Blowout at the Biltmore by John DePetro
Friday, July 02, 2010
It is beginning to look like the Lynch brothers are the political Siamese twins of 2010, inextricably conjoined at the hip for better or worse, and Monday night was definitely for worse. Bill Lynch had said early on that "nobody knows how the public will respond" to the Brothers Lynch, but if Monday night is any indication of the primary voting public's preferences, the campaigns of both brothers look to be in trouble.
Start with Patrick, who seems to be the only person left in Rhode Island who believes he will be the next governor. Frank Caprio gave him the beating of his life in a blowout not seen since the first round of the NCAA tournament in 1987, when Syracuse had Lynch and Brown beat at half-time.
It was very revealing that Patrick Lynch had Frank Montanaro introduce him for the endorsement. Frank Montanaro? Was Mayor Moreau of Central Falls unavailable? Tapping a decades-entrenched old-school union boss like Frank Montanaro to introduce oneself at such a pivotal moment spoke volumes about Patrick Lynch's reliance on the old (and tired) Democratic machine as his power base. It would have been better if the Attorney General had the crew from the landfill get up on the podium and speak highly of the man who allowed them to steal $75 million. The aging union boss who stayed a little too long (Montanaro) introducing the young aspiring gubernatorial candidate (Lynch) whose political future seems perhaps already long gone.
The evening further revealed that an arrogant Patrick Lynch apparently failed to call local town chairs to ask for their support, and then seemed surprised when he did not get it. Looks like the party faithful feel the boarded up homes of Central Falls could be a problem this campaign season.
The saddest face of the night belonged to the brother of the Attorney General, Bill Lynch. It is hard to imagine the former chairman of the party, the ultimate insider, could not pull out an endorsement over Providence Mayor David Cicilline. The only reason Cicilline is running for Congress is because he knew he could not get elected governor. Bill Lynch always stood by the troubled Patrick Kennedy, yet Kennedy was nowhere to be found Monday night when his loyal chairman and friend Bill needed him most.
The Irish mafia of Pawtucket got crushed by the Italians from Narragansett, and it was not even close. The message was heard loud and clear by all attending Monday night that the days of power may be numbered for the dynasty from Pawtucket.
John DePetro can be heard weekday mornings 6-10 am, on GoLocal media partner 630WPRO & 99.7, and podcasts of show highlights are found at 630wpro.com.
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Comments:
Portsmouth Citizen
12:17pm on Friday, July 02, 2010
John:
Please feel free to play "pundit" and make editorial comments, but please don't just make up junk that isn't true and has no basis.
for example, you wrote, "The only reason Cicilline is running for Congress is because he knew he could not get elected governor."
Really? You can prove this? Were governor or congressman his only choices? (hint: Mayor) Maybe he's running because he always dreamed of serving Rhode Island in the U.S. Congress, and the opportunity presented itself with the retirement of Patrick Kennedy. That's just as plausible. So please stop making stuff up.
In another example, this one even more ridiculous, you wrote, "The Irish mafia of Pawtucket got crushed by the Italians from Narragansett."
Are you implying everyone at the convention is either Italian or Irish, or from Pawtucket or Narragansett? Do you really think this was about ethic solidarity? I honestly don't know what to make of your asinine characterization of events. This was about selecting a candidate for U.S. Congress, it isn't a Mario Puzo novel.
Ben Forenz
2:08pm on Friday, July 02, 2010
Independent Man???
How about 'water carrier for the Caprio family' boy?
DePetro is as fair and balanced as a Fox News political commentator.
DePetro openly dines out around Providence with members of the Caprio family.
It is embarrassing to hear him fawn all over Frank Caprio on his radio show.
One would have hoped that GoLocalProv would have enlisted true journalists to produce editorial pieces as opposed to hack jobs produced by politically motivated individuals.
Roy Parsons
2:18pm on Friday, July 02, 2010
David Cicilline repeatedly told the people of Providence that being their mayor was the only job he ever wanted.
At the same time, David Cicilline was polling for the governor's race.
When his poll results came back and the people of Rhode Island said, "Thanks, but no thanks," David Cicilline once again swore to the people of Providence that being mayor of Providence was the only job he ever wanted, that the job wasn't finished, that the city desperately needed him to finish it, and that's exactly what he intended to do.
Then Patrick Kennedy announced that he would not seek re-election.
And THE NEXT DAY David Cicilline said, "I want to be your congressman."
David Cicilline, as he first took the oath of his current office in January, 2003, raised his right hand even as he focused his eyes, his mind, and his heart's desire on the State House.
David Cicilline never wanted to be mayor of Providence. He did want to be governor of Rhode Island -- until the people rejected him.
Now David Cicilline CLAIMS to want to be a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
David Cicilline is lying. Again.
David Cicilline wants to be a member of the U.S. Senate. He looks forward to the day when Senator Jack Reed is elevated to another position in government (Secretary of Defense?) and Senator Cicilline (God save us) is annointed. He has admitted this to a very public person who, at the time of the conversation, was contemplating a run for public office.
David Cicilline will take the first opportunity to abandon the House and thus betray -- again -- all who would have voted him into that office.
David Cicilline is incapable of speaking the truth. This is not my opinion; rather, it is a conclusion supported by the facts as delineated above.
David Cicilline in the U.S. Congress is what is commonly referred to as a nightmare scenario.
John Smith
9:12am on Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Funny thing is you say Lynch had the saddest face of the night??? Are you serious??? All the convention did was prove who the real insider of the Problematic Political Machine really is, David ChickaChini...Hit the streets door to door from Newport to Burrillville and ask around who is going to be elected in District 1 and you will get the same response time and time again...anyone who isnt the political insider...Us as voters are not as stupid as you may think Mr. DePetro, we see that Gordon Fox pushed his influence around to get the votes for ChickaChini, but you think that is a good endorsement???? WRONG!!! VOTERS want the outsider non-machine driven candidate...Im not saying it should or will be Mr. Lynch however, Buddy Cianci the King of RI Airways said it best on his show the majority who were forced to endorse ChickaChini will walk into the ballot box and select Bill Lynch for Congress. Most common answer given is because Bill Lynch is the only candidate who can knock off Loughlin in the General Election and keep the seat Democratic...