CLT NEWS RELEASE
Thursday, October 31, 2002
Contact: Barbara Anderson (508) 384-0100
Chip Ford (781) 631-6842
Conduct Unbecoming Shannon O'Brien
The only place most of us hear the word "unbecoming" is in
the military, re: the phrase "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman."
We would add ... "and a candidate for Governor."
-30-
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The Boston Herald
Friday, November 1, 2002
A Boston Herald editorial
Playing word games
Who knew one little word could cause such a flap?
Well, as this often excruciating political season winds to a
close, why should we be surprised? Gubernatorial candidates Shannon O'Brien and Mitt Romney have both run
campaign ads relative to each other's business dealings that only an accountant could love -
and even an accountant would be hard-pressed to explain.
Whatever...
Now the campaign has turned to word games. In the course of
Tuesday's night's debate, Romney, tired of listening to O'Brien lying about his position on abortion rights, called her
comments "unbecoming." He used the word one other time during the debate, then switched
to "inappropriate." Most folks would use the two words interchangeably.
Ah, but this is Massachusetts within days of an election and
what the Democratic candidate needs is one more triviality to rev up the troops.
Sure, "unbecoming" can be used to describe a really bad
haircut. It is also commonly used in the phrase "conduct unbecoming an officer." But then again the state treasurer -
who described her role with a foundering health care firm as being that of "a sailor rather than an
admiral" - might not be familiar with that turn of phrase.
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The Boston Herald
Friday, November 1, 2002
Mitt raps Dem 'gang'
by David R. Guarino and Elisabeth J. Beardsley
Republican Mitt Romney launched a blistering new attack on
gubernatorial rival Shannon P. O'Brien yesterday, warning that her "Gang of Three" insider cronies will usher in a
tax-and-spend renaissance.
Picking up his rhetoric markedly four days from the
election, Romney said handing Democrats the governor's office, the House and Senate would be an unmitigated disaster.
"Massachusetts is just one step away from total control by
the Beacon Hill machine," Romney boomed, standing before massive blowup photos of O'Brien and allies House
Speaker Thomas M. Finneran and likely new Senate President Robert E.
Travaglini.
"This is a group of people who want to take Massachusetts
back to the days of single-party monopoly, where a few people can sit in a room and make any decision they want to," he
said at a Boston press conference.
Romney's campaign also leveled a new volley at O'Brien's
family, saying her father, Edward, a longtime member of the Governor's Council, creates a possible "conflict of interest"
for the Democratic nominee.
O'Brien, trying to turn the tables, said Romney's attacks
have the markings of a losing candidate grasping for straws. She said Romney's GOP is just as much to blame for all that
ails Beacon Hill.
"Remember, we've had 12 years of Republican governors who
promised us that they were going to end the patronage, who promised us that they were going to shrink the size of state
government - they broke those promises," O'Brien said.
For Romney, the all-Democrat warnings will become a hallmark
of what aides say will be an aggressive, late-campaign push to taint O'Brien - who held a narrow lead in Tuesday's
Boston Herald poll.
Romney, like past GOP candidates, should be able to make hay
by reminding voters of 1980s tax hikes when Democrats controlled all three branches of government, the aides said.
Romney's camp believes late-deciding, mostly independent voters can easily be wooed by
the concept that there should be checks and balances to Democrat rule.
With the expected election of East Boston's Travaglini as
president of the Senate, O'Brien would have close ties to both legislative leaders. Travaglini's brother, Michael, is
O'Brien's top deputy and, in the House, Finneran is a close friend and supporter.
Since tradition gives the three powerful leaders control of
most budgeting and legislative decisions, Romney said O'Brien's election would literally create a three-headed monster.
"They will do everything and anything they want if that gang
of three were allowed to be created," Romney said. "What that means is they would be able to raise taxes with impunity
... they'd be able to extend patronage, more spending, more debt."
Romney pointed to the last Democrat-controlled government -
under former Gov. Michael S. Dukakis.
"We can't afford to go back to the ugly days of
Taxachusetts," Romney said. While drawing the legislative leaders fully into the campaign, Romney was careful to draw
only political differences with Finneran.
"I think we'll disagree on a lot of issues and I expect to
really go to battle with Tom Finneran," Romney said. "But I think he's a very capable, well-meaning person. I expect to
work with him in much the same what that I'm told (former Gov.) Bill Weld used to work
with the leadership of the Legislature."
The tactic by Romney is a familiar one for Republicans, who
have consistently won the office by appealing to independent-minded voters and blasting Democrats as
tax-and-spend liberals.
O'Brien, touring a Roxbury bakery with Mayor Thomas M.
Menino and Attorney General Tom Reilly, said she - unlike Romney and past GOP governors - can work with her allies in
the Legislature.
"I know how to get things done on Beacon Hill. I know how to
break through the gridlock in the Legislature," O'Brien said.
O'Brien noted that Finneran critics in the Legislature have
joined her campaign, several hosting a "Women for O'Brien" rally outside the State House yesterday.
"I've taken a position that I'm going to constantly stand up
for the taxpayers of this state, I'm going to fight for working families, and I'm going to do it in a way that regardless of
party affiliation, will get the job done," she said.
Finneran declined comment and Travaglini didn't return phone
calls.
But Romney's campaign, when asked, also added her father
into the mix of insiders. Campaign spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the senior O'Brien creates a possible ethical
problem if the Democrat wins the Corner Office.
"Eddie O'Brien is a longtime member of the governor's
council and the governor makes judicial appointments - that appears to pose a conflict," he said.
O'Brien's campaign said Romney's attacks look "desperate"
and said her father shouldn't be an issue. "Anyone who knows Ed O'Brien knows he doesn't roll over for anyone," said
O'Brien spokesman Adrian Durbin.
Both campaigns also released new television ads yesterday,
O'Brien wading back into negativity over Romney's business record. The ad claims Romney was still CEO of Bain
Capital while running the Olympics and "made a fortune" off the $102 million sale of an
Indiana paper company.
"Now ask yourself, can you trust Mitt Romney?" it ends.
Romney's campaign said the ad shows "desperation" and that
O'Brien "will go to any length to take the attention off her poor debate performance."
The Republican released his own new ad, a commercial where
Romney says O'Brien will raise taxes. "We don't need more taxes, we need more jobs, it's time for change," he said.
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