12.03.2009
“A View into the Senate Crystal Ball”
By Sam Teller
In Scot Lehigh's new piece in The Boston Globe (which, of course, endorsed Alan earlier this week), he compares the candidates for Senate, suggesting which politicians past and present they most resemble. His conclusion about Alan speak for itself:
"And which figure would Khazei, with his big personality, boundless energy, and passion for public service most resemble? Why, it just might be . . . Edward M. Kennedy himself.
Full text below—read it and share with your friends!
A view into the Senate crystal ball
WITH PRIMARY day almost upon us, it’s time to sort out what we’ve learned about the four Democrats vying for the seat long held by Ted Kennedy. If the candidates serve the way they have campaigned, then we have some strong clues about how each would perform in the US Senate.
Martha Coakley
In one word, she’d be: deliberative.
As cautious as she is composed, Coakley would study the issues in detail and calibrate her stands carefully. She would not be a risk-taker, preferring a wait-and-see approach or the safety of the consensus Democratic position to being out front on controversial matters. An occasional exception, however, would be causes of particular concern to women.
Given the attorney general’s long experience as a prosecutor, one possible area for early leadership would be on law enforcement issues, where she feels more confident in her knowledge and instincts.
Senate colleagues who work closely with her would appreciate her sly wit, but others would consider her hard to get to know. In general, she would be an intelligent, well-prepared, but somewhat distant senator, with nuanced - sometimes overly nuanced - positions. In those respects, an analogue would be Massachusetts’ own John F. Kerry.
Michael Capuano.
In a word, he’d be: scrappy.
A reliable liberal vote and labor ally, Capuano would be gutsy in defense of civil liberties and passionate in support of Democratic verities, but less receptive to new ideas and approaches. Informed by a former mayor’s practical view of government, he would strive to bring home federal bacon and would stress constituent service. One natural leadership area would be transportation, which would fuse his urban environmentalism with his job-creation and infrastructure interests.
But Capuano’s tendency to see politics in sharply defined class and party terms, combined with his combative temperament, would render him a distinct partisan, limiting both his inclination and his ability to craft cross-aisle compromises the way Kennedy did.
The current senator he would mostly closely resemble is Iowa’s Tom Harkin.
Stephen Pagliuca
In a word, he’d be: analytical.
An investor used to diving deep into the details, Pagliuca would be more fact-focused than ideological, tapping a wide variety of experts for advice on important issues. An indifferent speaker who suffers from a charisma deficit, he would favor low-key persuasion over high-volume oratory. Given his unassuming style, Pagliuca would take some time to establish himself, but fellow Democrats would grow to appreciate his knowledge of the financial realm, a policy area where he could carve out a leadership role. Indeed, Wall Street might well find itself unpleasantly surprised by his backbone in pushing for more regulation. Still, Pagliuca would also display a Paul Tsongas-like appreciation of the private sector and lend a receptive ear to the business community’s legitimate competitiveness concerns.
The current senator he would most resemble? By background and demeanor, it would be another mild-mannered Harvard Business School graduate, businessman, and NBA franchise owner turned pol, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin.
Alan Khazei
In a word, he would be: indefatigable.
Khazei, cofounder of City Year, would energetically embrace the role of public policy entrepreneur. Most iconoclastic of the four Democrats, he would occasionally break with Democratic orthodoxy to experiment with new approaches. That’s particularly true on education, where he would be a reliable supporter of President Obama’s quest for more choice, innovation, and accountability.
Drawing on his experience as an activist, he would try to use his office to catalyze citizen involvement and unify progressives around achievable policy goals. A natural area for early leadership would be national service, but he would also display a keen interest in the environment and foreign policy.
Some colleagues would revere him, but others would deride him as a showboat unwilling to wait his turn.
And which figure would Khazei, with his big personality, boundless energy, and passion for public service most resemble?
Why, it just might be . . . Edward M. Kennedy himself.
That’s my take, anyway. Come Tuesday, it’s time to deliver your verdict.