Sometime this evening, I imagine, we’ll learn whom The Boston Globe has endorsed for governor. So today we can play a parlor game and try to figure out the choice.
I thought Martha Coakley’s chances improved when challenger Seth Moulton beat incumbent John Tierney in the Democratic primary for the Sixth Congressional District. Why? Because the Globe surely would have endorsed moderate Republican Richard Tisei over the ethically tarnished Tierney, as it did two years ago, thus making it easier to endorse a Democrat for governor. But the Globe seems certain to choose Moulton, a liberal war hero whom it has already endorsed once this year, over Tisei. (That may come tonight as well.)
Today, though, came the Globe’s endorsement of Patricia Saint Aubin, a Republican who’s challenging incumbent state auditor Suzanne Bump, a Democrat. The folks who run the Globe’s liberal editorial pages generally like to endorse one high-profile Republican. Is Saint Aubin high-profile enough that the gubernatorial nod will now go to Coakley?
Another wild card: longtime editorial-page editor Peter Canellos recently left, and is now the number-three editor at Politico. Taking his place on an interim basis is Ellen Clegg, a veteran Globe editor and until recently the paper’s spokeswoman. She doesn’t get to make the final call (that would be owner-publisher John Henry), but hers is an important voice.
One thing we can be fairly sure of is that the Globe’s most recent poll, showing Baker with an unexpected nine-point lead, will not be a factor.
So … whom do I think the Globe will endorse? I think it will be Baker. He’s liberal on social issues, reasonably moderate on most other issues and could be seen as a counterweight to the overwhelmingly Democratic legislature. (I’m trying to channel the Globe’s editorial board, not reveal my own choice.)
We’ll know tonight whether I’m right or wrong. And what do you think? Please post a comment here or on Facebook.
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Reblogged this on Here and Sphere and commented:
MAGOV14 : Former Boston phoenix colleague dan kennedy weighs in on whom the Globe will endorse for governor.
I think the Globe will endorse him as a better manager. The state agencies have become corrupt problems under Patrick (DCF, Probation, MassDOT, etc.). The kindest that can be said is benign neglect of detail and administation in favor of ideology and Coakley would continue that.
I see the Quincy-based Patriot Ledger is endorsing Baker.
It’s a no-win situation for Coakley. If the Globe endorses her, then it’s a non-story. If the Globe endorses Baker, though, it’s ground-shaking.
Baker, without doubt.
Would this be the first time in modern history that the Globe has endorsed two Republicans for statewide office simultaneously?
Should that be “Who” or “Whom” in the headline? I can never keep that one straight!
@Bill: I went back and forth on that several times. I went with “whom” after turning the sentence around: “The Globe will endorse him (or her).” Not he or she. So whom. I just hope I got it right.
This threw me off too, but you got it right. Maybe one reason people often use “who” when reversing the subject-object order to form an interrogative is to avoid getting used to seeing “whom” in the pole position, fostering its accidental use as a subject. I still haven’t gotten over the rampant use of “good” as an adverb.