Greetings, readers, and welcome to my extra laugh-filled edition of the column. I figured with how nasty and serious the campaign trail is getting, a little light touch would be appreciated.
To start: What’s the difference between the governor’s council and my appendix? My appendix doesn’t cost taxpayers $400,000 a year.
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Last week I noted that unenrolled gubernatorial candidate Timothy P. Cahill had lost a key staffer, and remarked that it was no big deal.
It is, however, a very big deal when your running mate bails out on you.
Paul Loscocco, a former Republican state rep, made what I regard as the utterly gutless move to abandon Mr. Cahill, renounce his lieutenant governor candidacy, and formally endorse Republican Charles D. Baker Jr. for governor.
“I cannot sit idly by as my friends and supporters cast their votes for my ticket, knowing that the best chance to defeat Governor Patrick is with Charlie Baker,” Mr. Loscocco told the media. “I cannot and will not let my ego get in the way of doing what is right for Massachusetts. So while this is a tough decision for me today personally, it is the right decision to put the future of our state ahead of my own self-interest.”
Now, make no mistake: by all measures Mr. Cahill indeed cannot win this race. He’s behind in fundraising, he’s way behind in the polls – there is nothing to suggest that his message has clicked with voters.
For Loscocco to abandon the race because he knows he won’t be part of the winning team is cowardly and absolutely self-serving. For him to pass off his party loyalty as somehow a benevolent act in the name of promoting the greater good for Massachusetts residents is absolutely slimy.
Unfortunately for Mr. Cahill, he’s not making things any better for himself by espousing conspiracy theories that this is all part of the GOP plot to crush his campaign (not that the Republican Party hasn’t been trying really hard to defuse Mr. Cahill’s spoiler potential, but let’s not go all Oliver Stone here).
***
As you may have heard, Daniel A. Wolf has stepped down as president of Cape Air, the company he founded, to focus on his State Senate campaign. He remains the company’s CEO. I know nothing about big business, but I assume this is actually kind of a big deal.
And hey, if the senate thing falls through, I bet Dan knows someone who could get him that president gig back…
***
Knock knock. Who’s there? Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates. Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates who? Oh, you don’t know anything about them either, huh?
***
James P. McKenna may have already bumbled his momentum coming out of his historic write-in victory in the primary race for Massachusetts Attorney General. During a televised debate with incumbent Martha Coakley, Mr. McKenna avoided answering some questions and gave stumbling answers to others.
He’s also not doing great in fundraising; he has about $13,000 on-hand, compared to AG Coakley, who has about $50,000 according to her latest campaign finance report.
***
This week’s event reminders:
F. Randal Hunt, Republican candidate for State Representative of the Fifth Barnstable District, is holding “Pizza & Politics with Pizzazz” at Two Brothers Pizza & Mexican in Sandwich on Monday at 5:30 PM.
David T. Vieira, Republican candidate for State Representative of the Third Barnstable District, invites the public to a “meet the candidate” at the Pocasset Golf Club on Wednesday. Dutch and Addie Drolette are hosting the event, which runs from 4 to 6 PM. RSVP by calling 508-540-6727.
State Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (R – Sandwich), candidate for Congress, is the guest of honor at a reception at the Flying Bridge in Falmouth on October 17. That runs from 5 to 7 PM.
That same day Thomas F. Keyes, Republican candidate for State Senator of the Plymouth and Barnstable District, will hold a fundraiser at the Aqua Grille in Sandwich beginning at 4 PM.
On October 22 the Committee to Elect Therese Murray and Olive and Dave Chase will host a fundraiser for Senate President Therese M. Murray (D – Plymouth) at the Sandwich Glass Museum from 6 to 7:30 PM. Suggested donation for both events is $50 per person.
Also, there are several debates and candidates’ forums coming up, including Tuesday’s Bourne candidates’ night at the First Baptist Church of Pocasset, starting at 7 PM; and Thursday’s debate at Cape Cod Community College, featuring all the Congressional and Cape and Islands State Senator candidates. That begins at 6:30 PM and is open to the public.
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In closing: How many members of the Tea Party does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just Sarah Palin, and all she does is hold the light bulb up while the world revolves around her.
Thank you, you’ve been a great audience!
Political news and announcements may be sent to Michael Bailey, Region editor and senior political reporter, at bailey@capenews.net
Tags: Charlie Baker, Dan Wolf, David Vieira, Governor Deval Patrick, Jeff Perry, Jim McKenna, Martha Coakley, Randy Hunt, Senate President Therese Murray, Tim Cahill, Tom Keyes
The views and opinions in the Enterprise blogs are those of the author and are not neccessarily shared by Falmouth Publishing.
Oh no you did,nt
Why do I see 4 republicans and 1 Democrat in your ((This week’s event reminders)) William Keating and a lot of other (Democratic) candidates have events in the area. The only negatives I see are of the Democrats. Where has all the trash gone on Republican Candidate Jeff Perry. Oh thats right you left it behind the dumpster where the girl was strip searched.
Sorry jeffy only new about it he did not participate HA HA.
But he sure saw it all at the Cranberry bog.
Yes he was never convicted. and yes he never went to court in the cival trial, though he was named as a defendant.
He did not go to court because it was settled out of court.
Please if you are going to blog get some facts out there on the real trash that is running for federal office. Oh we cant forget about lying to the Mass Bar. Or maybe he was behind a bar some where feeling up another under age girl. What a discraceJeff Perry is, but hey he is running as a Republican.
or maybe that is the pefect political Affiliation for him. Since most republicans are proffesional liars. And extreme fact twisters.
Democrats better vote in this election or the liars and molesters will win.
As for Tim Cahill — he seems to be a decent person, except his pick for a side kick was real bad ( Loscocco ).
I would turn around and encourage all his supporters toward Governor Patrick.
I did tame this response down, and actually retracted some of my opinions.
Greg S.
PS as for the Governors council enlighten us instead of throwing a coment out there.
>>Why do I see 4 republicans and 1 Democrat in your ((This week’s event reminders)) William Keating and a lot of other (Democratic) candidates have events in the area.
I’d say it’s because they’re doing a damned poor job of informing me about them. If they don’t send me an announcement, or at the very least post announcements on their websites, then I don’t know about them, so I can’t list them. Sorry, I’m not taking the fall for anyone’s lousy PR skills.
Jeff Perry blah blah blah. You either support the guy because of his political views or you don’t because of his background. Nothing I say here is going to sway anyone, certainly not you, based on your remarks. The anti-Perry faction just wants to hammer the point into the ground hoping that maybe THIS TIME all of his supporters will have some sort of mass epiphany and jump ship. Not happening.
Dude, I think you can extrapolate the meaning of my governor’s council joke. Think about it for a second…or at least look up “appendix – organ” on Wikipedia.