After spending over two million dollars on his re-election campaign, Congressman Richard Neal still was unable to win a landslide victory last week over his almost penniless opponent Tom Wesley, who still managed to get a solid 43% of the vote. A class act until the end, Wesley released the following statement this week:
Despite the fact that Massachusetts did not pick up a seat on Capitol Hill, there were many inroads into restoring strength on Beacon Hill. Perhaps voters were more comfortable swinging towards more two-party balance in the Statehouse than in adding to the new majority in the US House. At least for this year’s cycle. At the Congressional level, the incumbents depleted their enormous war chests to hold off challengers who were outspent by factors of 20-1. That treasure is gone and it is not coming back now that the Democrats have lost their majority.
We gave hope to 91,181 voters who have not had a choice in 14 years. Maybe our incumbent will be a little more responsive in his behaviors to his constituents. Something tells me that 2012 can be a great year for any number of seasoned challengers.
You made this possible. I was honored to carry the banner and I am humbled by the experience.
The people of our Valley owe a great debt of gratitude to Wesley (and his primary challenger Dr. Jay Fleitman) for the wonderful role they played this year in returning our Valley to a fully functioning two party democracy after 14 years of Neal's unchallenged incumbency.
A horse and wagon crossing the UMass campus.
Me, Paul Revere and his horse at Raos in downtown Amherst.
One of the most controversial figures of Pioneer Valley politics in the last quarter of the 20th century was former Springfield City Councilor and radio personality Mitch Ogulewicz. He's kept a low profile in recent years and I know many people are interested in what he's up to these days. This is an email I received from Mitch recently:
Brian Santaniello, Francis Keough and Mitch Ogulewicz in 1986
Tom:
Just had a chance to read your blog. I like the new color scheme. I enjoyed the article on the fundraiser and Scott Brown. Also the analysis of the Congressional races.
Other than doing a lot of unpacking, I haven't done much since moving down here to South Carolina. After 113 days being "homeless" while our house was being built, my wife Cyndi and I are now happily settling into our new home.
The last several weeks have been spent unpacking boxes and figuring out where things are going to be placed. I am sure that we will continue to do this throughout the summer, but it is nice to have a place to call ours.
We have been down here since May 23rd. I retired after 36 years in banking on May 21 and we left for South Carolina the next day. We rented a furnished corporate apartment for a month. Spent our time checking on the final stages, as the house was being built, laying out by the pool at the apartment, going to various stores to check things out.
The house has what they call a bonus room above the garage. That is my room. It looks like the second Kennedy Library with all the pictures etc on the walls. I am attaching a picture I took a couple of weeks ago. But I can assure you that there is even more on the walls now.
The South Carolina Democratic Party (what's left of it down here) has found me and has invited me to a breakfast on Saturday morning. Probably will attend, just to see how things are done down here. South Carolina just concluded its primary and I can tell you that it is rough and tough politics.
The politics down here is very Republican. Although the word is that the Democratic candidate for Governor could pull it off. The Republican nominee is a woman named Haley. Many think she is too close to Mark "I am In love with an Argentinean" Stanford. He can't get along with even the Republicans and they can't wait for him to leave office.
Down here they have a Primary (it was in June). A candidate must get 50% plus 1 vote to get the nomination. If not they have a runoff of the top two 2 weeks later.
Don't believe that Reagan philosophy of the 11th commandment, "speak no ill of fellow Republicans". They eat their own. In Massachusetts they stab you in the back and leave no finger prints. Down here they are 10 times worse and do it to your face.
Cyndi and I did join a wine tasting club. Meets every Thursday. I have actually found that most members are Democrats. They are constantly asking me about the Kennedy's and Massachusetts politics. Of course I just refer to your blog and when I can find something I email it to them.
There is also an organization called "Liberally Drinking", which also meets once a week at a local bar. It Is all Democrats (the 100 or so that are In South Carolina) and they sit around talking about politics. Right now they are trying to figure out what to do about a guy named Greene who won the Democratic primary. He beat an established politician who spent a few hundred thousand dollars. Green spent zero, no one knows who he is, and he didn't campaign.
He is running against Jim De Mint the incumbent, who by the way lives not too far from me in the same town. I live in Travelers Rest, population 4500.
Well just thought I would drop you a line. Hope all is well.
Mitch
Speaking of the Kennedy's, I recently came upon these bumperstickers in a Northampton antique shop.
