The Democratic Primaries Get a Last-Minute Addition

Deval Patrick, former Massachusetts governor, is the latest to join an already-crowded field.

There's a new face in the Democratic presidential primaries. Deval Patrick, a former governor of Massachusetts, announced his last-minute candidacy today.

In a spirit of profound gratitude for all the country has given to me, with a determination to build a better, more sustainable, more inclusive American Dream for everyone:

I am today announcing my candidacy for President of the United States.https://t.co/hObdLNiFMJ pic.twitter.com/fGmI0qxkxS

— Deval Patrick (@DevalPatrick) November 14, 2019

Patrick—who succeeded Mitt Romney, who now represents Utah in the Senate—was born in Chicago. Following law school, his career path included working at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, leading the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and investigating arson attacks against black churches in the South.

Following the announcement, Patrick told CBS his views on three hot-button issues in the Democratic race: college debt, taxes, and health insurance. He appeared to deviate from other candidates' calls for free college, though he did endorse the reduction of exorbitant student debt. He suggested that simplifying the tax system would be better than imposing heavy-handed taxes. He opposed Medicare for All, instead endorsing a compromise where Americans can choose for themselves if they wish to opt in to a government insurance plan.

While Patrick was governor, Massachusetts's implementation of a state insurance system led to major fights with the individual insurance market, an expensive repair effort, and questions about the system's legality.

Gov. Patrick has also come in for criticism from civil libertarians following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, when he issued a "shelter in place" order that locked down the city.

Patrick has a lot of catching up to do. Not only is his filing just a day before the cut-off for the New Hampshire primary, but he has already missed several Democratic debates and other public forums.

Comments

[Charles Easterly]

Gov. Patrick has also come in for criticism from civil libertarians following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, when he issued a "shelter in place" order that locked down the city.

One does not have to be a civil libertarian to be critical of the Governor's Police State-like actions.

[sarcasmic]

like?

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

In profound gratitude for all the fine opportunities ....

christ in a bucket, how can someone actually write such crap, let alone speak it?

[scape]

In a spirit of profound gratitude for all the country has given to me, I now, give you: me!

SIT DOWN, ASSHOLE!

[Teddy Pump]

Devoid Patrick!!!!

[Eddy]

"In a spirit of profound gratitude for all the country has given to me, with a determination to build a better, more sustainable, more inclusive American Dream for everyone:"

...and in a desire to have my own personal plane, plus the erection I get knowing I have a button to blow up the world.

[$park¥ is the Worst]

I predict he gives up by the end of January when he issues some bullshit statement about raising awareness for some dumb thing or other.

[JFree]

Raising awareness for the plight of major D donors and the establishment who fear their party is being hijacked by anti-establishment populists

[darkflame]

This is the guy that had the cops do a door to door for the entire city after the bombing? That alone would guarantee me never supporting him in anything. I don't want this asshole anywhere near power ever.

[Fat Mike's Drug Habit]

I always got amused about the "Boston Strong" nonsense after that. An entire city cowered inside because there might be a bad guy with a gun out there somewhere and pressure cookers are scary.

If you wanna cower inside that's your own prerogative, but don't go crowing about how strong and tough you are after the fact.

That and the cops shot something like 130 rounds at the dude and he lived. How is that even possible?

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

To be surely fair, Shirley, they were aiming at the broadside of a boat, weren't they? Boats are fucking huge! Have you seen those goddam oil tankers? Bullets are fucking small!

[Fat Mike's Drug Habit]

I can see why they want military equipment, an RPG covers up a lot of marksmanship mistakes.

And don't call me Shirley.

[De Oppresso Liber]

Rpg's are really hard to hit things with, and dumbasses always forget the safety cap on the nosecone.

A robot with a bomb taped to it, now there's your money maker.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-texas-crime/no-charges-for-dallas-officers-who-killed-sniper-with-robot-bomb-idUSKBN1FK35W

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Right?

