In yesterday's Rasmussen reports poll the favorable-unfavorable data for Tim Cahill and Charlie Baker was transposed. Much was made by team Cahill and team Patrick that the negative ads have backfired on Charlie. Well that's just not the case. Vincent Errichetti was right, they didn't make sense because they weren't correct.
The Patriot Ledger of Quincy has a story about yesterdays 10th District Debates. They are now a pay on-line newspaper so only a preview is available.
Job creation and immigration reform. Extending tax cuts vs. cutting the deficit. The fate of unemployment benefits.
Candidates for Congress in the 10th District outlined their views on a range of issues Monday night in the first wide-ranging debate to feature both parties' candidates.
Democrats William Keating and Robert O'Leary traded their sharpest barbs yet, each accusing the other of reversing course on the offshore Cape Wind project and disagreeing on whether Americans will have to retire at a later age to rescue the Social Security system.
Republicans focused on hammering Democrats instead of each other.
Joseph Malone, one of four GOP candidates, summed up the district's mood this way: "They're being smothered by this big, intrusive high-taxing, high-spending government."
The Democrats gave better marks to their party's leaders. Asked to grade Gov. Deval Patrick and President Barack Obama's performance, Keating gave a pair of Bs while O'Leary went with a B+ and an A.
At six feet, two inches tall and 260 pounds with all his gear on, Garst is easily the largest man in his squad by 30 or 40 pounds - just enough extra weight to trigger the IED buried deep in hard-packed soil.
Since Garst's improbable run-in with the IED, his tale has spread through the rest of the battalion, and as often happens in combat units, the story mutates, the tale becoming more and more extraordinary about what happened next: He held onto his rifle the whole time ... He actually landed on his feet ... He remained unmoved, absorbing the impact like he was muffling a fart in a crowded elevator ...
Garst's squad stared at him in disbelief. The square-jawed Marine has a tendency to be short-tempered, and the realization that the blast was meant to kill him spiked his adrenaline and anger.
"It pissed me off," he said.
He directed his men to establish a security perimeter while letting them know in his own way that he was OK.
"What the f--- are you looking at?" he said. "Get on the cordon!"
But he saw no reason being sore should slow him down. He popped some ibuprofen and after a day of rest, Garst was back out on patrol, showing his Marines and the enemy that just like his resolve - Cpl Matt Garst is unbreakable.
There has been some confusion regarding the endorsement of Tim Cahill by the MCFL State PAC. The PAC endorsed the Cahill-Loscocco ticket because the ticket is the best choice to advance the pro-life cause.
Tim Cahill made clear in two different meetings with the PAC that, while he believes that Roe is settled law, he supports parental notification, tax credits for adoptions, and as Governor he will sign pro-life legislation such as A Woman's Right to Know, a state Partial Birth Abortion Ban, and legislation making the preborn child the second victim when a pregnant woman is the victim of violence. He will also veto Physician Assisted Suicide and other anti-life legislation. As Governor, Tim Cahill will work to create a culture of life across Massachusetts.
In both meetings, Cahill was forthright, candid and thoughtful. When looking at the candidates, the choice is clear.
Deval Patrick is the most pro abortion Governor in Massachusetts history.
Charlie Baker did not return MCFL's candidate questionnaire. He picked a running mate, Richard Tisei, who has a long pro-abortion voting record. Baker has stated that he is "to the left of Barack Obama on social issues." It is clear that Baker would not be a friend to life.
MCFL State PAC is a non-partisan group which supports the candidate most likely to help
advance the cause of life. We are proud to have endorsed Tim Cahill. We look forward to
seeing him elected Governor this Fall.
Contact:
Madeline McComish
Chairman MCFL State PAC
PLYMOUTH - Tenth Congressional District candidate Jeff Perry scored points against his Republican rivals tonight during a debate broadcast live on WATD 95.9FM.
During the hour-long debate, Perry emphasized his campaign theme of calling upon voters to support him and to "Wake Up Washington" by sending a fresh, dynamic and effective new voice to Capitol Hill.
On the topic of illegal immigration, Perry noted his filing of "The Perry Amendment" to block illegal immigrants from receiving public benefits. Perry was the only candidate to offer a four-part plan to secure our borders, including erecting a border fence, preventing illegal immigrants from accessing public benefits, penalizing employers who hire illegal immigrants, and swiftly deporting illegal immigrants who commit a crime. He also reiterated his call for state action on illegal immigration when the federal government fails to act.
