Dee DeQuattro: Pulse on Politics - July 18

Dee DeQuattro (@DeeDeQuattro)

And the award for taking advantage of a situation goes to Brett Smiley. Brett Smiley conveniently held a “big announcement” the day after Lorne Adrain announced he would be exiting the race for Mayor of Providence. The announcement was an endorsement from Representative Ray Hull but media turned out to hear from Smiley on Adrian’s exit from the race. So Smiley got double the coverage. Good planning on that one.

Down the Adrain

Meanwhile Adrain’s exit from the race does the most damage to Buddy Cianci. Cianci would have likely ran as a Democrat if he knew that he wouldn’t be in a four-way race in November. With Adrain out and Republican Dan Harrop also considering an exit, Cianci may have to go head to head with the winner of the Democratic Primary. Had Buddy ran as a Democrat he could have faced off in a four way primary instead.

Save me twice, shame on me

Gina Raimondo got some bad press this week as the Providence Journal took on her “Gina Saved My Life Commercial” and found that the woman featured was paid $25,000 by a crime-victims compensation fund managed by the General Treasurer. Republican Ken Block accused Raimondo of exploiting a crime victim and having a “quid pro quo” situation. Block took to talk radio to continue his attacks on Raimondo but then got caught up in his own words when he told WPRO’S Dan Yorke that he has saved a life before too but wouldn’t say whose.

Lack of support

Meanwhile some Republicans are mad because Block said on an NPR debate that he can’t name one Rhode Island Politician he admires, where as Fung named Representative Giarrusso. Block is right in some sense politicians shouldn’t be admired but when he has the support of several GOP Representatives and Senators he should have thought about his answer a bit more before saying, “I can’t think of one.” Chances are some of his General Assembly friends might still be licking their wounds are that one.

GOP: Getting Old Party

It’s time for the GOP to put the past away… We all know that the Block Campaign is feeding news stories directly to media outlets, particularly GoLocalProv (not that this is a bad thing, they know how to work the media, good for them) and the newest big piece of news is a 2010 mailer from the Lincoln group that depicts a photograph of Allan Fung and Lincoln Chafee and says “The Team You Can Trust.” Block supporters are using this to show that Allan Fung did not support John Robitaille in 2010. Well, reality check people, neither did Ken Block who was a candidate himself in 2010. Fung denied having a hand in the mailer but Robitaille has been quoted saying Allan Fung did nothing to help his campaign. While this maybe upsetting to many GOPers who idolize the former candidate, it really doesn’t matter. This isn’t high school, we aren’t having an election over who is better friends with the popular kid, we are having an election over who is more qualified to be governor and quite honestly the Robitaille arguments on both sides are getting old.

Blue in the face

While the GOP fights about who is a better friend of Robitaille the Democrats ultimately win. While the GOP forces the ace to be centered on who is a better Republican bystanders who vote in the General Election are likely getting turned off to both candidates. Running on how conservative you are in one of the bluest states in the nation isn’t exactly a way to win.

Getting Carrawayed

Cicilline challenger Matt Fecteau got some attention this week as he took aim at Cicilline’s annual weekend in Newport fundraisers with tickets starting at $2,500. Fecteau said it is like a page out of F. Scott Fitzegerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” It’s a funny remark especially when it is clear that the fundraiser is in fact targeting Rhode Island’s “high society.” Fecteau is a clear underdog in this race and he basically needs to use anything he can in his arsenal to over come Cicilline. The statement may seem a little extreme but at least it has gotten attention. While we all love a good literary reference, let’s just hope the Cicilline Fundraiser doesn’t end in the same way as the novel.

Dolphin Dee

Speaking of winners and losers this week, I’m swimming 1.8 miles this weekend in the Save the Bay swim from Newport to Jamestown. Now I’m not hoping to win but surviving would be nice! Hopefully I see you next week. (Check out my stylin’ outfit for the swim)

---

---

More Pulse on Politics

• Dee DeQuattro: Pulse on Politics - July 11
  
• Dee DeQuattro: Pulse on Politics - June 27
  
• Dee DeQuattro: Pulse on Politics - June 13
  
• Dee DeQuattro: Pulse on Politics - June 20

Proud WBOB Sponsor