Bwahaha ... JK gets Brown to change vote on Fin bill cloture

[MH1]

Here's what the article says:

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2010/05/brown_switches.html

Brown was further convinced during a 40-mile bike ride he went on this morning with Senator John Kerry.

“We recognize that there’s going to be some fixes here, more than likely, and the conference committee,” Brown said after voting. “I’m satisfied that all of our efforts – Senator Kerry and my efforts – will benefit and protect jobs in Massachusetts.”

“I spoke at length over a 40 mile bike-ride with Senator Kerry about it,” Brown added. “He’s a very good athlete.”

Anyone else think it really went something like:

After about 20 miles JK says, look, we aren't getting anywhere in this discussion, so how's this: I'll race you to the top of the next hill. I win, you vote for cloture. Deal? Brown looks at him and thinks "sure old man!" but of course just says, "sure John, you're on!" Then JK proceeds to leave him in the dust ... Scott Brown gasping and wheezing trying to catch up ...

I dunno but that's the image that came to MY mind on reading this story. :)

[Luftmensch067]

1. I LOVE your version!

And it's not entirely unlikely!!!!! :rofl:

[beachmom]

2. Awesome. I love the story and your imaginings of what went down.

Incidentally, I read some poll data that people in Mass. want action on climate change. Which says to me that all Mass. folks here need to start dialing Mr. Brown's office encouraging him to back the climate bill. That is ONE advantage of having an R rep'ing Mass. Swing voter who can be called and "persuaded".

[Mass]

3. I like your version, and suspect that JK needed the 40 miles just to make sense of what

Scott Brown was saying.

[MH1]

10. heh heh

that does sound about right!

[ProSense]

4. Kerry's statement

here

As for your version of the bike ride, LOL!

[Blaukraut]

5. Oh yeah, I can totally see that scenario! n/t

[MBS]

6. Good call, MH! : ) n/t

[blm]

7. and THAT is why you are so easy to love, MH...... ; )

If I HAD to bet, I'd go with your scenario.

[karynnj]

8. I buy your scenario - after all he said Kerry is a very good athlete

But, I bet it was a different skill that was used. He said that they spoke at length over a 40 mile bike race and he said it will protect and benefit MA jobs. My guess is that Kerry used the same skill that caused him to win the nomination -when others, not he, had the party and media support. From many accounts, it was Kerry staying and answering every question -just as he's done in every Q & A I ever saw him do.

Sounds like Kerry found a way that he could "bond" with Brown and likely influence him. It is also good to hear that he is up to 40 mile bike rides. The new hip must be doing well.

[JI7]

9. there is no way Brown is smart enough to understand an

actual discussion and explanation of the issue.

so your version is more likely.

[MH1]

11. glad you all enjoyed this

I literally LOL'd - at work - when I saw that article this afternoon ... what I posted is exactly the image that came to my mind. (I was waiting for a program to compile ... it takes about 30 seconds and that's enough to skim google news and pick an article ... but I try not to LOL too often when I do that :) )

[Mass]

12. Matt Viser has another puff piece about Brown. Those two should get a room.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/05/21/senate_approves_financial_overhaul/

With a crucial last-minute boost from Senator Scott Brown, the Senate approved sweeping legislation last night that would restructure the nation’s financial industry, adding new safeguards and consumer protections in an effort to prevent another economic catastrophe.

Brown, the Massachusetts Republican, played a key role in its passage after he received assurances that the legislation would be altered to help a number of Bay State-based financial institutions. He joined two other Republicans and 57 Democrats to vote to shut off debate yesterday, paving the way for a final vote on the bill. The legislation later passed by a 59-to-39 tally, with Brown supporting it.
...
n the hours before the final vote, much of the focus yesterday was on Brown’s role in enabling the legislation to go forward. A day earlier, Brown had opposed such efforts. His change followed a day of negotiations during which he interrupted Representative Barney Frank in the House members’ gym and discussed the bill with Senator John F. Kerry during a 40-mile bike ride.

