Jeff Perry for Congress

Last night we had our first chance to welcome Jeff Perry to Pundit Review Radio. Jeff is a state representative running to replace retiring Bill Delahunt in Congress.

Jeff was personable, likeable and direct. He is that rare breed of politician because his words and deeds are in synch. Jeff says he is a fiscal conservative, and he backed it up by being one of only two state legislators to vote “NO” on the boy it feels good but how will we ever pay for it Mass Health bill. That took serious political courage to stand on principle and against his friend and governor Mitt Romney.

We sent Scott Brown to Washington and he’s a breath of fresh air. I see many of the same qualities in Jeff Perry. Can Massachusetts send two fiscal conservatives to Washington in the same year? Yes We Can!

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What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 6-8pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Scott Brown does the impossible again: makes Jay Leno entertaining

Even the smug, arrogant ‘aren’t we too cool’ guys at Gawker are impressed with our new Senator,

Is Scott Brown the Most Normal Man in America?

Jay Leno is known for being middle-of-the-road. But compared to Scott Brown, Leno is a gay hippie communist smoking hash out in weirdo Los Angeles. Brown was on Leno tonight, and he set a new standard for normality.

Discussing Tuesday’s thrilling election on WRKO

Last night on WRKO I started by throwing the phone lines open so people could talk about Tuesday’s thrilling election. We got a lot of great calls, from Coakley and Brown supporters. A call from a young man by the name of Sean from West Roxbury was especially impressive!

I noted how impressed I was with the humility and grace that Scott Brown showed in the Wednesday morning press conference. I also mentioned the very gracious thank you note he sent me on Wednesday evening. This is one grounded individual who understands who he is going to Washngton to represent.

The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here. Follow Pundit Review on Twitter.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Not so much

The irony of Ted Kennedy killing healthcare

If there was a singular moment in the Massachusetts Senate campaign it was during the debate when Scott Brown stuffed it to moderator David Gergen,

“With all due respect, it’s not the Kennedy seat, it’s not the Democrats seat, it’s the people’s seat.”

That line, and the arrogance and entitlement it took on, was the driving force behind the Brown campaign.

One fact is clear today in reflection, the entitlement and arrogance of Ted Kennedy is the reason that his dream of national health care is going to die. There is no person who bears more of the blame for its demise, not Barack Obama, not Marsha Martha Coakley. It is Ted Kennedy’s fault and here’s why.

In 2004, when Jawn Kerry was running for president, nervous state Democrats who dominate every aspect of Beacon Hill, except the corner office, changed the state’s election laws with an eye on preventing Gov. Romney from being able to appoint a successor should Kerry win the presidential election. It was an incredibly arrogant move at the time. It showed a total disregard for the process. A driving force behind the law change, Senator Ted Kennedy. He cited all the usual reasons, an appointment was undemocratic, the people should have the opportunity to have their voices heard at the ballot box, etc.

As they almost always do, the Democrats on Beacon Hill got their way, and changed the election law to a new one that called for a special election be held between 145 and 165 days after the position becomes vacant. Gov. Romney was no longer able to appoint a successor.

How incredibly convenient.

Fast forward to 2009,

Now, with Mr. Kennedy dying three years before his term was up, some Massachusetts Democrats are reversing course, calling for Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint an interim replacement to hold office until the special election can be held. They now argue the state shouldn’t be without full Senate representation for months, especially with pressing issues such as health care before Congress.

Change the rules to suit their needs. Is there anything that personifies arrogance and entitlement more than that? I’ll answer for you. No. Here is an excerpt from the letter written by a dying Senator Kennedy,

I am now writing to you about an issue that concerns me deeply — the continuity of representation for Massachusetts should a Senate vacancy occur. In 2004, as you know, the law was changed to provide for a special election to choose a new Senator to serve for the remainder of an unexpired term. The law now mandates that the special election be held 145 to 160 days after a Senate seat becomes vacant. I strongly support that law and the principle that the people should elect their Senator; I also believe it is vital for this Commonwealth to have two voices speaking for the needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election.

Funny, but in 2004, Senator Kennedy was curiously silent on the issue of appointing an interm senator to cover those 145 to 160 days. In 2004, he was not at all concerned about “the continuity of representation for Massachusetts should a Senate vacancy occur’. The reason is simple, there was a Republican governor in 2004 and there is a Democrat governor in 2009. The hypocrisy here is clear. Change the rules to suit their needs. It wasn’t the people’s seat, it was the Kennedy seat.

