Scott Brown: A Lively Conversation

 Scott Brown at the podium, Amherst College Johnson Chapel

Private citizen Scott Brown's reception on a return visit to Amherst was a radical departure from his first visit 18 months ago as US Senator where a hoard of activists treated him rudely, some to the point of disrespect, and attempted to hound him all the way up Bare Mountain, although the vast majority could not match his brisk pace to the top.

Of course it was a "republican" group who had invited him to speak today, and about 75 mostly college aged youth answered the call.  The night-and-day difference was not lost on the former senator who pointed out this speech represented,  "The first time I have not had any protesters".

 Good crowd, mostly college aged youths, came to hear Scott Brown speak at Amherst College

Perhaps remembering that exact Amherst incident he continues, "I'm a moderate -- the most bipartisan senator in the senate and I'm being protested?!  But that's what makes our country so wonderful:   We have ability to have that free speech. We have that ability to question authority, to make a difference." 

Moderate indeed:  Brown touched on his socially liberal beliefs from campaign finance reform to supporting gays serving in the military,  and a woman's right to choose.

Which brought on perhaps his most exasperating moment, remembering the bitter campaign just ended, only his first loss in a dozen elections.  "I'm a pro-choice, moderate, bipartisan republican ... and I'm going to help take away women's rights?  Really!

He continues earnestly, "I'm from a house full of women.  I have three of the most hard charging, high powered women in my life and apparently I'm going to change -- just like that."

Scott Brown with his "hard charging, high powered" wife, Gail Huff

Brown repeated the word "bipartisan" over and over, saying that would be the key to his credibility now as a critic of the status quo.  We all need to "work together as Americans first."

He went on to poignantly remember the height of cooperation that made him "most proud" of the US Congress, when members from both sides of the isle stood together, some arm in arm, on the US Capitol steps and sang "God Bless America" on the late afternoon of 9/11.

But those days a l-o-n-g gone.

We have moved away from "tolerance and cooperation and the ability to work as Americans first ... We're in deep trouble.  What do I mean by that?  Economy is flat, unemployment is up, $16.5 trillion national debt.  When I went down there it was $11.95 trillion.  $16.5 trillion now!"

Turning to a post mortem on his recent senate loss he started with a forthright, "I wouldn't change a thing."   Because as a Republican he had an amazingly steep climb right out of the starting gate.

In a state where only 11% of voters are registered republicans, fighting a contest in a presidential election year with a peak turnout, competing for a seat that was formerly owned by a Kennedy, a family name in Massachusetts only one step down from God on the reverence scale.

Yet he lost by only 7.5%, while Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney -- a former Governor no less -- lost the state by a whopping 23%.

Scott Brown left the rapt audience with a challenge:  "Are you going to be a part of the go-along-to- get-along crowd or are you going to be a leader at the college.  Are you going to make a difference?"

Considering the obstacles he has overcome, Scott Brown provided them a timely role model.

Tony Melendez, who plays guitar with his feet, also provided an inspirational talk and musical demonstration of how the human spirit can overcome adversity.

Amherst College Johnson Chapel, under a majestic American flag, provided a bright cozy setting for uplifting talks

Mass Daily Collegian managed to muster a reporter (what say you Gazette, Republican, Ch 22, Ch 40?)

Run Dan Run!

Representative Dan Winslow R-Norfolk (an Amherst native)

So if ever there was a compassionate conservative in the state of Massachusetts who could take the baton hand off from Scott Brown and set his own blistering pace it would be Dan Winslow.

Yes, amazingly enough, someone born in Amherst that's fiscally conservative, with a profound respect for bedrock family values -- including the American flag.

Back in the dark days of 2001 Dan, as council to Governor Romney, was sympathetically helpful to me in my crusade to get Amherst to allow the 29 commemorative flags to fly in the downtown; and just the past September Dan pushed in the state legislature for a bill that would require the state to fly the American flag at half staff to commemorate the in-the-line-of-duty death of a fire fighter or police officer.

