Don Roach: Chafee’s Switch Doesn’t Matter… To Anyone

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Don Roach, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™

 

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Everyone and their daughter has an opinion on Chafee deciding to become a Repub…oops…I mean Democrat. In the most significant, up to this point, news splash of the 2014 gubernatorial race, Chafee announced his move to the party he once fought against.

I’ve got two words for you – who cares?

Who cares…that Chafee is finally wearing the label that matches his politics?

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Who cares…about what Chafee’s dad would think of his political affiliation?

Who cares…that we have all probably wasted more time reading politicos and wannabe politicos’ commentary about Chafee’s switch?

Do you? I don’t. I know I’m supposed to and I know part of my job is to engage you in a riveting conversation about how Chafee’s switch to a Democrat turns the 2014 Gubernatorial Democratic primary on its head but I don’t have the desire to run through all the prognostication mumbo jumbo nor can I suspend enough belief to try and shill a theory that I don’t believe.

Don’t get me wrong, prognostications are fun and even relevant in this situation. Questions about how this affects the mayors of Providence & Cranston as well our Treasurer are valid and need to be asked and answered. Many have done so and maybe I will in the future, but not today. I met Chafee’s switch by wondering if people now recognize Chafee for what he is – a political opportunist versus concerning myself with some of the other hoopla.

And so what does this really change? Raimondo & Taveras would each be battling Chafee at some point assuming one or both decides to enter the gubernatorial race. They just might have to do so a couple of months earlier than they thought. If Fung or 2010’s lovable loser, John Robitaille, decides to run, both probably had planned to face Chafee and the winner between Raimondo/Taveras in the fall had Chafee remained Independent. The prospect of only having to face one of them is probably a delight. But that could be fools gold as who knows where Chafee’s, Raimondo’s, or Taveras’ supporters would turn.

Whether it advantages Chafee, Fung, Raimondo, Robitaille, or whomever are all good questions, but ultimately Chafee’s party affiliation means nothing to no one…especially him!

The simple fact is that while Chafee was a Senator he was one of the most left leaning Republicans, notably being the only Republican voting not to go to war in Iraq, if memory serves. When he left the Republican party his politics didn’t change one iota. And with his full circle change to Democrat, are you thinking that he’s going to all of a sudden become the most liberal of liberal Democrats?

I’ve got news for you, Chafee(R) is Chafee(I) is Chafee(D). The points for and against him are the same today as they were in 2010 and 2006. By becoming a Democrat, Chafee doesn’t all of a sudden become the leader of the Rhode Island Democrats any more than he was a political mover and shaker within the RI Republican party back in the day. (Anyone claiming Chafee was a political mover and shaker in the RI GOP…I have a popsicle stand in Alaska I’d like to sell you.)

So it doesn’t matter that Chafee will run for governor as a Democrat in 2014. He’s the same man nearly 2/3rds of us didn’t vote for in 2010. He’s the same man, who couldn’t defeat a multi-time loser in Sheldon Whitehouse in 2006.

So, yeah Chafee is now a Democrat…who cares?

Don Roach can be reached at [email protected].

 

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