Chafee announcement coming?

[ccharles000]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Stay tuned for a "major announcement'' shortly after New Year's Day from former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee about the next step in his "exploratory campaign'' for governor.

As to what it might be, his latest fundraising appeal provides a pretty good clue: "Only with your financial support can we elect Lincoln Chafee as Governor. He will bring to the State House a record of promoting teamwork, energetic and consistent leadership, and the highest ethical standards... Be on the lookout for a major announcement and brand new website in the New Year!''

And then there is this: on Friday, Republican-turned-independent Chafee confirmed that John R. "J.R." Pagliarini will start work in January as his campaign manager.

Pagliarini, 48, of Warwick, was director of Chafee's Rhode Island office when he was a senator. And when Chafee was mayor of Warwick, Pagliarini served as his communications director (1993-97) and his community development coordinator (1997-98).

"We have worked well together as mayor and senator," Chafee said Friday. "He's got terrific attention to detail, and he knows Rhode Island very, very well. He knows how the State House works -- something I do not. I have local and federal experience, but I don't have that great knowledge of the State House."

http://politicsblog.projo.com/2009/12/chafee-announce.html

[Captain Hilts]

1. Working for his campaign was like pushing spaghetti through a strainer. He just didn't

care all that much about being senator.

[mascarax]

2. Capt. Hilts, do you think he cares about being Gov. then?

I really didn't understand why Chafee didn't switch to Independent before he lost...although I think Sheldon Whitehouse is very good so prefer him. But seems like a simple switch would've helped his campaign.

[Captain Hilts]

3. I think he'd still be senator if he'd switched parties. Whitehouse was such a wonderful

surprise, wasn't he? Chafee also was known for reading Sports Illustrated during city council meetings while mayor. Evidently, his wife is the ambitious one.

I think he's a good sort - and, to be frank - I think he might be able to unseat the incumbent. It would be better than going for a darkhorse. That's my take.

[mascarax]

4. Whitehouse is definitely a wonderful surprise!

I remember Chafee on The Daily Show, promoting his book, and how he just seemed very nice...but "complacent" came to mind. I DO appreciate some of his votes, against his own party (at the time). And how blown away Jon seemed when he asked Chafee about the Repub caucus. And Chafee said it was pretty simple: the "leaders" came in, said "this is how we're voting", and that was that. Discussion and questions were shut down immediately.

So then I thought, "WHY did you stay with those people, Lincoln?!" My impression was it seemed like a duty, because of his father and family.

I like SI but don't think I'd appreciate the mayor reading during a meeting!

Anyway, thanks for the response.