The fact is that if the Democrats didn’t start down the road of twisting the rules to suit their short-term political interests, Governor Deval Patrick would have been able to appoint a replacement for Sen. Kennedy who would have served until his term expired in 2012. Because of the Democrats arrogance and entitlement, they changed the rules to suit their short-term needs, only this time it blew up in their faces in rather spectacular fashion. We had a special election alright. A VERY SPECIAL ELECTION!

You’re welcome America

What a thrilling night tonight, I’m glad I went to this once in a lifetime event. Scott Brown deserved to win this election, he ran a great, positive campaign focused on the issues. He’s a genuine, solid human being and I am proud to support him. No amount of spin can take away this simple fact, the people of Massachusetts told President Obama and the Pelosi-Reid Congress to stuff their leftist agenda, especially government run Obamacare. You’re welcome America!

Here are a few pictures from my vantage point on bloggers row.

It was Scott Brown’s night, but the two GOP candidates for governor, Charlie Baker and Christy Mihous, work the media line

Boston sports legend Doug Flutie

Media setting up

Fox News reporter Carl Cameron

Actor/comedian Lenny Clark

Ayla Brown sound check

Boston native and CNN political analyst John King

Governor Mitt Romney and NECN’s Alison King

Charlie Baker interviewed in the lobby of the Park Plaza

Live blogging from Scott Brown headquarters

5:23pm: All set up on bloggers row at Scott Brown headquarters, in the front row I might add. Early bird get the worm!

5:35pm: Set up next to Todd Starnes of Fox News Radio

5:37pm: Shook Doug Flutie’s hand and thanked him for all he’s done for the campaign

5:39pm: Sighting so far…Carl Cameron of Fox News, Liz Brunner of WCVB in Boston, looking very awesome I might add. Beth Germano from WBZ is about 5ft away, as is NECN’s Alison King.

5:51pm: Calm before the storm…

5:53pm: Doug Flutie warming up on the drums

6:06pm: Dorchester native, and CNN political big wig John King is in the house.

6:14pm: Tick, tick, tick

6:25pm Word is reaching blogger row that Coakley campaign is claiming that ballots have been discovered already filled out for Scott Brown. This claim would have a lot more credence if they didn’t post the claim on their website dated yesterday. Red Mass Group has the screen capture. Maybe they’ll blame it on another typo. Finally some transparency from the Democrats. Transparently phony that is.

6:51pm Slowly but surely the room is filling up, so is the excitement level.

6:57pm Just ran into Michael C. Moynihan of Reason Magazine. He was my in-studio guest this past Sunday on WRKO’s Pundit Review Radio.

7:05pm Ayla Brown is on up on stage warming up and looking good doing it.

7:20pm: Doors are open and the room is now filled with supporters. The energy level is WAY up now.

7:24pm Uncle Sam is in the house, and he’s supporting Scott Brown

7:30pm T Minus Thirty

7:31pm: Scott Brown supporters staring at us in the media section like they are at the zoo. Kind of funny.

7:41pm: Mitt Romney sighting, being interviewed by NECN’s Alison King.

7:42pm: Actor and comedian Lenny Clarke is here, working the room and having a great time.

7:45pm: They are playing Sweet Caroline in the ballroom now. Can’t win em all.

7:47pm: Room is packed

7:51pm: Most dangerous place in the room, standing between Mitt Romney and the TV cameras

7:57pm: Ok, now this is getting FUN!

7:58pm: Chant of Mitt, Mitt, Mitt breaks out…for a couple seconds.

7:59pm: Word is there is a great spread with tons of free food for the press just behind my spot. I’ll be damned if I’m leaving my seat now.

8:06pm: They are now welcoming people to the event. Things are starting…

8:10pm: Doug Flutie just took stage to huge ovation…chants of Flutie, Flutie, Flutie…”How about this, its unbelievable. It felt like gameday today.”

8:15pm: Just posed for pic with Time Magazine’s Karen Tumulty, a very nice woman.

9:04pm: Internet is back, and I just heard Fx News has called the race for Brown, no official announcement.