[Hit and Run]

They had to shoot all the dogs first.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

Next, they'll exhume the body of Walter Mondale so he can join the race....

[Dillinger]

isn't it him in that Joe Biden mask?

[LeaveTrumpAloneLibertarian]

I like him a lot. When I moved to Boston a few years back the place was run by Mitt Romney in league with a corrupt police union and a bunch of White Irish motherfuckers who didn’t like the gays. When election time came we threw his equally repulsive hand-picked successor her ass and elected Deval, who ran the place like a normal person and not like a closeted Mormon choir boy. I hope he does well— although, if push came to shove, i’d Rather be ruled by an old grumpy Jewish man instead of a fundamentally decent Black man.

["Ugh" says the prog]

"i’d Rather be ruled"

We know.

[LeaveTrumpAloneLibertarian]

Pfft... have you seen the excuses libertarians around here make for Dear Leader’s corruption and lies? It’s clear they’re just fine with Top Men running the place. Stop being so holier-than-thou. You’re not that hot, ok?

["Ugh" says the prog]

Sparky's been negging me for years bro, and he still hasn't hit this.

Now, don't you have being a subject to get back to?

[De Oppresso Liber]

That...was actually funny.

[Halykan]

I don't think the folks around here excusing Trump's excesses are actually libertarians, though. I think they're mostly just republicans who like to come here and troll the commentariat, because the government banned them from vaping I guess.

[Nardz]

"LeaveTrumpAloneLibertarian
November.14.2019 at 1:11 pm
I like him a lot. When I moved to Boston a few years back"

Ah, masshole
Makes so much sense

[Hattori Hanzo]

Romney did not run Boston. Do you even know what city you moved to?

[sarcasmic]

Deval knows racial oppression. Someone threw an empty soda can at him once.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Not feeling the Deval-Mentum.

[Hit and Run]

Will still be surprised if June doesn't give us Hillary v Oprah in the last debate.

[Cronut]

They must need the black vote real bad... and Kamala is polling at 1% in New Hampshire. So, throw it at the wall and see if it sticks, I guess.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

Don't forget about Cory...

Guess the quota for old white people over 70 was filled, so this guy was let into the race. Way to go, Team D.

[Nardz]

Poor Corey.
I think he's actually a normal, decent person (as much as any politician can be) and pretty smart... but he just can't do it on the big stage. They spent 2 or 3 years grooming him to be the next D superstar - giving him the convention speaking spot that launched Obama, letting him take the lead in calling Jeff Sessions racist, other spots I'm forgetting - and he just choked every time. He becomes such a clown when he tries to be The Guy.
Unfortunate for the Ds... though the TBone thing should've been a giant red flag

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Spartacus!!

[Eddy]

Patrick/T-Bone 2020

[TSlothrop]

Gonna be interesting to see who Obama endorses... his VP (whom he hates) or this idiot who is supposedly a close personal friend.

[Nardz]

He'll wait until the nominee is clear.
Though, based on his record with endorsements, if he did have a favorite he'd be smart to announce for their opponent

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

"Patrick—who succeeded Mitt Romney, who now represents Utah in the Senate—was born in Chicago. Following law school, his career path included working at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, leading the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and investigating arson attacks against black churches in the South."

EXACTLY the Candidate I am looking for to wield The Imperator's Magick and Holy Pen and Phone.

[Eddy]

So here's a riddle: What are as numerous as the stars in the sky, but not nearly as bright?

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

Progtards?

Insipid Hihn comments?

Hitler references?

[Fancylad]

In 2014 Deval Patrick fired leaders of his state's Sex Offender Registry for trying to force his brother in law to register due to being convicted of rape in California in 1993.
In 2019, that same rapist was sentenced to 6 years for another rape.
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/06/25/bernard-sigh-sentencing-deval-patrick-massachusetts/

I think offender registries are garbage, but firing staff for putting your in-laws on there for rape-rape is pretty dictatorial.