Deval Patrick: Just Words

[beaconess]

"I will not engage in the politics of fear. Because fear is poisonous. All through history it has been used to hold back progress and limit fairness. Only hope defeats fear. It always has.

"At a candidates forum last week, the moderator asked each of us to say something nice about the other candidates. Kerry Healey rather grudgingly said, “Well, he can give a good speech.” She would know this not because she has ever attended a speech of mine but because she has them filmed by this fine fellow here. But her dismissive point, and I hear it from her staff, is that all I have to offer is words. Just words.

"'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' Just words.

"'We have nothing to fear but fear itself.' Just words.

"'Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.' Just words.

"'I have a dream.' Just words.

"Let me say it before you do: I am no Dr. King, no President Kennedy, no FDR, no Thomas Jefferson. But I do know that the right words, spoken from the heart with conviction, with a vision of a better place and a faith in the unseen, are a call to action. So when you hear my words, or speak your own to your neighbors, hear them and speak them as a call to action.

"Because the victory is not just what we did on primary night. It’s not just what we will do on November 7. It’s not even when – with your help and God Almighty’s -- I take the oath of office next January. The victory comes when every man, woman and child in the Commonwealth has a reason to hope."

---Massachusetts Governer-Elect Deval Patrick, October 15, 2006

Damn! He's good!

Keep your eye on this guy - we'll be hearing a lot more about him.

[Arkana]

1. Haha, yes we will.

I'm so glad Massachusetts finally woke up and elected a Democrat to the corner office. I expect he'll serve a term as Governor, then run for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat when he retires.

He's so right, though. That one word: "Hope." It's so powerful--and it scares the fuck out of the right-wingers and their politics of fear.

[MethuenProgressive]

2. Just words so far. At least wait til he's sworn in before anointing him Saint Deval

He's a pretty good campaigner, but any of the Dems would've whupped Kerry Healey after Mitt abandoned her. Let's see how well he governs before we get too excited and start commisioning marble busts, OK?

[beaconess]

3. No - I'm very excited about Patrick and I don't need to wait until he gets into office

to feel good about him. And saying that we're going to hear more about someone with as much promise as Patrick has doesn't even come close to "commissioning marble busts." Apparently, you have some issue with him or perhaps you're afraid to get your hopes up about anyone - but don't expect everyone to share your trepidation.

As for your assessment that any Dem "would've whupped Kerry Healey after Mitt abandoned her," maybe that's true, but it's pure speculation on your part and it's Deval Patrick who did actually whup her.

[Justice]

6. Honestly, I don't agree

"any of the Dems would've whupped Kerry Healey after Mitt abandoned her."


I don't think Reilly would have beat Healey. I do think Gabriele would have, but not Reilly.

Also, I don't think it was that Mitt abandoned her; I think it was that his ratings are going south and he would have hurt her more than her by herself. Even those that voted for Mitt (I didn't) see him as a huge disappointment.

Anyway, water under the bridge. Go Deval - can't wait to see what you do!

[bicentennial_baby]

8. are you ever going to get over Reilly losing?

Geez man :eyes:

[JI7]

4. wow, what a contrast to that thing that is the outgoing Governor at the moment

[calimary]

5. Nice one!

I like his eloquence. I bet we WILL be hearing more about this guy.

[Mass]

7. I agree - His acceptance speech was by far the most uplifting and

unifying speech I have heard in years.

It was doing more in bringing people together than any speech I heard in the previous years. I am sure that, if he wants to, he will go far.

[TayTay]

9. I like Deval Patrick, but I would also put off canonizing him

for now. He is still a rookie Governor with no prior electoral experience. He will have a lot to learn to how to govern a fractious state like Massachusetts.

He has a lot of promise and he has strong ability. I was a delegte for him at the State Convention because of this and worked for his campaign this past summer/fall. But I don't want to see him saddled with expectations so high that he can't possibly meet them.

I also would not want to hear any talk at all of Deval Patrick taking Teddy Kennedy's seat in 2012. I want the new Governor to focus on doing what he said he would do: govern Massachusetts. I am so tired of Governors who say they will focus on their jobs and don't. If Deval Patrick doesn't focus like a laser beam on the problems in this state, I would dump him in heartbeat. That is one of the prime reasons I worked for him and I have told him that to his face.

[beaconess]

12. Since when does saying, "he's good - keep your eye on him" equate with "canonizing" him?

I understand you don't want him saddled with too-high expectations, but give me a break!

[welshTerrier2]

10. i heard him give that speech

the hall was rocking ...

[gratuitous]

11. No feelings one way or the other on Mr. Patrick

But damn, even that snippet of a speech outstrips practically any of the mealy-mouthed crap flowing out of the present administration in Washington. While words don't guarantee actions, in this day of instant communication and 24-7 recording, anyone who says something like what Patrick said will surely have it thrown back in his face should he falter.

He's set a very high bar for his administration. I look forward to his efforts to achieve, which will be a welcome break from an administration that sets a ridiculously low bar and then fails to clear even that standard.