A Tale of Two Lizzies

December 16, 2014

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Present Tense) has routinely refused to rule out a 2016 presidential run, saying only “I am not running for president.” Here’s a typical exchange, from yesterday’s interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep, who brought up all the people urging Warren to run.

Would you tell these independent groups, “Give it up!” You’re just never going to run.
I told them, “I’m not running for president.”
You’re putting that in the present tense, though. Are you never going to run?
I am not running for president.
You’re not putting a “never” on that.
I am not running for president. You want me to put an exclamation point at the end?

 

Fabulously non-responsive, no?

But in today’s edition the Boston Globe’s Noah Bierman came up with a clever way to shift Warren to the future tense.

Warren has answered the question more definitively before. Last year, the Globe asked her at a news conference in Boston whether she would make a a more ironclad pledge to serve out her Senate term, which 72cf5cc5506b43c0a9b4fac1d2a7af7e-72cf5cc5506b43c0a9b4fac1d2a7af7e-0ends in January 2019.

“I pledge to serve out my term,” she said at the time.

On Monday, Warren’s spokeswoman, Lacey Rose, was asked by the Globe in an e-mail whether the senator stood by that pledge.

“Yep, nothing has changed,” Rose replied.

 

Of course, everything is different in the Boston Herald. Top of Page One:

 

Screen Shot 2014-12-16 at 10.14.16 AM

 

Inside, there’s Hillary Chabot’s piece (with Matthew Stout) about Warren’s local political posse.

Bay State heavyweights eye Warren bandwagon

121514massportnl08

U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III — whose late uncle Edward M. Kennedy famously snubbed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 presidential contest — kept the door open yesterday to another game-changing Kennedy endorsement should U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren enter the 2016 race.

“He has no doubt she will continue to be a tremendously effective leader wherever her career takes her,” Kennedy spokeswoman Emily Brown said yesterday when asked of the congressman’s thoughts about Warren as president.

The comment comes after U.S. Rep. Michael E. Capuano (D-Somerville) offered his support to Warren if she jumps into the presidential contest, despite the likelihood that former Secretary of State Clinton will enter the field.

 

Joe Battenfeld adds a column about Warren’s likely prospects and this Tale of the Tape:

 

Screen Shot 2014-12-16 at 10.15.03 AM

 

As usual with the local dailies, we have another split decision.

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The Great Mentioner Comes to the Bay State

January 20, 2013

Now that Lt. Gov. Tim Murray (D-Pressed) has made his high-speed exit from the 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial race, rampant speculation about who might emerge as alternatives has officially begun.

As is only fitting, the Great Mentioner stopped by both local dailies in Murray’s wake, with – wait for it ! – decidedly different results.

From Joe Battenfeld’s Saturday Boston Herald column:

Here’s one scenario: Joe Kennedy, the father. Sources say the former congressman may not have completely shaken off the political bug. One Democratic source said there has been increasing chatter about Kennedy mulling getting back into politics. But there is even more buzz that his son, newly elected U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, could be a gubernatorial prospect.

While the elder Kennedy and many other Democrats say he’s happy living in the private sector, he — or his son — could always come in as the Democratic shining knight to keep the GOP from taking over the Corner Office.

 

Another Herald piece adds this:

011813murraymg001As Murray bows out, race for gov is on

Lt. Gov. Tim Murray’s stunning decision yesterday to bow out of the 2014 gubernatorial race shook up the Bay State’s political landscape — likely nudging potential candidates for the Corner Office closer toward a run.

State Treasurer Steve Grossman has made his intentions about a likely run clear, but candidates such as Attorney General Martha Coakley and U.S. Rep. Michael E. Capuano could also decide to take the plunge.

“The race now is wide open,” said Democratic consultant Mary Anne Marsh. “Steve Grossman becomes the front-runner as of today, and you’ve got to think Martha Coakley is looking a lot more closely at it.”

 

Crosstown at the Boston Globe, there was this:

In addition to [State Treasurer Steve] Grossman, potential Democratic candidates include Donald M. Berwick, a former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and State Senator Dan Wolf, the founder of Cape Air.

Murray’s exit could also clear the way for US Representative Michael E. Capuano, an urban liberal who would draw some of the same supporters as Murray. Capuano, a former Somerville mayor, said this week he will not run for Senate.

His spokeswoman, Alison Mills, said Capuano “has already received a great deal of encouragement and will consider other opportunities at the appropriate time.”

Charles D. Baker, a Republican who ran for governor in 2010, is considering another run as well.

 

Donald Berwick?

Dan Wolf?

But no Martha Coakley?

Seems like the Great Mentioner had an off-day at the Globe.

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