By Dan Yorke, WPRO
THE POLITICAL NEWS OF THE WEEK
Linc Chaffee becomes a democrat. He will tell you that it’s all about finding a home. And that he is much more in line and has a man crush with Barack Obama. Well, maybe so.
But know this: This move is about a road to re-election.
The governor has anemic numbers. He has exhausted most of his heritage name, at least in terms of political value. He needs a jump start. Switching parties helps.
A year from now he will be regularly referred to as “democratic governor Chafee”. It will embed in the minds of the voters, too many of whom are democratic loyalists (lemmings). It’s worth more than a few points.
He will receive the state party endorsement and the support of the four congressional camps, and most important, the Obama machine. That’s worth a whole bunch of points as well.
Who will he face in a democratic primary for governor? Most likely just Gina Raimondo. The Treasurer is all in. She has the biggest pile of poker chips on the table with high popularity ratings. She will lose some of that pile along the way because she can’t win every hand and has already made some bad decisions. And the outcome of the pension case lawsuit is a looming potential storm.
My guess is Providence Mayor Angel Taveras will not run for governor. Can’t see how he beats the incumbent and the Treasurer. He has a good job. Rumors are that he considers himself a one termer. He will be if he runs for the big job at the wrong time.
Early money says the winner of the 2014 democratic primary will be the next governor. But please just take it to the bank that our current governor has not “come home” or “out of the closet” to his real political identity. He is a political mercenary intent on remaining elected at all costs.
REMEMBER YOU WERE TOLD THERE WAS VOTE TRADING ON GAY MARRIAGE?
Uh, notice the unanimous senate approval for former chamber president Joe Montalbano as a new superior court judge. And not a mention of his $12,000 ethics fine in the process. And the person who made it all happen, who moved “mountains” to secure the deal, wants hers too. But that will have to wait a little while. The current senate president becoming a judge too soon would be just too obvious.
38 STUDIOS
Bills have been introduced designed to prevent payment on the $112 million we owe the bond holders. Bad cover for the truth. The legislature was duped into voting for that deal and there isn’t a single soul in the body who has the guts to ask for a formal inquiry as to how that happened. And did you notice speaker Gordon Fox has a whole new economic plan resulting from the lessons learned with 38? Also a bad cover for the truth. He is the primary villain that led his members to slaughter. What a sham.
Stay cool. And don’t complain about the heat. Remember how long the winter was?
Gotta go take some prom pictures.
|
|
Dan Yorke
