July 29, 2009 : Charlie Baker enters the Mass. governor's race

>> Jared: TONIGHT ON "GREATER
BOSTON", CHARLIE BAKER
OFFICIALLY ENTERS THE RACE FOR
GOVERNOR...

>> READ MY LIPS-- NO NEW TAXES.

>> Jared: PLUS THE ACCESS HIKE
MEANS A SALES SPIKE FOR
RETAILERERS.
AND THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE
REPERTORY THEATER ON HER
INAUGURAL SEASON.
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>> Jared: GOOD EVENING.
I'M JARED BOWEN IN FOR EMILY
ROONEY.
CASTING HIMSELF AS A TURNAROUND
TITAN, CHARLIE BAKER OFFICIALLY
ENTERED THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR
TODAY, FILING HIS PAPERS TO SEEK
THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION.
MEANWHILE, GOVERNOR DEVAL
PATRICK IS SHOWING GREAT
VULNERABILITY WITH PLUNGING POLL
NUMBERS THAT MIGHT MAKE HIM A
RIPE TARGET.

>> HOW ARE YOU?

>> PAPERS?

>> YEAH, ARE YOU SURPRISED TO
SEE ME.

>> NO!
HAPPY TO SEE YOU.

>> Jared: CHARLIE BAKER THE
FORMER HARVARD PILGRIM PRESIDENT
OFFICIALLY FILED PAPERWORK TO
LAUNCH HIS GUBERNATORIAL
CAMPAIGN THIS MORNING.

>> READ MY LIPS, NO NEW TAXES.

>> Jared: HE TALKED ABOUT SOME
HOT BUTTON ISSUES LIKE THE
IMPENDING SALES TAX INCREASE.

>> I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO FIND
A WAY TO GET RID OF THE INCREASE
IN THE SALES TAX DURING THE
COURSE OF MY TERM.

>> Jared: HE BLASTED PATRICK'S
HANDLE OF THE CRISIS.

>> WE HAVE CITIES AND TOWNS
LAYING OFF AND FURLOUGHING
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND WE
DON'T EVEN HAVE A HIRING FREEZE
AT THE STATE LEVEL.

>> Jared: VOTERS, IT SEEMS, ARE
FRUSTRATED, TOO, A RECENT POLL
SHOWING PATRICK'S FAVORABLE
RATING AT AN ALL-TIME LOW.
DISCOURAGING NEWS FOR THE
GOVERNOR.

>> IT'S NOT ENTIRELY SURPRISING
BUT I CAN TELL YOU I'M NOT
MAKING MY DECISIONS BASED ON
POLLS.
I CAN'T.

>> Jared: LINING UP TO RUN
AGAINST PATRICK AND NOW BAKER
ARE FELLOW REPUBLICAN CHRISTIE
MIHOS AND POSSIBLY STATE
TREASURER TIM CAHILL, WHO HAS
HINTED HE'LL RUN AN INDEPENDENT
CAMPAIGN.

>> I HAVEN'T OFFICIALLY DECIDED
IF I'M GOING TO RUN YET.

>> AND WON'T DO THAT UNTIL AFTER
LABOR DAY.

>> Jared: FOR CONFIRMED
CONTENDERS, POLLS SHOW PATRICK
RUNNING BEHIND BOTH BAKER AND
MIHOS.
BAKER TOPS PATRICK 41%, AND
MIHOS TAKES A SLIGHT LEAD WITH
41%.
JOINING HE ARE REPUBLICAN
ANALYSTS CAN ROBE ROB AND
DEMOCRATIC ANALYST WARREN TOLMAN
WE DIDN'T GET INTO SPECIFICS
TODAY, BUT HE DID SKIM THE
SURFACE, TAKING AIM AT THE
GOVERNOR THE WAY HE HAS MANAGED
GOVERNMENT SO FAR, MANAGED THE
STATE.
IS THAT GOING TO BE HIS CAMPAIGN
PLATFORM OR IS IT A TIME TO
THROW EVERYTHING OUT THERE AND
SEE WHAT THINGS?

