Changing Pace

From one book to the next.

I have some neat observations about McCain's book, and I'll share them on here soon.

Ron Paul time!

Endorsing Jon Hecht

Thankfully, a two hour debate was all the time I needed to determine what's going to happen next Tuesday in the Watertown Democratic Primary race for State Representative. It seems the informal polling that is counting yard signs has been quite accurate; Jon Hecht not only is the most visible candidate across Watertown, but he commanded the debate last night.

Hecht is one of four candidates running for the office. His opponents include Julia Fahey, an SEIU attorney who has received the endorsements of many local unions and politicians, Stephen Corbett, a former hospital administrator and local businessman, and Josh Weisbuch, a former Clinton White House intern and technology consultant. Hecht is the current Town Councilor of Watertown and serves as a member on a handful of local advisory panels and commissions.

Unlike higher offices where sitting politicians like Senator John Kerry seem to lose touch with voters of their home state quickly as they become consumed by the forces of Washington, experience and comfort with the roles and responsibilities of the State Legislature is a valuable commodity in local elections. Jon Hecht seemed to know the power players in Massachusetts politics, he was familiar with recent pieces of legislation, and skillfully answered the moderator's questions while also keeping the ball in his court. Sitting next to the obviously unseasoned Weisbuch who frequently dismissed questions about the Mass Pike, nurse staffing levels, and casino gambling as being "red herrings" that distracted voters from larger issues, Hecht supplied the crowd with the answers they wanted time and again.

This coming Tuesday I will cast my vote for Jon Hecht and help to send an experienced public servant to the State House.

Young Voters and the Party Conventions

I was thinking this morning about which party did a better job of reaching out to young voters at the conventions these last few weeks.

New voter registration numbers indicate that the Democrats are registering many more voters, especially those under 25 years old, than the Republicans are, but the momentum seems to have changed in the last few days.

While the RNC crowd lacked many young voters and the four day program seemed to lack much attention to the issues most important to young people, the selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate his stirred up a new wave of enthusiasm among young conservatives.

One article I read last week said Sarah Palin "has lived the life of the voters who will decide this election."

That line has stayed with me ever since.

"Hockey Mom," as opposed to "Hippie Mom," finds its place in the middle of the new American family:

—Hockey Mom
—Parents were high school sweethearts
—large, young family
—a special needs child
—a teenage pregnancy

That certainly is not the typical First or Second Family of Presidents passed, but it's the portrait of an increasingly common family in the United States.

Another noteworthy distinction between the "Hippie Moms" and "Hockey Moms," is that there is often less angst among the sons and daughters of Hockey Moms towards their parents. Where young voters wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton because she reminded them of their annoying parents, young voters in St. Paul for the RNC confessed to me that Sarah Palin reminded them, at least in part, of their mother or a close friend's parent....in a good way.

Barack Obama's daughters may be very telegenic, but Sarah Palin and her family's story seems as if it's been pulled straight out of a MTV reality show.

We'll see if the momentum among young voters stays with McCain/Palin in the coming weeks....

RNC Balloons!

In Transit

On my way back to Boston! There will be a webcast tomorrow if I don't get around to it today.

One Amazing Introduction

The RNC "Gear-Cast"

[Taped at 3:30 PM CST]