Mar. 23, 2010: Joe Malone runs for Congress

>> Rooney: I'M EMILY ROONEY, TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," JOE MALONE ON HIS FIRST RUN FOR OFFICE IN MORE THAN A DECADE.
PLUS THE HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL AND MASSACHUSETTS' BUSINESSES.
AND THE SPANISH MASTER COMING UP NEXT.
>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," MEDICAL DEVICE-MAKERS IN MASSACHUSETTS, AND WHAT HEALTH CARE REFORM MEANS TO THEM.
PLUS FORMER STATE TREASURE JOE MALONE IS A CANDIDATE AGAIN.
HIS RUN FOR THE 10TH DISTRICT.
AND STILL LIFE STILL RESONATING.
DERRICK BOWEN ON THE ART OF LUIS MELENDEZ.
>> Rooney: GOOD EVENING.
FORMER STATE TREASURE JOE MALONE IS ATTEMPTING A POLITICAL COMEBACK.
ON SUNDAY MALONE ANNOUNCED THAT HE IS RUNNING FOR RETIRING DEMOCRATIC BILL DELAHUNT'S SEAT IN CONGRESS.
HE IS ATTEMPTING TO TAP INTO THE VOTER ANGST THAT HELPED SCOTT BROWN GET ELECTED TO THE SENATE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> GOOD TO BE HERE, EMILY.
>> Rooney: YOU'VE BEEN HAVING A GOOD TIME ON FOX 25, HAD TO GIVE THAT GIG UP.
>> YOU'RE RIGHT.
I HONESTLY, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET BACK INTO IT.
AND I WAS HAPPY WITH MY WIFE AND THEIR KIDS AND GOING TO THEIR BALLGAMES.
BUT WATCHING OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I BECAME VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THINGS DOWN IN WASHINGTON.
I'M THE TYPE LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHERE YOU TRY TO CHANGE THINGS, SO OFF I WENT.
>> Rooney: HOW MUCH WERE YOU MOTIVATED BY THE ELECTION OF SCOTT BROWN?
>> IT WAS KIND OF LIKE THE FINAL PUSH OVER THE LINE.
I WAS AT A NUMBER OF HIS EVENTS GOING DOWN THE STRETCH, AND PEOPLE WERE SAY, YOU SHOULD RUN.
IF YOU RUN, HERE'S MY CARD.
I'LL HELP YOU.
I'LL SUPPORT YOU.
THAT MADE IT TO ME SEEM LIKE IT WAS A DOABLE THING.
I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT IT BACK IN THE SUMMER, ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE SCOTT'S VICTORY.
>> Rooney: THERE IS THIS YOUNG GUY DOWN IN THE CAPE, JEFF PERRY, I HAD HIM ON THE RADIO SHOW, WHO IS ALSO RUNNING AS A REPUBLICAN,P YOU'LL HAVE A PRIMARY WITH HIM.
HE IS CONSERVATIVE, AND HE SAYS HE IS AGAINST CAPE WIND.
WHERE ARE YOU ON THAT PROJECT?
WHICH IS ANY DAY NOW THE INTERIOR SECRETARY IS GOING TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT?
>> I ALWAYS LOOKED FROM A DISTANCE AND SAID, IT'S GREAT.
RENEWABLE ENERGY, IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
THE PROBLEM IS THERE IS A HUGE SUBSIDY THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT, AND FROM A RATE-PAYERS' STANDPOINT, IT MEANS A BUMP UP ON THEIR RATES, WHICH ARE ALREADY VERY, VERY HIGH.
AND SO I'VE COME AROUND SAYING, OH, BOY, UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES TON THAT, I CAN'T ENVISION SUPPORTING IT BECAUSE THE COUNTRY IS BROKE.
>> Rooney: SO IT IS MORE A FINANCIAL CONCERN RATHER THAN ENVIRONMENTAL SIGHT?
>> WITH ME AS A CONGRESSMAN, I WANT TO BE SOMEONE WHO IS SO FIRM IN TERMS OF SAYING WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, WE CAN'T SPEND IT.
WE'RE ABOUT TO GET OUR BOND RATING DOWNGRADED NATIONALLY FROM A TRIPLE "A" TO A DOUBLE "A," WHICH IS DEVASTATING.
AND THEY'RE SAYING YOU HAVE TO GET SPENDING UNDER CONTROL.
IT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE.
THAT'S AS GOOD A PLACE AS ANY.
THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVE ROUTES WE CAN GO THAT DON'T REQUIRE A BILLION DOLLAR SUBSIDY.
>> Rooney: THIS IS 10 YEARS IN THE MAKING?
>> I KNOW.
I KNOW.
BUT THE WAY I CAN SEE, UNLESS DEVELOPERS CAN FIND SOME OTHER SOURCE OTHER THAN THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY.
