Newton Mayor Setti Warren had at least been involved in conversations to become the Chairman of the Mass Democratic party but “has decided not to do it” according to Boston Magazine’s David S. Bernstein.
Before people read too much into this, note that this does not mean Warren would have stepped down as mayor. Being chairman is not a full time position (it may not even be a paid position correction: the article says ““it doesn’t pay that well”). For example, the current outgoing chairman John Walsh, owns an insurance business.
Interesting. Mayor Warren would have been a good choice for the Democratic party, but he was smart to reject the idea. The job — combined with his current one, assuming he keeps it — would have sucked the life out of him.
The article says “it doesn’t pay that well.” If it pays at all, Mayor Warren would be disqualified by the terms of the Charter.
The Mayor is an enthusiastic, thoughtful, fully engaged and articulate public figure. He’s going to be in high demand simply because of these distinct leadership qualities and this is going to be true whatever one thinks of all the specifics of his record here. Over the next four years, a range of important groups and individuals outside of Newton are going to approach him to drop what he is doing here and lead something else. He’s not going to do it because cutting edge cities like Newton are where most of the innovations in government are going to take place and where the incubation of promising new approaches can be tested. State and local governments are where most of the action will be taking place at least in the short run and a good record here should be his ticket of advancement. It won’t come from holding a job in the Democratic Party or from some lame duck appointment with the Obama Administration in Washington. I keep telling young people who want to go to DC to stay here whether they want to work in government, an NGO or the private sector. This is a much more positive place to live and to work and I suspect the Mayor knows this.
Warren Tolman would be a great choice, but I doubt that he would want to deal with all the squabbles and headaches that go on inside the Party’s establishment.
I’ve always thought that Tolman would have zonked Mitt Romney in 2002; probably the only Democrat that would have succeeded that year because he was a reformer who knew how to appeal to the party’s liberal and blue collar cores.
I’m also glad Mayor Warren declined to pursue this, but if he had, I suspect that he would have encountered friction within the party related to his rejection of the Engine Six project, especially following the Adrian Walker column.
I’m going to turn down being the general manager of the Celtics if asked. Problem: I will never be asked.
Bob Burke,
“incubation of promising new approaches”? In Newton? Such as what? Killing the Station 6 project or the reversible Cypress Street reconstruction? Or maybe the recent permanent tax increase?
Greg-Time to get out of the Newton bubble. Newton always has issues that are being discussed very thoroughly (and often heatedly), and that’s widely known throughout the state. I know you love journalists, and with good reason, but to think that one column in the middle of July written by a fair to middling columnist – whom few people read in the first place – is going to change the trajectory of anything is kind of overplaying things.
@Jane: You know better than most that being chair of a political party (at any level) isn’t about interacting with the masses, it’s about motivating and organizing activists. And political activists always read the paper. Even in July. Even while on vacation. Even (perhaps especially) Adrian Walker.
And, as I’m sure you know, housing for the homeless is an important issue for many Democratic activists (for some it would be a litmus test.)
Here inside our “Newton bubble” many folks may take the time to understand the nuance related to Engine 6 saga. But outside of Newton, a portion of those newspaper-reading party activists that the next party chair needs in his/her corner, may have some doubts about Setti Warren that they didn’t have before this issue and this column.
I’m not saying it would have been a deal breaker. I am saying it would have been a problem.
Political activists in the Mass. Democratic Party are well versed in a candidate’s position on (many) issues and know that Mayor Warren is an active supporter of affordable housing. By all accounts, he was very well-received when he spoke at the recent state convention.
I agree with Gail & Gail that Mayor Warren deciding not to be the Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman was a good decision.
And I agree with Bob Burke that cities and towns like Newton are where potentially most of the innovations in government are going to take place and where the potential incubation of promising new approaches can be tested as well State and local governments are where most of the action will be taking place at least in the short run and a good record here should be the key to political advancement.
And Anatol doesn’t have to worry about whether Newton will fall apart without him serving as a community activist because there are plenty of people who share similar concerns as he and will be addressing those issues.