And to further align him with ultra-liberal Amherst voters Dan supported the recently passed medical marijuana bill that Amherst  overwhelmingly supported in November by 83%.  Of course Amherst also supported President Obama by the same 83% margin.  Hmm ...

With Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) now State Senate Majority Leader, a win by Winslow for Senate will really put Amherst on a map no longer ignored by the Powers That Be in Boston.

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Statement posted at 10:30 AM on his website:

  “Today I’m taking the necessary steps to form an exploratory committee to test the waters for the U.S. Senate. We need to fix a broken Washington where progress is being hampered by partisan gridlock. If we continue to elect the same Washington politicians, we can not expect different results.”

  “The people of Massachusetts and all Americans deserve solutions from their elected officials. Washington needs to focus on problem solving and implement ideas that will create jobs and grow our economy,” said Winslow

Do Over?

 Scott Brown could put his left over campaign paraphernalia to good use

President Obama may has just given the GOP an early Christmas present if reports coming out in reliable mainstream media are true, that Massachusetts Senator John Kerry will become the next Secretary of State. 

Yes, Governor Patrick could stack the deck somewhat by appointing a real contender to occupy Kerry's senate seat rather than just a warm body term-limited to the day of the special election, as was done when Senator Kennedy died.

And look how well that turned out for the democratic party.

When it comes to special elections, Scott Brown has already accomplished the unthinkable -- snatching the throne occupied by a political deity for almost fifty years. 

Obviously in his recent farewell address, Scott Brown all but announced a return to the campaign trail:  "Depending on what happens, and where we go, all of us, we may obviously meet again."

A lot sooner than most democrats expected, obviously.

How would Miss Emily vote?

The Amherst of old (before UMass/Amherst became the giganormous flagship of higher education) was a L-O-T more conservative than we are today.  So I would have to imagine our beloved reclusive poet Emily Dickinson -- never able to vote in her lifetime -- would have supported our current Senator, Scott Brown and Republican challenger, and former Governor of our liberal state, Mitt Romney for President.

And since she was brilliant, Miss Emily would also have been smart enough not to tell anyone in the Amherst of today how she voted.

Say it ain't so Scott

Senator Scott Brown: dressed for a hike

I find it hard to believe that Senator Scott Brown would turn down the opportunity to speak at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, a conglomeration of every daily newspaper and about half the weeklies in the state of Massachusetts where he is now in pretty much a dead heat with a political rookie rock star, Elizabeth Warren--who is going to speak at the old fashioned Fourth Estate luncheon.

I mean, this is the guy who came to the People's Republic of Amherst--ground zero for entrenched liberal ideology dating back to the 1960s. Can a roomful of journalists possibly be any worse?

Sure newspapers are nowhere near what they used to be for providing news and information to the masses--especially those under age 30--but they are still a formidable institution, rock solid with older folks who always vote.

I don't care if your campaign is three times richer than Ms. Warren's, news coverage is priceless--and free!

Henry Street North Amherst this morning (not sure if they are a supporter or not)

Into the Belly of the Beast

Senator Scott Brown: dressed for a hike

Senator Scott Brown came a calling this hot afternoon, picking one of the highest locations in Amherst, the top of The Notch state run visitors center, as his stage .

The Senator was supposed to talk about the economy and tourism, but he was immediately set upon by demonstrators so he and his entourage crossed over Rt. 116 and headed up the steep slippery incline to Bare Mountain, the nearest peak to the visitors center--but still a good workout.

Yes, I managed to shake his hand, although I forgot to take off my bike gloves. I had taken the long route to get there from my house which is normally a three mile ride but going the long way to avoid the Atkins Corner construction was 12 miles with a sprint up the, thankfully easier, south side of The Notch.

I arrived a minute or two after 2:00 PM but had little to worry about as the Senator was about 20 minutes late in arriving. When he did appear I was still sweating and as he shook my hand he complimented my American flag bike shorts and mentioned that he just did the Pan Mass Bike Challenge (with Lance Armstrong.)

