The Maine Event...

**UPDATED 3-3-12** This post has been updated with additional commentary and for grammatical corrections.

"You are not going to go off on a tangent about Olympia Snowe and Maine politics now," you are probably thinking, right?  Well, yes and no, but the reasons run deeper than merely dissecting a nearby, but ultimately non-Bay State community.

Sen. Olympia Snowe (wikipedia)

On Tuesday Maine Republican Senator and today's world moderate Olympia Snowe announced that she would not run for reelection.  The move sent shockwaves through Washington as Republicans, confident that the Senate would be their, suddenly confronted their likely loss of what would have been an easy win had Snowe stayed in.  The move also scrambled Maine politics as both Democratic congressmen from the state, two former governors and others consider the Senate race, while a dozen or so other politicians circled the Congressional seats of those two Democrats.

There was a time when Snowe may have been the most liberal/moderate Republican in the Senate.  Certainly after Lincoln Chafee, now Rhode Island's governor, was kicked out of office by Ocean Staters, she may have been.  Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania may have edged her out in that category, but he became a Democrat in 2009.  However, over the last few years and especially in 2011, Snowe had taken a rightward-turn that should have shocked even her longest-standing supporters.  Still, Snowe provided critical votes on the stimulus, Dodd-Frank (without demanding banks be coddled as a certain senator to be named soon) and for both of President Obama's nominees to the Supreme Court.

In a statement about her decision to retire, Snowe, 65, was confident she would win reelection (a fact most took for granted), but felt that in the short term the partisanship of Washington led her to beg off another six years in the Senate.  While media outlets were not wrong in noting her distaste for how the health care bill passed into law, it seemed hard to not see the greater partisan demons were within her party.  Between the increased pandering to tea partyism to likely incessant threats from Madman Mitch, Snowe probably had more than enough from her Republican "colleagues."

Perhaps as a demonstration of that, Snowe became the sole Republican to vote for the absurdly broad Blunt Amendment today, which if made law, would allow ANY employer to deny coverage for ANY health care for reasons of "moral conviction," an undefined term.  Ironically, her fellow Maine Republican, Susan Collins, voted for the bill, breaking that senator's record of being the most bipartisan senator of this Congress when it comes to sane votes.

Mitch McConnell, likely before creating another Horcrux

(Image of Voldemort from Wikipedia)

The radicalism of GOP votes stepped up considerably after the Democrats narrowly took back the Senate in 2006.  It is our theory that when Mitch McConnell became the leader of his caucus after Bill Frist left the Senate, he was furious that he would not be Majority Leader.  Why?  Because early on in 2005, he knew he would become Majority Leader.  Republican had just triumphed after Bush's reelection.  How could things go wrong?  Frist was going to keep his promise to serve only two terms (having first been elected in 1994) and therefore McConnell, then Senate Majority Whip would ascend.  Then George W. Bush's second term happened.  Republicans were falling left and right in 2006 including just enough senators.  McConnell's dreams were crushed.  But rather than become a cooperative Minority Leader, he became a vindictive one and pushed the Senate into becoming a parliamentary body where members are forced or threatened to remain in lockstep with leaderships.  

This kind of behavior is virtually necessary in Canada or the UK and acceptable in the House of Representatives, but never intended for the Senate as Snowe's column illustrates.  Democrats are not blameless in this regard, but it seems that McConnell took a behavior that had begun to creep into the Senate in 1980 and 1994 and used it wholesale.  Democrats, rightly or wrongly, felt they could not unilaterally disarm and fought fire with fire.  Thus the Senate of today.

Our One Hundredth: Belittle Women...

Sen. Brown (WMassP&I)

There are a number of reasons any given Republican may support the Blunt Amendment, a version of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act.  You may actually believe that birth control is evil.  You may believe the government should not force an employer to cover anything.  You may want to simply gut the Affordable Care Act under the guise of "religious liberty" at all costs.  Or you may simply be a fool.  Any of these could describe Senator Scott Brown.  As he has yet to articulate his reasons beyond "religious liberty," a term that is not defined or quantified or even used in the Blunt Amendment, we cannot be sure which do apply to him.

Support for this amendment, named for Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, and the fight that spurred it are simply bad politics for Brown on a number of levels.  The impetus for this whole debacle was the issuance of a rule from the US Department of Health & Human Services that would require religiously affiliated institutions to provide contraceptives to female employees for free under health care plans.  This is an important detail as coverage for contraceptives has already been required under an Equal Employment ruling that mandated that a women's health issue not be treated differently than men's.  This rule only applies to the classification of contraceptives as preventative health and therefore, under the Affordable Care Act, free.

Catholic bishops in the United States, including Massachusetts's four bishops whose flock have been subject to essentially this same law for ten years under state law, rebelled after months of planning a careful counterattack.  The response put President Barack Obama's White House on the defensive, especially as more and more Democrats began to complain.  The White House, turning a fumble into a touchdown (not an original thought) however, announced a change that would shift the burden of covering birth control to the insurance company and thereby allowing religious affiliated institutions to avoid any expense on contraceptives.

The result was not good enough for Republicans and the bishops, but Catholic health groups were placated and, while hedging, Maine's two Republican Senators seem willing to live with the White House's rule.  That most other Republicans would remain perturbed is unsurprisingly.  As documented by many in the media, Republicans across the country have waged a fight against contraception and the access to it.

