I got a phone call yesterday from a Beacon Hill firm conducting a political survey about the 1st Suffolk race. I was asked whether I had favorable or unfavorable opinions about the four candidates (as well as the mayor and governor) and which candidate I'd vote for if the election were held today.I'm guessing that none of the candidates paid for this, but I'd also be surprised that any of the media outlets would commission a poll for a single House race. Anyone else get a call? Any thoughts on who might be behind the survey?
29 comments:
beacon hill is getting NERVOUS!!!!...i don't know WHO is behind that survey, but if i were a betting man, i'd bet that it had to do with the fact that SO many people aren't going the "TRADITIONAL" route in this election, and going for the candidate that has a mind of HER own and WON'T "BOW DOWN" TO ANYONE!
I agree, obviously I think City Hall in particular is really nervous. Why? Because this is the first time in my long memory and I'm a long time City Hall worker that they have a terrible candidate. if you notice THEIR picks have been getting worse. I like Sal Lamattina as a person but really he isn't the brightest.Beware City Hall, I think you've chosen a loser this time!
I got the call from the firm two days ago. I disagree. i think it was either Drago or Basile. They seem to be the two "privately owned" candidates with all the money fighting over who has more signs up. I hate to see this happening to our neighborhood. "THIER" picks. The fact that people know City Hall picks candidates shows the need for change. This is a crisis.
I must disagree with the previous post on one point. This is not a crisis because there are alternatives in this race. I don't know if you've noticed but there are four candidates in this race that represent four distinct perspectives. Jeff Drago may be the "establishment" guy, and without any other information about his position on the issues, I can't come to any other conclusion about him. Carlo Basile is a conservative and well-known supporter of Republican candidates and causes. Mary Berninger strikes me as libertarian and her platform appears to be predominantly anti-Mayor. Gloribell Mota is an progressive Democrat who is known and respected by the "establishment" and also independent of it.
Far from being a crisis, this should be seen as quite an exciting development for East Boston. Apparently, for the first time in a long time, residents have real choices. I just hope that my neighbors take advantage of the opportunity and get engaged on the issues rather than the personalities.
I want to agree with the previous comment that this race is "quite an exciting development for East Boston." There are distinct choices for voters, and, hopefully, people will listen to and read about the candidates and make their decision based on the issues.
I agree and thats all I have to say!
I think this has been a great race so far. Voters have a choice for the first time and i intend to help bring change to this neighborhood. I am voting for Mota but also like Berninger. I hope to see Mary on another ballot REAL soon.
The earlier analysis was amazing. We have Basile the republican who is trying to get revenge for the rejection of Kerry Healey and George Bush in recent elections, Drago the establishment guy who will listen to special interests and the Mayor before the community and covers it up by promising to get things done with city hall, Mota the candidate who is respected and fearded by the establishment because she works hard, knows how to get things done and will listent to Eastie first and Berninger the anti-Menino candidate who seems to be tired of the same old politics ran by the same small group and is more than willing to take on the establishment. there is a candidate for everyone.
Folks, please give Jeff another look.
Here are the YouTube videos of speeches given at the Drago Campaign Kickoff Party. The first is a heartfelt introduction by LaMattina/Petruccelli, and the second is Jeff's speech.
http://www.youtube.com/v/L3-k30IvuO4
http://www.youtube.com/v/XQesQr3aLpo
Jeff is a highly qualified Suffolk Law School graduate, who is motivated and is as progressive on the issues as Senator Petruccelli is on all the hot button issues.
I absolute hate it when people cynically trash my candidate as the establishment candidate, and that's the only gripe they can find with the guy. This is the same cynicism that my other candidate, Deval Patrick has railed against. If you have a gripe with Jeff, make it about issues. And if you want to find out about where Jeff stands on teh issues, watch the above videos, or call the campaign office at 617.561.9500 and ask them. They will get back to you. Maybe Jeff will even call you personally.
In full disclosure, I am proudly volunteering on Jeff's campaign. Please make sure to disclose any ties to any of the campaigns whether you are a volunteer or you have donated.
Wow? Devale huh? The speeches you mention are by the same people who opposed Deval until he won the nomination. Cynicism? I think not. the arguement that we must choose between Carlo and Jeff is offensive and outrageous. I love how Drago mentions in his speech that Sal and Anthony both worked for the Mayor before running themselves. Thanks Deval for freeing Eastie from the same old politics that have working people struggling while the rich, corporations and the selected few profit.
Oh wait, that was only for 2006. this is 07 and it's back to the same old back door politics as usual.
