Hey, why aren't Tom "Mumbles" Menino (Bos. mayor) and Kerry Murphy Healey wearing helmets, too?
Posted on 03/03/2006 1:24:49 AM PST by raccoonradio
This governor’s race is turning into the political version of “American Idol.”
There are differences, of course - the interest level, for starters. A lot of people actually care who wins “American Idol.” And in the local version, the contestants don’t parlay their victory into millions of dollars. In the Beacon Hill version, you pay millions of dollars, and maybe you win.
Our first contestant this morning is Lt. Gov. Kerry “Muffy” Healey. She’s all bent out of shape that Christy Mihos has decided to run as an independent.
Apparently, Muffy hasn’t figured out she’s got a much bigger problem than Christy, and his name is Mitt. How many more times is she going to have to explain that, no, she doesn’t agree with him on (abortion, gay adoption, George Bush, whatever he’s popping off about today).
Last night, Muffy had a big fund-raiser at the Park Plaza, even though her nouveau-riche husband Sean just cashed out $13 million.
Among those scheduled to attend were the last four Republican governors, three of whom - Mitt, Bill Weld and Argeo Cellucci - refused to stay, and a fourth, Jane Swift, who refused to leave.
Surely even Phil Johnston, the Democratic chairman, will recognize what a target of opportunity this is. Especially Bill Weld - who do you think dislikes him more, the students at that bust-out trade school in Kentucky, or the members of the New York Conservative Party whom he tried to convince that he was against gay marriage?
But Weld had to allow his name to be placed on the invitation. Didn’t Mr. Muffy and his deputy give him something like $48,000? At this point, most candidates would have paid him $48,000 not to show up.
Then there’s Christy, the independent. First thing he needs to do is hire a new joke writer. Second thing he should do is have a chat with his sister. It should be a very short conversation, in fact two words will suffice: “How much?”
Muffy tried to reach out to Christy in January, and it shows a lot about her common touch. She summoned Christy to the Ritz Carlton. She rented a private suite on the second floor, and she and Mr. Muffy and Christy and his wife retreated into a private room in the private suite, where a wait-captain took their dinner orders. After which, presumably, his tongue was ripped out to prevent him from talking.
Then there are the Democratic contestants. Tom Reilly, the attorney general, is still dead. He just doesn’t know it yet. How can you have eight years to set up a statewide organization, and then let a political novice like Deval Patrick stroll in and grab maybe 70 percent of the elected delegates to the state convention in Worcester in June?
Which is why Chris Gabrieli has gotten into the fight. This poor guy Gabrieli - if he had just given the $10 million he blew on his first two campaigns to Bush and the Republicans, he’d now be the ambassador to some tropical island.
Gabrieli lives on Louisburg Square, and he’s tired of playing second fiddle to the Sen. and Mrs. Heinz-Kerry. He dreams of someday being able to ask, “Do you know who I am?” and not receiving a blank stare in return.
Gabrieli is the truest “American Idol” contestant. Remember, this is a guy who was willing to spend $5 million to be Tom Reilly’s Muffy Healey. If this governor thing doesn’t work out, Gabrieli’s next move is to buy a seat on a Russian satellite launch for $20 million.
Which leaves Deval Patrick. Who, for this one brief moment anyway, is looking a lot like the black Kelly Clarkson. Where is our Simon Cowell when we really need him?
The hosts of WRKO's Pundit Review show talk about Tom
"Unfortunately" Reilly, that crack investigator who
didn't think it necessary to vet out his (now former)
running mate...
http://www.punditreview.com/2006/02/01/tom-reilly-is-toast/
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