It was then the demonstrators started to get (verbally) pushy.

A republican Senator in the People's Republic of Amherst is about as rare as a white whale; and this one in particular strikes me as a tad more formidable than Moby Dick.

A few fans and lots of media showed up

Political Welcome Wagon

The opposition was organized

Taste of Freedom

Now that the 20th annual Taste of Amherst is safely stowed under under a bulging beltline, it's time to start thinking about the next B-I-G thing in Amherst town center. And just so folks will be reminded, the red white and blue July 4 Parade banner went up this morning for a week of flight in that prime location.

Both Senator Scott Brown and Governor Deval Patrick have been invited and their offices return called to inquire about the particulars. After the devastating tornadoes that ripped their way through western Massachusetts it sure would be nice if our top political leaders showed their faces out this way to celebrate the birth of freedom and power of resilience.

Massachusetts miracle indeed!

Early this morning I was pleasantly surprised to read a guest column by Izzy Lyman, my forever friend and once the token "conservative columnist" for the Daily Hampshire Gazette. We were kind of bookends as I was then the token "conservative columnist" for the Gazette's sister publication the Amherst Bulletin.

Izzy of course submitted this over a week ago and only today it saw the light of ink. So yeah, a tad dated. Now you know why I call the Gazette crusty.

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On one recent evening – specifically January 19th – I wished I still lived in Massachusetts.

For many years, bombastic Amherst was Home Sweet Home, and I spent a chunk of that time happily writing bombastic newspaper columns.

What I would have given to cover the People’s Candidate’s victory party.

Oh, to watch herstory become history.

Oh, to be able, after years of seeing a “D” after every name in the congressional delegation, to simply gaze at the lone “R.”

Oh, to take a stand against Wall Street bailouts, ACORN hustlers, Cash for Clunkers boondoogles, and Rachel Maddow’s point of view.

Oh, to be in Massachusetts on a wintry election day and vote for Scott Brown for the seat formerly held by Teddy Kennedy.

Candidly speaking, however, Senator-elect Brown is not this Tea Party sympathizer’s cup of tea.

Brown, after all, isn’t really a social conservative. He supports civil unions, and he is pro-choice. Two strikes.

He is also “passionate” about improving that dinosaur known as public education. The Cosmo Centerfold strikes out, even with Kurt Schilling’s staunch support.

But these are times that try men’s and women’s souls, and, for once, improv, not hard-line stands, seemed the better way to take a shot at taking down the mighty Massachusetts Liberal Machine. For once, voting for a third party candidate was not only a wasted vote but a wasted opportunity.

Plus, there was something about Scott. Unlike Bill Weld, the quintessential Rockefeller Republican, as well all those other colorless moderates the Massachusetts GOP endlessly promotes, Brown comes across as playful and credible. He is of the masses and yet a cut above them - campaigning in the beloved truck, the wife and daughters who didn’t flinch in front of the camera, the grueling triathlon training, the J.D. degree, and the national guard service. If Brown insists on continued support of the War on Terror, at least, he is no chickenhawk. He has been a Minuteman-in-waiting for quite some time.

On a more wonkish note, Brown’s lack of enthusiasm for nationalizing health care, as well as his unabashed support for free enterprise and lower taxes, were deal breakers in wooing social conservatives and free-thinking libertarians to his camp. And if the Next Big Thing in the U.S. Congress is passing comprehensive immigration reform, Brown’s opposition to amnesty is a stand for economic justice, especially when the unemployment rate is over 10 %. Same goes for his opposition to granting driving privileges and in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.

The saintly Gerald Amirault, declaring himself a Scott Brown supporter, gave the campaign gravitas. Amirault, falsely accused of child rape in the notorious Fell Acres day care case, deserved a small measure of justice for the extra time he spent in prison, thanks, in part, to Cruella de Coakley badgering Gov. Jane Swift to deny Amirault clemency.

