Letter: Thoughts on the candidates
All three democratic candidates for lieutenant governor
presented themselves to Lincolnites last Friday at Bemis Hall. Here's
a quick sketch of one voter's impressions.
Andrea Silbert: Working mom (three children). Knows up close about high cost
of health insurance because she can't afford it herself. Emphasizes her experience
starting a jobs program for women she says created 14,000 jobs. Believes there
are many smart but poor people who need more opportunity.
"Romney thinks he's rich because he's smarter and harder working....I know
many struggling women just as smart but without the opportunities." Didn't
stay for questions.
Deborah Goldberg: Wisely began her speech praising Lincoln for its multi-use
development initiatives; says she showed pictures of Lincoln Woods all around
Brookline as Brookline Selectman. Only candidate to state clearly what lieutenant
governor does and how she would use the job: to be a liaison with towns and cities
and to vet judges through the governor's council. Like Kelley, says she'll work
for universal health, strengthening buffer zones around women's clinics, stem
cell research.
Sam Kelley: Strong suit is his MD; wants to be hired as "surgeon general" for
Mass. Cited potential avian flu epidemic (whose immediate danger he downplays)
as reason for having a doctor in the executive. Says Mass. spends more on prisons
than education, eschews financing by lottery ("I see lottery people as patients"),
wants to restore hope.
Conclusion: No candidate thought to ask us a single question, but Goldberg came
closest to appreciating local needs of Lincoln and describing a concrete understanding
of how to use the lieutenant governor position to get something done. Kelley
comes off as an idealist unpolluted by political instinct. Silbert started off
in boilerplate stump speech mode but suddenly seemed genuine when she got to
health care costs.
We appreciated their slogging out to see us!
Christopher Field
Codman Road
Lincoln Democratic Town Committee
