Ever since respected Addison Independent editor Angelo Lynn threw his support behind Matt Dunne, some of us (not many, mind you) have watched with interest to see whom brother Emerson Lynn would annoint. This gripping question was answered in today's Messenger editorial:
We need a leader who understands the need to break the bureaucratic inertia that retards innovation...who understands the future is not about the person who occupies the office but about the next generation of Vermonters...Of the five Democratic candidates running for governor, Deb Markowitz is the one who best fits this profile.
He goes on to cast a few roses at her feet; but take care, there are some hidden thorns:
She understands... that efficiency in state government is a must, regardless of whom it offends. When she became Secretary of State that need was evident in her office, and she took on the union to get it done.
or how about this:
Politics is about self-interest, the art of governing is blending these self-interests into a common theme that can be sold, and that is her strength.
The remainder of the editorial is basted with more oddly chosen and lukewarm praise for Markowitz, artfully phrased so as to target zingers at the other four candidates.
I don't like putting up press releases here in toto, so I'll just put up the headers from two I just got:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 17, 2010
CONTACT: Alexandra MacLean
1-802-272-0443
Shumlin Outraises Brian Dubie and All Primary Opponents During Latest Financial Filing Period
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010
Contact: Paul Tencher, Campaign Manager
802-552-0822
Markowitz Closes Primary Campaign
by Outraising Dubie, All Primary Opponents
I'm on vacation with next to no internet access, and here it is the last financial filing before the primary! What's a political junkie to do?
Sigh. Guess I just have to wait for the press releases. In the meantime, here's a quick guide to some of the coverage out there leading up to next Tuesday:
Noise. Interesting in a really political geeky sense, but... eh... not that it shouldn't be reported, but... maybe I'm just getting fatigued.
Wednesday of last week, Democratic candidate for state auditor Doug Hoffer publicly asked Auditor Tom Salmon to explain why his office has not released an audit of the Vermont Yankee decommissioning fund requested by the legislature almost three years ago.
Today Hoffer points out and questions why Tom Salmon lists the Vermont Yankee Audit and two other reports on his reelection webpage as accomplishments (followed by a discreet asterix [*] noting they are drafts not yet fully accomplished).
Hoffer believes Salmon should explain why his campaign website lists these three reports as “accomplishments” even though the reports have not been released. “It’s a little puzzling why the State Auditor feels the need to puff up his record with reports that haven’t been released” said Hoffer.
Says Hoffer: A section of Mr. Salmon’s campaign website entitled “Activities and Accomplishments since the 2008 Election,” includes these three titles: Monitoring and Management of the Entergy Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Fund, Situation Report at WNESU, and Comparison between a Unified Supervisory District and a Multi-Board non-unified Supervisory Union.
Salmon, who has been back in the state almost a week after attending a national state auditor’s convention (according to the Vermont View), is not returning reporters phone calls and has apparently not responded to Hoffer’s initial query. Certainly he will answer phone calls and respond at some point because, as he says on his webpage:
“Politics is calling for warriors. Step up and tell the truth with civility; people are starving for it.” -T.M.S.
(Promoted for the usual reasons - promoted by JulieWaters)
In order to beat Brian Dubie this November, we need a candidate who has the trust of Vermonters and can bring people from all backgrounds together to move the state forward.
Over the past few weeks our campaign has been gaining support from a wide range of Vermonters and every day new people from unlikely places have been stepping forward to explain why they are backing our movement.
Our grassroots volunteers released a video today highlighting one supporter in particular who has a unique background. Watch it below or by clicking here.
Throughout my career I have been focused on delivering results to Vermonters. Whether it's my work with Vermont's Veterans or my focus on economic development, I know what it takes to bring people together regardless of their background.
As Governor, my focus will always be on the people of Vermont. I'm excited to use this broad range of support to beat Brian Dubie in November and to join people together to move our state into a new era.
