Reporter's Notebook: Democratic State Convention - State House News Service

"Calls to unite came also from State Auditor Joe DeNucci, a Clinton backer, and Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO..."
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

IN LOWELL, A CALL TO SHAKE HANDS AFTER “FAMILY FIGHT”
The Democratic State Convention here at the Tsongas Arena on Saturday had a national flavor, with the most prevalent topic of speechmakers and side conversations alike the way to repair a fractured Democratic Party at the conclusion of a bruising presidential primary between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Gov. Deval Patrick challenged Clinton and Obama supporters to team up and defeat Republicans in the fall. Before even cheering Obama’s victory, Patrick – an ardent Obama supporter – praised both candidates for “being exceptional competitors.” After running through a litany of national issues, including a declining economy and racial and gender disparities, Patrick said the challenges would continue unless the party came together. “The nominee will lead us, but it is up to us to drain our hearts of whatever bitterness remains,” he said. Patrick then asked delegates to shake the hand of someone sitting near them who supported a different candidate for the Democratic nomination. The appeals for unity came nearly simultaneously with Clinton’s concession speech, in which she threw her “full support” behind Obama’s presidential bid. Calls to unite came also from State Auditor Joe DeNucci, a Clinton backer, and Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Haynes drew wild applause when he asked the delegates “Will you come with me across America to elect Barack Obama as our next president?” Even as their leader was preparing to announce defeat, the Clinton campaign set up a table at the convention and distributed Hillary ’08 buttons. Wearing a button that read “One of 17.5 million for Hillary,” a reference to Clinton’s popular vote total, Boston City Council President Maureen Feeney said, “There needs to be a lot of reconciliation.” But one lawmaker and Obama supporter said the party will heal quickly. “We’ve been waiting for this opportunity for far too long to let some family fight ruin it,” said Rep. Peter Koutoujian (D-Waltham). Kate Chang, a Clinton campaign staffer manning the convention table, she hoped to work now to elect a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate.

BRACELETS (TEDSTRONG) AND BUTTONS (UNCLE TEDDY) POPULAR
Some of the wildest applause and most glowing praise was reserved, unsurprisingly, for one of the few top Massachusetts Democrats who wasn’t there. The mention of Sen. Edward Kennedy’s name sparked thunderous clapping and cheers for the ailing standard bearer of the Bay State Democrats. Few speeches went by without some well-wishing for his health, speedy recovery and return to the U.S. Senate. Kennedy is recovering from surgery on a malignant brain tumor. Lt. Gov. Tim Murray, celebrating his 40th birthday, said his birthday wish would be to see, Kennedy back on the Senate floor before the summer is out. During his speech to delegates, Sen. John Kerry paid homage to his longtime colleague. “We love you and we can’t wait for you to be back in the Senate,” he said. Every delegate who attended the convention received a gift bag containing a deep blue “Tedstrong” bracelet, fashioned after the yellow “Livestrong” bracelets popularized by Lance Armstrong. Proceeds of the bracelets, purchased by the party officials, will go to the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. Kennedy buttons calling the senator “Our Hero” and carrying a quote from his speech to the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York, sold for $2 each. “Everybody needs an Uncle Teddy button,” yelled Stephen Driscoll, co-chair of the National Stonewall Democrats, a gay rights organization.

MOST TOP DEMS MAKE IT TO LOWELL
Many of the state’s ranking Democrats were on hand. Those seen mingling in the crowd included House Ways and Means Chairman Robert DeLeo, Reps. Peter Koutoujian, Martin Walsh, Lori Ehrlich, Mark Falzone, Sean Garballey, William Greene, Kevin Murphy, Colleen Garry, John Rogers, Sarah Peake, Frank Smizik, Joyce Spiliotis and Steven Walsh, Sens. Michael Morrissey, Benjamin Downing, Anthony Petruccelli, Jack Hart, Karen Spilka and Marc Pacheco, among others. All of the state’s constitutional officers offered speeches except for Treasurer Tim Cahill, who had prior commitments in Quincy, according to his office. Other speeches included a keynote address by environmental activist and Democratic Party leader Van Jones, a 10-minute address by Robert Kennedy Jr., in advance of Sen. John Kerry’s remarks, as well as remarks by U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas and Lowell Mayor Edward Caulfield. The convention was moderated by Party Chairman John Walsh, running his first convention since taking the reins from Phil Johnston.

AMONG MANY CHOICES, ONE REP SPORTS AN “ELECT DIMASI” STICKER
Avid political button collectors found plenty to pick up, including newly minted orange buttons promoting Gov. Deval Patrick that his aides were handing out. The button showcased a big, bold “D” – for Democrat and Deval – and listed the governor’s political website. The Bay State Stonewall Democrats’ booth offered a variety of pins and stickers, some with unflattering pictures of Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The buttons also referred to the 71-year-old McCain as “Same Old Same Old” and “McNasty,” comparing him to President George Bush. Many delegates picked up U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy and “Hillary ‘08” buttons. Robert DeLeo, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, sported an “Elect DiMasi – Representative” sticker on his shirt while shaking hands and waiting to head into the convention.

DEMS FIND CAUSE TO RALLY ‘ROUND: SAVING THE INCOME TAX
AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes made a strongly worded appeal in opposition to efforts to repeal the state’s income tax, a proposal advancing towards the November ballot as a binding referendum. If approved, the question would reduce state tax collections between $11 billion and $12 billion. “We all need, as Democrats, to stand together and fight back this hateful attempt to do away with the income tax,” Haynes said. The Coalition for Our Communities, a recently launched organization to defeat the income tax ballot question, set up a table and distributed scads of materials making their case. “While the actual effect of income tax repeal on state and local finance would depend on a series of legislative choices,” one flier read, “other taxes almost certainly would not – and could not – be raised enough to offset the revenue shortfall.” Instead, the coalition argues, lawmakers could opt to eliminate state aid to cities and towns, saving $5 billion; drop out of Medicaid, saving $5 billion; or default on debt repayment, saving $2 billion. The flier also asserts out that:

Firing every state worker would slice spending by less than half the required amount;
Tapping the rainy day reserve would only keep the state government running for one or two months;
The state’s bond rating would almost immediately be downgraded to “junk bond status;”
And, across-the-board cuts would “cripple” almost all programs.

Supporters of the ballot initiative say it would put $3,600 back in the wallets of families struggling in a feeble economy. They argue that the Legislature should be forced to better prioritize how it spends taxpayer dollars and that most legislative spending is wasteful. The ballot drive, sponsored by the Committee for Small Government, is led by Carla Howell, a former libertarian candidate for governor. The income tax rate, which voters ordered Beacon Hill to reduce to 5 percent, is frozen at 5.3 percent.

--State House News Service
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