Steve Grossman hasn’t made it official yet, but Newton’ resident and political newcomer Donald Berwick formally entered the governor’s race yesterday, according to this story in the Boston Globe. Berwick worked in the Obama administration, running the Medicaid and Medicare program, and helped implement universal health care.
His first order of business should probably be to hire a communications adviser. As the Globe story points out, announcing his candidacy via press release when he was out of town, eight days before a special election for the U.S. Senate, might not be — to use an expression I despise — the best “bang for the buck.”
But it’ll interesting to have at least two Newton residents in the race.
And Evan Falchuk, also of Newton is running as a third party candidate.
Of course, Evan would also be a good candidate to portray Greg Schwartz in a movie. Just sayin’
$175k for Dr Berwick and from the reports, practically nothing from traditional party insiders. Seems like a serious contender.
Hmmm. Uncanny resemblance between Falchuk and Schwartz. Has anybody ever seen them in the same room at the same time? Alderman Schwartz probably needs another occupation to add to his list.
Oh please, I heard someone else on the radio this morning (Mary Anne Marsh I think?) also criticizing the form and timing of his announcement. Give me a break! It’s 16 months to the election. Who besides insiders and PR people really cares if there’s balloons and bunting? At least he’s declared, unlike Capuano, Grossman and Baker who are still pondering.
I’m looking forward to a really good discussion of health care, and how best to control costs, with Berwick and Falchuk, and potentially Charlie Baker in the race.
I do think Berwick’s website should have a calendar of events, though.
I read through the campaign material on Don Berwick’s site. I’m hoping that in addition to macro policy issues around health care, he gives specific guidance around concerns in the emerging industries of marijuana and casinos. We need to accept both industries in a welcoming, yet carefully regulated way. It’s a bit surprising that someone with his background wouldn’t attempt to springboard himself with emerging issues around these new industries.
He certainly has the profile that attracts someone like myself who is sick of the years of shenanigans we in Massachusetts have tolerated within our State House. An outsider with policy experience is exciting.
Both Falchuk and Berwick are great people. Berwick was my last guest on my show and was terrific.
It has come to my attention P.C. Villagers that making analogies of Evan Falchuk to Alderman Greg Schwartz is like saying that Blair Underwood (or Denzel) would be a good candidate to play Setti Warren in a movie. Just sayin’ …
For crying out loud, can’t the gubernatorial candidate who hasn’t a breath of a chance in Democratic Massachusetts stand on his own merits and not just described as someone that may slightly resemble another who is only ‘famous’ to the moderators of this blog.
As much as it may apply, I refuse to repeat the analogy that I made the other day on this blog, although “the shoe fits’ (with advanced apologies to the bare-footed). 😉
Silly Janet: Everyone knows Denzel Washington is too old to play Setti Warren.
Are we positive Setti Warren isn’t interested? Why was he addressing students at an alternative school in Brockton last week? http://www.enterprisenews.com/features/x888790444/Brockton-s-Edison-Academy-graduates-115#axzz2U4NDwE6s
@Hoss: Interested in having someone play him in a movie? Doesn’t everyone want to have their life story turned into a movie? Or in your case, a sequel?
Wrong sequel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6MHgh1vFQ
Thanks Hoss – So why was our Mayor in Brockton??