I have some cognitive dissonance setting in, help me out on new Sen Brown

[TayTay]

I don't think that much of this guy. He was an obscure State Senator from Wrentham who got lucky. The more the national media pushes him, the more the locals will clamor to take him down a peg. (We do that to pols around here.)

There is a Maureen Dowd column in the paper today that equates Brown with Obama. Really? So, it occurs to me that Brown means one thing in-state and another thing out-of-state. I don't think the guy is anything special and we can take him on in 2012. There are already Dems who are planning on doing just that.

There are a lot of folks not from MA in this group. What does the local media say about this new guy from MA? Does it emphasize how he got lucky in that short election and capitalized on anger toward the Dems? Does it posit him to be some sort of golden boy for conservatives? National media coverage strikes me as vastly different from local coverage and I think I have a very bizarre blind spot here.

Thanks!

[karynnj]

1. From what I have seen or read from the NYC media,

most speak of it as signaling that people are angry with Washington. They have spoken of him as good looking and charming - and some have said "charismatic". To me, this sounds more like a Republican John Edwards, circa 1998 (ignore current JRE). The difference was that Obama was given credit for his eloquence and brilliance, where neither Edwards or Brown were. Though they did say that he ran a smart campaign, I heard nothing about him being accorded credit for his likely ability to legislate or his intelligence.

Brown, like Edwards, came out of nowhere and won in a state where a win was not expected. Like Edwards, his smile and good looks and "nice" personality and attractive family are the strongest mentioned assets. But remember that in 2000, Edwards, who had really done little was on Gore's short list, then he was treated by the media as a serious candidate in 2004 and the media and party really both pushed him as the best chance for VP.

At this point, I see Edwards as having been the "public face" of two teams of policy people/strategists, one in 2004 and one in 2008. Every candidate is supported by a team. No matter how brilliant a leader is there is no way that he/she could create all the detailed plans - but Edwards took this to an extreme. Brown really could be used the same way, especially as he is already a Republican favorite even though they don't know him.

Given this frame, I do think that Brown could be a threat. I don't think that he could mount a serious campaign for President in 2012. Obama was a huge exception and he had the 2004 introduction to all Democrats. Not to mention, that campaign starts next year and he will have had very little time in the Senate, all of it in the minority. He could be a possible VP. (I have seriously toyed with the idea of going to red sites and posting the Kerry/Brown and McCain/Brown videos asking if "we" really know who he is. I chickened out.) If he wants this path, he likely will do things that anger MA and that does not seem his direction in the Senate videos.

Now, one thing that will work against this is the following. There was a Richard Cohen oped questioning why we pick leaders like Edwards, Palin or even Obama (who he did say nothing nefarious was know.) Now, from a REPUBLICAN POV all three of these could be seen as having not worked out. I suspect that, if they are not completely desperate, there will be less willingness to gamble on someone they don't know.

(OT To me the shock of seeing the two Senate videos, was that he was SO clearly not the "alpha male" in the one with Kerry. That Kerry could dominate when speaking of policy was no surprise - better politicians than Brown have looked weak next to him, but Kerry even had the better smile and hair! )

[Blaukraut]

2. Our local tv news are still enamored with the guy

I flip channels around noon between all three networks and it's like they're all playing 'A Day In The Life Of Scott Brown'. I wouldn't be surprised if next they'll inform the viewers what he had for breakfast that morning and the consistency of his bowel movements.

But I think you're absolutely correct on the locals. He's not that important, and even if they voted for him, this media overexposure is going to sour him to Massholes very fast.

[cadmium]

3. Front page of every paper too. Meeting

with black clergy today.

.

[Mass]

4. As I woke up this morning, it seemed to be the "Brown Show" on Channel 7

Scott Brown goes to the Leno Show

Scott Brown meets with Menino

And Scott Brown would beat Obama with independents, according to a Zogby Poll. This one really got to me: Zogby asked a question on whether somebody would vote for an obscure candidate who has not yet done anything rather than president who has been taking power in a difficult period, and found this a significant question? Come on. Absolutely, totally absurd. (I do not think the poll was limited to MA,though).

Now, I hope that the absurdity will appear to people from MA. He has done nothing yet, so may be we could test him a little bit before declaring him presidential. Sigh.

(I also find it interesting that, after having insisted to be sworn in as soon as possible, he all of a sudden decides that he is no more in a hurry and that it can wait until Feb. 11. I guess he discovered that governing means making hard choice, between your state and your party).