Perry distinguished himself on the issue of the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan. Perry was the only candidate to affirmatively say he would not support Kagan for her decisions and policy regarding military recruiters on college campuses. Perry expressed his unconditional support of those serving in the military and our veterans.
Pay to Play, it's not just for Tim Cahill anymore.
The Associated press is reporting that Lt. Gov. Murray during his stint as acting governor this weekend, signed legislation that Deval Patrick previously opposed. This came after Murray's campaign committee received a $500 check from the CEO of the company who benefits from the legislation.
The Patrick administration has reversed course on major legislation affecting the largest life insurer in Massachusetts, after the company threatened to move out of state and its CEO contributed to the lieutenant governor's political campaign just before he signed the bill into law.
The law allows the Savings Bank Life Insurance Co. of Woburn to begin charging different rates for life insurance it sells to men and women, after having long been forced by state law to charge the same rates for both genders.
Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray signed the bill into law on Sunday, as acting governor, while Gov. Deval Patrick was returning from a trip to the Middle East. The signing occurred six days after Murray's re-election committee reported receiving a $500 campaign contribution - the maximum allowable annual donation - from SBLI's chief executive officer, Robert Sheridan.
Patrick and a Murray spokesman denied any quid pro quo, as did Sheridan.
Move along, there's nothing to see here. I bet Tim Murray was "shocked to learn" that SBLI's CEO had donated to him, shocked he'd tell us.
Looking at Charlie Baker's top ten policy questions page released on October 9, 2009, it seems as though Charlie Baker's position on life is the same as Tim Cahill's.
On the large question absent from MCFL's questionaire on whether or not he's "pro-choice", he like Cahill is. On partial birth abortion, like Tim Cahill he is against it. Finally on parental notification, like Tim Cahill he is for it.
9) What is your position on abortion?
I'm Pro-Choice. I support a woman's right to choose. That said, I'm opposed to Partial Birth Abortion, and support Parental Notification up to age 18.
The other gubernatorial candidates have publicly stated their support for the pro-choiceposition. In other words, they support abortion and take anti-life positions on the other life issues."
This statement in their press release is demonstrably false, as a quick google search shows. Besides the fact that MCFL is shocked that Cahill has a pro-choice position as stated in today's Boston Globe. Charlie Baker on two of the questions on the questionnaire and the big one that should have been has the same position as Tim Cahill.
Tim Cahill's stance of being all things to all people has finally come back to bite him. The Boston Globe reports that the Mass Citizens for Life is now confused as to Tim Cahill's stance on Abortion.
"Cahill holds prolife positions on all aspects of the issue from abortion funding to informed consent, to partial birth abortion and parental consent,'' Madeline McComish, the chairwoman of the PAC, said in a statement.
But Cahill's spokeswoman Amy Birmingham maintained yesterday that he remains pro-choice. On Friday, she said, "He would never do anything to overturn Roe v. Wade.''
McComish said yesterday that she was surprised to learn that Cahill still favors abortion rights and that she would ask him to clarify his position.
Ms. McComish, his position is pretty clear as stated above by his press flack. He favors abortion and wouldn't try to overturn Roe v. Wade." You got hoodwinked.
What prompted the the Globe to take a look at Cahill's changing position?
"He came in and the PAC interviewed him and I was impressed with him,'' she[McComick] added. "And I do believe, based on my meeting with him, that he is prolife. Otherwise we would not have endorsed him.''
The seeming disparity led to scrutiny in the blogosphere over the past week.
Rob Eno, publisher of the conservative blog Red Mass Group, posted cached images of Cahill's campaign website showing that his campaign had erased abortion rights from a list of Cahill's personal beliefs and cornerstones of his candidacy.
According to a web page saved May 25 and posted on Eno's site, Cahill's campaign website said in May: "I believe in and support a woman's right to choose. I also believe that abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.''
Tim Cahill, it might be time to take the words of this Abraham Lincoln adage to heart.
You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time.
The source familiar with Ware's investigation said Ware and colleagues at his law firm, Goodwin Procter, are studying campaign contributions by Probation Department employees to see whether there are signs of a "pay to play'' system where probation employees were expected to contribute money to certain politicians to improve their chances of promotion. The Spotlight Team in May found a pattern of donations by probation employees to key legislators such as DeLeo and Petrolati just before or after they received promotions.
Ware's investigation remains "broad ranging,'' the source said, but Ware hopes to file an initial report on his findings with the Supreme Judicial Court around Labor Day. The state's top court gave him until Aug. 22 to complete his work, though some probation observers expect Ware to request an extension.
