Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Interesting Malloy Interview

Dan Malloy was campaigning in New Haven, yesterday, making a point about challenging John DeStefano in his own backyard. Paul Bass caught up with him for this interview. Some interesting excerpts:

Asked what percentage of votes he expects to win in New Haven in a gubernatorial primary against DeStefano, he replied, "I think Marty Looney is my target. Forty-three." (Bass)

Actually, that number wouldn't surprise me. From what I understand about New Haven politics, because the city is so heavily Democratic, Democrats are their own opposition party. There's a pro-mayor faction and an anti-mayor faction. Anti-DeStefano Democrats will vote against him. It may not be 43%, but it'll be more than 25%. Absolutely.

You and DeStefano have taken money from people who do business with your cities.

Yes.

...

But how are you going to get ahead of Rell if you continue to take money from people who do business with you? How can the voters look at that and say, “This guy’s going to change the system”?

You know what? It’s going to be very interesting when you answer my question about where the governor is raising her money from. Did she have a fund-raiser the night of the vote?

Yes.

And that’s so different?

Can you win by not being different from her on this issue? You don’t think the Democrats should have claimed this issue before she did?

I did. I said let’s have a whole new set of rules. I said I would return contributions on a pro rata basis. I said it in the press. And let’s have instantaneous statewide [publicly financed elections]. I said, “Let’s do it immediately.” And if I was governor, I would veto any bill that didn’t do that. I’m not saying that [just] today. I said that in July, when there were people in the legislature who wanted to do that. (Bass)

He doesn't really answer the question. Why not do what Rell is (theoretically) doing, except do it better? Do it right?

What Malloy probably doesn't want to say is that if he did that, he'd get creamed by DeStefano, who has no intention of doing any such thing.

The rest of the interview is worth reading. Malloy seems very... defensive.

Source

Bass, Paul. "Dannel Does New Haven." New Haven Independent 13 December, 2005.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rell had a meeting with her commissioners today and asked them to come up with ideas on how to stop teen violence in the cities but nobody from any CT city was in attendance. So much for R's and the best government being close to the people. She's playing the media and WTNH loves to play along any way they can.

Anonymous said...

I really don't understand your take on campaign finance reform Ghengis.

The other day you criticized Malloy for saying that he would return all his money immediately if need be. You said that DeStefano was being more practical and "honsest" (even though you have no reason to believe Malloy didn't believe in what he was saying, of course).

Here, you call Malloy defensive for taking an obvious position (that DeStefano is taking as well!): That he couldn't be the one Democrat to take no money from people who work in his city. The nature of the system would knock that candidate out immediately. But why don't you applaud him for being practical and honest in this instance?

Why don't you care about the fact that DeStefano said he wouldn't return his money, if the system changed?

You said yourself: What Malloy probably doesn't want to say is that if he did that, he'd get creamed by DeStefano, who has no intention of doing any such thing.

How can you criticize Malloy (and not DeStefano) for something you clearly state DeStefano would not do either? What gives?

Anonymous said...

Ive run campaigns for statewide office or been a senior advisor to several successfully......

DLC Dan will have no where near 43% in a primary...and indeed since he is so "cocky" about the number, will his funkies who post here please confirm that he will not beg DeStefano on his knees for the L.G. spot on the ticket

Any campaign with Global Strategies advising them, when they are 0 for 4 in races will go down in flames...lets all send Global to
Joementum when Weicker challenges him....wait...they already are advising revolting Joe...

Anonymous said...

The distinction missing in the interview is the realization that democrats will have a primary, apparently a no-holds barred slugsfest given some of the quips on this site, while Rell avoids this challenge and maintains an above the fray demeanor throughout.

Malloy had the better position, having offered to return campaign money he already raised, but with the legislation signed he needs to move beyond this, possibly promoting a spending cap for the primary and general elections.

Malloy should have questioned Rell's involvment in the DOT Traffic ads, they are nonsense and a waste of money.

Anon (12:49) It seems that Rell just waking-up to this, New Haven, Hartford, and other communities need to put more law enforcement bodies on their streets and get serious about gun controls.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Does anyone know anything about this VINCO group that managed many of the local Republican campaigns in Connecticutlike in Orange, where Mitch Goldblatt got beat and in Stamford where Malloy almost got beat? Is this something that Democrats should look into?