[wisteria]

5. He is portrayed as the everyman, who tapped into what is wrong with the Obama administration.

It is said, that Massachusetts has had enough of the Democrats big spending and Massachusetts has joined the rest of the states in their concern over this administrations policies and spending habits. It has been suggested that Massachusetts is no longer Blue. And that Brown will be his own man and lead instead of follow.

[ProSense]

6. I think the media made a bigger deal out of Brown's election than reality warrants.

Brown has a lot to do before 2012 to covince voters to keep him. I'm not from Mass, but that's going to be a huge feat for him given the current Republican strategy to oppose everything.

[Mass]

7. There is some hope, if the Globe has to spend an article justifying that Brown's jacket is not too

(and this tells us a lot about the quality of the politics page on the Globe).
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2010/01/28/we_all_know_about_the_truck_but_whats_the_story_behind_the_brown_coat/

A jacket of the people
We all know about Scott Brown’s truck. But what’s the story behind that coat?

...

So what kind of guy wears a Golden Bear Sportswear leather barn jacket?

“We sell to everyone,’’ said Everett LaRose, a salesman at the Andover Shop’s Andover location, where a similar-looking Golden Bear Sportswear barn jacket goes for $675. Guess that depends on what your definition of “everyone’’ is.
...
rianna doesn’t recall the barn jacket’s price, but she says she can’t imagine she spent more than $200 on the gift. What she does know is this: Before the campaign, the jacket didn’t get quite as much use. “Until this election he probably only wore it to nice things. It’s funny to see it all the time.’’

...

[MBS]

10. yup, real man of the people

Thanks for this nugget; may there be lots more!!
(honestly, how could people buy his "old truck, struggling-to-get-by-just like-you shtick", anyway? His wife is a TV reporter, for God's sake. Of COURSE there are plenty of $675 jackets in their closets. )

I'm with sandnsea!

[karynnj]

12. Not to mention, does it help that they say that he likes the things his mom, not his wife, buys?

The story that his daughters bought it does not ring true. If a college student bought her dad a jacket that cost almost $700, she would remember it. This is no big deal - but in a time when people don't trust easily, stupid little lies can haunt you.

Maybe he does have only 2 jackets, but how many cashmere coats that he wore with his suits as a lawyer or legislator? After all, Kerry seems to always wear the same leather jacket.

[JI7]

8. most seem to make it about Obama's troubles

but i haven't seen much , at least from local news which talks up Brown himself.

[sandnsea]

9. bwahahahahaha

That's what we think of him. If that makes you feel any better.

[Inuca]

11. And now it seems that

that all they are talking about in Davos as well, or at least so said Sorkin or what's his name (young NYT finance guy) on Morning Joe. Ridiculous! By the way, I started reading your post and at first I thought you were talking abut SHERROD Brown and did not understand what's your beef with him! I guess I need some more time to get used to the idea of Scott Brown as the new MA senator, and especially I need more coffee right now, definitely more coffee.

[wisteria]

13. Want to catch a little more of Brown? He will be on Leno tonight.

My gosh, you might think this guy was some sort of hero-all he did was win an election.

[MBS]

14. yup, and one that was handed to him on a silver platter by

by a Dem candidate who chose not to campaign. I continue to believe that we would have won if Capuano (or perhaps even someone else, anyone who actually actively campaigned)had been the Dem nominee. Capuano --who knows how to talk to both types of MA Dems (see Tay Tay's various explications) --would not have let Brown get away with his act, either in debates or on the campaign trail. (Again, Capuano would have been out there shaking hands at Fenway Park, too), I say this not to go on fruitless Monday-morning quartback fantasies, but only by way of saying that the pundits and media -- and Brown himself--are giving Brown way WAY too much credit for his "victory".

[ladym55]

15. I read the bizarre Maureen Dowd piece, too

I want to know if this is going to be the new "theme" in the media ... Brown as down-to-earth guy (and when has Maureen actually hung around us little people who have to WORK for a living to pay our bills??) and Obama as "plastic"???? Huh????