>> RIGHT NOW, HE WILL TALK ABOUT
WHO CHARLIE BAKER IS AND THEN
HE'LL OUTLINE WHERE ALL THE
FAILURES OF DEVAL PATRICK ARE.
THERE ARE JUST SO MANY TO LIST,
AND, YOU KNOW, SO HE CAN GO
BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT NOVEMBER
AND NOT RUN OUT OF THINGS TO
SAY-- "I WOULD HAVE DONE IT THIS
WAY.
I WOULD HAVE DONE IT THAT WAY,"
FROM THE APPOINTMENT OF MIRIAM
WALSH, TO RAISING THE SALES TAX
BY $1 BILLION.
HE RESTORED THE ROMNEY CUTS WHEN
HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT THE CUTS.
THERE'S NO HIRING FREEZE HERE IN
MASSACHUSETTS.
SO MANY THINGS, MISSED
OPPORTUNITIES THAT, YOU KNOW,
FOR THE GOVERNOR TO ANSWER TO.
BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW, BAKER
WILL DO A-- GO INTO A NAME I.D.
PHASE, GET HIS NAME OUT THERE AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND TELL PEOPLE
WHY HE WOULD BE A BETTER OPTION.

>> Jared: EVEN THE DEMOCRATIC
STATE PARTY CHAIR JOHN WELSH IS
SAYING WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT
ON HIM RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE GOING AFTER HIM FOR HIS
AFFILIATION WITH THE BIG DIG AND
SOME OF THE FUNDING AND SOME OF
THE MEETINGS HE ATTENDED IN
RELATION TO THE BIG DIG.
WHAT'S THE PARTY'S STRATEGY?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A
COHESIVE PARTY STRATEGY AS MUCH
AS FOR DEVAL PATRICK HE HAS TO
DO HIS JOB AS WELL AS HE CAN.
THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES.
THE PROBLEMS IN MASSACHUSETTS
ARE NOT UNIQUE TO MASSACHUSETTS.
IT'S AN ENTIRE COUNTRY, INDEED
THE ENTIRE WORLD IS HAVING
FISCAL PROBLEMS, AND THE NUMBERS
FOR GOVERNOR PATRICK ARE NOT
THAT DISSIMILAR.
THEY'RE LOWER THAN WHAT DEVAL
PATRICK IS CERTAINLY USED TO.
IT'S NOT SOME UNANTICIPATED,
GIVEN THE ECONOMIC TIMES WE'RE
IN, GIVEN THE CUTS HE'S HAD TO
MAKE AND, FRANKLY, SOME OF THE
TAX INCREASES.

>> Jared: IS THE GOVERNOR GOING
TO BE AT THE WHIM OF THE ECONOMY
FOR THE DURATION OF THIS RACE?

>> I THINK THE ECONOMY, EVEN
THOUGH THE GOVERNOR-- GOVERNORS
GENERALLY DON'T HAVE A TON TO DO
WITH THE ECONOMY, JARED, I THINK
YOU GET CREDIT FOR THE SUNSHINE.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET BLAMED FOR
THE RAIN.
WITH CHARLES BAKER, HOWEVER,
JARED, I THINK WHAT THE GOVERNOR
AND CHRISTIE MIHOS IS ALREADY
TALKING ABOUT THE BIG DIG.
FS A GUY, IF YOU'RE SECRETARY OF
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE,
WHICH CHARLES BAKER WAS, YOU'RE
AKIN TO THE C.E.O. OF THE STATE
GOVERNMENT.
THE GOVERNOR MIGHT BE THE CHAIR.
YOU'RE THE C.E.O..
THE LARGEST UPTICK IN SPENDING
ON THE BIG DIG TOOK PLACE DURING
CHARLIE BAKER'S WATCH AND THAT'S
GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR HIM TO
ANSWER BECAUSE HE'S CASTING
HIMSELF AS A FISCAL TURNANCHD
ARTIST.

>> THERE'S THE PROBLEM FOR THE
DEMOCRATS, THEY HAVE NOTHING
POSITIVE TO TALK ABOUT.
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE ALREADY
LAUNCHED--

>> THAT WAS A QUESTION, HOLLY.

>> THEY'VE LAUNCHED A WEB SITE
ATTACKING CHARLIE BAKER ON DAY
ONE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING
POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT THEIR
CAMPAIGNS.
AND I THINK IT'S A POOR
REFLECTION THAT THEY'RE NOT
PROMOTING DEVAL PATRICK.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY BASHING CHARLIE
BAKER, WHO IS SIX POINTS AHEAD
ON DAY ONE.

>> HOLE, YOU TALKED ABOUT ALL
THE THINGS BETWEEN NOW AND THE
ELECTION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THAT DEVAL PATRICK
DID WRONG SO HOW DO YOU
CRITICIZE DEMOCRATS.