Anonymous said...

This interview had a gross anti-dem slant. Sure, Malloy may have been a bit defensive, but Bass went after him hard.

Meanwhile, 'Dannel Does New Haven', a play on 'Debby Does Dallas'?
Bass, get some class.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about VINCO but I do know that Rowland's campaign manager was involved in several municipal elections; including Orange. The republican mailers were boilerplate in all of the towns that he was involved in. I had to laugh at the one suggesting traffic is getting out of control; it had a picture of a croweded highway with PALM TREES in the background. Last time I checked, palm trees are not indigineous to CT.
The DTC chairs have spoken about this as well.

Anonymous said...

Anon, you can laugh all you want but george gallo won 8 out of the 10 races he worked on and one of the losses was a close race in stamford. seems to me we should be taking some notes on what the other side did to win those races bc while we are spending time laughing about the palm trees their repub candidates are taking their oathes of offices....

Anonymous said...

Rell suddenly being concerned about crime is apalling? Didn't Rowland put in the troopers to help HPD? What has John Larson or the great Democratic members of the General Assembly to address crime in Hartford?

Do you realize how silly all of you sound? You offer nothing...no solution for any problem, you just blame Republicans for everything that goes wrong. I read the papers so I consider myself to be in tune with what is going on in government yet I can't tell what Democrats stand for.

Please tell us all what the master plan of the Democrats is to solve crime in Hartford. I'd really like to know!!! The city has had Democratic representation forever, two boob Senators in DC a congressman and woman who did and have done nothing about crime, all the legislative, mayor ,city coucil seats you could ever imagine, yet it is the fault of John Rowland and Jodi Rell...Now that's apalling!!!

Anonymous said...

to Franks: Rell isn't just waking up to anything. She saw a political opportunity and she is playing it at the right time but it is unfortunate as I said that here play is political and not from the heart and it is unfortunate that you don't get it.

Anonymous said...

And this hartford problem with crime begs the question of how Mayor Perez brought in Harnett from the NYPD to straighten out a problem that's been around for entirely too long. Harnett just got started, was taken on by the CT police bureaucracy because he hadn't passed some silly test that even they couldn't pass today and he has only just begun and he'll succeeeeeed as he comes from the best. Perez is a smart guy so just watch and wait.

Anonymous said...

we all know it will be good for not only the state, but also New Haven, if John wins the governorship

You ALL know that do you? Thanks for speaking for an entire city. Both candidate's contributions are public, and both have contributor's in each other's home towns. Once again though, you assume every one in the world thinks and believes just as you do, and you try and pass off your opinion as quasi-fact.

Plus, anyone who publicly sides with Malloy will be committing hari-kari.

I absolutely love that you can freely admit this is how New Haven politics work and not see what is wrong with that.

Anonymous said...

Look what Malloy let slip in the Bass interview:

I think a workforce that is afraid to make a decision drives costs up. In the city of Stamford, I encourage all employees to make decisions and take responsibility for those decisions. You’re criticized if you don’t make a decision. You’re not criticized for making the wrong decision. Empowering a workforce to get the job done is an innovation that is long overdue in state politics.

Big mistake. Watch for a carefully produced Rell initiative in support of empowering state workers. Maybe some taxpayer funded commercials with Jodi doing the Vanna White routine again, with toll free numbers for state employees to phone if their looking to be empowered.

We Dems gotta do something about this guy. He has to be prevented from being specific and offering ideas. I mean, is that any way to run for office? Sheesh.

Anonymous said...

Rell's top aide violated her boss's own ethics policies by handing out fundraiser invitations to top appointees on state time at the Capitol.

Chief of staff M. Lisa Moody also directed those appointees, the governor's commissioners, to distribute the invitations for a big fundraising reception last week. That was less than two months after Rell publicly reminded commissioners that it is against the law for them to solicit campaign contributions.

- Courant December 14, 2005

Well, some things really do never change.

Looks like Malloy and DeStefano hit the nail on the head last week, huh?

Why hasn't Moody already resigned? How long before she's gone?

Genghis Conn said...

Just posted about this, Chris.

I don't think she'll go anywhere, although her involvement with the campaign may be scaled back.