Vermont comes with a level of access to state government that I've not seen in other states. When I lived in Rhode Island, I occasionally had very brief and fleeting interactions with legislators and politicians. The night Clinton got elected President, I got to meet now Senator Jack Reed in an elevator and tell him how much I admired and respected him. That's about as much as you get.
Vermont's a bit different. This season, I've had extended conversations with Peter Shumlin and Matt Dunne. Last year, I talked with Doug Racine and Floyd Nease at length at our blogger summit. When I criticized Challenges for Change a few months ago, I got an e-mail from speaker Smith.
This is so outside of the realm of what I tend to expect, but this access has left me in the position of not just choosing between abstracts and figures who give speeches but choosing between people with whom I've had extended conversations and have a bit of admiration and respect for.
Just when we need a little leavening to lighten the mood during these final days before the primary, the FP served up something today that more than fills the bill. In a front page feature on the three GOP suitors for a waltz with Peter Welch, we learn that John Mitchell is fond of citing Otto von Bismarck and believes the marketplace alone should decide the fate of small family farms. Another contender, Keith Stern has already had three unsuccessful runs for Congress, in which he never garnered more than 1% of the vote. His "bold" ideas include making Social Security recipients work to "earn" their benefits. It's not hard to imagine how this idea will be received, considering the obvious argument that they have already worked to earn those benefits!
But those two guys do not provide the entertainment value of one Paul Beaudry; aka "Bachelor #3." Even the right-leaning Free Press seems a little agog at his temerity:
Beaudry is the most rhetorically flamboyant of the three, using attention-getting language and sometimes making hard-to-prove assertions.
Examples, anyone? Here we go:
He has asserted that Vermont has enough natural gas and oil under its land to eliminate state income taxes and send every resident a yearly check.
Shumlin is a realist who fully understands the state's struggles in the midst of a multi-year revenue shortfall. He has the experience to know that Vermont has passed the point where Montpelier can continue to balance the budget simply by cutting more or by hoping for an economic turnaround to restore revenues. He has the integrity to tell Vermonters about the hard work and sacrifices ahead.
The Stowe Reporter has endorsed Matt Dunne in the Democratic primary for Governor. This makes two for Dunne, along with his previous Addison Indy endorsement. From the editorial:
Change is part of who he is; he believes there are better ways to run state government - and he's absolutely right. His work for Google and AmeriCorps and at the Legislature reflects an ability to assess challenges and inefficiencies, revamp approaches, set goals and meet them. As such, Dunne not only has set broad political and policy goals for the state and organized the framework to reach them - everything from balancing the budget to making Vermont an "innovation state" - but he defines the specifics.
Dubie’s campaign called it “a game of ‘let’s pretend’” and their campaign manger, Cory Bliss said, “It’s no surprise Brian’s opponents would rather debate an empty chair than talk about their own agenda for higher taxes and dozens of new government programs.”
The irony here is that someone must stand in for him because Brian won’t stand up for himself. Instead of making jokes about not showing up to debates, Brian Dubie’s campaign should explain to Vermonters why their candidate has declined every forum he’s been invited to and is too afraid to have an open and honest discussion on the issues.
The metaphor of an empty chair in the release is an appropriate symbol not only for Brian Dubie’s absence during this campaign but also for his tenure as Lt. Governor.
Every two weeks Brian Dubie is paid by the people of Vermont, yet he puts nothing on his public calendar and declines to show up at public forums to face voters. It is insulting to Vermonters that Dubie refuses to participate in the forums he is invited to, and then turns around and mocks the Democrats for having someone stand in for him.
During this campaign I’ve often asked one simple question: Brian Dubie, where have you been?
Where have you been when you declined every forum invitation you have received? Where have you been when you criticize other candidates’ jobs plans without putting out a plan of your own? Where have you been when you deride Vermont as a bad place to do business while, under your watch, the economy suffered and the number of new businesses dropped?
Brian Dubie would rather make a joke than join a debate. But the state of our economy is not a joke and the number of out of work Vermonters is no laughing matter. Brian Dubie, let’s put an end to the games and talk about the real issues facing Vermonters.
