Governor Romney Tries to Trip Up DEM Convention...

[reprehensor]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/conventions/articles/2004/03/19/romney_draws_democrats_ire?mode=PF

With Governor Mitt Romney's suggestion that they move their national convention, Democratic leaders are lashing out at Romney, accusing him of playing politics with the event to harm Senator John F. Kerry's campaign for president.

The comments mark the first time that Democratic elected leaders -- including Mayor Thomas M. Menino and US Representative Michael E. Capuano -- are publicly accusing Romney of standing in the way of a successful Democratic National Convention. Menino said the Romney administration has recently begun to put up "roadblocks" to convention planning.

"It's political mischief," Menino said. "I wish that some of the agreements we had in the past were continued. Everybody said it was great to have it in the city, but to continue to put roadblocks up doesn't help."

Convention organizers say the MBTA and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority have hampered planning efforts by threatening to back off several agreements to supply buses for the convention and remove the aging elevated Green Line near the FleetCenter. Several people involved in planning meetings said yesterday that the turnpike authority also began in January to put up obstacles to the Democrats' use of a crucial sliver of turnpike land near the FleetCenter. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is controlled by Romney, and the turnpike authority is under the purview of chairman Matthew J. Amorello, a Republican who was once a state senator and a congressional candidate.

more @ link

[markus]

1. This is so crappy

For as long as I can remember, having the convention meant having thousands of people spending millions of dollars in your community, and they were welcomed.

This is what we have come to.

The GOP wishes to establsh a one-party state. There is no longer any question in my mind about that. They are just evil.

[chelsea0011]

2. Do terrorists win if the convention is forced to move??

Isn't that what Romney is saying? we must move to a safe area away from all means of mass transit. This way we can be safe.

[madrchsod]

4. try chicago

i`m sure daley could move heaven and earth to get it to chicago on time...

[madrchsod]

3. who ever planned

the convention should be fired. what were they thinking when the state is controlled by corrupt republicans? maybe they should have picked Chicago which is completely controlled by the democrats-IL. has a democratic governor. we are running possibly the best senatorial candidate in years..the national democrat committee are idiots

[Bombtrack]

6. "controlled?" Ha. Yeah right. Tom Finneran, not Mitt Romney, controls MA

They have 90 percent of the legislature, both senate seats, every congressional seat, and every statewide office other than Gov and Lt. Gov

[Dark Angel]

5. Romney should be impeached

We have the votes in the house and the Senate. Why haven't we done it yet? I think we should impeach him and throw him out. hell, the repubs tried to do it to clinton. Why can't we do it to one of their own?

[chelsea0011]

7. Because, as you know, the Governor is meaningless in Mass

House and senate Pres. run everything

[Dark Angel]

8. Not necessarily true

For example, if the House and Senate passed a gay marriage bill, the Governor could veto it. It would be easier having a Dem governor. The reason that Mass does not have a Dem governor is because Shannon O'Brien was a crappy candidate, and the Dems have had grabby gubernatorial candidates in Mass ever since Dukakis left.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

11. But the Dem-controlled House and Senate can overturn the veto

which Finneran has done on occasion.

[Monte Carlo]

10. It's not meaningless.

The Governor is the Governor, and this one has a minority-but-unified party behind him. Mitt Romney is not like Jane Swift. He's shown that he can have a certain clout in MA. He managed to convince people that Billy Bulger should go from UMass. This gay marriage issue seems to look like a winner for him. He is not the most powerful man in MA, but he's certainly not helpless, and more popular support will making him more formidable.

[Monte Carlo]

9. Mitt is asking for a big headache.

He's not President yet, just a Governor right now, and I guess he figures that a fight over Kerry's Senate seat is coming, so he might as well take the initiative.

He's not in Washington yet, so he's going to have to learn to live with the MA Democrats for the next two years. He could end up, shall we say, compromised.

[Orangepeel]

12. Boston was a dumb decision anyway.

Should have had it in Ohio or Florida.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

13. Why? It's the Cradle of Liberty, Where the Revolution began

and it's the most Democratic state in the country.

[Orangepeel]

15. exactly. It's the most Democratic state in the country

Are we having the convention there as a reward? It's a political convention and potential political benefits should have been taken into account when choosing a location.

[corporatewhore]

14. i would be more concerned w/the pickett line kerry will have to cross

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/03/10/union_raises_stakes_for_july/

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. Move it to Chicago.

Daley will be more than accommodating and will gladly accept the revenues the convention would generate.

[mikehiggins]

17. Shoulda had it in New York City. Boston is stupid. eom

[Kathy in Cambridge]

18. Yah, too many 'libruls' in Boston

:eyes:

[zulchzulu]

19. So Romney wouldn't mind Boston losing millions of dollars from the event?

I'd bet people in Beantown would be a tad pissed to see Romney push potential millions of dollars from the convention down a rathole.