The Statehouse News Service is reporting what aides to the Governor call a “light hearted exchange” between Transportation Chair Steve Baddour and Governor Patrick over Patrick’s bristling at continued criticism from Baddour. Baddour has been openly critical of the tardiness of the Governor’s prospective transportation proposals, and has said so repeatedly. The exchange occurred as the State House celebrated the Holiday season with caroling and the annual tree lighting by the Governor. A very happy transportation holiday season to both Governor Patrick and Senator Baddour! From the State House News Service:
Minutes after a legislative hearing on privatizing Mass. Turnpike Authority assets, Gov. Deval Patrick and Sen. Steven Baddour engaged in a back-and-forth that prompted House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, a former crowd control technician at some of Boston’s late establishments, to step in and pluck out the barbs.
Patrick told Baddour, clad in a fleece turtleneck vest for the occasion, that he did not appreciate the senator’s repeated criticisms of the administration’s progress on transportation reform, and suggested that Baddour’s preference for privatizing roads and bridges suggested Republican leanings, according to people familiar with the conversation. (Back story: In 2006, many Democrats worried and many Republicans hoped that Baddour, a Methuen Democrat, would back Republican Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey over the Democrat Patrick. Baddour denied published reports that he had pledged support to Healey once the primary ended. Patrick won, Healey lost, and Baddour was embarrassed, but still has the killer hair.)
The governor said Baddour was doing a disservice by frequently pointing out that a comprehensive transportation reform package, which the administration had promised would be delivered long before the current policy debate over tolls and taxes, is overdue, said the sources, who spoke on background because of the sensitivity of the exchange.
Baddour’s comeback to Patrick was that he was simply pointing out the obvious. Shortly thereafter, DiMasi, who had been listening, interjected with a light comment and the mood lightened, sources said. Patrick aides downplayed the incident as light-hearted.
The tete-a-tete occurred outside the second-floor Nurses Hall, between schoolchildren singing carols and Patrick’s ceremonial lighting of the tree on the State House lawn, and after a long day of policy debate on Beacon Hill that focused on the capitol’s two hottest topics: ethics and transportation funding.
Bill Manzi.com 
Your Honor,
I have learned a lesson. Who needs Republicans when you have a house full of (your friends) Democrats to kick each other around.
In massachusetts the hot topics of ethics (def: how to crucify your apponent and clear your ally) and transportation(def: we are going to be taxed through higher gas taxes AND higher tolls.)
So what’s to fight about?
Kind of mirrors our congress and it will be a harbinger of things to come.
So many people so little clues.
Jules
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Certainly, this has nothing to do with an attempt to achieve exhaulted office. I was routing for Steve. He looks good in black!
Seriously, I just cannot understand how the transportation system remains inefficient and bleeding taxpayer money when Sen Baddour has held the reins of oversight and the power to reform for many years now.
Seems to me that the time has long past when the legislature ought to have had a handle on authority budgets, ought to have identified duplicity and eliminated waste. Yet, it has not been done. Why is the question.
I read with interest the full page ad touting the Senator’s success at reform of the transportation system. Certainly there must have been more than the flag-man issue which, as it turns out, exempted the State Police where the most cost occurred.
I just do not understand.
Fighting with the Governor certainly does not help. So one thing didn’t work out. Won’t help any ambition for state-wide office if the Gov can block even him getting on the floor, let alone running ,at the convention.
Of course, the Senator could change party affiliation and run for AG as a Republican.
That would make an honest man of him ( in terms of party affiliation certainly ) and make Jules happy!
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For the first 3/4 of this entry I thought it sounded like I wrote it.
It seems though that Bob and I follow Senator’s career and see the same results. Why hasn’t Steve done anything up to now.(see my entry in the earlier blog entry).
We would welcome Steve as a Republican AG, but can he survive in the atmosphere of obscurity.
Your Honor, you have to come to the rescue of your good friend.
Jules.
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I think legislative bodies are inherently unable, absent strong executive leadership, to achieve real reform in any area. Democracy is messy, and produces slow results.
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Of course any comment made by Bob LeBlanc about Senator Baddour is always a negative one so his musings here once again do not disappoint. However, this time I really must ask? Mr. LeBlanc what, pray tell, have you done lately for God and country other than to point out what you believe to be the shortcomings of those that have actually been elected to something?
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Your Honor,
I believe it was Winston Churchill who said, “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the rest”.
Jules
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Your Honor,
I listened to Tom Finneran, Warren Tolman, and Holly Robichaud discuss this issue this morning on WRKO radio.
The three went back and forth between raising tolls to $7.00+ to raising gas taxes 23 cents.
They all came to agreement that the best move was to remove the toll boths and raise the gas tax. Holly, the lone republican, wanted a caviat added; the gas tax is to be removed as soon as the big dig is paid off.
That brought protests from Tolman and Finneran. They want to keep the tax forever.
Surprise!!!
Jules
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Now there’s a Republican I could vote for.
-FM
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