Bill Plante
Big Freddy was sitting there, eyes aglitter, flashing three grins atop his three chins as I joined him.
"The sunshine this morning is doing that for you?" I asked.
"Sunshine is good," Freddy said, "but it's the sudden change in the political climate that brightens my day."
"Let me guess," I said. "Charlie Baker's announcement that his hat's in the ring for governor."
"And not just Baker," Freddy said. "Mihos wants in as well, and Tim Cahill is dumping his state treasurer's job for something."
"They smell opportunity," I said.
"Patrick's negatives," Freddy said. "Blood in the water."
"But his supporters don't see him that way," I said. "They're not all happy, but he's had to deal with the Legislature that wants what it wants and not always what he wants."
"Which some of their wants is for him to be long gone, which we haven't seen the likes of since Mike Dukakis' first term." Freddy said.
"And Ed King came out of the shadows to beat the Duke in the Democratic primary," I said. "Cahill might have done that if he had stayed in the party instead of checking out."
"Which he would lose," Freddy said. "That would put the heat on those in the House and Senate to choose sides. That's a loser's game if your side comes up short.
"If Cahill stayed a Democrat, he'd have to face Patrick in a primary. That would make House and Senate Democrats have to fish or cut bait between him and Patrick straight up in a primary fight. There's an upside for the winners there, but the downside for the losers would be more than somewhat. He runs as an independent, there's no primary fight, he still gets support from Democrats fed up with Patrick along with independents who don't like Christy Mahos or don't know Charlie Baker from Adam."
"A lot will," I said. "Baker cut his political savvy teeth with Bill Weld and Cellucci. But what about Christy Mihos? He ran as an independent last time."
"And will face Baker in a Republican primary this time," Freddy said. "Different ball game, which will give Baker his best shot at getting people to know him. Mihos they know from last time when he ran as an independent and came in third. He has his following, and Baker has to build one.
"You are losing me," I said. "It looks pretty straightforward. Cahill's no dope. Baker's a poster boy in upright integrity and economic know-how among those who know him, and Mihos has been on this track before."
"Not the same conditions and a different track," Freddy said. "Patrick's loaded with negatives. His approval rating's in the pits. Opportunity looms. Cahill bails out of the party. The news is Charlie Baker wants to play. Baker's Mr. Clean with both a brain and know-how when it comes to the leader thing, honesty and numbers."
"But he's also a Republican in a state where there aren't that many," I said.
"They're out there, but a lot of them call themselves independents because for the past eight years they'd be labeled Bushies if they said they were Republicans," Freddy said. "There are enough, both parties and in the middle, who liked the Frank Sargents and the Bill Welds and what they brought by way of getting along with House and Senate Democrats."
"And you think Charlie Baker can fit that mold," I asked.
"What I know is that Baker has a record that both Sarge and Weld could salute, and so can a lot of others who have worked with him," Freddy said. "What I know is it's been a long political drought nd the economy is in the pits, but happy days are here again."
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Newbury resident Bill Plante is a regular columnist for The Daily News. His e-mail address is plantejr@comcast.net.
