Deval Is Not
Deval Patrick is not one of us. That's what we're supposed to say, right? He sends his kids to private schools, he won't tell us how much he makes (if you have to ask ...), he has a second home in Richmond that's probably worth more than most of us could afford, and he lives the life of a corporate executive -- hobnobbing with people who have us under the heels of their boots. Well, you're right, Tom Reilly campaign team, Deval Patrick is not much like me.
I have no idea what it's like to sit on a corporate board and get corporate perks or get paid a salary just for showing up and wearing a suit and sitting in a plush leather chair (and whatever else it is that corporate board members do). I have no idea what it would be like to go to a private school, much less afford to send any kids I might have in the future to one. And I'm not sure I can afford to buy a first house in Massachusetts, much less a second one. And I'm doubly sure I don't want Ameriquest anywhere near a mortgage paper I'd want to sign.
That's all true.
But I'm also sure that I'm not much like "regular guy" Tom Reilly, either. I'm not Tom Menino's pal. I don't know all the old Irish power brokers in Hungry Hill in Springfield. And I don't think any firefighter's union boss will be slapping me on the back any time soon. He gets points for being married to a teacher -- but Patrick's married to a teacher, too, so we're back to square one.
Now Reilly's regular guy message may play to a constituency out there that's not me. By many measures, I'm not your average Massachusetts resident. I wasn't born here, I don't work a blue-collar job and I'm not Catholic. I'm in the 20-34 year old age bracket that's supposed to be leaving Massachusetts and yet I moved here after college (to go to graduate school) and I stayed. I guess to a Reilly supporter, that makes me a liberal state party (non-maverick) Democrat. And also, in some sense, not a "regular guy."
Call me crazy, but I'm not necessarily looking for someone who is "like me" to vote for when I go to the polls in the election for governor this fall. I'm not looking for someone who is in the same income bracket as me or worships in the same church as me or who is the same color as me. I'm looking for someone who has leadership qualities and integrity and vision, someone who has an inquisitive mind and can help find solutions for the complicated problems of this state. I'm willing to listen to Tom Reilly if he wants to tell me he is that person. But I'm very bored by him telling me how much of a "regular guy" he is and how Deval Patrick is not.
Update 5/18: Hoss at MassChange says I might have revised the "old Irish power brokers": "a more apt term is 'Downtown Power Brokers.' Or, more simply, 'The Old Boy Network.'" Back in Florida, there was a "good ol' boy network." I always thought it was funny that we had an election that pitted Buddy MacKay vs. John Ellis "Jeb" Bush. It was like, "Who can come up with the more cracker nickname?"
Also, Lynne at Left in Lowell says neither Patrick nor Reilly are "regular guys."
Update 5/19: I suppose I should add that I wish I had a better cracker nickname. "Andy Bob" doesn't cut it. That's what the Missouri side of the family used to call me. No one would elect me governor on the basis of that nickname.
I have no idea what it's like to sit on a corporate board and get corporate perks or get paid a salary just for showing up and wearing a suit and sitting in a plush leather chair (and whatever else it is that corporate board members do). I have no idea what it would be like to go to a private school, much less afford to send any kids I might have in the future to one. And I'm not sure I can afford to buy a first house in Massachusetts, much less a second one. And I'm doubly sure I don't want Ameriquest anywhere near a mortgage paper I'd want to sign.
That's all true.
But I'm also sure that I'm not much like "regular guy" Tom Reilly, either. I'm not Tom Menino's pal. I don't know all the old Irish power brokers in Hungry Hill in Springfield. And I don't think any firefighter's union boss will be slapping me on the back any time soon. He gets points for being married to a teacher -- but Patrick's married to a teacher, too, so we're back to square one.
Now Reilly's regular guy message may play to a constituency out there that's not me. By many measures, I'm not your average Massachusetts resident. I wasn't born here, I don't work a blue-collar job and I'm not Catholic. I'm in the 20-34 year old age bracket that's supposed to be leaving Massachusetts and yet I moved here after college (to go to graduate school) and I stayed. I guess to a Reilly supporter, that makes me a liberal state party (non-maverick) Democrat. And also, in some sense, not a "regular guy."
Call me crazy, but I'm not necessarily looking for someone who is "like me" to vote for when I go to the polls in the election for governor this fall. I'm not looking for someone who is in the same income bracket as me or worships in the same church as me or who is the same color as me. I'm looking for someone who has leadership qualities and integrity and vision, someone who has an inquisitive mind and can help find solutions for the complicated problems of this state. I'm willing to listen to Tom Reilly if he wants to tell me he is that person. But I'm very bored by him telling me how much of a "regular guy" he is and how Deval Patrick is not.
Update 5/18: Hoss at MassChange says I might have revised the "old Irish power brokers": "a more apt term is 'Downtown Power Brokers.' Or, more simply, 'The Old Boy Network.'" Back in Florida, there was a "good ol' boy network." I always thought it was funny that we had an election that pitted Buddy MacKay vs. John Ellis "Jeb" Bush. It was like, "Who can come up with the more cracker nickname?"
Also, Lynne at Left in Lowell says neither Patrick nor Reilly are "regular guys."
Update 5/19: I suppose I should add that I wish I had a better cracker nickname. "Andy Bob" doesn't cut it. That's what the Missouri side of the family used to call me. No one would elect me governor on the basis of that nickname.