Hey, Teddy got an opponent. Wow!

[TayTay]

From the Boston Pheonix: Uncle Ted's Opponent

Republican maverick to oppose Ted Kennedy
Belongs to the "Howie Carr" school of thought
BY ADAM REILLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looks like Senator Ted Kennedy may not be running unopposed after all. His would-be opponent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election? Kevin P. Scott.

No, it’s not just you. Outside of Wakefield, where Scott was a selectman from 1999-2002 and a member of the board of public works from 1994-1997, Scott is virtually unknown. Of course, this should change this as soon as word of Scott’s candidacy gets out, since running against Kennedy--whom conservatives view as a kind of political antichrist--is an excellent way for an ambitious young Republican (read: Mitt Romney, 1994) to get loads of free publicity.

Who is this Kevin Scott? Well, he’s 41-year-old graduate of UMass-Boston and Newbury College. He speaks Russian, enjoys reading about politics and history, and has lived in Wakefield his entire life. More to the point, he seems to be heavily influenced by conservative talking head Howie Carr, whose drive-time show on WRKO-AM is infused with the same combative populism that marks Scott’s web site, MassForScott.com. "I am not a Harvard trust fund baby," Scott assures visitors. "Kevin is one of you," the site adds. "Just like you, he has gone through the trials and tribulations that life tends to throw at a person and he has overcome them."

Elsewhere on the site, Scott pans the Senate as a "private elite club of super-rich aristocrats that excludes regular citizens," and rails against both "career politicians" and "the multi-billion dollar lobbyist industry." In short, he is (or wants to be thought of as) an everyman--hence his campaign slogan: "I do not want your help because I am better than you, but because I am one of you."


Huh! And Christy Mihos might run against Romney for Gov. He previously said he would run against Kerry in '08. Now, not so much.

[whometense]

1. Does that mean

Uncle Teddy will need massive infusions of campaign donations now? ;-) I kid. Yeah, this guy should do well with the Howie Carr wing. I wonder what percentage of the electorate that it? 5%?

[TayTay]

2. He'll get the Kennedy-haters

ABout 30-35% of the total voting pop. The worst Uncle Ted ever did in a re-election race was 58% against Mittens in '94. This guy probably won't do that well. He also is a newbie, so I'm not sure how much wingnut money he will attract.

[karynnj]

5. But shouldn't that mean his Jr Senator needs to campaign

for him all over Massachusetts? Not to mention against whichever Republican runs for Governor.

[TayTay]

7. Yeah, Sigh! Did I mention I signed up to work for Uncle Ted.

Cuz, it's going to be a bruising race against some guy from Wakefield that I never heard of. Really. The idea that I might get notice where Uncle Ted and my greatly and deeply esteemed Jr. Senator might have campaign appearnaces in my area had nothing to do with it officer, nothing at all.

[Mass]

3. Christy Mihos might run against Romney for Gov

"Huh! And Christy Mihos might run against Romney for Gov. He previously said he would run against Kerry in '08. Now, not so much."

I doubt Romney will run, but I hope for Mihos he is rich, as he will be opposed to Kerry Healey, and she seems to have filled the coffers and to be ready for the fight (against the party if necessary).

[TayTay]

4. Oh gawd. The revenge of the Barbies

I hate Kerry Healey. She gives rich, spoiled, stupid women everywhere a bad name. The only person she looks good next to is that idiot Romney.

And I want to ask her if she plans on going around bad-mouthing the State in speeches or if she actually likes the state she wants to lead. Call me crazy, but no more Govs who hate us. (Grumble, grumble, grumble.)

[Mass]

6. All the signs she is running (she is now prochoice and pro civil unions)

Let's hope that Mihos has a lot of money to put in the race so that she has to use a lot of her ($13 millions at her disposal).



http://www.washblade.com/2005/9-16/news/national/nibs.cfm

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/09/15/romneys_on_top_of_the_world/

One person who is not waiting for Romney to reveal his decision officially is Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey. She used the summer to set herself up as Romney's heiress apparent, and used her husband's wealth to scare off Republican challengers. Sean Healey cashed in $13 million in stock options, and Harvard Pilgrim CEO Charlie Baker opted out of a GOP gubernatorial primary. Healey has also done a good job of separating herself from Romney on key issues. Moving to the left of Romney, she came out as prochoice and pro-civil unions for gays.

And a nice explanation of how she can use this money (Ah, the joy of the finance campaign system).

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/09/14/a_love_story/

Under campaign finance rules, Sean Healey can only give $500 a year to his wife's campaign. But under those same rules, Sean's income and Kerry's income -- she doesn't take a salary as lieutenant governor -- are considered one, allowing them to spend whatever they want on the campaign. In matters like these, nothing says ''I love you" like cash.

[TayTay]

8. I'm not falling for that.

She has to host a Gay Wedding in Beverly and then maybe I'll believe her. (Nothing too loud and brash, maybe something tasteful and nice down at Singing Beach. Sunset, nice music from a Quartet, waves in the background and Bill and Ted looking all spiffy and ready to commit.) Lt. Gov Healey walks one and then the other groom down the sands. Reception to follow at the Danvers Yacht Club, at Healey's expense. Pictures in the Salem Evening News and the Boston Herald the next day.

Until she does that, I'm not buying.

[Mass]

9. At least - it is so transparent that it is funny.

When is Mitt going to announce he is not running?

[TayTay]

10. As soon as he gets the okay from Satan

Or Karl Rove. (Same thing.) Seriously. Rethug bigwigs are advising Romney on what to do. How to get cameramen to follow you around when you are being compassionate to evacuees from NOLA. (What a lowlife piece of slime. He took a cameraman with him to record his acts of generosity. More likely to prove to suceeding generations that they actually happened.)

BTW, did I ever mention that I dislike my Gov. Might have slipped my mind. Actually I dislike most MA Rethugs and Repubs. (Not all. I was nice to one once back in the 70's.)

I have decided to go for Deval Patrick. Sigh! He is yummy too!

[Mass]

11. I am still on the fence, but he is very attractive (at all points of view)

[TayTay]

12. Some of it is anti-Reilly

He is pro-death penalty. (In that peculiar 'not that we'd actually ever execute anyone, but it sounds tough' Mass way.)
He has blanket said he will not raise taxes, even though that is a dumb thing to pledge to
He certified the anti-gay ballot initiative.

Three strikes and he's out. (Unless he wins the primary. In that case, he will be my new best friend and I will work like a dog to get him elected. Sigh! Democracy, gotta love it.)

[Mass]

13. That is the same for me - My only hesitation at this point is

whether Patrick is able to raise the money to run against a self-financed Barbie.

(Now that is a race I'd like to see: Deval Patrick vs Kerry Healey.

[TayTay]

14. Yeah, I thought about that too

And about the fact that Gov is his first race. But then I thought, screw it, I like the guy. I really like him. He blew the doors off the MA Dem Convention in May. He gave a wonderful, charismatic and heartfelt speech that had me thinking that MA had found an answer to IL's Obama. Wow! (Vapors. Honest to gawd, could that man speak.)

So, he'll have money if people like me give him money. Self-fulfilling prophecy. (Oh, and Robert Reich likes him and endorsed him. Works for me.)