He is kind of like a "mood ring," always changing depending on the temperature.

carpet-bagger for the Mass. people.

and they had just had a woman governor (Swift) who proved to be not-so-great.

Apparently Massachusetts prefers male governors

Jane Swift finished a term of a resigning governor, and served less than 2 years. (April 10, 2001 –January 2, 2003)


Mittens was fresh from his "I-SAVED-THE-OLYMPICS-SINGLEHANDEDLY-WITH-ONE-HAND-TIED-BEHIND-MY-BACK" victory tour.

It was also just a short time after 9-11-01, and we were gearing up for war(s), so testosterone was washing over politics.

She wanted to run, and Romney originally said he wouldn't run if she wanted to run. Of course, he lied about that too, and she was pushed out of the race by the state Republican Party.

that she might lose...and if course Mittens had $$$$$

The aides who babysat for her, the helicopter rides home from Boston, etc. She probably would have lost. Would have been fine with me if she'd been the nominee and then lost. Instead, we got Mittens.

and MA was still pretty sexist at the time. May still be, but I don't live there any more.

He savaged her to get her to release her tax returns -- and those of her husband.

He was fresh off his stint at the "savior" of the Olympics.

He positioned himself as pro-gay and pro-choice (admitting in the process that the cult in SLC had told him he could lie for the lord).

And Mass has always had a habit of electing Democratic legislatures and moderate Republican governors. And it hasn't always been a bad deal.

Did he really admit that? Using unambiguous language?

If so, the Dems should be using that against him.

Just a small correction. I said it was when he was running for governor, but it was when he was running for senator. He came out as pro-choice, and a very liberal Mormon woman was surprised at his stance and asked him about it:

Judy Dushku: Then in 1994, when Romney was running for the Senate, he came out in favor of choice for women — which was surprising to me. I was pleased and called, asking to see him. I told him I suspected that we had our differences, but that maybe I could work with him if he’d come to a really good position on women and childbirth.

And he said – Yes, come to my office.

I went to his office and I congratulated him on taking a pro-choice position. And his response was – Well they told me in Salt Lake City I could take this position, and in fact I probably had to in order to win in a liberal state like Massachusetts.

Suzan Mazur: Who’s “THEY”?

Judy Dushku: I asked him the same question. And he said “the Brethren” in Salt Lake City.

And I said, Mitt, it doesn’t make me happy to hear that. What you’re suggesting is that you’re not genuinely pro-choice. It’s a position of convenience.

He said – Oh no, I actually had an aunt who died of a botched abortion. So I have some positive feelings about choice, but basically I know that I have to take that position.

Not related to Eliza (Buffy, Tru Calling) is she? Is this also the same woman that Romney counseled not to have an abortion at some point in time?

Didn't mount a very aggressive campaign.
A lesson learned by Dems?
Hopefully.

his opponent Shannon O'Brien wasn't the strongest and he ran as a progressive republican and was still basking in the Winter Olympics publicity. He won relatively narrowly 50-45

But O'Brien was in way too tight with the state party, and then went on to run a poor campaign. There were those Romney ads of him running barechested on a beach... http://www.deseretnews.com/article/939406/Mitt-takes-his-shirt-off-as-campaign-heats-up.html?pg=all

But, I firmly believe that if Reich had won the nomination he would have kicked Romney's ass for the gov's office. Reich has a strong habit of seeing clear through bullshit and calling it out.

Republican Governors. Somehow the thinking is that a Republican in the Governor's Office will be a counter balance to legislature that is almost entirely made up of Democrats. Also, his opponent, Shannon O'Brien was not that good.

That's how we got Weld in the '90s -- Silber was half buffoon, half authoritarian.

Just an authoritarian buffoon

Because I couldn't stomach voting for Silber.

That was the only time I have ever voted Republican and probably the only time I ever will. However, If you look at the map at least the greater Boston area went Blue as did much of Western Mass and certain other isolated pockets. I still think this state as a whole is a lot more sexist that New York, where I just moved back here from. Sometimes I kind of miss the political climate there.

The fact that Romney served 1 term as a Governor does not qualify him to be the President.
His foreign policy disaster last week in Europe proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

This place is a lot more conservative than the media claims.

Has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with annoying the folks from Cow Hampshire.

'Cow Hampshire'
Haven't heard that is a long while.
Lived there for about 16 years.

The Mass state legislature is sometimes described as "All Democrat All The Time" and that has not always been a good thing. It has led to corruption and these so-called "Old Boy" networks which have tended to act in their own interests and not the public's interest.

To balance this all out Mass voters have a number of times voted in moderate republican governors. A few that come to mind are John Volpe(twice), Frank Sargent, William Weld, and Paul Celucci. I actually liked William Weld. I thought he was a decent guy. Quite moderate as far as repubs go, nothing like the current crop of nutcases that are in Washington. His only problem was that he seemed to get bored with being governor. In some of the Mass. newspapers he was called "Wayward Bill".

If you go back to 1914 and look at the number of repub governors of Mass. vs. the dem governors, the repubs actually come out ahead, 14 repubs to 12 dems. As Nichomachus said electing these moderate repub governors hasn't always been a bad deal. Doing so provides a check and balance to the legislative system.

When Romney ran for governor of Massachusetts, the rhetoric he was using and the stands he took on particular issues was nothing like what he is using now to run for president. Massachusetts voters tend to look down on the so-called "Redneck repubs".