In the window of the same shop is this 41 year old Westfield Tricentennial banner.
Speaking of the tea parties, here's a cartoon that's been circulating the internet about moss-bound north-Valley Congressman John Olver and his challenger Bill Gunn. (click to enlarge)
In Northampton I came upon this offer for free stuff, but the only things that were offered was rocks! Useless to most people perhaps, but treasures to children.
Mennonites from Russell singing on the steps of Northampton City Hall last night.
School for the Dead playing downtown Hamp last weekend. Photo by R.M. Quinn.
Experimental film and music out of Hampshire College in Amherst.
Whaddup blog readers! Here is yet another out of print article rescued from the vaults, this time a September 16, 2001 piece about Congressman Richard Neal and the media criticism he faced in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
Whatever his flaws, no one has ever accused Congressman Richard Neal of a lack of political sophistication. In fact, he has a reputation of being a political junkie who rarely looks at anything without considering the political ramifications. That may have gotten him into some hot water last week when he was caught in what he described as a "casual conversation" with a reporter criticizing President Bush for appearing "bland" in his remarks following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. Neal then went on to compare Bush unfavorably to Bill Clinton. Also caught with his foot in his mouth was Neal's colleague and Washington roommate Rep. Martin Meehan, who scoffed at the notion that security concerns delayed the president's return to Washington from Florida following the attacks.
For seeming to suggest that the president acted cowardly, it was Meehan who took the brunt of the criticism (actually the president's actions were dictated by his security staff, whom Bush eventually overrode and then quickly returned to Washington anyway.) But both congressmen found themselves at the center of a firestorm of media criticism for making petty attacks on the president at a time of national emergency, violating a bi-partisan understanding among politicians everywhere to refrain from public criticism of the President in times of crisis.
Former Mayor Taupier
For Neal however, who seldom appears in the national spotlight, the sudden media condemnation must have come as a shock. Locally, even a stalwart Democrat like former Holyoke Mayor William Taupier exclaimed in the Union-News, "They are both friends of mine, but I am outraged. This is not a time for politics; they're acting like rank amateurs."
Among the most sarcastic criticism came from Boston Herald columnist and radio host Howie Carr, who lambasted Meehan and Neal by calling them "Osama Bin Meehan" and "Richie 'The Sheik' Neal." In a rant in which he also criticized Amherst residents for complaining that their town was displaying too many flags, Carr then turned his acid-tipped pen to the two Massachusetts congressmen. "Finally we come to the two congressional collaborators, Osama bin Meehan and Richie the Sheik. First Richie - Who knew he could even talk? The last time I remember him speaking was when he called his local newspaper to deny that he had impregnated one of his aides."
Howie Carr at the Big E in September 2009.
What was Howie Carr talking about? Shortly after Neal was first elected to Congress, an item appeared in the Springfield Newspapers in which Neal denounced rumors that he had impregnated an aide who allegedly then had an abortion. The rumors were never proven, and what amazed most people was that the matter ever appeared in the paper at all. But sophisticated observers recognized the article as just the standard sort of warning the Springfield Newspapers typically give to newly elected politicians; designed to give them a taste of what could happen should they stray too far off the plantation.
For example, when Springfield Mayor Mike Albano was newly sworn in, a front page story accused him of hiring unqualified cronies to work in his administration. That article inspired a woman who worked at the then city-owned Municipal Hospital to come forward and call talk show host Dan Yorke to complain that a member of the politically connected Pellegrino family had been hired for an important post for which he had no known qualifications.
Yorke ran with the story, expecting the Springfield Newspapers to follow up with this new evidence backing up their front-page story. Instead, the paper remained silent, refusing to cover the story. The woman who called Yorke became so intimidated by people whom she refused to identify that she backed down and declined to co-operate with Yorke any further.
The reason for the paper's silence was clear. They had never intended to seriously investigate cronyism in city government - they only wanted to show Albano their power. If the paper's actions were paraphrased into words they might read, "Look Mikey, before you get too big for your britches, remember that we buy ink by the barrel, and we will be glad to spill a lot of it on your behalf if you make us happy. But refuse to do things our way, and here's a small sample of what we can write. Whether we print something like this in the future or not will depend on your level of co-operation."