St. Michael's Cathedral, Springfield
(Wikipedia)

For Brown to join this fight represents a grave risk with little, if any reward.  The public of Massachusetts, which was the epicenter of the Roman Catholic Sex Abuse scandal, is unlikely to show much sympathy for the church, which has been the epicenter of the scandal.  Moreover, while Brown is not himself a Catholic, backing a church position now is incongruous to innumerable other votes Brown has taken contrary to the church's position on social and economic justice.  However, that is not why this is a dangerous move for Brown.  Rather this bill and Brown's support for it highlights Brown's continuing woman problem.

Brown would likely dispute he has a  woman problem, but apart from his wife and daughters and the women who seem to go all a twitter when his name is mentioned, the senator has developed a lengthy track record that could make other women shudder.  More importantly, the women Brown should be worried about are the suburban women who will likely decide this election.

The Insight: An Eye To-Ward Greater Representation...

Councilor Edwards (Facebook)

Every individual who runs for office must have some ego.  While Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards is no different, it is quite obvious after only a few minutes with him that he keeps humility in a sizable reserve.  If that’s a strength, he is going to need all he can get and more as he takes on Senator James T. Welch in what may be the most highest profile primary race for state office in the area this year.

Edwards, a sophomore member of the Springfield City Council, and among the first batch of ward-elected councilors for the city in over fifty years, is not the council’s loudest or highest-profile member.  However, when he does speak, it easy to identify him as among those who may be the body’s conscience, never rushing to a decision and often excoriating councilors, the mayor and others for forcing the body to rush things needlessly.

Whether soft-spoken or eloquently speaking more forcefully at a council meeting or other public venue, it is clear that Edwards possesses a true and real love for Springfield.  That passion for the city is not just boilerplate polito-speak.  Rather it is the conviction of his tone coupled with factoids about Springfield‘s prouder aspects.  (like how Springfield’s Forest Park and Central Park share a connection through fabled parks designer Frederick Law Olmstead).   “My passion is for Springfield,” he said during an interview with Western Mass Politics & Insight.

It is no surprise that Edwards's tone moves between a soft conversational and ministerial, but never sanctimonious.  His mother was a Pentecostal minister, just one piece of the mosaic that forms his background, which includes roots in Pakistan, the West Indies and Native American tribes.  A resident of Springfield for virtually his whole life, Edwards raised his family here with his wife Suzanne.

Councilor Edwards at his desk (WMassP&I)

Edwards won reelection unopposed, like seven out of eight of the city’s ward councilors last year.  However, his initial victory in 2009 was made possible by the circumstances of the city’s changing municipal government.  The race was the inevitable next step for someone who had gone from sprucing up the Maple Heights/Six Corners neighborhood where he lives to becoming President of the neighborhood civic association.  Additional honors of late have included introducing Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren at a fundraiser for her in Springfield last year.

In an interview with WMassP&I, Edwards described his transition from citizen to public servant.  Well before ward representation was a reality, Edwards and his wife, tired of the condition of their neighborhood, among the city’s poorest, took to picking up garbage on the side of the road.  Their work quickly gained the accolades of other fed up residents and would become the genesis for Keep Springfield Beautiful.  It would be that early activism that led others to encourage Edwards to attend and participate in Maple High/Six Corners Neighborhood Council.

At the neighborhood council, Edwards ascended to president, a position he holds to this day.  However, even the president of the neighborhood council would find it difficult to get adequate responses from city departments.  The police often asked if a gun was involved before sending help on the way, a questionEdwards says is not posed to all neighborhoods calling the cops.  Facing these harsh realities where even the head of a neighborhood council could not get the answers he wanted from City Hall, Edwards and Ward 3 would find an opportunity in ward representation.  Edwards said that in the run up to the 2009 election, many in the neighborhood came up to him and urged him to take up the challenge and represent their ward at 36 Court Street.

Our One Hundredth: Invest...in Hamburgers...

Elizabeth Warren Greets White Hut Patrons (WMassP&I)

WEST SPRINGFIELD—Cameras and reporters jockeyed for space in the small dining room of the White Hut restaurant on Memorial Avenue.  It was official.  The race for the United States Senate had truly arrived to the greater Springfield area as Elizabeth Warren greeted voters and sampled the cuisine (hamburger w/ onions) at the legendary burger joint.

Warren arrived at White Hut with State Senator James Welch and Representative Michael Finn, both of West Springfield at about 12:30.  She spent the first few minutes of her visit slowly moving down the line of patrons sitting on the stools facing the counter.  Warren, who has never run for office before, showed off how much of a natural she is at retail politics, which has surprised many within an often skeptical media.  Patrons and staff, in response received her warmly and offered more than a few words of encouragement.

Reporters chatted with patrons and Warren staffers as the candidate conversed with Welch and Finn over some of the restaurants trademark hamburgers.  Patrons came and went during the busy lunch hour some bewildered by the mob, some stopping to greet Warren as she and the West Springfield elected officials lunched.

Sen. Scott Brown last summer (WMassP&I)

Meanwhile more than three hundred miles away, the man Warren seeks to unseat, Scott Brown, was making his own moves to secure reelection.  Working in tandem with several Democrats and armed with 90+ votes on a procedural action in the Senate, Brown touted the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act.  That proposed law would ban members of Congress, their families and their staffs, from using material information they glean from their duties to make stock trades. 

Originally, Brown and New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand introduced two separate bills, but they have since been merged into one committee bill.  Brown’s bill was the weaker of the two and attracted considerably less support than Gillibrand’s, but as Brown is a member of the committee with jurisdiction he has been given equal billing with Gillibrand.  Until recently, Brown’s public statements on the bill omitted any mention of Gillibrand.  The New York senator’s public comments, by contrast, often alluded to Brown.

