Charlie Baker and Martha Coakley square off in the Springfield area tonight for another debate, and you can count on the Democrats recycling my interview with the GOP nominee from five years ago when Charlie came up short on Hampden County knowledge.
It’s time to update that dusty attack. There’s plenty of fresh material they could grab from recent interviews I’ve done with Baker on Boston Herald Radio’s “Morning Meeting.”
In my old YouTube video, I press Baker on his grasp of the region. He didn’t exactly pass.
Tonight the debate will be held at 22News in Chicopee — my old stomping ground.
If Baker wants to win this debate, he needs to remind western Mass. voters he was the first candidate to propose drafting special legislation that would allow a casino in Springfield despite how people vote on the casino repeal ballot question on Nov. 4. Martha Coakley eventually softened up to Baker’s idea, but he was the first to say he would side with Springfield over the results of the ballot question.
Springfield needs a boost to their economy about as bad as the governor’s race needs some excitement so people actually show up to vote. A casino is about the only hope to bring thousands of jobs to the region.
Tonight, the attorney general should use her decision to reject the casino ballot question as unconstitutional to her advantage. The Supreme Court may have overruled her on the issue — but it does send a message to Springfield that she interpreted the law in favor of casinos and by extension city residents looking to reap the benefits.
Coakley is from the western Mass. town of North Adams. Yet, she didn’t get key endorsements from the area. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno threw his support behind Steve Grossman in the primary. He quickly changed his tune after Coakley’s victory by showing up to her unity breakfast.
Coakley originally took some heat for reneging on her promise to debate at 22News after her campaign claimed a “scheduling conflict.” After receiving some bad press out west, she moved her conflict and will debate with Baker. The news station was going to let Baker “debate” alone if she didn’t show.
Funny how scheduling conflicts can quickly get resolved when the media starts turning on you.
Jaclyn Cashman co-hosts “Morning Meeting” from 9 a.m. to noon on Boston Herald Radio. Follow her on Twitter @JaclynCashman.
Copyright © 2024 Jaclyn Cashman.