>> I STARTED OFF SAYING HE WAS
GOING TO TALK POSITIVE.

>> Jared: HE IS SORT OF
STRADDLING THE LINE BETWEEN
INSIDER AND OUTSIDERS.
HE IS COMING IN SAYING HE HAS
THE BUSINESS INSTINCTS, BUT HE
HAS ALL OF THE FRIES PREVIOUS
REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS THAT
WILL BRING HIM DOWN TO SOME
EXTENT.

>> LOOK AT THE RECORD OF THOSE
REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS.
HE WAS THERE DURING THE
WELD-CELLUCCI YEARS WHEN THEY
CUT TAXES 41 TIMES.
BILL WELD CAME INTO OFFICE WHEN
THE DEMOCRATS HAD RAISED--
CREATED A SALES TAX ON 800 NEW
SERVICES.
BILL WELD ROLLED BACK, KIND OF
THE SAME SITUATION THAT WE'RE
FACING HERE.
DEVAL PATRICK HAS RAISED SALES
TAX BY $1 BILLION.
CHARLIE BAKER WILL BE A GUY THAT
COMES IN HERE AND STRAIGHTENS
OUT THIS MESS.
AS FAR AS HIS PRIVATE SECTOR
WORK, HE ACTUALLY HAS A LIST OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH HARVARD
PILGRIM.
HE TOOK A FAILING BUSINESS AND
TURNED IT AROUND.
ISN'T THAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE
FACING US IN MASSACHUSETTS, A
FAILING STATE GOVERNMENT?
AND AS FAR AS WARREN SAYING
THERE'S NO GOVERNORS HAVING A
GOOD TIME, ACTUALLY MITCH
DANIELS FINISHED HIS BUDGET WITH
A SURPLUS THIS YEAR.

>> Jared: WHEN UPPER IN THE
STATE SENATE AND CHARLIE BAKER
WAS THERE DOLING OUT THE MONEY,
HOW WAS HE?
WAS WAS HE SOMEWHAT OF A MISER?
FIRST OF ALL I'LL SAY I
LIKE CHOORL AS A PERSON.
I HAVE A DIFFERENT TACT WHEN IT
COMES TO GOVERNING, AND ACTUALLY
I WAS CHAIR OF TAXATION
COMMITTEE WHEN GOVERNOR WELD
SIGNED MANY OF THOSE 40-ODD TAX
CUTS THAT TOOK PLACE.
I THINK THE DEMOCRATS IN
MASSACHUSETTS, WE GOT KICKED FOR
EVERYTHING.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO GET PRAISED
FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT TAKE
PLACE.
CHARLIE BAKER, HE IS A VERY
FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE GUY, AND I
THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE
DID WERE NOT-- WHEN IT CAME TO
HUMAN SERVICE-- WERE NOT ALWAYS
IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
AND SECONDLY, WHEN I RAN FOR
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I SAW-- AND
FRANKLY, WHEN I WAS A STATE
LEGISLATOR, AS A STATE SENATOR I
SAW THE BIG DIG SPIRALING OUT OF
CONTROL.
IT'S NOT NEW NEWS THAT THIS WAS
HAPPENING.
TPS HAPPENING IN '94, '95, '96,
'97.
WE HEARD THE REFRAIN FROM PAUL
SLEECHY AND JANE SWIFT, ON TIME
AND ON BUDGET.
HE WAS NEITHER, WE KNOW THAT NOW
AND ALL THE PEOPLE IN STATE
GOVERNMENT THAT KEPT QUIET ABOUT
THAT, SHAME ON THEM BECAUSE
WE'RE STILL PAYING FOR IT.
OUR ROADS, HIGHWAYS, AND BRIDGES
THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH THAT
HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR MANY
YEARS ARE STILL PAYING AS A
RESULT.
THE TAXPAYERS, THE TOLL PAYERS
ON THE MIC ARE STILL PAYING FOR
IT, AND CHARLIE BAKER IS ONE OF
THE CHIEF MISCAL ARCHITECTS THAT
HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT.

>> Jared: WHAT'S THE CHRISTIE
MIHOS FACTOR HERE.
POLLS SHOW CHARLIE BAKER AHEAD
OF HIM SLIGHTLY WHICH IS
SOMEWHAT INTERESTING BECAUSE
EVEN ONE OF THE REPUBLICAN STATE
SENATORS WHEN CHARLIE ANNOUNCED
TOLD ME HE HAD A HUGE BATTLE
THERE BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY KNOW
WHO HE IS IN THE MEDIA AND IN
THE INDUSTRY BUT THE PUBLIC AT
LARGE DOESN'T KNOW WHO HE IS.