Mass had just had 3 moderate Republican governors prior to Romney - William Weld, Paul Cellucci and Jane Swift. From 1990 to 2006, it was all Republican governors. And the previous ones were, true to their words, pro-gay-rights and pro-choice. The Mass legislature is heavily Democratic, so it was looked at as a way to keep some balance in government. Romney sold himself as being just like his predecessors, and a lot of people believed him. Additionally, his Democratic opponent (Shannon O'Brien) was not a good candidate. She was the State Treasurer, and there were scandals coming out of the Treasurer's office during the campaign.

Although Mass is generally a blue state, there are large pockets of red, particularly in rural areas, and in some of the wealthy suburbs. It's also a heavily Catholic state, and with the Catholic Church pushing congregants towards the Republicans, that doesn't help either.

That, plus the support of wealthy suburbanites in the Boston metro fringe and the lack of a particularly strong opponent, was why he won.

1. His Democratic opponent was not strong. Jill Stein was in it as the Green candidate and was the class of the field, but no one really knew her so she barely registered.

2. Massachusetts residents have the curious habit of hating every state representative except their own, and re-elect them by rote, but won't vote for a different-distgrict candidate running for governor as a Dem. Strange but true. Romney is not the only one; we had Celluci and Weld before him, 16 years of GOP governors in a row in a bright blue state.

On edit: divided government has not always been a bad thing for Massachusetts. A lot of the Democrats in the state house were wanton criminals, and left to their own devices, they practically annihilated the state. Romney barely did anything during his term aside from the health care bill, which something like 80% of MA residents really like today.

Dem party couldn't get their shit together. Romney slipped in touting liberal shit.

Willard didn't have his shit together either and that didn't harm him much.

The things I saw of him were basically classic Romney. Say whatever is necessary to get elected. He portrayed himself as a very liberal republican. Now he's the teabilly pin up girl.

He's the teabilly pin up girl now, but if he gets elected by some miracle, they're going to be disappointed. Mittens isn't going to waste an ounce of influence on issues like abortion unless there's some significant political advantage to be gained. He's not a "lead the charge" kind of guy because he feels strongly about an issue, he's the kind that would sit back and let the legislators come up with an acceptable plan on some issue, then swoop in and try to take credit for it if he thinks it's something the people would like.

that he was pro choice, wanted affordable health care, would balance the budget, etc. Whatever people wanted to hear he said it. And also lied about his opponent. He has not changed just the positions.

he put in universal health care that required state funds to pay for abortion and required planned parenthood be involved in policy making, he signed an "assault weapons" bill - he was more of the caricature of a "scary liberal" that the conservatives are always worrying about than most actual liberals are.

A governor who is in sync with the legislature can get a lot done. One who isn't is hamstrung. Mitt could never stray too far because the legislature would hand him his ass if he tried.

Also, MA is a bit sexist, still.

She was not ready for prime time and ran a keystone cops campaign.

You have to run Democratic "stars" or people with high and positive name recognition.

It is quite that simple.


The Democratic Party didn't do this and got their clocks cleaned. The party needs to go back to the 50 state Howard Dean strategy.

example, supported us for decades he said....the man misrepresented himself to the point of fraud.

Dem speaker of the Mass. House for several years.

An old-school ward-heeler who ran the House with such an iron fist that independents tended to lean toward repuke governors, just to maintain a balance of power.

That does not, however, explain Code Brown.

Coakly just assumed that as a democrat she would win Ted's seat. And that was the rise of the Tea Party so it was just a nasty race all around.

But one thing I have found about Massachusett voters. Fool me once shame on you, Fool me Twice - won't get fooled again.

Elizabeth Warren will win by 10 points.

Brown is now running ads with Democratic politicians endorsing him, saying he's so-o-o-o bipartisan. The state Dem party needs to sanction these a-holes.

How's that workin for ya, Mitt?

Got me. Even blue states go insane sometimes.

She's a pretty good AG, but she basically phoned in her Senate campaign.

He's never liked Coakely. And former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn is all over the teevee ads endorsing Brown this time around.

Fahmah Mayah of thuh Shitty of Bahstahn?

Otherwise I cannot account for his endorsement of Scott Brown. Boy, have I heard some stories about him!

Back in the 80s?
He was hilarious.

you can't get much better material

was her pretty much telling everyone she didn't need to campaign and it would be hers.

anyone who pays attention through the years knows that Kennedy who was easily going to win still went out and campaigned. Kerry had a tough year once but he still campaigns even in years he is pretty much safe.

Here in Minnesota, which has been liberal forever, we got stuck with the boringly loathsome Timmy "The Tool" Pawlenty. Twice. This happened - in both elections - mostly because some asshat third party buttheads thought it would be cool to run for governor, and just enough idiots voted for them to ensure a GOPer win. It didn't help in the 2006 election that the Dems ran a weak candidate who was a bit of an asshole himself. But Timmy did not get more than 50% either time.

Wisconsin, also a traditionally blue state, has the even more heinous Scott Walker. I'm not sure how that happened, except that WI does have pockets of really retrograde wingnuts.

Then the fucker was sworn in and immediately started campaigning for president

Which rightiously pissed off most of the state.

People vote against their own interests and are not at all idiots. Just easy to fool.