Posts Tagged ‘massachusetts senate’

“He has to follow through”

Posted: January 29, 2010 by datechguy in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,

“The soldiers like the thin mints.” said the girl scout when asked and the rest nodded. The thin mints joined the box on the side of the table where people buying cookies for the troops put them. As the girls took the money the two scout mothers, cold but uncomplaining, watched with approval as their troop plied their trade outside of the church.

“I was very surprised when he won.” said the taller of the pair and her fellow nodded in agreement. A native of the midwest who settled in Massachusetts after marriage, she was surprised at how democratic and liberal her new home was. Usually on election days her husband and herself voted the same side. This time however her spouse supported Republican Scott Brown.

Once the name was spoken the young scouts started talking about how cool they thought he was. This was in diametric opposition to the two leaders both of whom cast votes for Martha Coakley on the 19th.

The kids interest was not unique, at the school where she works the students reaction pleasantly surprised her. “The 8th grade students were really excited by the election.” she noted, “I had never seen them interested in any election in the past.” Like her own household the support was divided by gender. The Boys liked Brown and the girls were for Coakley, but it was their attention to the race that pleased her most.

Other Coakley supporters also expressed surprise: “I can’t see how he can credibly support the Massachusetts Healthcare plan and oppose the national one when they are basically the same thing.” said a 40 something system tech preparing for a night of Dungeons & Dragons. Another man who voted Coakley at the same game thought it odd that democrats would vote against their party “…because someone doesn’t play nice?”

Yet that was the very sentiment of a 30 something mother at the butcher shop who changed her mind on election day. It was the non stop negative ads that finally turned her away from the Candidate that only 4 days before she had supported happily to my face.

The Coakley voters surprise existed among Brown supporters as well, unable to convince themselves that their candidate would overcome the power of the Massachusetts Democratic Machine. When asked what they thought made the difference in the end, there was one constant answer. “I don’t think the heath care plan is a good idea”, expressed a Brown supporting woman at the local bakery. That sentiment was repeated over and over by voters on both sides. Martha Coakley’s unwavering support for its passage was costly and the President’s appearance only emphasized that fatal support.

Yet consider: Against an unexciting candidate supporting the most unpopular position of an administration declining in popularity, a strong dynamic candidate with a solid background, a personable touch to delivering a positive appealing message only managed 52% of the vote. Photoshops and victory parties not withstanding he needs to take that number to heart.

With only 2 years till he is up for election the question becomes: With healthcase resolved by then, how can Scott Brown win that majority when he faces a more prepared candidate running a better campaign? What will he have to do to persuade voters who voted for him once (and those he who didn’t) to pull the lever for him a 2nd time?

Among the gamers they accepted that he wouldn’t be supporting the healthcare bill that he so vigorously opposed but their issue was the Republican Caucus. “If he is just going to vote in lockstep with the Republicans to block everything he can’t get my vote.” (they might take heart from this story from the Herald today).

For most, both Brown and Coakley people the answer was the same. “If he can fulfill his promises he can win my vote” said the shorter of our Girl Scout Leaders. The mother of 4 thought he deserved a chance to see what he can do, expressing hope that the election would persuade democrats statewide to be more attentive to the people and less in lockstep with the Boston Machine. Her fellow agreed on both counts as did the woman in the Bakery and her husband. “He has to follow through.” she declared saying it’s one thing to promise changes, it’s another to actually make them happen.

The question really becomes a matter of voter perception. Will they see him for what he is: a junior senator of the minority party with one vote among 100, or will they imbue upon him all the hopes and dreams for a different direction in Washington? If they see the former then he is likely to succeed, if the latter then they likely will be disappointed.

However I suspect one person at least will not be. When asked what she will need from Scott Brown to earn her vote a second time our last minute decider answered with a single word: Integrity!

“Knowing him made all the difference”

Posted: January 21, 2010 by datechguy in elections, local stuff, opinion/news
Tags: , , , , , ,

Needham Ma 7:58 a.m.

Exactly one week before the lot was overflowing. It was necessary to find a parking place far from the door resulting in a run back to the car when we saw then candidate Scott Brown leave for a press conference.

It was here at the phone banks where we saw what seemed a continuous stream of volunteers from all over the state and some from beyond anxious to help. On that first day we ran into a group from Michigan ready to get to work for the candidate they supported, but there just wasn’t room for them to even enter the office.

Today the parking lot had plenty of spaces and the regular tenants didn’t have to compete to get a close one. The frenzy of activity and the crowds were gone but there was still a gentleman at the desk politely but firmly protecting the office and providing the same security that he did during the campaign in other locations.

