Deval Patrick's acceptance speech sounded downright presidential

[joeunderdog]

Patrick is the first black Gov in Mass, the 2nd in the nation. He blew away his elitist, all-business/no blue collar competition, Kerry Healy. His speech was a commentary on national politics and it was inspiring.

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This victory belongs to the tens and hundreds of thousands of Democrats and Republicans and independents who believe that we can do so much better and hope for so much more in Massachusetts. Who believe we don't have to agree on everything before we can work together on anything. That is what the voters said today. Voters said 'no' to the Big Dig politics as usual and 'yes' to the politics of hope and possibility. Voters said 'no' to the inside deals and mediocre performance of our current administration and 'yes' to accountability, candor, and leadership. Voters said 'no' to division and exclusion, 'no' to government by gimmick, and slogan and sound bite and photo-op, and 'yes' to lasting and meaningful reform.
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A contest of ideas and not insults, of discussion, and not distortion, of meaning and not just money, because you deserve and Massachusetts badly needs to best we have. And let's make it a candid debate, too.
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We should talk about crime and how this administration has done little or nothing while gun and gang violence soared on urban streets and has closed detox facilities while heroin and Oxycontin addiction grew in the suburbs. We should talk about the Big Dig and how it took a human tragedy to get the attention and focus of this administration on cost overruns and structural defects the rest of us have known about for years. And we should also talk candidly and honestly about taxes and how this administration's fiscal shell game is responsible for an explosion in the property tax and hundreds of new and increased fees for everything from parking in the school parking lot to playing on a high school team.

Make no mistake, this election is about whether we want more of all that, or lasting and meaningful change instead. About spinning our wheels or aiming high. About government by sound bite, and gimmick, and slogan, or leadership that strives to serve our long-term interests in stronger, healthier, safer and more prosperous communities. I choose change. I choose hope.

the rest here...
http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/blog/2006/09/patricks_speech.html

[bdamomma]

1. I am so glad he won.

[Onlooker]

2. His speech was wonderful ...

... and it's great that he's an unabashed liberal, but in a modern mold. I think he can give liberalism a new direction and new vitality. But, I must admit I was disappointed that in the long list of groups he talked about, he left out gays. I assume it was an oversight, but it was nonetheless disappointing.