The STOCK Act became the latest political football in the Massachusetts senate and the latest in a line of efforts on the part of Brown to appear more moderate since Warren announced in September.  Brown has voted somewhat more often with Democrats since last Fall in contrast to the first half of his term.  Indeed, Brown hurriedly walked up to President Barack Obama after the State of the Union to pitch the bill.  The president had alluded to the issue of congressional insider trading in his address.

Warren w/ Rep. Mike Finn and Sen. Jim Welch (WMassP&am

During an impromptu press conference Warren held after lunch, several reporters asked Warren about the insider trading legislation.  Mirroring comments she made on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell last week, Warren said she is “delighted to see it go forward.”  However she added an important caveat.  She wants to see the legislation take on stronger language. 

Specifically, Warren called on Congress to ban legislators from owning stock.  The thinking being that legislators should not be writing laws that could benefit the companies they own through shares.  For her part, Warren has committed herself to selling long held shares in IBM once elected to the Senate.  Brown, by comparison, is said to own shares in banks that benefited from the weakening of the 2011 Wall Street reform law, concessions Brown extracted from Democrats in exchange for his filibuster-ending vote.

Almost on cue, Warren’s request became a reality and entered the consciousness of the Senate thanks to a Senator Brown.  Not the Massachusetts Republican.  It was Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, who announced today that he would propose an amendment to the STOCK Act that would ban the ownership in company shares for elected federal officials.  As reported by Greg Sargent of the Washington Post, the Ohioan is quoted saying, “I want to see us go further. Why should members of the Senate vote on issues that affect the oil industry while owning oil industry stock? This is pure, it’s simple, it’s clean, it’s direct.”  

Sen. Sherrod Brown D-OH (Official Site)

Whether Sherrod Brown's amendment finds its way onto the bill or not, it has the effect of upending Brown’s good press on the subject.  If Scott Brown supports the amendment, Warren gets to one-up him as she pushed for the change from the outside.  If he opposes the amendment, Warren can hammer him.  Even if the amendment never gets a vote, Warren can still hang it around the Massachusetts Republican’s neck.

For all of the talk of the STOCK Act and the policy that will play a huge part of the campaign, Warren seemed to genuinely enjoy her White Hut outing.  She noted that the restaurant had been in business for three generations and that it was encouraging to see a small businesses like that prosper.  Warren added that she liked being able to talk to people.  When asked what patrons said to her as she greeted them, Warren said they were telling her, “Keep it up, girl.”

Warren also fielded questions about her and Brown's historic anti-SuperPAC pact and her work for Travelers Insurance.  Warren consulted for the insurance company on a Supreme Court case which, if decided, differently, could have damaged the effectiveness of compensation funds for victims.

Warren departed for Springfield to meet with Mayor Domenic Sarno and tour tornado damage in the city.  That meeting and tour were closed to the press, but was followed by a public visit to Lenox Tool in East Longmeadow.

The Year in Springfield, 2011...

(WMassP&I)

With another year under Springfield’s belt comes another edition of the Year in Springfield.  In its 375th year of existence the City of Homes suffered through one of the most erratic year of weather on record which brought a range of immense destruction and gross inconvenience.  Politically, it was also a tumultuous time from Springfield City Hall to Beacon Hill to the steps of Harvard University.

The year 2011 opened in Springfield with an eye, as in other places, to Washington, where a cadre of increasingly nihilistic “citizens” took their place in Congress and in state capitals across the nation.  While the boat rocked in Massachusetts with a shrunken, but still massive Democratic edge in the State House, Governor Deval Patrick took the oath of office once more. 

However, America was rocked only eight days into January when Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, by quite literally a madman.  Early accusations pointed to tea party extremism, but ultimately mental disease and not right-wing anarchy drove the young man to shoot Giffords and twelve others while murdering six.  Gifford suffered a traumatic shot to the head, be saved by the quick thinking of her intern of five days.

Cong. Gifford w/ her Mother weeks

after the shooting (PK Weis via Facebook)

President Barack Obama, given his first significant opportunity to play the healer-in-chief gave a stirring speech at a memorial service attended by Arizona’s Senators, its governor with Obama has frequently clashed, Giffords’ husband, Mark Kelly and Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who oversees the Ninth Circuit within which the slain judge, John Roll, served.

The event took on somewhat of a local relevance when Congressman Richard Neal held a press conference after the shooting noting that he had known Giffords and had raised money for her ahead of what had been a difficult reelection in 2010.  However, he also urged that parties take down a notch the vitriol and anger that had become pervasive in politics whether Loughner was driven by politics or not.

Also in January Amaad Rivera took office as the Ward 6 Councilor following the resignation of Keith Wright.  He took office because the city’s succession law is only written with only at-large councilors in mind and fills vacancies with runners-up.  Technically, Rivera was a runner-up even though he lost the 2009 election.  The chorus of dissent included this blog and came to a head on a vote for eminent domain as part of Forest Park Middle School renovations.  Rivera invoked Rule 20, the council’s parliamentary motion to delay the project to the shock of other councilors.  While we would settle our differences with Rivera, many remained incensed over the use of Rule 20, ironically including some who would encounter similar anger over its usage.

Councilor Amaad Rivera (WMassP&I)

However, the focus on Rivera would lessen as he became one of a super-majority of councilors that opposed a wood-burning biomass plant.  The special permit had been granted in 2008 by the last council on a 7-2 vote.  All ward councilors and two at-large councilors, including Jose Tosado who voted for the permit in 2008.  The Callahan Family, owners of Palmer Renewable Energy and like-named paving company poured money into experts who dismissed, often condescendingly, the health concerns raised by opponents.  Against the din of protests and threats of legal action the council revoked PRE’s permit on a 10-2 vote.