The publication of the Neal pregnant aide rumor almost certainly fell into the same category of a simple warning, so Carr may have been going a bit too far to drag that skeleton out of the closet. After all, the rumor need not have been true to still be effective as a club for the Springfield Newspapers to use. In any case Neal appears to have learned his lesson well, since the paper has treated him with kid gloves ever since.
Ironically, it may have been the puffball treatment he's used to getting from the local press that was responsible for Neal committing his blunder with the Boston press. He's so used to having everything spun his way that it never occurred to Neal that reporters in other places consider it their responsibility to report on what politicians actually say and do, and do not censor or revise all comments in a positive way simply because the politician is in bed with the local publisher.
But that still doesn't explain why a politically astute guy like Neal let himself get into such a mess in the first place. A clue may be found in the Ogulewicz Chronicles, the memoirs of former City Councilor Mitch Ogulewicz, who has known Neal since the beginning of Neal's political career. In his memoirs, Ogulewicz describes an intense confrontation he once had with then Mayor Neal over the need to repair roofs on the city's schools. Despite evidence that some school roofs may have posed a safety hazard, Neal didn't want to spend money on them because the average taxpayer wouldn't be able to see where the money was spent.
"No one can see a fucking roof!" Ogulewicz says Neal told him. "The public only cares about what they can see!" The portrait Ogulewicz presents of Neal is of a person for whom everything is political. Therefore while most people saw President Bush as our country's leader doing his best to comfort a shocked and grieving nation, Neal perceived simply a politician giving a performance, and therefore saw nothing inappropriate in suggesting that Bill Clinton would have put on a better show.
But whatever the reason, Neal's apparent lack of sensitivity and understanding of the 9/11 tragedy must surely be considered, as ex-Mayor Taupier was quoted as describing Neal's comments in the Springfield Newspapers:
"Stupid, stupid, stupid."
Bye Buzz
Buzzers Bill Peters and Greg Saulmon
I'm saddened to learn that the Valley cyberzine Local Buzz has at least temporarily ceased online publication. The hiatus is due to the departure of Buzz co-writer Bill Peters, who has been laid off by the Buzz's parent company Masslive.com, which is the web portal for the Springfield Newspapers. Co-writer Greg Saulmon will continue to work with Masslive as a director of online content, but has opted not to continue Local Buzz without Peters. A third buzzling, Josh Thayer, left the cyberzine about a year ago.
Local Buzz started as both an online and print publication. However, just when the print version appeared on the brink of a market breakthrough, financial hardships forced the Springfield Newspapers to abruptly discontinue the print edition and Local Buzz went exclusively online. The Local Buzz became known as one of the best written and beautifully photographed websites in the Valley, as well as for its indepth reporting and sharp wit.
Hampenings
Here's a display in Northampton's Pulaski Park.
I should say something about the inappropriateness of religious displays in public places, but the Christians get away with it so often that I feel mean complaining about the Jews.
The Academy of Music is having a Paul Newman film festival next month.
My neighbor put an Earth flag in their garage window.
Another neighbor is getting into composting.
Guns and Roses.
A giant snowbird sits on her eggs in front of the science store on King Street.
If the science store should ever go out of business, it could sell its window sign to an LSD dealer.
Today's Music Video
In Northampton a few nights ago singing about a local highway.
Wikipedia - Unlike most states it passes through, US 202 is posted as a north-south highway in Massachusetts, as most of its length through the state runs mostly in those directions.
US 202 and Route 10 enter the Bay State at the "Congamond Notch", a southward jog in the state line that includes Congamond Lake. North of Westfield, US 202 turns eastward toward Holyoke and Belchertown. It then heads north along the west side of the Quabbin Reservoir through New Salem toward Athol. This section of US 202 has been dubbed the Daniel Shays Highway, named for a Revolutionary War veteran who led an insurrection against the state government of Massachusetts. US 202 meets Route 2 at Orange, and runs along the two-lane freeway to Phillipston. There, it diverges to the north again as a two-lane road.
In Massachusetts, US 202 passes through the municipalities of Southwick, Westfield, Holyoke, South Hadley, Granby, Belchertown, Pelham, Shutesbury, New Salem, Orange, Athol, Phillipston, Templeton, and Winchendon.
It is almost impossible to live your whole life in Western Massachusetts and never have been in the presence of Ted Kennedy (above with Charles V. Ryan in 1965). I have seen him marching in parades and from a distance at political events where he spoke, but the closest I ever got to Kennedy personally was the time during the 2004 Democrat Convention in Boston, when I met him coming out of a back door behind Fanuel Hall. Here is an excerpt from my coverage of that convention which includes my encounter with Kennedy.