“I’m satisfied that all of our efforts — Senator Kerry and my efforts — will benefit and protect jobs in Massachusetts,’’ Brown said yesterday.
...
On the financial regulation bill, Brown did the opposite — providing the 60th vote that Democrats were seeking to advance one of their major initiatives.

He did so by working closely with the Massachusetts delegation and leaning on some of its most liberal members, including Frank and Kerry.

Kerry called passage of the finance bill a victory for Massachusetts. “Our workers and our businesses took it on the chin when Wall Street melted down,’’ Kerry said. “These reforms will fix what’s most broken, and Chairman Frank, Senator Brown, and I also worked collegially to ensure that Massachusetts’ financial firms, which did no harm, will continue to create jobs and engage in legitimate enterprise.’’
...

[Blaukraut]

13. Oh, now Brown leaned on Kerry and Frank!

I'm telling you, from reading and watching most of the Brown coverage in-state, you'd think he's our senior Senator and John Kerry is looked at as 'The Other One'.

Mark my words: Brown will win reelection in '12 if there is not going to be a fairer coverage in the media and if there isn't any more scrutiny. I was afraid of this.

[karynnj]

14. I saw the hearing where Kerry raised the questions to Geitner

and Geitner agreed the intent was not to include those companies - but he (Geitner) had no solution and they spoke of getting together on it - and they later did. The coverage in the media was as if Kerry asked something special for Massachusetts. It absolutely was not that - it was an entire class of companies, of which Massachusetts has many. It was actually good, careful policy work by Kerry and his staff.

As to lean, the only way I can see it is that Brown leaned on the expertise, intelligence and competence of Kerry and Frank - because he can not stand on his own. A question for Viser is given the Kerry and Frank voted "yes" on their version of the bill and Brown voted "no" on the first vote - and the Geitner/Kerry worked out change was accepted into the bill long before, how is this Brown "leaning on Kerry and Frank"?

I agree that the Boston Globe's coverage is mystifying. (I wonder if there is some low level dissent though. The BG did not have to put up that startling transcript that showed the severely edited video and puff piece to be missing who he is.

[Luftmensch067]

15. Even the coverage on our local NPR station is weird

They were reporting all this morning about Brown's important vote on this and then as an afterthought they would say that he decided to change his vote after talking to Kerry and Frank (no mention of the bike ride!) and being satisfied that the legislation would be good for the MA economy. So no one else who voted for it made that decision (WITHOUT having to change their minds to do so?)?!! I thought I was burned up about that until I saw the Globe quote here about Brown "leaning on" JK and Barney. I agree with karynnj -- the real meaning is that he leaned on them like his last crutch!

[Mass]

16. TV as well. Apparently, when it comes to Brown, changing his mind is good.

And no merit is attributed to those who helped him change his mind.

Generally, what bothers me more than the positive reporting about Brown in the media is the absence of reporting on the rest of the delegation (except to some extent Barney Frank). The Globe barely covers Kerry. The Herald actually covers him more, even if their focus tends to be less important pieces of legislation (like the brewery laws), and Boston TV coverage simply ignores him and the congressional delegation.

[karynnj]

17. I am angry about the article

It attributes to Brown, the good policy work done by Kerry in the Finance committee where he succinctly and clearly raised the issue of two types of firms that were inadvertently pulled in. This thread has the link to the hearing amd a Hill and a Boston Herald (yes the BH ) article mentioning the followup meeting of Kerry and Geitner. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=273x165095 In the hearing, Geitner agreed with Kerry that those firms should not be drawn in, said he didn't have an immediate solution and they agreed to meet on it.

What it sounds like is that Kerry and Frank had to convince him a fix was in the bill and would stay in the bill. Nothing was said about any changes to the bill between Brown' two votes. (Kerry's own vote would not have been yes had this not been fixed.)

I agree with whoever said that Viser was infatuated with Brown.

[Blaukraut]

18. This has to be a deliberate effort on our local media's part

This is not the first time I've read an article or saw a piece of reporting on the local news that had me scratching my head, wondering if I my lying eyes were deceiving me. Brown's marginal efforts are lauded as if they were the accomplishments of the decade. Any effort led by Kerry is silenced to death, or - if Brown had even the smallest connection to it -is turned around to make it seem as if Brown were the leading mover and shaker.