A Day for Massachusetts Political News...

**UPDATE** Andrea Nuciforo responds to Olver's Retirement

While two out of three of the notes that we are about to bring to you are Senate related, it would not seme to do any justice to just lump them as an edition of Our One Hundredth.

First off the non-Senate news.  Congressman John Olver of Amherst is retiring at the end of his current term.  He was elected in a special election in 1991 to replace Silvio Conte who had died.  Olver, 75, was thought to be near a retirement decision, especially since his wife had been diagnosed with cancer.  Attention will inevitably turn to the redistricting proposals now before the committee charged with widdling down the commonwealth's seats in Congress to 9 from 10.  The fear in Western Massachusetts has been that Olver's district would get mashed into Richard Neal's.  While that would probably do nothing to rock Neal, it would further sow the seeds of mistrust the Western half of the state feels toward Beacon Hill.  However, a possible compromise plan may be in the works that would put Worcester in Olver's district and drop other pieces into Neal's district.  The result would allow James McGovern, who represents the 3rd district, to give up redder territory and take friendly places like Amherst.  It would also give Andrea Nuciforo, a former State Senator and current Berkshire County Register of Deeds a leg-up because a primary against McGovern would mean a fight mostly on turf Nuciforo has fought on before.

Nuciforo, in a statement to WMassP&I said:

"I applaud John Olver for his dedicated service in the U.S. Congress.  John has always kept the people of Western Massachusetts first and foremost in his policy decisions. Congressman Olver has represented western and central Massachusetts with distinction, and I hope that he and Rose enjoy many years of happiness together. Congratulations, Congressman, and job well done!"

Elsehwere Alan Khazei has ended his campaign for the United States Senate. Khazei, who briefly stood as the frontrunner in the race before Elizabeth Warren entered the race, experienced difficulty in gathering support and funds after Warren's entry into the race.  While criticized by some Democrats for being the choice of Washington, it is impossible to deny that Warren enjoys incredible and organic support in the commonwealth on her own (see below).  Khazei had been the most prolific fundraiser before Warren's entry, but his third quarter results were a tenth of hers.  Moreover, when Khazei tried to paint Warren's money as coming heavily from PAC's a closer look at the data all, but proved that while Warren did get some PAC money, the overwhelming majority of the funds were from individual donors.  Some donors had donated to her campaign via EMILY's List or MoveOn.org, but the money still went to Warren from individuals.

Finally, Elizabeth Warren was in Springfield today for the second stop on her volunteer organizing tour.  She spoke to a crowd in excess of 100 (some estimates went up to 200) in the hall of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 7 in the city's Memorial Industrial Park (Fun fact! That area used to be golf course in the 1930's).  Warren greeted area Democrats at the door and took pictures with others.

Warren speaking before Supporters at IBEW Local 7 Hall (WMassP&I)

She was introduced by Ward 4 City Councilor E. Henry Twiggs, who in his own way, expressed his sincerest support for the consumer advocate.  When Warren spoke she gave her stump speech, but emphasized, as always, her concern about how the middle class has been squeezed in the current political and economic environment.  She then turned to the campaign itself and what it would take for those gathered to bring home a win.  Her campaign staff got into the details themselves, including talking to friends, hosting house parties and preparing for the upcoming caucuses (with her real competition eliminated, the caucuses may prove to the be the time to cement Warren's support at the convention and bypass the primary altogether).  Afterwards, Warren stepped down from the lectern to greet other supporters she had missed at the door.  Some left, but many more milled around to get a picture with Warren if they had not before.

Today was a big day for Massachusetts politics.  Olver's retirement and Khazei quitting have rocked the boat considerably.  While the consequences of Olver's decision will not be fully felt until the Congressional maps are released, it may be a subtler change in the Senate race.  Certainly future debates among the Democrats may or may not happen.  They should at least until the first of the year, just to season Warren a bit more.  Tom Conroy is the last realistic candidate still in the race and he can probably last until then.  He should.  If for no other reason than to allow Democrats to get lulled into a false sense of security when they need to be building their organization in preparation for what will be a titanic battle between Warren and Scott Brown.

Our One Hundredth: Senate Politics for Breakfast...

(WMassP&I)

CHICOPEE--At a handful of tables in the Knights of Columbus hall, Democrats in Western Massachusetts' second largest city, scarfed down a breakfast of eggs, bacon and other staples and presented their own Democrat of the year award.  Area political luminaries were present including the city's mayor Mike Bissonnette, State Senator James Welch, whose district includes a sliver of the city, and Ward 4 Councilor E. Henry Twiggs, Springfield's Democratic Party leader.  The award went to School Committee member Michael Pise, but he was not the only Democrat gaining attention.  US Senate Politics were also afoot.

Among those in attendance were State Rep. Tom Conroy D-Wayland and consumer advocate and former White House adviser Elizabeth Warren.  Both are candidates for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate.  Because virtually all municipal elections in Massachusetts are non-partisan and local party politics--in Greater Springfield anyway--are not particularly visible, events like these often go unnoticed.  However, with a nomination for a prized US Senate seat at stake, any local party event has the potential for much more.

