senator had little to say, but insisted that Marzilli will not speak at his request.
It should be noted that Marzilli is a progressive DEMOCRAT and was endorsed by none other than our own Governor - Devalue Patrick. Sounds like Deval Patrick picked yet another loser......
The accusation of assault involving Sen. J. James Marzilli Jr. brought April 6 by a woman in Arlington is now in the hands of Middlesex District Attorney Gerald T. Leone Jr. "The case remains under investigation by our office in conjunction with the Arlington Police Department," Leone's spokesman Corey Welford wrote in an e-mail April 29. "There have been no charges filed at this time."
(We need to push open government, both Newt Gingrich and Grover Norquist touched on this at YRLC this weekend. I will be posting some common sense items we should fight for at every level of government later this week.
- promoted by EaBo Clipper)
A number of folks have advocated that the Republican Party use abuses of the open meeting and public records laws as an issue against the democratic incumbents.
The issue of openness and transparency is highlighted well by the barrage of stories about Speaker DiMasi and the back-room dealing that keeps not only the public but most of the representatives in the dark. Just as well, the Boston City Council recently lost a huge case in the Appeals Court that begins, ignominiously, with the statement, "The city council of Boston finds itself, not for the first time, on the losing end of a determination that it has improperly excluded the public from its deliberations."
Now we learn that DiMasi's henchmen are busy deep-sixing efforts to reform the toothless open meeting law. This is another story to raise the bile in your throat.
Two English sisters have shared a home for years. It has been a real family home, serving different generations. In it, they have cared for various elderly and frail relatives over the years, provided hospitality, built up the links that help to form family networks.
If Joyce and Sybil Burden had proclaimed themselves lesbians and formed a "civil partnership" they would get a massive advantage: when one of them died, the other would receive the whole of the property, tax-free. But they are not lesbians and have no wish to pretend to be. They have a normal and natural bond: they are sisters. So, under our tax laws, when one dies the other will have to pay a massive 40 per cent tax on the property if she wishes to remain living there.
Matt Vieira of Lowell will receive the 2008 Young Philanthropist Award from Women in Development of Greater Boston on Tuesday, May 6, in recognition of his dedication and leadership in raising funds to support cancer patients at Lowell General Hospital.
Vieira, 18, who started the fundraising organization Friends Who Care in 2006 as a junior at Lowell Catholic High School, is being honored for his leadership and passion in advancing the spirit of philanthropy and inspiring his peers and others. In two years, Vieira, through Friends Who Care, raised $23,000 through two dinner-dances, last-minute setbacks and a harsh economy.
Vieira will receive the award and a $1,000 contribution for Friends Who Care from Women in Development during a luncheon at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge. For more information, to the Women in Development Web site, www.widgb.org.
About an hour ago, I heard Speaker Newt Gingrich give an amazing talk to a luncheon crowd at the Young Republican Leadership Conference in D.C. He challenged the next generation of Republican leaders to get away from the politics at all cost mentality of the past 8 years and focus on things that matter personally to people. I'll have more to say about the lunch later.
One of the things Gingrich said in response to a question about what to do if your "Senior Party" leadership doesn't "get it" was the following, "Go around them, if your leaders don't lead, don't follow them." The line got a thunderous applause.
Speaker Gingrich then went on to tell a story about when he came to the House in 1979 after the 1978 election that he won his seat in. When he was on the Hill in December of 1978 for orientation, he asked the Minority Leader what plan they had to take the majority in the House. The Minority leader said, "well I haven't thought of that but it's a good idea why don't you head it up." Gingrich then went on to tell us why that mentality was so pervasive, it was because the Republicans on the hill found it their duty to vote no on legislation then go golf with their Democratic friends. Don't rock the boat too much was the mentality, sound familiar today?
Gingrich then went on to tell us how that made him the subject of scorn on the Hill because he was a firebrand idealogue that was jeopardizing their golfing friendships. He led the fight from 1979 to 1994 and put a plan into place and took back the House.
Then I come back to my room to check on RMG and my two blog posts of this morning, and see a quote from Brad Jones that I missed in my cursory glance at the Boston Globe article I mentioned in my "What Media Bias?" post. The quote that I saw thanks to RV is:
"It's tough to say to your family: 'I'm running for office. I fully expect I'm going to lose. Please give up your summer, your time, and send money you'll never get back,' " said Representative Bradley H. Jones Jr., the House minority leader. "That's tough to encourage people to do."
Representative Jones, if you would lead in the House and be proactive in standing up to the Democrats on a daily basis, and develop an agenda that the Commonwealth would rally around, maybe those candidates wouldn't find themselves in that predicament. For a -party leader to use that defeated language means to me, that like the Republican Leaders in the U.S. House of the late 1970s, he has lost the mandate to lead.
Ashley Maagero, the former Secretary of the Greater Boston Young Republicans, has been named by John McCain's presidential campaign State Director for NH. Ashley previously was a regional field coordinator for Merrimack and Strafford counties for the primary. In that role, Ashley won every precinct in the two counties for the Senator. That is an unbelievable statistic in modern politics.