Chris, we know who you are Mr. Coletta. The only Reason Jeff and others on his campaign supported Deval is because Reilly lost so don't think that we the voters are stupid! Furthermore, Jeff is the Mayors puppet and at every meeting he mentions that "the mayor feels this way or that way", so stop thinking that voters are stupid because I hate it when people like you try to use blogs to push candidates.
Again, I will say it whatever the Mayor says Jeff says
The previous poster wants to reveal the identity of another, but does so anonymously. That's classy. I am already tired of you and your cohorts consistently attacking Jeff Drago for working at City Hall. Get over it. I'm sure all of those comments are from one or several people working for another candidate and the result of your repeated howling about the same thing makes it clear that you don't want this race to be about issues, but rather about who you know. I want it to be about issues.
On Monday the five candidates for the open Middlesex, Suffolk & Essex state senate seat debated in Charlestown. We deserve no less in East Boston than a thorough and intelligent discussion of the issues. I will know who I am going to vote for only when I know each candidate's position on as many issues as possible. If you are attempting to distract from that then it appears you don't believe your candidate's positions are the ones that people in Eastie hold.
You knoiw what, I agree that it was a little over the edge to reveal anyones' identity but to say that theses comments are from people working for a campaign and don't want it to be about the issues is unfair Jimbo. If you are tired of debate than close the blog. I feel a little disrespected. If someone feels Jeff is just a "puppet" than they should say that. Lets get everything out there. Should we "get over the fact that Carlo's a republican? or that Gloribell worked for Felix Arroyo? This tells a lot about someone. Whats going on? Is your boss Sal complaining? Is the Mayor's people complaining? Why don't i have a right to know the past of a candidate? Maybe next election people should ignore your little blog and you could go back to daily posts with a comment if your lucky. I won't be posting again. I'll just read like I do other blogs and make up my mind.
I'm not tired of the debate. I'm tired of hearing the same accusation in place of debate. We've established who works for whom. Now can we get on to the candidates' viewpoints on the issues? That's all I'm saying.
If you've noticed, I don't delete comments unless they are attacks on people's personal lives or family members. You can read or not read, comment or not comment. That's fine with me. "The mayor's people," I'm sure, don't know me or my blog, and I will repeat that Councilor LaMattina, whom I do work a few hours a week for, has never mentioned this blog or this election to me.
Why should we believe you Jimbo now that we all know that you work for Sal.By you defending Drago just showed me who your for and I always have enjoyed your Blog but now you have lost me as a blogger.
I haven't made up my mind yet on who i'm voting for but its blogs like this that make me wonder who's agenda is being pushed.
Stay well Jimbo
My agenda: learning the candidates' positions so that I can decide which to vote for.
Jimbo, again I will ask why would we believe your not for City Hall when you indeed work there?
You can believe whatever you want. The truth is that I don't work AT City Hall. Let me repeat that I work a few hours a week from home for the councilor from East Boston. I have no plans or expectations of getting any type of state or city job no matter who wins this race. I know all of the candidates, and I will vote for the one whose views are closest to mine, which are ultra-liberal. I am providing a forum for the candidates who wish to respond to questions on various topics because two of the candidates asked me to do so.
FOLKS, let's all stop with this "high school bullshit", because that is what it is that we are roping ourselves into...and let's talk about what really matters...the ISSUES!!!
jimbo has been kind enough to start a weekly forum so that the candidates can talk about what an election should truly be about. an election shouldn't be a popularity contest...it should be about the people of East Boston, and how issues can benefit them
we've heard from one candidate so far on forum 2...mary berninger...and nobody has commented on her stance on THAT ISSUE
stop commenting on jeff and the mayor...or carlo and the republicans...or mota and the latinos...or berninger and her husband...or JIMBO and CITY HALL!
stat focusing and commenting on issues and the opinions on true matters, that the candidates give.
when i was at savio, our homecoming queen and king were voted on popularity...let's not make this into a homecoming race!
Let me start by apologizing to you Jim for I haven't been on your blog to respond to last week's question(which I will) this weekend.
For the record to Mr.Anonymous who is taking a shot at Jim let me tell you something. I have know Jimmy for over 25 years and I consider him to be an honest, hard working man who thinks for himself. Lets not make this election about taking shots at one another but lets make it about issues!
I applaud Jim for being his own man and it doesn't matter who he works for i know that Jim is Honest and has been his whole life. The next time you want to write something negative about someone please have some BALLS and post your name.
I apologize to everyone about the language but sometimes this is the only way you can get to someone who is a coward and won't mention his or her name! Take care to all and stay well!
I appreciate this blog and I hope Jim continues to do this despite all of the disparaging remarks. I'm getting more information about the candidate's views, as well as those of their supporters, from this blog than from the Eastie Times. I can't even begin to imagine how much work goes into doing this.