The SJC has ordered all Probation Department employees to preserve all records created since 2001, including all computer documents, handwritten notes, voicemails, text messages, diaries, calendars, and journal entries.
"No records or documents shall be altered, edited, amended, or destroyed for any reason whatsoever,'' the SJC's order reads.
If this report contains the pay to play information. Expect it to be very damaging to Tim Cahill's floundering campaign for Governor. It might just be the death-knell. As we all remember the Globe previously outlined Cahill and O'Brien's relationship, and how probation has a good number of Cahill donors. The timing couldn't be worse for the Treaurer.
The James McKenna Campaign for Attorney General is now in full swing.
Couple of Updates: Temporary Website is up and running - http://JimForAG.com | Would love to hear from folks and anyone willing to work with us on our campaign.
On August 1 at 3PM at Waters Farm in Sutton, MA we will be holding a campaign rally and organizational meeting for our supporters. Should be a great time for all.
Jim received the unanimous endorsement of the Dudley Republican Town Committee last Thursday. It is the first time the committee of more than 30 Republican Activists has endorsed a candidate running on stickers.
Red Mass Group has learned that Rasmussen Reports was in the field on Thursday and Friday of last week. That means the poll will most probably come out tomorrow. There has been a lot of activity since the last poll. Cahill has spend clost to 15% of his war chest on positive ads. The RGA has stepped up its attacks on both Cahill and Patrick, and Baker has run positive radio ads. The race as always is fluid.
Where do you think the numbers will be tomorrow?
My guess Patrick 39%, Baker 36%, and Cahill at 11% the rest undecided.
In a hilarious attempt at being "reality-based" our differently winged friend David Kravitz of Blue Mass Group tries to make Mike Rossettie out to be somewhat hypocritical for his praise of Charlie Baker's taking on public sector unions. David goes on to say that funding of the Quinn Bill shows that he was trying to kow tow to the police unions.
Sorry David, that dog just won't hunt. Charlie was against eliminating the state funding of the Quinn Bill because it was a de-facto cut in local aid. Governor Patrick has not eliminated the Quinn Bill. The law is still very much there and local cities and towns must still pay the higher wages wrought by the bill. Governor Patrick only cut the state funding for it. Therefore it is an unfunded mandate. That is what Charlie is against. Nice try though.
Oh and while we are being "reality-based" about the flagger legislation. When you switch from cops being paid at $45.00 an hour to flaggers being paid a prevailing wage at $45.00 an hour, you aren't standing up to any unions. You are just shifting the payout to a union that is more sympathetic towards you. That's the "reality" of the situation.
In the story about Sean Bielat, our friend Mike Franco says that you can't be a Republican and believe in the decriminalization of currently illegal drugs. I vehemently disagree, but you don't need to take my word. Let's look at William F. Buckley's take on this.
Would one argue that William F. Buckley is not a good conservative?
Sean Bielat met recently with Jack Spillane, political columnist for the Standard-Times of New Bedford. The result was a lengthy article published in today's edition of the paper. Here are a few quick quotes & a link to the larger piece.
"I wouldn't say I'm extreme on any issue. There is always some truth on both sides of an issue. I am very conservative."
- Sean Bielat
Spillane evidently doesn't understand the conservative streak on drug legalization (which, I don't happen to share - but one of which was held by the late, great, Godfather of conservatism: William F. Buckley, Jr.) but he spends considerable time talking about Sean Bielat's "Libertarian Streak".
That being said:
Bielat is of a new generation of serious and goal-oriented Republican conservatives, a generation that came of age post-911, and has known from youth how difficult it will be for them support the oversized Baby Boomer retirements.
Spillane further notes that Bielat is primarily focused upon the issues that polls evidence are at the forefront of the American - and thus Massachusetts - voters: jobs, economics, and national defense. Nonetheless, he has this to say about Sean's conservatism:
He's a doctrinaire social conservative - a serious Catholic, he wouldn't answer whether he would allow abortion in cases of rape and incest. And he said he opposes not only gay marriage but also civil unions and gays serving openly in the military.
Finally,
Savvy about the contemporary political zeitgeist, Bielat talks a lot about the need of the country to return to following the "Constitution." But he doesn't miss a beat about the controversial Tea Party that also makes the Constitution talk. He says he only knows about well-behaved, New England "Tea Partiests," and doesn't identify himself as one anyway.
I wanted to extend this invitation to the RMG community to join our network to provide victory this fall in the 10th Congressional District. Here is a quick video about our network and what we need to do to win. I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail!
