Pressing on

There was at least one guy at the Massachusetts Democratic Party with a press credential, and there were TV cameras on the floor, though I didn't pick up who was filming. Today, though, hardly any coverage at all - a feature on the youth convention in the Globe, an unrelated story on Democratic scandals on Beacon Hill that would have tied in naturally to Deval Patrick's speech, a filler story on a moving violation and fender bender by the mayor of Fall River, and an AP file in the Herald limited to slot machines, not even anything sandbagging Robert Haynes's fiery and rambling speech. Maybe there are sound bites on local TV, maybe not.

Moral of the story: If you want coverage in this era of shrinking journalism, you have to cover yourself. Even change agents have to adjust to change.

So far, though, there's nothing on Youtube, nothing on massdems.org, and nothing on devalpatrick.com.

First Amendment redundancy

New Hampshire Governor John Lynch's delicacy about signing a same sex marriage bill has nothing to do with legal reality. It's all about politics, about telling know-nothings that, no, of course, legalizing same sex marriage doesn't repeal the First Amendment and can't possibly force anyone's church to offer any service to anyone they don't want to.

I don't blame him a bit.

Update (5/15): I could have read Atrios and skipped saying this, but it was a busy day and I needed an easy target. Who knew someone had already hit it?

We put it in quotes

Massachusetts libertarian Carla Howell tries to justify a bullshit number with tabloid journalism's techniques:

"We put it in quotes," said Carla Howell, chairwoman of the Committee for Small Government, which petitioned to put the question on the ballot. She was referring to yard signs that declare "41% in Mass. Government" and are accompanied by a message to cut waste, cut taxes, and "Vote YES on 1." The committee also put the phrase in quotes in 3.35 million copies of the official Massachusetts voter guide, which is printed by the secretary of the Commonwealth's office and includes proponent and opponent arguments for each ballot question.

Howell, a former Libertarian gubernatorial candidate, said she found it useful to be able to cite a number; the survey of 500 likely Massachusetts voters - conducted by the Republican pollster Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates - provided her with a tangible figure. But the actual percentage, 41, is not essential, she said.

"It could be low. It could well be that the state government is wasting 70 percent of our dollars, or more," Howell said. "It's the nature of government to be wasteful."

Survey the right know-nothings, and you can get any number you find useful. What other useful lies is she telling us?

The essential fact is this: You can support Question 1, but if you do, you have to acknowledge that you don't support local aid to cities and towns, you're against reasonable class sizes in public schools, and you'd prefer not to have full coverage from police and fire departments. Oh, and that banged-up suspension on your car? Prepare for it to hit lots more potholes. Better slow down.

Notice also, of course, the Republicans are helping with this irresponsible effort.

Home field

Unlike the Red Sox, we held home field advantage in the Massachusetts Fifth. Congratulations, Niki Tsongas. It was too close for comfort.

Jangle, jangle, jangle

Jim Ogonowski is trying to tie Niki Tsongas to Duhbya! It's the lamest childhood taunt: You are one, too.

Anyone whose bullshit detector doesn't go jangle, jangle, jangle over this has turned it off.

Is a week long enough?

The Boston Globe runs essentially candidate biographies a single week before voting. Eric Moskowitz tells us in both articles that Jim Ogonowski is a regular guy, citing as one reason Ogonowski's desire to make Duhbya's tax cuts for the wealthy permanent. I've learned not to trust the press on that question, thank you. Moskowitz also accepts Ogonowski's characterization of Niki Tsongas as favoring amnesty for illegal immigrants, when what she wants is enforcement in employment and a path to citizenship.

At least Moskowitz sprinkles in a little policy content into the atmospherics. But the Republicans have to be happy at Moskowitz's transcription of their theme into print.

I hope Niki comes out of Lowell with a big lead. I think the suburbs will go to Ogonowski.

A mistake he'd keep on making

Jim Ogonowski (R-Whoami) has no position papers on his web site, but one thing is certain from his public statements: He'll keep the troops in Iraq indefinitely.

He's also with Tom Tancredo and Duncan Hunter on immigration reform. He wants to send 'em all home. He hasn't said how he'll close the borders, but I'd guess a big-ass fence is in there somewhere.

This combination puts him in the odd position of being more extreme than Duhbya. Ogo also apparently thinks moving 12,000,000 people will be a cake walk, when moving 190,000 is impossible.