No matter what your political persuasion, the 2004 Democrat Party convention in Boston was a major event. In fact it was probably the most important political event ever held in Massachusetts during the lifetime of most people now living. There have been bigger and better national conventions, but they were not held in Boston, so to us Massachusetts political junkies this was like the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards rolled into one. So despite the fact that I wouldn't vote for John Kerry or John Edwards for dogcatcher, let alone president, I decided I must go.
In this quest I faced many obvious disadvantages. For one thing there was the post-9/11 security. Just four years ago, when people talked about "convention security" they were referring to keeping bums and pickpockets out and making sure the drunken delegates didn't get too rowdy. Anybody with the right combination of schmooze and chutzpa could probably manage to get inside and stay there as long as they behaved themselves. But those days are long-gone, perhaps forever. Security at both party conventions this year reached near police-state levels.
Another problem was that I knew few people in Democrat Party circles of influence likely to help me. I could approach the challenge to get in from the media angle, perhaps using my radio gig with Tony Gill at WAIC, but how much would the Democrat poohbahs be impressed by a request from a small college radio station? Even if I could get inside that way, Tony Gill told me that with the students gone for the summer, there was no staff to set up a remote broadcast.
But just when my prospects looked darkest, who should come to the rescue but former City Councilor Mitch Ogulewicz! Mitch and Democrat nominee John Kerry have been friends since the beginning of Kerry's career, with Mitch having served as Western Mass co-coordinator for both Kerry's Lieutenant Governor race and first Senate campaign. Ogulewicz had really gone out on a limb in that Senate race by backing Kerry, since everyone else in the Valley was backing favorite son David Bartley. Mitch's loyalty under difficult circumstances was something Kerry never forgot.
Therefore Mitch received a special guest pass for Kerry's nomination speech, enabling Mitch to listen to the address from a special VIP section reserved for Kerry's friends from throughout his career. Would Mitch's status as a Friend of John be sufficient to get me in as well? Probably not, but it would be worth a try. Besides in any case I would be able to phone in a report on the convention scene to WAIC and gather stuff for this website no matter what went down, so it was really a can't lose proposition for me to accompany Mitch to our state capital. Besides, maybe Mitch's pass could also get me into some of the official convention shindigs taking place throughout Boston.
Mitch is usually a great person to go anywhere with if there is a big crowd and attendance may be difficult. Somehow Mitch always manages not just to get in, but to also get the best seats. I remember going with him once to see John McCain, and we got so close the press photographers were trying to aim around us while the CSPAN broadcast of the rally showed Mitch and I in virtually every shot. At Charlie Ryan's inauguration, Mitch and I had front and center seats in the row directly behind the family. The only way we could have gotten any closer was to have gone next door to City Hall and changed our name to Ryan. Mitch likes to get right into the belly of the beast, and of course that is exactly where I want to be as well.
Upon arriving in Boston around 8 a.m. the first test of Mitch's pass was the Massachusetts Delegation breakfast at the posh Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, where the cream de la cream of Massachusetts Democrats were gathering to eat gourmet eggs and bagels beneath crystal chandeliers. As we approached the elegant entrance to the hotel, we were immediately confronted by security. Wisely, I had let Mitch walk a little ahead of me, so that security would address him first. They asked him for his pass, and appeared immediately impressed. At this point I positioned myself beside Mitch like a shadow, and the security person simply said to me, "Are you with him?" I answered yes and Mitch nodded in agreement. Zip - it was that easy as I was waved through security to venture deep inside the very beating heart of the Democrat Party of Massachusetts!
Famous faces were everywhere, and the first person to approach us was former State Representative Ray Jordan. Although Mitch and Jordan have had their disagreements over the years, they greeted one another more like old friends rather than rivals. The members of the Pioneer Valley delegation to the convention were all there. Some of them looked startled to see me, but no one was rude. Only one member was conspicuous in his absence, Congressman Richard Neal. That was too bad, I had hoped to try and trap him into posing for a picture with Mitch.