>> Rooney: IF YOU HAD BEEN SITTING IN CONGRESS, HOW WOULD YOU HAVE VOTED ON THE HEALTH CARE BILL?
>> I WOULD HAVE VOTED AGAINST IT, AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSIONATE IN VOTING AGAINST IT.
I THINK IT IS VERY, VERY BAD FOR THE COUNTRY.
AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THIS IDEA THAT THE PROJECTIONS FINANCIALLY ARE WAY UNDERSTATED IN MY OPINION.
YOU LOOK AT OTHER ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS, SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAID AND MEDICARE, AND THEY'RE BLEEDING RED INK NOW, AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERS OF CONGRESS ARE TELLING US THIS ONE WE'LL KEEP UNDER CONTROL.
THEY WON'T.
IT IS GOING TO GET OUT OF CONTROL BECAUSE WE HAVE LOTS OF BABY-BOOMERS WHO ARE ABOUT TO GO INTO THEIR SENIOR YEARS, AND THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO GET EVEN MORE CARE, AND MORE NEW TECHNOLOGY.
MORE NEW MEDICATION --
>> Rooney: THEY'LL BE GOING ON MEDICARE AND STUFF -- THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY.
>> NO.
BUT IT ALL COSTS MONEY IN THE SENSE THEY'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT CUTTING A HALF BILLION DOLLARS -- HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS OUT OF MEDICARE.
IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> Rooney: THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE -- I'M SURE YOU SAW THE STATISTICS -- SAYS THIS IN THE END EN 10 YEARS, IN 20 YEARS, SAVE THE COUNTRY A TRILLION DOLLARS.
IT WILL CUT THE DEFICIT.
>> I'VE SEEN AS RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY, I SAW A FORMER C.B.O. DIRECTOR SAYING THAT'S NONSENSE.
THESE NUMBERS ARE BASICALLY THE COOKING OF THE BOOKS.
>> Rooney: IT IS ALLEGEDLY A NON-PARTISAN BOOK -- WHY WOULD THEY COOK THE BOOKS?
>> BECAUSE IN THAT BUBBLE OF WASHINGTON, THERE IS SUCH PRESSURE AND THERE IS SUCH AN IDEA THAT, GEEZ, WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE HISTORY AND SO FORTH.
I THINK THEY BASICALLY JUMPED IN THE TANK, THE C.B.O. GROUP, AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE EVEN COMMON SENSE 30 MILLION NEW PEOPLE COVERED BY HEALTH CARE AND IT IS NOT GOING TO COST US ANY MONEY?
I JUST CAN'T FATHOM IT.
AND THE BIGGEST TAX INCREASES AT A TIME WHEN OUR ECONOMY IS SUFFERING VERY BADLY.
THAT'S GOING TO PUT SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE, THE GOLDEN GOOSE THAT LAYS THE EGG AS FAR AS JOB CREATION, IT WILL PUT THEM IN THE BUNKER MENTALITY THAT I'M NOT GOING TO HIRE ANYBODY UNTIL I SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.
>> Rooney: AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR ADULT CHILDREN ON THEIR INSURANCE UNTIL AGE 26.
AND CHILDREN, NO PRIOR EXISTING CONDITION WILL BE DENIED.
THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO KICK IN VERY SOON.
IF YOU WERE IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK AND YOU WERE PART OF THE TEAM THAT WAS TRYING GET THIS THING REVERSED OR FOUND TO BE CONSTITUTIONALLY ILLEGAL, WHAT WOULD YOUR PUSH-BACK BE?
>> MY PUSH-BACK WOULD HAVE BEEN LET'S TAKE THIS PIECE-MEAL.
WHY WAS THE TORQUE NEVER ON THE TABLE.
IT IS BASICALLY KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS HAVE A POWERFUL INFLUENCE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL POWER.
>> Rooney: PRESIDENT OBAMA ADMITTED THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN.
>> THEN THE IDEA OF BREAKING THE KIND OF ALMOST PRICE FIXING THAT INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE.
WE ONLY HAVE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR IN A PARTICULAR STATE.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE REAL KIND OF COMPETITIVE ENERGY THAT COMES INTO PLAY.
LET PEOPLE BUY NATIONWIDE AND YOU WILL SEE CERTAIN INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO UNDERCUT EVERYBODY, AND THAT INVOLVES PREEXISTING CONDITIONS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE THE WHOLE PROCESS LEFT PEOPLE, I THINK, VERY, VERY CYNICAL ABOUT THEIR GOVERNMENT AND HOW IT WORKS.
YOU KNOW, WITH THE DEALS HAVE BEEN STATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
THE FLORIDA DEAL, THE NEBRASKA DEAL, THE LOUISIANA DEAL.