In all, our media is making it seem as though nothing meaningful and worthwhile for Massachusetts ever got accomplished until Brown hit the skids. It is infuriating, especially because it seems to be working. I've heard people mention that Brown is getting things done.

[karynnj]

19. True - I expect "Brown instrumental on passage of historic climate change bill"

to be Matt Viser's headline if Kerry manages to get a coalition of 60 votes - though that will be near impossible. He might ention this was Kerry's bill - but maybe not.

It is true that as one in the middle, he will be a "last" vote won that makes it happen.

[MBS]

20. guys- anyone feel inspired to write a letter to the GLobe?

. . not just a blog post, but an official LTE? They need to be called on this ridiculously biased, fact-free coverage.
I'm wrapped up in personal melodrama right now, so I'm not the best candidate to initiate a letter at the moment. (But I'd be happy to comment on someone else's drafts, if you want any feedback . . )

It's really outrageous. And, as Blaukraut and Mass noted, the problem is not only long-standing but not limited to treatment of JK, but of entire Dem delegation.

Like Blaukraut, I'm worried about 2012 (and, every time I think about the situation, I get angry at the Coakley campaign all over again, and start to think frustrated thoughts alon the lines of , "If only Capuano had won the primary". .

Present company excepted, I have little or no confidence in the intelligence, depth, and "blueness" of MA voters. It would take an EXCELLENT Dem candidate, running a STRONG campaign (running an actual campaign this time!) to get us out of this mess.
And as for the Globe. . :mad: :puke: :wtf::spank: :banghead::spank::spank::spank:

I admire JK for keeping at it, year after year, just doing what needs to be done, despite journalistic and political dunces, despite slander by people on the left as well as right, despite stupidity and greed everywhere.

[Mass]

22. Unfortunately too busy to write one that would sound snarky without being whint, but

it is largely overdue.

If Matt Viser wants to promote Scott Brown, he can work for his PR team.

[Mass]

21. Another day. Another love letter from Matt Viser to Scott Brown

Today, the message is. Dont beat on poor Scotty. and then, a flurry of compliments from Dems, from the unavoidable Dan Payne to Chris Dodd. When is the Globe going to realize how foolish they look.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/05/22/former_allies_tee_off_on_brown/

— Senator Scott Brown yesterday drew scorn from former admirers who had hailed the Massachusetts Republican as a new voice for the conservative cause but now say he has abandoned them by joining Democrats to advance President Obama’s plan to overhaul the financial system.

[karynnj]

23. Thie one is a little better than Yesterday's

Here, Brown did not THINK that the provisions were in as strongly as they had to be. Yesterday, the implication was that this was a change made to the bill to suit Brown. It sounded from the hearing that Geitner (ie the Obama administration) was on board with making the change that Kerry asked for. I did comment on yesterday's article with a link to the Senate hearing and a link to the BH article you posted on the meeting with Geitner.

Brown, is in fact, the guy who thought the bill would lose millions of jobs - completely misconstruing what Mass Mutual told him. It is very hard to believe that it was this guy's "work" rather than the work of the Senator on the Finance Committee, who Geitner said he wanted to work with. Not to mention, Barney Frank is the House Committee chair. These two senior Democrats did the work.

Dodd and other Democratic Senators HAVE to be nice to Brown - they need him on other votes. The quote that hurts is the Blue Mass one. This is an area where I think I want to rejoin the debate. The fact is that it is likely, given the great coverage of Senator Kerry by the BG, that he did not know of the hearing, which Hill might have been the sole media covering and might have missed the Boston Herald (!) coverage on the meeting with Geitner. (He also likely did not see Kerry's press release.) I think I need to look for opportunities to put in the Kerry pieces - mentioning the incoherent FTN interview from Brown. Brown was completely unfocused, while Kerry's question was clear, concise and made a compelling case - no contest.

