Democratic candidate for governor Deval Patrick is lighting up the Massachusetts blogosphere this summer.
Patrick’s summer “blog blitz,” so dubbed by sco at .08 Acres and a Donkey, is an innovation in Massachusetts politics, and a recognition of the growing importance of bloggers in public life. Sco thinks “Patrick’s reaching out to us here on the Internet is a reflection of his campaign’s focus on youth outreach — after all, Internet users taken as a whole tend to be younger than the general population.”
I think its also true that we have a very politically interested and thoughtful bunch of bloggers here in Massachusetts. Patrick was asked good questions in the first round of blogger interviews, and he gave interesting answers. What’s more, the bloggers have clearly done their best to report their conversations honestly and fairly.
This time David Eisenthal of the The Eisenthal Report who writes about “politics, public policy, and culture, with particular emphasis on western and central Massachusetts” questioned Patrick, who is running as progressive, reform candidate for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Mitt Romney in 2006.
Among other things, Eisenthal reports, “In discussing public corruption in Springfield and elsewhere in the Commonwealth, Patrick took the opportunity to criticize rival Democratic candidate and state Attorney General Tom Reilly, saying ‘I can’t tell you of a single anti-corruption investigation by our Attorney General anywhere in Massachusetts.’ Patrick feels that the state Attorney General’s office is well-placed to be able to take the lead in such investigations, because it is more insulated from political pressures that face local District Attorney’s offices.”
Lynne at Left in Lowell interviews Patrick next week.
[Crossposted from FrederickClarkson.com]
is running against a longtime party insider, Tom Reilly, who has raised three million dollars; is antiabortion and anti-marriage equality.
Patrick was the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the Clinton Administration. He is the first African-American to run for governor of MA, and its his first run for public office.
However, many party veterans who like Reilly, worry that he is too boring to unseat Mitt Romney.
It promises to be an exciting Democratic primary.
What I appreciate about Deval Patrick is that he really is running a different kind of campaign. His campaign message of the “politics of hope” is something that I think will really resonate with people here in Massachusetts – uh, that is when he gets more media coverage. 🙂
I really hope that people take a good look at Deval before they make their decision. I realize that electing a democrat is the goal, but the last time we went with a guy because he seemed more “electable” it didn’t exactly work out. (Sorry, John…)
Yay for the Mass. Blogsphere!
Massachusetts is fortunate to have so many excellent bloggers. As someone who has only in the last year or so gotten more involved in local politics, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of your, and your fellow bloggers’ hard work to bring valuable context and analysis to issues affecting folks here in Mass.
Thanks, Mariposa.
I think our little network of progressive, democratic bloggers is making a difference.
I think Deval Patrick thinks so too.