Rep. Conroy & Mayor Bissonnette, 3rd & 2nd from right

Nevertheless, nearly all of the audience hung in even after Conroy and Warren spoke.  Pise, who declined to run for the school committee again after 20 years as a member of that body, is presently a candidate for an at-large city on the city council.  He received accolades from Welch (who also stood in for Chicopee rep Joseph Wagner) and aides for Congressman Richard Neal and Senator John Kerry on behalf of their bosses.

The small crowd let out strong cheers and applause for the Senate candidates.  Before the breakfast officially began, both candidates worked the room, but Warren, the chief architect of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, seemed to be the favorite.  Many more wanted to have their picture taken with her than Conroy.  Of course the elephant in the room was that Warren had netted millions of dollars, largely from small donors, in her first fund raising quarter compared to Conroy, who did not.  Conroy was overheard saying that he had 30 of his colleagues in the House supporting him.  The Wayland Democrats appeal to the audience focused mostly on his work for Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski, his time spent overseas and his win over an incumbent Republican that won him his House seat.

Elizabeth Warren (WMassP&I)

Warren, too, stuck with biography, recalling her earliest job as a babysitter at the age of nine for a "colicky baby" and her next job as a waitress at thirteen.  She also described how when she applied for law school, she was doing something nobody in her family had ever done before.  When she graduated, finding work was difficult because she had another baby on the way, her son, Alex.  However, she told the audience that she ultimately gravitated back to teaching, a job she had when between her time as an undergraduate and a law student.  Her overarching message, a central part of her stump speech, was that the America she grew up in offered the opportunity to the daughter of a maintenance man to become a professor at a "fancy-pants university" like Harvard.  "We lost our way," Warren said of the last twenty to thirty years and called for America to once again invest in its infrastructure, energy and the next generation.

After her remarks, Warren spoke about her campaign in a brief interview with WMassP&I.  Responding to a question about the urban problems facing cities like Springfield and Chicopee, Warren highlighted the some her signature priorities, namely education, infrastructure and renewable energy.  On education, Warren advocated for great financial help from Congress to struggling urban school districts to better prepare cities' populations.  

Her point on infrastructure and the need for greater help from Washington to maintain it was particularly instructive.  She explained that the mayor of Salem told her during a recent visit that aging water pipes are among that city's most troublesome infrastructure problems.  Warren noted that repairing such infrastructure as it broke down cost more, not only in repairs, but in time lost to residents and business affected by hastily arranged street closures and torn up roads.  Even, so she noted that cities like Salem simply did not have the money for fuller, more effective repairs.   Finally on renewable energy, Warren called for further investment in greener sources of electricity as a means to bring down energy costs and improve Massachusetts and its cities competitiveness in the national and international marketplaces.

Warren with Michael Pise (left),  Bissonnette (right)
and a supporter. (WMassP&I)

Warren, who is teaching a class at Harvard this semester, was also asked about balancing her academic career against her new life as a Senate candidate.  "It energizes me to be out meeting people," she said.  However, Warren noted that the law school's semester ends after Thanksgiving meaning she'll have more flexibility for her campaign come December.

In May Senate Republicans drafted a letter that announced their intention to block any nominee, although by implication especially Elizabeth Warren, to lead the CFPB unless it were partly defanged its independence were gutted.  This letter, among other factors, likely contributed to President Obama's decision to nominate Richard Cordray and not Warren to lead the new agency.  However, that effort may lead those same Senators to a time and place where Warren is a colleague of theirs.  If that happens, it may be among Senate Republicans' worst mistake yet.  In response to that scenario, Warren was philosophical, "Sometimes the ball has a funny bounce."  She made clear though that she did not dwell on such things.  Rather, her focus was making critical changes before its too late.  "I just want to help," she said.

(WMassP&I)

During the October 4 debate among Democrats in Lowell, Warren and her opponents were asked about illegal immigration.  While nearly all of the candidates offered support for proposals like the DREAM act, which offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrant children who graduate college or join the service, Warren offered a more personal take on immigration.  She noted that her son-in-law is an immigrant.  Warren told WMassP&I that he was from a small village in Northern India, to the south of Kashmir.  She beamed with pride talking about him, her daughter Amelia and her three grandchildren.  Her son-in-law, she said, "saw America as the land of opportunity."  

That's something Warren says she want to see remain true for both immigrants and native-born Americans alike.  To do that the US must consider what its values are and what it can do to "help create the conditions" for the next generation to succeed.

Our One Hundredth: Pikachu and Scott Brown, Posers All...

Pikachu's Pose/Taunt in SSBM (Youtube)

There's a bonus in the Gamecube video game Super Smash Bros. Melee (and its sequel) called Poser Poseur.  You earn it if you push your taunt/pose button immediately after another player (or the computer) has just done the same.  To your right is an adorable Pikachu posing like so!  The point of the bonus appears to be award points mockingly (there are many such bonuses) for lame and/or tasteless maneuvers on the part of the player.

Elizabeth Warren has only been a candidate for office formally for three weeks now.  Her bid has solicited frustration, anger and, dare we say, fear among some of her opponents.  In the case of Scott Brown, it has largely been an effort to paint Warren as living in an Ivory Tower called Harvard blissfully aware of the real world.  That strategy has not produced any results thus far.  Warren remains statistically tied with Brown.  Nevertheless, the de facto Brown-Warren campaign has been largely fought as a fund raising tool for Brown....until today when Brown opened wide and deftly inserted his foot into his mouth.

At Tuesday's debate, Warren and her fellow Democrats were asked how they paid for college.  The student panelist who asked the question was actually a young member of the Melrose Republican Committee.  There was some debate among the folks at Blue Mass Group as to why this was, but nevertheless, the panelist Scott Conway seemed to do a good job.  The exchange between Conway and Warren went as follows.

