Thomas Menino, the Democratic mayor of Boston, does his bit to
help Mitch McConnell become Senate Majority leader:
It may not be popular with his fellow Democrats, but count Mayor Thomas M. Menino as a believer in US Senator Scott Brown and - at least for now - a doubter about potential challenger Elizabeth Warren.
“Scott Brown has something about him that people gravitate to,’’ the mayor said yesterday after a federal housing announcement in Dorchester. “It’s just like that Tea Party group. It’s something they can gravitate to, because they believe they’re going to ‘change the world.’"
The tea party has record low approval ratings, an indication that Menino is a bit out of touch here. Not to mention that he calls them "that tea party group," which is reminiscent of how older generations often add unnecessary definite articles to some newfangled development. ("The HBO" and "the Pearl Jam" were common examples of this when I was younger.)
Given his astute political analysis, perhaps we should be heartened by Menino's doubts about Elizabeth Warren's prospective run for MA-Sen:
Menino, a veteran politician who is the city’s longest-serving mayor, is skeptical about the Harvard Law School professor.
“Let me tell you, all these candidates, you have to sell yourself to the people. You know, the media can’t make you. You have to be saleable.
“Do I know she can be saleable? I don’t know that. But there are some people - who have greater political minds than mine - who believe so. But I think you have to be out there and squeeze the flesh and see how they feel.’’
This is not the first time Menino is saying out loud what some Democrats grumble about privately. In May, the mayor said he did not believe any of the four Democratic candidates then running could beat Brown in 2012.
Thanks for the help, Menino. Mitch McConnell really appreciates it.
The bottom line here is that Elizabeth Warren is not a machine candidate, so of course Menino is going to go after her. Back when I worked for Joe Sestak during his primary campaign against Arlen Specter, we had to put up with this from just about every elected Democrat on the planet. However, in the end, it didn't matter, because Democrats make up their own minds.
If you haven't done so already, sign the petition to draft Elizabeth Warren for Senate. We need her exploratory campaign to become a real one.