Interesting BG article on Brown - with nice comments on JK

[karynnj]

The jobs package could be a crucial test of whether and how Brown - who ran on being the 41st Republican vote to quash health care reform - will work with Democrats in Washington.

<snip to Brown wanting to become the new Bayh >
Brown told WCVB that he is forming a new caucus on Capitol Hill called the Take Back Washington Caucus. He wouldn’t identify the half-dozen senators who will be members, or say how many are Democrats or Republicans.

<snip to democrats blasting his "no jobs created" nonsense he won't back down from>
Democrats quickly blasted Brown’s comments yesterday and distributed press releases that Brown’s state Senate office sent out in recent months touting the positive impacts the stimulus had on his Wrentham-based district.

<snip>
Brown also said his opinion has changed for the better about Senator John F. Kerry. “I can just say that Senator Kerry and I have had a wonderful relationship,’’ Brown told WCVB. “He’s changed my entire philosophy and really feelings about him.’’

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/02/18/stance_on_jobs_bill_could_be_crucial_test_for_brown/

Taken together, this looks like Brown is in over his head and he is going in every conceivable direction.

The comment on Kerry is likely to provide ammunition if he ran for President in 2012. The personal relationship and feelings can be ignored, but changed his philosophy??? (Imagine a Democrat saying those words about Dick Cheney in 2002 or 2003) It takes enormous chutzpah to try to create a caucus after less than 2 weeks working as a Senator, but it is interesting that he is trying to do so at the center. (I guess he was sincere in wanting to be a McCain maverick) This likely will lose him his RW fans if he really did it, but it makes sense if his goal is re-election as Senator.

But, he then sticks to what was a pretty dumb comment and it is clear that he knew better from his past MA comments - which is 100% out of the RW playbook.

Maybe the jobs bill will signal which of these goals he is going for.

(For what it's worth, the comments are interesting as there seems to be fewer Brown groupies than usual.)

[Mass]

1. They show part of the interview on TV. Clearly another Sara Palin.

He gave an interview when he clearly has nothing to say. I heard the comment concerning Kerry. Given he already had said the same things several times BEFORE going to DC, he really looks stupid.

[karynnj]

2. I didn't realize the interview was on TV

I agree that it does make him look stupid, but also insincere. I wonder if this means that it will come down to which advisers he gets that he trusts.

[wisteria]

3. I do like his comments on Senator Kerry.

But, like you pointed out "He’s changed my entire philosophy", seems like a strange comment to make. What does he mean by this? But, obviously, he needs Kerry's assistance right now so he is not going to bad mouth him.

I am in a hold pattern on Brown. If he is planning to run in 2012, he will have to be smart enough to make it appear as though he is right to center, yet look partisan enough to keep the right wing base happy. I have to wonder if he is smart enough to pull this off.

[Inuca]

4. No idea what

he will do or what his plans are (obviously), but smart? I don't think so. Heard some short snippet of what he said yesterday at CPAC, it's like you can visualize the slow motion in his brain when you hear this guy speak. Also words that say nothing, the comparison to the Sarah character is definitely appropriate. Though the metaphorical wheels in her brain seem to move faster, aimlessly and without anything of substance as a result, but faster. By the way, I also heard for the first time a few words from Rubio, the Crist challanger, and did not like what I heard because he seemed smart and focused.

[Mass]

5. Just heard his reactions to the plane crashing into the IRS building.

and heard he was at CPAC.

Sorry, but this guy is desperately nothing more than a copy of Sara Palin, shallow, ultra conservative, and way over his head.

[Mass]

6. Apparently, Kerry answered to Brown on this.Still classy

http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/news/x531838240/Brown-calls-relations-with-Kerry-surprisingly-positive

In response, Kerry said in a statement, “I think it’s always good to sit face to face with a person not a political label. Scott and I have met a couple of times since Election Day and have had good, warm, and I think productive conversations. We’ve talked about the things that really matter to Massachusetts from the economy and jobs to energy and climate change.”

Kerry said “people are mad at Washington and they’re mad at Wall Street” over job losses, health care issues, and the foreign oil costs. “Regardless of whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican the people of the Commonwealth expect all of us to fight for them. I’m hopeful that Scott and I can work together and do just that,” he said.

[karynnj]

7. Great response

Kerry's tone on both the Small Business and now the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been very bipartisan and willing to work across the aisle. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, Kerry can get Brown to sign onto with him. (It seems clear to me which of the two will likely be proposing ideas. )

[karynnj]

8. It really shows that we do not have the echo chamber the right does.

I remember well the hell they rained down on Kerry for misreading the "joke" leaving out a 2 letter word, even though the intended words were in the release to press before the speech. This after nearly two years of flawless political actions on everything and having run a dignified, high road campaign while enduring the nastisest smear campaign in modern history. Here, there was none of that - on politico, you have many arguing that it was an accurate statement. Oddly, Fox had a segment blasting the left for connecting the pilot to the tea partiers - using one Daily Kos post. Ignoring that a SUPER PROMINENT Republican, Brown, was the only public figure (to my knowledge) who connected them.

This was not a tricky question. This was a despicable act.