Scott Conway: To help pay for his law school education, Scott Brown posed for Cosmo. How did you pay for your education? 
Elizabeth Warren: I kept my clothes on. [laughter] I borrowed money. I was somebody who went to school and got student loans. I went to a public university at a time when they were well supported and tuition was cheap. And I had a part time job. So the combination got me through. I paid off my student loans about 10 years after graduation.

Elizabeth Warren (Facebook)

Thursday during an appearance at a Boston classic rock radio station, Brown was asked for his response to Warren's statement, "I kept my clothes on."  Following a short chortle, Brown exclaimed, "Thank God!"  He went on to say that he did not go to Harvard, but rather the school of hard knocks.

Needless to say Brown's remarks caused twitter feeds and news websites to explode with condemnation of both Warren and Brown, but the majority were largely aimed at the latter.  The response to Brown boiled down to you just don't say that about a female candidate.  It is not about political correctness or not, rather the reality is that, although men can be objectified like women, they usually are not.  Plenty of people have made that point, however.

Our One Hundredth: A Little Lowell Lovin'...

With the field more or less set, Democrats vying for their party's nomination to challenge Scott Brown debated for the first time at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell this evening.  The debate was moderated by UMASS-Lowell Chancellor and former representative Martin Meehan with questions from a student panel.  Having six participants, the word debate seems a little silly.  It was almost like a candidates forum, but with poorly enforced time limits.  In any event it was an opportunity for the candidates to introduce themselves to a wider audience.  We will do no less, but start with a couple of points.

With Elizabeth Warren very far ahead of the others in the polls, the former White House adviser had the traditional benefits and risks of frontrunner status.  Her goal was not to screw up.  She did that very well.  The phrases we have heard for three weeks now were, to those who have been following, a bit old.  However, her best moments were clearly the least scripted ones as on military service and immigration (her son-in-law is an immigrant).   If by the next debate she can talk about the middle class without repeating any of the phrases in her announcement video, she'll be just fine.

The other detail has to do with the implicit attack on Warren for receiving money from political action committees, namely the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and EMILY's List.  While both groups are left-leaning national groups based in Washington, neither are beholden to corporations or moneyed interests like Karl Rove's PAC's.  The PCCC may seem to be an example of the uncompromising left, but by all accounts they, like MoveOn.org (who also support Warren) began from the grassroots left.  EMILY's List is an organization dedicated to electing Pro-choice Democratic women and had similar humble roots in the mid-1980's.  It has been behind the election of most Democratic women senators in the past 25 years, beginning with Maryland's senior Senator Barabara Mikulski.

Finally this "debate," as said, was really more a showcase than anything else.  Although Bob Massie and Alan Khazei jabbed Warren's PAC money, the rest of the debate was civil and the candidates were largely in a agreement on the issues.  As the Twitterverse commented, the debate possessed something much of the GOP Presidential debates lacked: sanity.

Now, the Candidates!

Tom Conroy: The state rep turned Senate candidate appears to have stuck to basic liberal Democratic ideas.  His sell was that he beat a popular Republican in his State Rep district.  It is important to note, however that a State Rep seat has about 40,000 people in it.  Population of Massachusetts? 6.3 million+.

Marisa DeFranco:  The Twitterverse said she was gunning for the Mike Capuano vote.  She talked about not "capitulating."  While the Democrats have done their fair share of that, some things, like the Health Care Law, which some saw as a "capitulation" has been staunchly defended by Capuano.  DeFranco's argument about being from Essex County, a place Scott Brown largely won, also seemed weak.

Alan Khazei: Khazei emphasized his work with creating non-profits almost ad nauseum, but it was clear that he had what it takes to take on Warren past the convention and onto the primary.  Little, if anything distinguished him from Warren, but he did sound like he was trying to sound like he was just like her...only better.  His distinguishing remark, he enjoyed smoke pot at least once in his life.

Bob Massie: There is no doubt that the man has lived an impressive life, but it felt like much of his argument was "You don't know what you're missing."  The hits on Warren for PAC money was mostly from him and his evocation of Ted Kennedy, seemed misplaced.  To take back the people's seat, which Brown has used like a commode, we cannot wax nostalgic about Teddy.

Herb Robinson: The engineer who essentially called himself the Democratic counterpart to Scott Brown's everymanhood had some laughs, but seemed largely devoid of anything special.  He seemed nervous and struggled through many answers.

Elizabeth Warren:  See above for more, but did a very good job.  Expectations were sky high and, well, frankly her supporters would not be disappointed and her detractors would not be either.  If today was the introduction, now she needs to start sharpening her message.  That is extremely tough this early in the calendar and incredibly risky, but to keep the momentum, she's got to keep them interested and keep them coming back for more.

Our One Hundredth: She's In...

Prof. Elizabeth Warren (Facebook)

Western Mass Politics & Insight has learned from Talking Points Memo, the Huffington Post and David Bernstein at the Boston Phoenix that consumer advocate, Harvard Professor and Presidential Adviser Elizabeth Warren will announce  her campaign  for US Senate tomorrow in Boston.  Warren will face a slate of Democratic challengers for the nomination and the right to challenge sitting US Senator Scott Brown in 2012.

WMassP&I can also independently confirm via Warren's spokesman, that she is indeed running and will visit Springfield, in addition to Worcester, Framingham, and New Bedford after greeting commuter tomorrow morning in Boston.