And that brings us to the Attorney General. “Marcia” is that instantly recognizable cliche – the Northeast Corridor feminist who practices law and crusades against ‘hate’ crimes but sticks up for open borders - aloof, earnest, dull, and out-of-touch. Martha Coakley didn’t lose this race because she is a woman. It’s that she is “that woman.” The kind of gal that would have pimped, legislatively-speaking, for this Democratic administration by supporting the largely-discredited public option. Also the kind of gal that hassled little old ladies in gardening clubs, over their financials, while receiving support from Emily’s List.

No thanks.

She just wasn’t Kennedy-torch-bearing material. She was more like someone Barack Obama would have appointed ‘Social Justice Czar.’ Aloof, earnest …

Conversely, a creative thinker might argue that the silver-haired, athletic, public-servant- oriented Brown could have been a distant Kennedy cousin, albeit one who hung out with showbizzy Protestants, snuck peeks at Fox News, and shopped at Big Box stores.

It will be interesting to see how this all turns out, but supporters of Scott Brown need to remain engaged, since he is up for re-election in 2012. He is now Ken to Sarah Palin’s Barbie, and his every move will be scrutinized. The Bay State’s establishment press, academia, and branches of government remain unapologetically statist, so he will need all the help he can get from bloggers, tweeters, podcasters, youtubers, and every other establishment-rocking citizen journalist and alert citizen around. Perhaps Brown could be persuaded to go rogue vs. elite, and have a few coffees with Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), instead of rushing to play hoops with the President. Being schooled by the elder statesman from Texas on how to honor the Constitution is, I would argue, the better use of this rookie’s time.

Meanwhile, January 19th remains a date to remember. It was on that day that the good people of Massachusetts liberated themselves from that ball and chain known as ‘politics as usual.’ They have now joined the mainstream.

Welcome!
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Of course at this moment State Senator Stan Rosenberg must be thinking: DAMN!

Now you know why we're the People's Republic

The Boston Globe reports

Scott Brown wins!

UPDATE: 9:20 PM

So the Washington Post is tweating that Martha Coakley has called Scott Brown to concede the race. Now if only she showed that personal touch with the voters over the past six weeks...


ORIGINAL POST : 1:00 PM

So in a sense Scott Brown has already won. He shook up the complacent, take-voters-for-granted, uber-liberal establishment in this state like a once in a lifetime perfect storm.

Back in my days as a nationally ranked karate competitor we called it "fighting not to lose": A highly-ranked, well-known competitor fighting some unknown upstart knew they could rely on the judges to give them the benefit of the doubt on any exchanges, so they could safely somewhat coast.

Thus it all came down to how you define "somewhat coast." Martha Coakley went into a complete stall after winning the democratic nomination and made the biggest mistake in the history of competition: underestimating your opponent.

While at the same time arousing the normally complacent voters by taking them for granted.

Obviously Scott Brown will not win the People's Republic of Amherst (even with my vote and that of my wife.) But Amherst is out of touch with the rest of the state--except of course for Cambridge--so it should be interesting...very interesting.

The Brown Bomber

(Jim Young, REUTERS)
UPDATE: Monday, 3:45 PM

Okay, I have now taken my phone off the hook after the 9th or 10th political advertising call so far today.
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So previous Cover Boy and current State Senator Scott Brown must be doing something right as the desperate Dems had to dispatch heavy hitters to protect sacred ground: President Obama today, and of course Slick Willy (the other "first black President) was around on Friday before jetting off to Haiti to save that part of the world.

And of course they try to brand Brown as a right wing water boy for the failed polices of Bush/Cheney.

Fun to watch the all-powerful Democratic establishment squirm--something that almost never happens in Massachusetts (Well, except when a Republican gets elected Governor). How can you blow a 30 point lead in no time? It helps if you're business-as-usual at a tumultuous time when business is anything but usual.

My buddy Howie Carr described Martha Coakley as "Mike Dukakis in a skirt." Ouch! Remember the tank driving incident?

And of course Martha thought Curt Schilling--Red Sox Nation superhero--was a Yankee fan. Double ouch!