While most of the speeches at the breakfast were predictable and dull, U.S. Congressman Barney Frank's brief remarks stood out as both interesting and passionate. He denounced the heavy security at the convention, accusing the authorities of being too afraid of dissent. Frank declared that protestors "should be allowed to be as rude and rowdy as they want, as long as it doesn't turn violent." He even took a verbal swipe at the Boy Scouts who had earlier led a flag procession into the breakfast, saying that he was "so moved by the flag presentation that I wished that the Boy Scouts would let me be a member," a thinly veiled zinger delivered at the organization's refusal to admit homosexuals.
After the breakfast we were all shooed out the door to make room for the next event. Mitch and I were walking down the street, discussing what to do next, when we ran into former Springfield Newspapers reporter Jonathan Tilove, whom Mitch has known since his city council days but hadn't seen in many years. That is one of the nice things about attending affairs like this, you run into people you haven't seen in ages. Tilove now works for the Newhouse Corporation's Washington bureau.
Eventually we decided to go over to historic Fanuel Hall, near Quincy Market, where a big Democrat Party shindig was supposed to be held. By the time we got there the event was already underway and filled to capacity. However a loudspeaker had been set up outside to accommodate the overflow crowd and there was no mistaking the booming baritone of the current speaker, Senator Edward M. Kennedy. We stopped to listen, and after a few minutes Mitch noticed a black Chevy SUV with its engine running parked by an unmarked door. There were security guys hovering all around it. Mitch told me that it was probably waiting for Senator Kennedy.
The sad truth is that because Ted is the last surviving Kennedy brother he was a target of special interest to sickos who wanted the distinction of taking down the last Kennedy brother. Therefore Kennedy usually arrived late to public events and left early, the better to confuse a would-be assailant. As Kennedy ended his speech Mitch and I decided to wander over closer to that SUV and see what would happen. At first no one bothered us, but when I reached into my knapsack for my camera, all of a sudden this big guy in sunglasses with a wire in his ear was right on top of me with an intimidating expression on his face. I slowly took out my camera and once he saw what it was he backed off. However the eagerness with which he seemed prepared to pounce on me was unnerving.
Then suddenly the unmarked door swings open and there he is, being hustled toward the car by a swarm of security, our U. S. Senator and the brother of the late President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
He's so close to me that I'm caught totally by surprise, but not so much that I fail to swing into action with my camera. The Senator spots Mitch, whom he recognizes from having done radio interviews with Ogulewicz in years past. He greets Mitch warmly, but when I try to get a shot of them shaking hands this security goon gets in the way and I have to twist in an awkward manner that cuts all but Mitch's hand out of the picture. Great shot of Big Ted though.
All this takes about thirty seconds until Ted is in the car and they're moving, but not before I get off one last shot of Senator Kennedy looking through the window, perhaps wondering who this pesky photographer is that has been shadowing him all the way. Then again, he's probably very used to it.
Finally Mitch and I decide it is time to head over to the convention hall itself. We arrive at the Fleet Center, which is the hall where the convention is being held, only we can't see it. There is such a wall of security barriers that the building itself is invisible. Is this our post-911 future, a world of steel and razorwire as armed soldiers look down upon us? It was all very creepy. A few minutes of this Orwellian environment and all hope of my being smuggled into the convention evaporates. They would never let an old outlaw like me into this uptight joint, even if I am accompanied by a Friend of John.
So Mitch went into the convention hall, and I caught a bus back to Amherst.
Today's Video
Yesterday was the big Woodstock show at Northampton's Look Park - prompting the event to be billed as "Lookstock." Unfortunately no videos have surfaced yet, but a few photographs have.
Here's WHMP's Bill Dwight as Wavy Gravy. Pretty good, and extra points for including the Merry Prankster overalls that Ken Kesey used to have them wear during a certain phase.
Brian T. Marchese performed as Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. Here's a picture of him as Kreutzmann.
The real Bill Kreutzmann as he was in the Woodstock era.
Bill Dwight took this photo of Northampton's Mayor Clare Higgins in high hippie fashion.
Until I get some video from the show, here's more from the official Woodstock 40 anniversary concert to tide you over.
Remember last summer when someone put some grease under the nose of the statue of Calvin Coolidge in Northampton's Coolidge Park to make him look like Adolph Hitler?
That was so disrespectful, so unjustified, so outrageous - and so funny! Cal's mustache has since been cleaned off, but lately another problem with the statue has been rectified. Despite being the only resident of our Valley ever to be elected to the presidency, when alive Coolidge was pretty quiet about his accomplishments, which is part of why he was called "Silent Cal."