Regarding the abusive comments, my academic colleagues tell me this is a common technique used to cut off "discourse" usually initiated by people who would rather have political decisions made on the basis of personality rather than policy positions or values. The technique seeks to divert attention away from gaining an understanding of the candidate's policy position. It often has the effect of turning people off on the entire political democratic process and provides the advantage to the more politically powerful and the wealthy.
I sincerely hope we can move away from this. I would prefer that people who make those kinds of comments stop doing so or go away. Short of that, I hope that the rest us can just ignore these comments. I have a lot of faith in my neighbor's ability to make up their own minds about which candidate to support based on an understanding of their values and positions. I am personally only interested in the candidate's positions on issues that are important to me, not who they are or are not connected to or where they went to high school.
One comment implied that we should be discussing the candidates answers to the weekly questions. I hadn't even thought about doing that. I'm new to this whole blogging thing, but I was wondering what Jim thought about that. I admit that I assumed a consumer role here; I would read the candidate's comments and make my own judgments. I might discuss them with my husband and my neighbors, but had not thought about discussing these things on The Hubster itself.
Given the thread of comments here, I would be concerned that some people aren't interested in having a respectful discussion about the merits of particular views and would rather make personal disparaging remarks about the candidates, their families, their supporters, or even Jim. As much as I'd like to have a discussion around the answers posted here, I do not want to burden Jim further with having to moderate a discussion that has the potential of getting out of hand.
Jim, what is your view on this?
I appreciate those who've left comments in support of my small attempt to understand the candidates' positions and, thereby, become a more informed voter.
In response to the previous post, which asked about using my blog to air individual views and have discussions on issues, please go right ahead. I want to hear what people have to say and I enjoy the opportunity to offer my opinions as well.
I try not to censor anyone's comments, but I will delete posts that delve into the candidates' -- or anyone's -- personal and family life if it is not relevant to the campaign or the issues at hand.
Knowing how much this cost my guess is that Baisle is paying to have this done. If you listened to the bios that were given his was clearly the longest etc... Probably wanting to see how telling people that he is really a Republican even though he is a registered Democrat. He has supported and worked for the likes of Kerry Healy, Romney, Cellucci, Weld and Jenkins. We all better watch out for this wolf in sheeps clothing.
"Sal Lamattina, Anthony Petrucelli, Steve Murphy, Bill Galvin, Sheriff Glodis,Paul Scapicchio"
Wow! so much for being the independant candidate. Your anger and agression topped with your comment about people having the balls to post their names on blogs makes me skeptical of you representing me in the State House. Are you going to sewar at Sal Dimasi? are you going to get mad and try and intimidate other reps if something you push doesn;t get through? We need someone to bring home the bacon.
Mr. Basile, all your response tells me is that you not Jeff is the real establishment candidate. He's beholden to Menino who at least is a true Dem. You sell yourself to the republican establishment and when there si no chance of a Republican winning you back the most entrenched dems. You seem to be a opportunist. Not good in the political world. Good luck. You'll need it.
This campaign is looking more and more like the primary and general governors campaign mixed together. We have Kerry Healey(basile), Tom Riley(drago), Deval Patrick(mota) and Chris Gabrieli(berninger). Lets see the outcome.
Mr Basile,
I appreciate your comments, however they don't appear to be entirely accurate. I checked the OCPF website. You and members of your immediate family (meaning people living in the same house as you) have given $3,550 to Republican candidates over the past 5 years. Of that, $2,550 went to the Kerry Healey and Mitt Romney. You have given $1,575 to Democrats and an additional $750 to candidates whose political affiliation I don't know.
By these numbers, almost half of your financial contributions have gone to Republicans. Are the OCPF reports not accurate?
What matters to me is not necessarily that you support Republican candidates (although it does imply your position on a number of issues). I am bothered that you don't seem to want to own that affiliation. I understand you opened the Healey campaign office last year and ran her East Boston operations. Is that not true?
I am concerned that you might be trying to pass yourself off as someone you are not. If you support Republicans, then be open about it.
I agree with the previous post. Carlo, you have been a republican supporter for years. It is extremely known. In fact I heard from a loud mouth who calls himself the Mayor of East Boston and worked for you ealry but switched boats that Healy gave you 20,ooo grand so you could run after she won and help her in the Sate House. Sound familiar?
I spoke with Carlo Basile today and discovered that some of the comments attributed to him were posted by somebody else. I've deleted those comments. It's unfortunate that people would do that, and I don’t want to be a party to any misrepresentation or character attacks.
Let's stay away from the petty squabbling and unsubstantiated gossip, and instead let’s have a discussion of issues and facts. We are all residents of a neighborhood that we love because of its charms and despite its drawbacks. Let’s do ourselves proud by taking the high road during this campaign.
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