Because he is not saying there were changes in the bill - just that he wanted to be assured they would not be changed in conference, it is hard to prove that he had no impact. But, what is clear is that Geitner wanted the change and said he would work with Kerry - and Frank is the top guy over in the House.

[Mass]

24. I cant read this as you do. May be because this is the THIRD piece Viser wrote

on this very question and this one has absolutely nothing new in it. May be some things are turned slightly differently, but the goal is the same: tell us what a great guy Brown is. This should be an editorial piece.

Dodd is WAY TOO NICE concerning Brown. He does not only say he is happy he voted for the bill. He also said he was involved in writing the bill. Dems did the same thing for McCain. Remember Brown needs these compromises to be reelected. He will make these votes whether he is flattered or not.

“Scott Brown did a very good job, and was very involved, and very straightforward on this,’’ said Senator Chris Dodd, the Connecticut Democrat and chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. “And he wanted to be part of the bill, and, in fact, was doing exactly what he campaigned on."

Considering that Brown got a ton of money from Wall Street and financial firms during his campaign, my guess is
he wanted to make sure that the bill was as watered as possible, but I dont expect Dodd to say that.

Of course, there is a little bit of truth in the article buried in the middle:

Brown had wavered for weeks on financial reform. Initially, he attacked it as too much government interference into the banking system. He later joined a Republican filibuster to prevent Democrats from starting debate on the bill. Once debate began, Brown submitted several amendments but continued to criticize the overall thrust of the bill.

once again way after any reader has stopped reading this.

As for the BMG quote, I take it for the sarcasm it is: he has quickly become an insider.

[karynnj]

25. I agree with completely on Viser - his goal is giving Brown credibility

and making it seem like he is as he led on the puff piece "has been a star since he entered the Senate". I can see what you mean by Dodd's comment, but there was a small Reed/Brown amendment that had something to do with veterans and credit. Now, Reed is high up in the banking committee and is a West Point graduate who saw combat (which you hear less of than Brown's over inflated National Guard.)

Like Brown, the Democrats have a dilemma. If he votes with them, it will be harder to get him out. However, everything passes these cloture votes with the narrowest of margins. Dodd needs his cloture vote again when it comes out of conference. JK will need his climate change vote. Though it is well known that Kerry likes to cycle, the point of that bike ride was to get Brown to change his cloture vote. (He was likely easier to persuade than Feingold.) No matter how Viser spins this, this was a win for Kerry.

As to Brown, people are seeing that he is voting with the Democrats on some big issues when they need him. Brown does not overall look good on this. His Face the Nation, which had he been extremely well prepared could have really made him like Obama in 2005 - taken progressively more seriously as he showed he was smart and thoughtful as well as charming. Instead, he spoke of millions of jobs that would be lost with this bill - and even his source did not back him up, saying that was their estimate of jobs lost since the 2008 down turn. Then he promises Reid that he is voting for cloture -- and doesn't. Then he meets with Frank and Kerry, who both are far more serious players here and changes his vote on the very same bill.

Thinking more of the Blue Mass comment, it really might mean that Brown is not as bad as he could have been - McConnell Junior.

[karynnj]

26. Just checked out Blue Mass - there threads are interesting and good

The earliest article, referenced the first BG article with the cycling story and Kerry and Frank persuading Brown. David also posted the full Kerry statement. http://www.bluemassgroup.com/diary/19831/credit-where-credit-is-due-scott-brown-votes-to-end-wall-street-reform-filibuster.

David then had a more recent one that spoke of his comment in the Globe. http://www.bluemassgroup.com/diary/19841/from-41-to-60-the-curious-adventures-of-senator-scott-brown It is an interesting thread - especially with the look at their "red mass" counterpart.

[ObamaKerryDem]

27. I can just picture that. LOL!

I bet JK could beat him at just about any sport, let alone a debate, especially after said athletic defeat. :)

But seriously, it seems the Tea Party has some major egg on its face with Brown. Sure, I don't trust him much farther than anyone could throw him, but he's evidentally been a dissapointment to them thus far, far from the 2nd coming of Reagan they were crowing about--for all intents and purposes--on January 19th.

Serves them right! :p