As I sat with him a man who worked for the building owners came in. I asked him about the difference a week made, he contrasted the relative quiet today with the energy of the place when this office and another one upstairs were rented by the Scott Brown campaign. The tenants had seen the people and the candidate and liked what they had saw. “It was very exciting time.” he said, “They all felt like they were part of it.” The office smoker had the best view. Most of the year he would find himself alone outside satisfying his nicotine fix. Over the last week his trips outside meant that he had plenty of company for a change.

That feeling of being part of it was shared at Mighty Subs a few blocks down the street. All during yesterday customers came in talking about the election, how they voted and how happy the result had made them (with very few exceptions). Arthur (the owner) commented how he had gotten an e-mail at the web site from some person from Free Republic thanking them for supporting Scott Brown.

At this moment his wife Karen came to the front to say hello. She was excited and happy about the Brown victory but was curious about that e-mail. I explained that the e-mail came from Stacy’s McCain’s stories featuring her. When she learned her photo was on the net her priceless reaction brought a smile to my face.

It was Karen who told us how personable he was as a customer long before he decided to run, and it was that sense of personal retail politics in the tradition of Tip O’Neill that made a difference.

Back at the headquarters there was contractor spreading ice melt in front of the entrance way just as I was preparing to leave. When asked about the election he was pleased with the results. The Senator represented his district before in the State Senate and had dealt with him on some local matters. He expounded on what a good guy he was and how he always gave him his ear. His previous votes as a democrat had been for Ted Kennedy but now Scott Brown was his senator and he was very happy about it. When asked if another candidate with similar views would have gotten his vote, he thought about it for a moment before saying “Probably not, knowing him made all the difference”

His reaction reminded me of three twenty something Coakley supporters that I talked to on the Red Line as we left the Obama rally on Sunday. They had come from Kansas and Oklahoma as AmeriCorps volunteers and had found themselves in Massachusetts, a state that matched their liberalism. As liberals they decided to help support their candidate with their signs since they could not with their votes.

In the Red states where they lived Massachusetts had a very particular image. They heard people weren’t friendly and their opinions were painted with a broad liberal brush. They found that people were very friendly and willing to talk just about anything. The more they got to know people the more they got to like both the people and the place where their work had taken them erasing the painted image with personal experience.

It was that same type of personal touch that Scott Brown brought to his candidacy taking away characture the left leaning media had tried to paint him with, allowing him to turn a 30 point deficit into a 5 point victory. The people of Massachusetts got to know him and that made all the difference.

Update: The Lonely Conservative links and directly says what this post hints at:

There are quite a few days between now and the election in November. GOP candidates – it’s time to hit the road.

The better you know the people you want to represent the better you will represent them.

Update: Camp of the Saints links to me and several other good posts on the aftermath of the election. Worth a read.

It’s 3:35 A.M on Thursday…

Posted: January 21, 2010 by datechguy in catholic, elections, employment, opinion/news, personal
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I’ve had a full nights sleep that hasn’t been preceded by a drive out of Boston for the first time in days. When I came downstairs Robert Stacy (I’ll sleep when I’m dead) McCain was still typing at the dining room table, has there ever been a person who works so hard for such a small amount of cash?

I took him for a quick cig run to Tedeschi’s market (that took over the store 24 in Fitchburg) and ran into the mother of a friend of mine who does Janitorial work at the Post Office and the Hospital. She said people were very happy in both locations, but for liberals the anger was extreme, but apparently not all of them.

The worst is that I can’t help but feel like the main emotion people in the caucus are feeling is relief at this turn of events. Now they have a ready excuse for not getting anything done.

Four days ago I told a certain Mr. McCain who happened to be sleeping on my couch that democrats in congress were hoping for an upset to give them an excuse to get out of yet another vote that could push them off the cliff. I thank Mr. Marshall for proving me right in print (well in pixels anyway).

Stacy is picking a bad time to leave Fitchburg. The front page of our local paper is that Planned Parenthood is about to open an office here. The must think the timing is good with 4 Catholic Parishes due to close by June.

It is in fact exactly the opposite, it’s not only bad it’s really bad. The natural anger that the closing would have generated at the church, combined with the anger over the economic and employment situation now has a place where it can be re-directed. The large Hispanic (I hate that word, what does it mean?) population here is very Catholic as well.

The only good news about this? With such a new opening perhaps the Charming Roxeanne will be in town to blog about it a bit and I can introduce the young lady to the wife and kids. My oldest is active in right to life, they should get along like a house afire.