However, his statue should not be modest, and thus it was with dismay that it was discovered that one of Cal's honors - his service as Northampton's Clerk of Courts - had been unintentionally omitted. The problem was there was no room on the statue to add anymore accomplishments!
However the other day I noticed that a portion of the monument was wrapped in duct tape with some poles holding something in place. What could it be?
A day later - voila! The tape was removed and sure enough there was a special plaque stuck on the side of the monument listing Cal's years as Clerk of Courts.
Maybe the prestige of that extra honor will be enough to scare away the next vandal that wants to turn him back into Hitler.
Classy Lady
I'm saddened to read in this morning's paper about the death of former Springfield City Councilor Mary Montori (above). Everyone called her "Betty" and on a legislative body often rightfully derided as the "City Clowncil" she was a person of character and strong convictions.
If Springfield could only have had more people of conviction like Betty Montori in public office, someone who was willing to stand up for what she believed no matter what the consequences, the city may never have fallen to its current state.
May she rest in peace.
Authentic Journalist
Former Valley Advocate reporter and WNNZ radio host Al Giordano (above) was a friend of the late singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley. In fact Buckley's song The Sky is a Landfill is based on an essay written by Giordano. Al had this to say about Buckley's tragic death:
Jeff Buckley was a singer-songwriter with a voice of five octaves and the big heart of an authentic revolutionary. Jeff dedicated his life to telling the truth. His death by drowning in the Mississippi River in 1997 was pronounced “accidental.”
Don’t believe it!
I was one of the last humans to see Jeff in New York City, on his way to the airport, to Memphis, where he was late in recording an album for Sony. The music company had fucked with him and his ability to tell the truth as he saw it. They wouldn’t let him choose his own producer. They imposed one on him: wanting to exploit his talent commercially, in violation of Jeff’s own vision.
Some months later, on the night before he was to begin recording at the gunpoint of a contract with Sony, as his bandmates were arriving by airplane, Jeff, drunk on wine, on the banks of the river where signs shout that the currents are dangerous and do not swim there, Jeff entered the river with his boots on: With his fucking boots on!
He was last heard singing “Wanna whole lotta love” and then he sung no more....
Do you want to know how to kill an authentic journalist or a revolutionary? Do you want to know how to provoke a truth-seeker and truth-teller into taking his or her own life? Play a con game on him or her: that’s how.
Keep ciphering Mr. President, in the meantime let's look at some political developments closer to home:
Dr. Fleitman
After years of not having any opposition, Congressman Richard Neal is finally facing a credible challenger, as reported in this morning's UMass Collegian. United States Rep. Richard Neal, a University of Massachusetts journalism lecturer and former Springfield mayor, will face a challenger for his second district house seat for the first time since 1998.
Republican Jay Fleitman, chairman of Northampton’s Board of Health, a Republican ward chairman, and a former school committee member will run against Neal, who has held his seat since 1989.
Fleitman said he is running for a variety of reasons, but primarily because he disagrees with Congress’ recent spending moves.
“They’ve let loose with this almost criminal barrage of spending,” Fleitman said of the federal bailouts, furthering that “this government is accruing debt equal to the entire debt that the U.S. government has accrued in history prior to this.
“The chickens are going to come to roost on this, it’s going to burden the whole economy, the people who are going to be paying for this are you and your children,” continued Fleitman as an emphasis to students....
On whether the Fleitman campaign poses a challenge, Neal’s staff was silent, as his press secretary, William Tranghese, would not comment on the matter.
I wonder if Neal will explain to the students in his journalism class why his press secretary considered it best not to comment to the student paper. Interestingly, the UMass newspaper is located in Amherst, which is in the district and hometown of Congressman John Olver, yet the account in the Collegian of Neal's challenger is much longer and more detailed than the one that appeared in The Republican which is printed in Neal's district and hometown of Springfield. Once again, you have to leave the area in order to find out what's going on in Springfield politics.
No matter what your political persuasion this electoral challenge has to be considered good news. In a healthy democracy, every public official should be forced to explain to the public every election cycle what they have done while in office and why they should be re-elected. It has been far too long since Congressman Neal has had to face such a reckoning.