I THINK IT BREAKS FAITH WITH THE PEOPLE.
I THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS BACKLASH OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND BEYOND.
>> Rooney: FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR WILLIAM WELL ENDORSED YOU FOR THE 10TH DISTRICT.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO POSITION YOURSELF AS AN OUTSIDER.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.
OKAY.
THIS WHOLE THING THAT CAME UP RIGHT AT THE END OF YOUR TERM, WHERE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING AT THE LOTTERY WERE DISCOVERED TO HAVE EMBEZZLED ALMOST $10 MILLION.
IT IS GOING TO BE HARD FOR YOU TO JUST PUSH THAT AWAY.
IT IS GOING TO COME UP.
AND IT IS GOING -- THESE THINGS GET UGLIER AND UGLIER AS TIME GOES ON.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THE FIGURE $10 MILLION HAS GOTTEN HIGHER.
IT WAS $2 MILLION.
THEY WENT IN, AND TRIED TO CASH A CHECK.
AND IT NEVER CASHED.
THE WHISTLES WENT OFF AND THEY WENT TO JAIL AND THEY SHOULD HAVE GONE TO JAIL.
WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AND REMEMBER THE REST OF THE RECORD, WE TOOK THE WORST PERFORMING PENSION FUND IN THE NATION AND MADE IT THE BEST.
I REDUCED MY BUDGET BY 62%.
NO ONE DOES THAT.
AND I MADE THE LOTTERY THE MOST EFFICIENT IN THE FASHION.
WE DID SOME WONDERFUL THINGS.
I DIDN'T TAKE A PAY RAISE OR A STATE CAR.
I DIDN'T EVEN TAKE A CELL PHONE PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYERS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IT WAS A DESPICABLE THING.
I WAS AT THE HEAD OF THE SHIP WHEN IT OCCURRED.
I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT RESPECT.
BUT THE CULTURE OF THAT OFFICE WAS IN SEARCH OF A BETTER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNMENT.
>> Rooney: WE HAVE OUR FIRST REPUBLICAN SENATOR IN DECADES.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN SINCE TORKEL SON?
>> TORKELSON AND BLUE.
>> Rooney: DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS ARE READY TO ELECT A REPUBLICAN -- SCOTT BROWN DID VERY WELL.
>> HE DID VERY WELL.
IN THE LAST 60 YEARS, THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE REPUBLICAN STATE TREASURY, AND THAT'S JOE MALONE.
>> Rooney: DID MAGGIE REPRESENT THAT?
>> SHE WAS UP IN THE WELLESLEY --
>> Rooney: SHE ENDED UP SPLITTING THAT SECTION.
>> THE LAST REPUBLICAN HERE, GEEZ, I'M NOT SURE.
AGAIN, IT IS A DISTRICT THAT IS 60% IN TERMS OF HOW THEY VOTED FOR SCOTT BROWN.
IT IS THE MOST REPUBLICAN DISTRICT OF ANY IN THE STATE.
SO I'M CONFIDENT.
BEFORE BILL DELAHUNT --
>> Rooney: IT WAS THE INDEPENDENTS THAT PUT --
>> BEFORE BILL DELAHUNT DECIDED NOT TO SEEK RE-ELECTION, WE DID OUR APOLOGY, AND I WAS -- OUR POLLING, AND I WAS LEADING HIM.
SO THIS IS A DISTRICT WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BRING.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE HIGH TAXES, MORE GOVERNMENT, MORE BORROWING BY GOVERNMENT.
THEY WANT TO SEE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
>> Rooney: THE FUNDRAISING FOR SCOTT BROWN KICKED IN THE LAST SIX DAYS OF HIS RACE.
THAT WAS A HUGE BOOST FOR HIM. WITH TELEVISION ADS.
ASSUMING YOU GET THROUGH THE PRIMARY, IT IS GOING TO BE AN EXPENSIVE CAMPAIGN.
>> SOME SAY IT WILL COST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, $1.5 MILLION, AND MY EARS ARE SORE FROM MAKING ALL OF THOSE PHONE CALLS.
BUT THE RECEPTION HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.
I'M VERY PROUD THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER ME BACK --
>> Rooney: HOW COULD THEY FORGET YOU?
YOU'VE BEEN ON TV?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THEY'RE OPENING UP THEIR CHECKBOOKS AND SAYING, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO HELP.
AND BILL WELLS ENDORSEMENT TODAY WILL ONLY HELP.
WE HAVE A GREAT PICTURE OF BILL ON OUR WEBSITE, JOEMALONE.COM.
AND PEOPLE CAN GO AND CHECK IT OUT.
>> Rooney: WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RACE.
JOE MALONE, GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> THANK YOU.