Warren's statement of her intentions is as follows:

“The pressures on middle class families are worse than ever, but it is the big corporations that get their way in Washington,” said Warren, who in recent weeks has been in kitchens and living rooms listening to people all across the state. “I want to change that.  I will work my heart out to earn the trust of the people of Massachusetts.”

Warren gained national attention in the early days of the fiscal crisis when she was named to the oversight board for TARP, the financial bailout passed by Congress in 2008.  Warren, who had been a  consumer advocate and champion of the middle class for years, later advocated for the establishment of a consumer advocacy institution to protect customers of financial services.  The oversight authority sought had existed within the Treasury and Federal Reserve , yet the lack of interest or coordination across these agencies left consumers out on a limb.  During the years when easy credit built up the economic bubble, consumers were ultimately only left with a heavy debt load.  Warren was successful in her effort to convince Pres. Barack Obama on the need for the agency and with his support, the agency became part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act passed in 2010.

Over the past year Warren has served as an adviser to the president and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner working to set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  The agency officially opened in late July, but without Warren at its helm.  Forty-four Republicans promised to filibuster the confirmation of anybody nominated to head the agency unless the president agreed to weaken it (a rare and possibly unprecedented move).  Consequently, Obama nominated Warren's 2nd in Command Robert Cordray, the former Ohio Attorney General.

Over the last several weeks, Warren has engaged in a listening tour that took her from Fall River to Pittsfield.  A posting on Blue Mass Group appeared ostensibly written by the consumer advocate touched off a flurry of speculation.  It was further fueled by Warren's decision to hire two former staffers of Governor Deval Patrick as advisers to her exploratory campaign.  Warren then formally announced an "exploratory" committee.  

Perhaps a hint that may have otherwise go unnoticed came this morning when former Cong. Joe Sestak, the Democratic nominee for US Senate last year in Pennsylvania announced his support for Warren's campaign on DailyKs.

Now, the exploratory part has been dropped.  The Twitterverse is aflame with Warren Announcement News.  We will have further developments as they become available.

What is the Matrix...uh, Establishment?...

Opponents of Vietnam War at the Pentagon (wikipedia)

The answer to what the "establishment" is has never been clear, but use of the term “establishment” has escalated since it was used as a generic stand-in for the enemies of 60’s radicals.  Today, in political spheres, the term implicitly refers to the power brokers of a party or region, party elders, or special interest groups.  No candidate wants to be affiliated with the establishment or at least be described as such in public.  Still, the malleability of the term suggests that when the media or even other candidates use it to describe another candidate, greater care needs to be taken.

Today in Boston, Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard law professor and consumer advocate who set up the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau at President Barack Obama’s request, spoke to the Greater Boston Labor Council at their annual breakfast.  Her speech was seen as further, if not explicit evidence that Warren is on the verge of joining the race officially.  There was some minor griping by Bob Massie, the one-time candidate for lieutenant governor and liberal activist, that other candidates were not given a chance to address the group.  Others like Alan Khazei, who can be defined as the candidate with the best fund raising record, welcomed Elizabeth Warren to the race, but indicated he would contrast himself her status as the favored pick of Washington and Massachusetts “establishment” Democrats, as the Boston Globe phrased.  But is that description fair?

Elizabeth Warren (Facebook)

The way that Democrats in the nominating race are likely to paint Warren in a bad light by linking her to the establishment consists of two components.  First of all, Democratic Senate Campaign Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray rocked the boat of the implicitly non-establishment Massachusetts Democratic establishment by announcing a new candidate would emerge "in a few weeks."  It has been months.  Murray, who is tasked with holding the US Senate for the Democrats, has been accused of issuing pronouncements to the insult of the Bay State’s grassroots.  At the time, Massachusetts Democratic Party chief John Walsh was supportive of the candidate field at the time.  More recently, he has appeared to encourage Warren’s entry into the race.  Many other Democrats in Washington and in Massachusetts have followed suit.

The other component of the attack will be stirring up the argument that Martha Coakley, too, was the “establishment” candidate and that bore no fruit.  Notably, Coakely announced her intention to run at the same breakfast two years ago that Warren spoke at today.

However, the second part of the attack runs aground the facts.  Coakley, was not, actually, widely pushed by the establishment.  She received substantial backing from state and national party folks, but there was a definite split within the party.  Many Congressman who serve with Rep. Mike Capuano, including Richard Neal, supported their colleague over the popular Attorney General.  Many liberals broke from the centrist Coakley and voted for Khazei, who also ran in 2009.  The splits were deep enough that it became one of a number of secondary contributing factors to Coakely later loss to Scott Brown.

Our One Hundreth: Taking on Water...Will Scott's Heart Go On...

RMS Titanic (Wikipedia)

Two things bookend year one of Scott Brown’s career as the junior Senator from Massachusetts so far.  One, is an image of him sailing out from his front door ahead of  a trip to Washington before his swearing-in a few days later.  The other is his impressive, unsinkable approval numbers a year later, after his party gained little or no traction in his home state.  Despite a rejection of Brownism in Massachusetts, Brown had numbers that were bigger than all the other Massachusetts pols.  From that position, Scott Brown’s maiden voyage in the Senate confidently moved on toward reelection.

It is too early to tell, but with each passing month, his second year in the US Senate is not shaping up to be as good as the first.  Brown seemed to avoided catastrophe after last November or so he may have thought, but the fact is that troubled waters lay ahead.  The ocean between his unexpected win and his reelection is vast and not without peril.  But Scott Brown is unsinkable!  So what if there political icebergs out there, they can't take him down!

