Attleboro Sun Chronicle, MA
Oct 20 2007
Smells like Bush bashing
By Jim Hand
Saturday, October 20, 2007 12:38 AM EDT
Congressional Democrats may have outsmarted themselves by resorting
to hardball tactics over a children’s health care program.
Democrats are promising to hold the line and not compromise with
President Bush on the issue, even though the House upheld his veto of
an expansion of the program known as S-Chip.
The public is overwhelmingly supportive of the Democratic efforts to
make the coverage available to more children who lack health
insurance, but Democrats have been unable to deliver.
By overplaying their hand, Democrats look like they are more
interested in bashing Bush than getting a bill passed.
A massive advertising plan did not convince a single House Republican
to change his or her vote on the bill.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi once again seems unable to get anything
done, even when the public is behind her. This comes on top of the
fiasco with Turkey over the Armenian genocide resolution, the
inability to get spending bills passed, the waffling over domestic
spying and Democratic futility on the war in Iraq. No wonder the
congressional approval rating has dumped to 11 percent.
Backing Obama, Biden
Sen. Hillary Clinton appears to be pulling away from the competition
in the race for Democratic nomination for president, but that has not
deterred Massachusetts politicians from throwing their support behind
those trailing in the polls. Gov. Deval Patrick will announce with
some fanfare next week that he is backing Sen. Barack Obama.
Earlier in the week, state Sen. James Timilty showed his support for
U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, but with a lot less hoopla. Timilty, D-Walpole,
escorted Biden around the Statehouse, introducing him to other
Democrats.
Timilty, who represents part of the Attleboro area, said he has been
a longtime admirer of Biden, D-Delaware, and supports him despite his
low position in the polls.
A surprise for Dems
Massachusetts Democrats are still trying to figure out why a special
election Tuesday for a congressional seat in the Lowell area was so
close. Democrat Niki Tsongas won by a 51-45 percent margin over Jim
Ogonowski.
Tsongas seemed to have all the advantages in a strongly Democratic
district, but only won by six points. She had name recognition from
her late husband, Paul Tsongas, who once held the seat.
She had a money advantage, having raised $2 million compared to his
$460,000. She also had help from national Democrats.
Most of all, she had the gift of President Bush’s unpopularity and
the advantage of being on the popular side of issues like the war in
Iraq and health care for children.
Some believe Ogonowski kept it close through the force of
personality, his military background and the fact that he lost a
brother in the 911 attack. Others said Tsongas was hurt by the
perception that she was banking on her husband’s name and she was
something of a carpetbagger, having moved back into the district just
before the election.
Regardless, Ogonowski’s loss is a missed opportunity for
Massachusetts Republicans, as Tsongas will only get tougher to beat
as she settles into office.
JIM HAND covers politics for The Sun Chronicle. His commentaries
appear in this space on Saturdays. Contact him at 508-236-0399 or at
[email protected]