Media here in Ohio is all about how Brown is the downfall for Democrats nationwide. Brown signals the nation's discomfort with Obama's health care bill ... etc. But I think this coverage has a lot to do with how vulnerable our own governor is. Ted Strickland has not been able to turn around the gigantic mess he was handed by a corrupt and clueless 16-year reign of Republicans. So now Fox news guy John Kasich is leading in the polls. Yay??? He plans to "cut taxes" to "encourage business." Our unemployment rate is almost 11% statewide, our population is dropping (we stand to lose TWO more seats in the House after this census), and every public agency from village to town to city to county is cutting positions, laying people off, and furloughing others. So the Brown story is PERFECT to sell the local Republican message to a poorly educated and frightened public.

I keep thinking that many Massachusetts voters will experience buyer's remorse ... Scott Brown is following someone who was one of the best and someone who clearly cared deeply about his constituents.

[Mass]

16. Seems the media are still on the "Scott Brown Daily Show", if I can believe

this morning. We had to listen to the crappy jokes about making a second centerfold (on AARP magazine).

I think that we have elected somebody with the intellect of Sara Palin, unfortunately. We can only hope the media will wake up and show that.



http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/29/the-next-stop-for-senator-41-a-capitol-crib/

During a whirlwind Capitol Hill blitz two days after his tectonic ascension to Teddy Kennedy's seat, he told reporters "I am going to live in Massachusetts. I want to continue to make my daughter's games. I want to hug my wife at the end of the day."

Nice sentiment, but when you run for the U.S. Senate, did you realize the job was in Washington and not on Beacon Hill? Or are you just taking reporters for the fools they are.

[karynnj]

17. I think this is a clever political comment

Over the years, there have been many comments on JK "not living in MA" by the RW lunatics who frequent the BH and BG comments section.

The basketball comment is deceptive. Supposedly he will not be sworn in until around February 11th and the Senate recesses after that. His daughter is a senior and the basketball season will be essentially over by the beginning of March. http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/sched/bc-w-baskbl-sched.html I suspect that in early February and in the recess, he will prominently be at his daughter's games. There are not enough games after that for him to have lied on this comment.

As to his wife, I wonder if a leave of absence to avoid potential conflict of interest (yeah, there was none during the election) won't have them having houses in both MA and DC. Keeping them together.

As to then being in MA, am I being cynical in thinking he could spend the fewer days in MA with people and, due to media that ignores one and highlights the other, be seen as living up to the "live in MA" promise?

[Mass]

18. I think the media will start to ignore him very soon. For now, he is the latest shiny object.

The MA media (including the Herald) ended up being Mitt Romney's worse ennemy. Anyway, the comment was not for MA consumption, just like Brown had two messages for the SOTU: one for the local media, all positive and nice -- let's work together --, and one for the national media, all negative.

But the governor's race is going to be very difficult for Deval Patrick, with a conservative Democrat running as an independent and a GOPer candidate not yet chosen (Mihos or Baker). As soon as the campaign starts, our media will turn towards this race, and Brown will be mostly invisible except if he stumbles.

As for Kerry, his visibility will depend on his own events in MA, not so much on the media. It is a small state, and mouth to ear works well. The media always follows, rarely leads.

[karynnj]

19. Nice to hear - especially the state stuff

I really wonder how long Brown can have two completely different messages without getting tripped up on it. At some point that has to catch up to him.

[MBS]

21. " " " " " " n/t

[karynnj]

24. Mass - here is an article that advices him where to live in DC - pointing out he can't afford daily

commuting. There are comments about JK renting a room in 1990 and 1991, leaving each morning by 7am coming back after 10 pm, leaving on Thursday after the last vote for MA and returning on Tuesday morning - and his current living quarters.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/29/the-next-stop-for-senator-41-a-capitol-crib/

[Blaukraut]

20. And it keeps going. Barbara Walters is going to interview him!

I was just channel flipping when I came across The View on ABC and there was Barbara Walters, announcing to much applause that she was going to interview him on Sunday. Don't know when it airs and on what show, but I wouldn't be surprised if they made it a BW special stand-alone show :puke:

I also do not trust him as far as I can throw him when he says he'll sometimes vote with the Democrats. He will do whatever is politically expedient for him, and that will depend on his aspirations. A second term will mean he'll veer toward the center, but presidential, or vicepresidential notions will have him be Mitch McConnell's obedient dog. :puke:

I'm sooo fed up with him already.

[MBS]

22. " " " " "" n/t

[Mass]

23. Here is the Globe interview. Lenghty, no substance, but the type of crap the media like.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/01/28/scott_brown_interview_transcript/?page=1