However, both the Republican and the Collegian get it wrong when reporting when Neal last faced a challenger. The Republican said 1996 and the Collegian 1998, but actually Neal faced a Democrat primary challenge in the year 2000 from the crackpot activist Joe Fountain. But by any measure, it has been way too long since Neal has been required to defend his record in a seriously challenged election. Therefore nothing but good can come from Dr. Fleitman's candidacy.
Richard Neal with Bax and O'Brien
Honor Roll
In a shameful episode last night the Massachusetts Democrats under the leadership of jackass House Speaker Robert DeLeo (above with Deval Patrick) voted to raise the sales tax. That is the tax which hits the poor the hardest. It will also hurt our chances of an economic recovery by slamming the business community. Fortunately, time exists to defeat this abomination when it reaches the State Senate. However, we should at least pause to acknowledge the brave state representatives from our Valley who voted against the sales tax increase.
Rep. Donald F. Humason (above)
Rep. Todd R. Smola
Rep. Angelo Puppolo
Rep. Sean F. Curran
Rep. Rosemary Sandlin
Now, who are the Western Mass Senators who will join this honor roll in the next phase of the battle?
Shake It Baby
Here I am this weekend at the UMass Renaissance House posing with my pal Billy.
In Boston for the Democrat National Convention of 2004, former Springfield City Councilor Mitch Ogulewicz and I ran into MSNBC journalist Chris Matthews. He graciously agreed to pose for a picture with Mitch.
Later we saw Matthews in Quincy Market smoking a cigar and trying to disguise himself with a too small baseball cap.
But disguising himself is not what he'll want to do if this article in the Boston Herald turns out to be true:
HARRISBURG, Pa. - A Pennsylvania Democratic party leader says MSNBC pundit Chris Matthews may be considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2010.
The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reports Matthews met with state party leaders this past week in Washington to discuss a possible bid to unseat Republican Sen. Arlen Specter.
Party official Mary Isenhour says she left the meeting feeling that Matthews still hadn’t made up his mind.
The 62-year-old Matthews hosts MSNBC’s "Hardball" and provides political commentary on NBC’s "Today." He ran unsuccessfully for a Pennsylvania congressional seat in 1974.
I hadn't realized Matthews is 62, he looks considerably younger than that. I don't question Matthews intelligence and experience, but I do wonder about his judgement. During the presidential campaign Matthews seemed to completely forget his objectivity and his proper journalistic role. According to the Wikipedia.org:
He frequently commented favorably about Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. On February 12, 2008, on MSNBC, he said: "The feeling most people get when they hear an Obama speech...I felt this thrill running up my leg." He also said, "Obama comes around, and this is the new testament." On November 6, 2008, after the election, he stated on the MSNBC television program "Morning Joe," that "I want to do everything I can to make this thing work...this new Presidency work." When asked whether that was his job as a journalist, he stated "Yeah, that's my job." In response to his description of journalists' duties, Time Magazine managing editor Richard Stengel stated that the United States Constitution required journalists to "hold [the President of the United State's] feet to the fire."
Although a Pennsylvania native, Matthews has close ties to Massachusetts. He graduated from Holy Cross College in Worcester and vacations frequently in Nantucket.
Whether Chris Matthews would make a good Senator depends on the success or failure of Barack Obama. Obviously Matthews would run as an Obama supporter, so if Obama does a good job then one would want someone like Matthews in the Senate to back him up. But if Obama turns out to be a dud, then even the tiresome incumbent Arlen Spector, who should have retired years ago, might still be worth re-electing. In other words, it all depends on where things stand two years from now.
Flashing back to the year 2000, I recently unearthed this EXTRA flyer printed by the Springfield Newspapers during that cliffhanger election.
Of course in the end Bush won the election in the Electoral College, while losing the national popular vote by a half-million votes. I originally thought that the Democrats had a point in questioning Bush's legitimacy because of that discrepancy, until in the aftermath of the 2004 election I heard Democrats complaining that John Kerry would have won in the Electoral College had he won in Ohio, despite losing the national popular vote by three million. If Bush was illegitimate losing by 500,000 votes, how legit would Kerry be losing by three million? Sorry Dems, but you can't have it both ways.
Included was this listing of local races.
This is an advertisement for an appearance by me on The Tony Gill Show from 2002. (click to enlarge)
It was so cold this morning that everyone woke up with a layer of ice on their windshields.
In Amherst this afternoon it even snowed for a little while, although not much of it accumulated.
