Obama's Inner Circle Is Urging Deval Patrick to Run

[BeyondGeography]

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/01/obamas-inner-circle-is-urging-deval-patrick-to-run-215443

BOSTON — Barack Obama is nudging him to run. His inner circle is actively encouraging it. Obama world’s clear and away 2020 favorite is sitting right here, on the 38th floor of the John Hancock Building, in a nicely decorated office at Bain Capital.

And Deval Patrick has many thoughts on what he says is Donald Trump’s governing by fear and a dishonest pitch for economic nostalgia, while encouraging a rise in casual racism and ditching any real commitment to civil rights.

Obama strategist David Axelrod has had several conversations with Patrick about running, and eagerly rattles off the early primary map logic: small-town campaign experience from his 2006 gubernatorial run that will jibe perfectly with Iowa, neighbor-state advantage in New Hampshire and the immediate bloc of votes he’d have as an African-American heading into South Carolina.

Valerie Jarrett, Obama’s close adviser and friend, says that a President Patrick is what “my heart desires.”

David Simas, Obama’s political director in the White House and now the CEO of his foundation, used to be Patrick’s deputy chief of staff and remains perhaps his biggest fan on the planet.

Obama himself—who is personally close to Patrick, and counts him among the very small group of people whom he thinks has actual political talent—has privately encouraged him to think about it, among others.

Obama veterans light up at the mention of Patrick's name. In self-assurance, style and politics, they see the former Massachusetts governor as a perfect match, the natural continuation of Obama’s legacy.

“If you were to poll 100 notable Obama alumni, the only two people who would win that 2020 straw poll right now are [Joe] Biden and Patrick,” said one former senior White House aide.

...Somewhat ridiculously, Patrick likes to say he’s an amateur politician: He’s run for only one job, and after two terms as governor, stepped away. All through last year though, he infuriated the Clinton campaign by publicly saying she was struggling to give voters a reason to support her, and lacked any compelling campaign message.

Pushing Democrats not to repeat that mistake is where he says his heart is now...

COMMENT: You can make arguments for and against Patrick, but no one can credibly say he wouldn't be a formidable candidate.

[lunasun]

1. He is originally from Chicago and tied here to the Obama foundation.Will people claim he is a rerun

I don't know much about him except what he has done in Chicago with the police accountability issues and being on the board of the Obama foundation
What's at the John Hancock bldg.? the foundation?

[BeyondGeography]

2. He works for Bain Capital there

which would be a sore spot if he ran. MA posters are much more familiar with his record than I am. I encourage you to watch the clip for a sense of his commitment to the public good and his ability to articulate it.

[Awsi Dooger]

3. I wish he were 4 inches taller

Basically the same height as Dukakis, maybe a smudge taller. 5-9 range.

I realize this isn't an oft discussed variable but it does contain roughly a 2 in 3 history of winning the popular vote. Taller wins.

I remember being very aware of this and very worried in 1988 despite Dukakis' early poll edge.

[geek tragedy]

4. Phuck, really, a Bain Capital guy? From Massachusetts?

Come on.

[BeyondGeography]

5. I winced when he went to Bain

He'll obviously have to answer for that if he runs. I imagine he'd talk about what he's actually doing there.

From the article:

Instead, he’s been at Bain Capital, running a new social good private equity fund called Double Impact, which has raised $390 million for investments in small- and medium-size companies that he said need to show a focus on “sustainability, health and wellness, and then a place-based strategy we’re calling ‘community building,’ which is about companies that are intentional about creating good jobs and economic activity in places of chronic underemployment.” The first two investments are in a chain of small, low-cost gyms in Michigan and Indiana that he hopes will bring affordable fitness to underserved areas, and in a company in Texas that diverts organic waste...

Massachusetts? That doesn't mean shit anymore, IMO.

[geek tragedy]

7. Something tells me "social good private equity fund" isn't going to be a big selling

point amongst WWC voters. Not because they will oppose what it does, but because they won't be able to understand it. So they'll see a fancy-pants guy working for Wall Street.


Massachusetts pols have tended to underperform as presidential candidates.

[BeyondGeography]

9. It's definitely a net negative (Bain)

but if Trump taught us anything it's that an ability to connect with voters will make people quickly indifferent to where you happen to be from.

I'm not sold on Patrick but he's definitely qualified and would figure in the top three of most any field, IMO.

[phleshdef]

6. I have no beef with him, but he isn't the one.

[smirkymonkey]

12. No, I don't think so either. He wasn't even all that popular among

MA democrats by the time he left office. He came across as arrogant and smug. There was the feeling that he was all about personal ambition and the concerns of his constituents were secondary.

[Weekend Warrior]

8. Very impressive in that video. Nt

[YOHABLO]

10. Not even familiar with him.

[BeyondGeography]

11. He's a pretty significant figure in our Party

You might want to read up on him.

[msongs]

13. bain capital - mitt romney - corporate predator nt