The Titanic parallels are not without their purpose.  As the arc of history has moved forward, it has become possible to see that Brown faces a bend away from further glory and adulation.  What started as a leak earlier this year when Brown thought he saw a dead Osama bin Laden has become an outright flood.  It is not clear or inevitable that the water will overwhelm more than his forward four watertight compartments.  However, if July and August are any indication, it does not look good for the S.S. Scottanic.

Image by WMassP&I from fair use material

For several months now, but with increased fervor recently, the Massachusetts Democratic Party has hammered Brown for holding nary a single town hall meeting.  Indeed, Brown’s interaction with the public has been limited to scripted events, ed-ops, friendly media encounters and fundraisers.  His jobs tour, which we’ll get to in a moment, has been a feeble attempt to counter that argument, by seeming responsive to the fact that Americans care about jobs and not the deficit nonsense.  The wheels began to come off with the bin Laden photo flack, but it becomes so much easier to see Brown's PR strategy in context following that disastrous interview.

However, Brown’s opportunity to stand out on the debt ceiling was flubbed when he announced he would vote for any plan that raised the debt ceiling.  What was intended to be a declaration of reasonableness amid fiscal lunacy ended up being a pathetic appeal for action from a powerless Senator who made his campaign all about the power of stopping Barack Obama.

Our 100th: Warren and Peace...

Sen. Gillett (Wikipedia)

The last Senator for Massachusetts from Western Mass (the four westernmost counties if you think Worcester is Western) was Frederick Gillett.  Prior to serving one term in the US Senate, Gillett represented the 2nd Massachusetts Congressional district, the same that Richard Neal represents now.  Gillett would also serve as Speaker of the House from 1919-1925.  Like Neal, Gillett was from Springfield.

This bit of historical trivia is not directly tied to the questions among Democrats in their quest to unseat Scott Brown in 2012.  It does, however speak to some of the challenges that will face the nominee whoever, he or she is.  Western Mass went hard for Brown, save the cities, but then swung back hard for Gov. Deval Patrick last year.  It seems that while Western Mass has lagged the rest of Massachusetts in terms of growth, it often becomes the margin of victory for statewide campaigns with a possible assist from the Cape & Islands.  For the moment, Democrats' problems do include geography, but not east and west.  Rather there problems lies between here and Washington.

Sen. Murray (Wikipedia)

The Boston Globe , perhaps overplaying the discord a bit, did highlight the chasm between the national Democratic party and the State Party this past Saturday.  Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee is tasked with defending the Democrats' 23 seats up in 2012 and possibly grabbing one or two from the Republicans' 10 seats up next year.  She said earlier this week that a strong challenger would be coming forward "within weeks."  The Globe reported that this has rankled the declared candidates notably Alan Khazei, a philanthropist and Bob Massie, a former Lietenant Gubernatorial candidate.  Setti Warren, Mayor of Newton, notably, had no comment.

In some ways the implications of a better candidate is insulting and could, as some in the story suggested, hurt fund-raising in the future if one of the declared candidates does become the nominee.  Some also suggested that it was wrong for the national party to dictate terms as to who should become the nominee.  

On the ground in Massachusetts, some Democrats seem to agree with Gov. Patrick's call for an organic process.  However, the reality is that the field is weak, perhaps as the New York Times noted in a misleadingly titled story, because Ted Kennedy outshone any efforts to build up a bench for Democrats in Massachusetts.

Ex. State Sen. Rossi (Seattle Weekly)

While Sen. Murray could be a bit more tactful in her language, her fear and her desire for a stronger candidate may come about due to her own experiences.  Although on the winning side, Murray witnessed what happens when candidate rise with a track record of failure and the party on the outs lacks a bench.  Dino Rossi an ex-legislator in Washington state, challenged Murray in last year's Senate election, but lost.  Rossi had earlier run for governor in 2004, lost (after an acrimonious recount) and then went for a rematch against incumbent Christine Gregoire only to lose amongst the Obama wave by a larger margin.  Why did Republicans pick him to run?  They had nobody else.  Republicans seem doomed to repeat this in 2012 against Murray's fellow Washingtonian, Senator Maria Cantwell.

While Rossi was hardly an "organic candidate," he was well-known in Washington State's Republican circles.  His candidacy may be instructive for both supporters of an organic nominees and those who want somebody with star power (it may  be a stretch to say Rossi had star power or was organic, however).  Essentially his candidacy exposed the Republicans for reaching "into the Pickle jar" to quote Rachel Maddow.  The organics should worry about an untested candidate lacking name recognition (like Setti Warren) or one with a track record of failure or no political experience...or name recognition. (like Massie, Khazei).  Remember, Brown's best non-monetary strength is name recognition.

Sen. Brown (Wikipedia)

While Scott Brown came from nowhere, his path cannot necessarily be replicated.  Brown's candidacy and term thus far, were/are an exercise in political manufacturing.  Once Coakley let her guard down, the Republican message machine led by Eric Ferhnstrom and others sensed their moment and swooped in.  A combination of out-of-state financing and well placed tropes about Brown's Everymanhood shot him from Wrenthem to Washington.  A Democratic candidate can become likewise known, but should not assume that mirroring Brown's path is possible or without its own perils.

Taking all of this in, risks and all, this leaves the field with three possibly four candidates, declared or otherwise, that can/could overcome the hurdles ahead.  Mayor Warren, Elizabeth Warren the Harvard professor struggling to set up the Consumer Finance Protection Agency against generic Republican tripe about liberty and Mike Capuano, the Congressman from Somerville Coakley defeated in 2009. Other Congressmen are possibilities, but they seem more remote than Capuano.