Well the train beckons so I must go. It’s been a great week, but like Cincinnatus I now prepare to return to being just another guy looking for a job (that elusive $800 a week) in Massachusetts who runs a small blog where I talk about things that interest me.

Thanks for joining me for the ride, and if you like what you have read you are welcome to stop by to read anytime.

The Scott Brown Party Roundup Personal stuff…

Posted: January 20, 2010 by datechguy in elections, opinion/news, personal
Tags: , , , ,

I’m still in a bit of a daze as I start to re-transition to a normal life and try to catch up on sleep but I noticed that I didn’t do the “fun” posts that Dan and Stacy did so here is some of that:

Would you believe I was so tired I didn’t recognize Norah O’Donnell? Until I read Dan’s post I didn’t realize she was there. Then again ok it’s Norah O’Donnell she’s there, big deal.

Ace of spades is a nice quiet guy, his actual self is so counter instinctual to his blog.

I must have been the only guy there not drinking.

Ali Akbar (Brown’s new media guy) is a smart young young who has such a clear idea of what he wants to do it’s amazing. With the experience that age will bring he will really be a go to guy.

Update/Clarification: I should mention that Ali is not with the permanent staff but was hired by the Brown campaign. If what I saw was any indication I strongly suggest any person thinking of running a senate/house campaign give him a call to snap him up. He will be invaluable to you.

Oh and did I mention that some bloggers had better seats than media. (I wasn’t one of them) but that’s ok, in my opinion the stage wasn’t where the action is.

There is nothing that gives you the impression of the approach of old age than seeing all these people working and having the thought “My God they’re so young!” go through your head.

Speaking of going through one’s head, Pam Geller of Atlas tried on my fedora and I had to look away, my comment was I’m glad my wife didn’t know what I was thinking at that point. What was that thought? My God is this woman attractive!

I also complemented her on her work, the stuff she covers is very important, particularly with the level of indifference concerning Radical Islam.

Funny story I was discussing radical Islam with her for a bit when I realized that I hadn’t introduced myself to the lady to her left. (I’d already met Kerry Pickett) thinking I was being impolite to a lady I apologized and introduced myself. That person was Karen Tumulty of Time Magazine. I get the distinct impression that she thought I was trying to schmooze (hey look time talks to me), but unless she reads this (unlikely) she will never know.

Speaking of Kerry Pickett she was filing stories from my dining room table on Friday night. You can’t help but like this woman, she has competence in places that people don’t have, and has the bluntness of my older sister. She also has what I call the “20 year face” she is the type of woman who will look just as nice 20 years later. She reminds me of my wife brains and beauty. The fact that some lucky young man has not married her is a striking blow to the reputation of the entire male sex or a tribute to her good judgment in waiting for a guy worthy of her.

And yes I’m an old Sicilian Catholic that’s the way I think.

Speaking of young smart woman one of the great pleasure of the night was speaking with Roxeanne, ironic as one of my favorite films is Jose Ferrer’s as Cyrano de Bergerac

The concept that 1000 people were interested in what I had to say on a webcast was fascinating.

Strangely enough I had no interest in talking to the Brown daughters, but I must say I felt very good for his wife Gail who must have spent a lot of time biting her tongue in the last few weeks.

Carl Cameron is a very nice guy and gave us respect and time.

I can’t wait to find work so I can get a new laptop, mine is on its last legs.

Take a look at this video from 73wire Real Clear Politics and see if you can spot something important…

That is me in the background, While most of the reporter types were busy talking to themselves, I was interviewing the waitstaff. Why? Because they were the only voters in the room! I talked to more than a dozen of them and got great information on all kinds of things. It speaks volumes that a room full of reporters didn’t think of doing this.

If you want to get real answers to real questions ask Joe Malone, not Mitt Romney.

The local reporters don’t know how lucky they are. The Brown win will lead to more competitive races, which are less boring to cover.

I am not used to the amount of hits and e-mail I’ve gotten, it will be a bit till I’m caught up, and I apologize if I didn’t reply in my normal prompt way. No wonder instapundit doesn’t do comments.

None of the celebration stuff hit me, once I decided the race was over in my mind I was already thinking about the next story or maybe it was sheer exhaustion.

On and speaking of celebration I discovered Atlas dances while sitting down as I do.

Speaking of sheer exhaustion I’m hitting the sack since I have to be out of the house by 4. I can’t wait to return to a regular sleep cycle.

Older Entries
Newer Entries