>> LOOK AT THE "GLOBE" POLL LAST
WEEKEND, CHARLIE BAKER IS
ALREADY SIX POINTS AHEAD OF
DEVAL PATRICK.
CHRISTIE MIHOS IS DEAD EVEN WITH
DEVAL PATRICK.
I DON'T THINK CHRISTIE IS GOING
TO BE MUCH OF A FACTOR.
MAYBE HE'LL DROP DOWN TO ANOTHER
RACE FOR STATE TREASURER OR
AUDITOR.
I THINK THAT WILL BE A BETTER
FIT FOR HIM.
HAVING LEFT THE PARTY.
COMING BACK IS GOING TO BE A
HARD SELL.
HE ATTACKED THE REPUBLICAN
NOMINEE LAST TIME.
I DON'T THINK THE REPUBLICANS
ARE ALL THAT TRUSTING.
RIGHT NOW YOU'RE SEEING BAKER ON
DAY ONE JUMPED WAY AHEAD OF
MIHOS.
I DON'T THINK HE'LL BE MUCH OF A
FACTOR AND WILL BE WELL ADVISED
TO DROP INTO ANOTHER RACE.

>> Jared: WARREN, WHAT WHATABOUT
TIM CAHILL WHO IS CIRCLING
AROUND AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE
HE IS GOING TO LAND?

>> I LIKE TIM AND I THINK HE'S
DONE A NICE JOB AS TREASURER.
I'M NOT CONVINCED HE STAYS IN
THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR FOR A
COUPLE DIFFERENT WANE RAENS.
I THINK CHARLIE BAKER, AND DEVAL
PATRICK, WHOEVER THE NOMINEES OF
THE PARTY-- MAYBE CHRISTIE MIHOS
I'M NOT SO READY TO WRITE OFF
CHRISTIE-- START WAY BASE OF
60%.
IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO GET 35%
YOU HAVE TO GET SEVEN OUT OF
EIGHT VOTES AND THAT'S A TALL
ORDER AND I THINK TIM CAHILL IS
SMART ENOUGH TO LOOK AT THOSE
NUMBERS AND SAY AM I REALLY
READY TO ROLL THE DICE AND GET
OUT OF ELECTORAL SERVICE
COMPLETELY OR TAKE ANOTHER TERM
AS TREASURY.

>> I AGREE WITH WARREN, FINALLY.

>> ALL RIGHT!

>> Jared: YOU HEARD IT HERE
FIRST.
HOLE, WHAT'S THE REPUBLICAN
MACHINE LIKE RIGHT NOW?
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY IT'S RUNNING
ON THREE IF NOT TWO WHEELS AT
THIS POINT.
MITT ROMNEY TRIED TO CULTIVATE A
CROP OF FRESHMEN LEGISLATORS.
THAT DISSIPATED.
THERE'S A LACK OF POLISH,
FRANKLY, IN SOME OF WHAT CHARLIE
BAKER HAS DONE IN THE BEGINNING.
HE'S HUMMING ALONG IN HIS
SPEECHES NOW AND PRESENTATION.
IS THERE THE MACHINE THERE THAT
HELPED KERRY HEALY AND MITT
ROMNEY?

>> I DON'T THINK HE'D WANT TO
USE THAT MACHINE.
KERRY HEALEY DIDN'T DO TOO WELL.
AS FAR AS CHARLIE BAKER, HE'S
NOT A PROFESSIONAL POLITICIAN,
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED
RIGHT NOW GOING INTO THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING TO GO ON
WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, I'M
SEEING SO MANY PEOPLE SO ACTIVE.
IT'S LIKE 1990.
THERE ARE SO MANY GETTING
INVOLVED, GOING OUT THERE,
HOLDING RALLIES, PROTESTING HERE
AND THERE.
AND IT'S JUST VERY EXCITING.
SO I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE
PLENTY OF SUPPORT FOR HIM OUT
THERE.

>> Jared: THANK YOU, BOTH.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

>> YES.

>> INDEED.

>> Jared: A SPECIAL PROGRAMMING
NOTE-- CHARLIE BAKER WILL BE
HERE TOMORROW NIGHT FOR A
ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW WITH MITT
ROMNEY.
BE SURE TO WATCH TOMORROW AT
7:00.