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Election roundup: Markey backs Wu; Essaibi George vows to fight racism

Ed Markey today became the second senator to endorse Michelle Wu, citing her environmental activism:

As mayoral candidate and as Boston city councilor, Michelle Wu has championed the Green New Deal and made transformational action on climate change central to her commitment to the City of Boston. Her proposals to expand access to free public transportation, decarbonize our economy, and invest in the basic rights of clean air and water will put Boston on a path to implement the systemic changes we need to provide our children, workers, and families a just and livable future. Michelle Wu will make Boston a Green New Deal city and position us to lead the national movement for climate action

Annissa Essaibi George traveled to Nubian Square yesterday to unveil her "Equity, Inclusion and Justice" agenda. WGBH reports.

Some late-campaign nonsense is breaking out in Boston's southern tier. Over the weekend, somebody (described in one account as an "older man on a bicycle") went around Roslindale tossing plastic Easter eggs into people's yards that contained a piece of paper with Michelle Wu's picture and a couple of "thought balloons," one reading "I’m a communist carpetbagger from Chicago." Somebody egged a couple of Annissa Essaibi George signs on the door to the Dance Academy in Hyde Park. Somebody (presumably somebody else) vandalized the signs on the Wu van that has been sitting in the parking lot of the abandoned credit union across from the Corrib on Centre Street in West Roxbury.

Both Tito Jackson and Ayanna Pressley have endorsed the next District 7 (Roxbury) city councilor, Tania Fernandes Anderson, who probably is not running particularly scared in the face of a challenge from perennial loser Roy Owens. Anderson will be the city's first Muslim and African-immigrant city council come November.

City councilors Matt O'Malley, Michael Flaherty, Julia Mejia, Ed Flynn, Kenzie Bok and Liz Breadon are slated to announce they'll be supporting Lydia Edwards in her bid for a seat in the State Senate.

If you've been waiting for the twice-impeached former guy to endorse somebody for governor of Massachusetts, well, Geoff Diehl is your man.

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Comments

Is that all I need to see are Teamsters, Markey, and Warren for Wu, and I know will be voting for Essaibi George.

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So you align yourself with Trumpers. Gross. Wu is going to crush her just like she did last month.

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Some anti-candidate vitriol is sadly to be expected but I've not read about any anti-Asian or anti-Arab racism towards either.

Yet.

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That would stink.

The “she’s trump!” assessment of George is also unfair. She’s not. Sure, she has trouble paying her taxes, unapologetically self-deals and takes clear “I love the police” positions, but she’s a democrat with generally progressive priorities and positions who can include the phrase “black lives matter” in her 46 page policy smorgasbord.

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I think the issue is that all the Trumpies (the ones not so delusional as to think the republican has a chance here) are going to vote for her as the candidate closest to their position. Everybody knows this, and yet she doesn't want to come out and say "I don't want votes from white supremacists, stay home or vote for the crazypants candidate but I don't represent what you want." Because she'd rather have the votes than denounce the radical elements.

Being the lone person leaning into "actually, give cops MORE money and LESS oversight" is obvious dogwhistling.

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If you haven’t heard any racist remarks, why bring it up? Let’s revel in the fact that maybe Boston is become more inclusive and welcoming to all.

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I think it is encouraging and should be noted that maybe Boston is less openly racist than in the past. I think most non-white people would agree it's got a long way to go however so let's not put up the ole Mission Accomplished banner quite yet.

I was thinking more of racist graffiti on signs vs. actual slurs shouted at the candidates BTW. Calling Wu a Communist from Chicago isn't constructive criticism but at least it is not racist

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" Annissa Essaibi George went to bat for Ed Markey when he needed it last year, cutting an endorsement video for him even before polls showed the senator had a shot at fending off a primary challenge from former Rep. Joe Kennedy III.

Markey isn't returning the favor.

Markey endorsed Michelle Wu, Essaibi George’s rival in the Boston mayor’s race, this morning.

“Michelle Wu will make Boston a Green New Deal city and position us to lead the national movement for climate action,” Markey said in a statement in which he also lauded Wu's “proposals to expand access to free public transportation, decarbonize our economy, and invest in the basic rights of clean air and water."

Markey’s endorsement of Wu shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. He’s the coauthor of the Green New Deal. She’s the city councilor with a Boston Green New Deal and the support of several climate-focused groups. Young, progressive activists who were part of the “Markeyverse” are largely now backing Wu.

Still, it was Essaibi George who him back in January 2020, before polls showed him catching up to Kennedy. Wu sat that race out."

- Lisa Kashinsky, Politico

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Oh, like Markey has any ethics.

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Fulfilling an implied political quid pro quo out of "loyalty" instead of furthering leadership that will better serve residents' lives is... not what ethics is. lol

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Yes, you support the person who supported you, unless that person is way out of line. People can say a lot about Essaibi George, but she very comfortably fits in the mainstream.

Our senior senator has made endorsements for Boston candidates that made sense in that they worked on her campaigns in the past, or in the case of Wu had her as a professor at law school. Our junior senator, not so much.

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Not surprising that Politico, a media outlet whose key demographic is the DC political consultant class, would be reporting on this trivial bullshit. Are people supposed to care if Markey and AEG are friends or not? How does that impact anybody's day to day life?

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If I may take a swing at this.

It matters on a logistical side because people remember these slights. Not just the person who got slighted but also their associates. Also other people watching who may get involved in things in the future. This is the sort of move that Markey would only do and could only justify if he was one hundred percent sure Wu was going to win. If there was a chance AEG was going to win he would not have risked having the mayor of Boston out to get him.

It also matters from a personal point of view. He is of a position where he does not need to endorse anybody. If anything he could play Wu's own card on her since she did not endorse. Even endorsing AEG would be a safe move because it would be seen as reciprocal and therefor less angering.

In short this is final canary to die in the coal mine for this campaign.

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all the time the wanna take you place. The Backstabbers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmXRQ3vfzcA

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Markey is making his decisions based on who he thinks is the best choice for Boston, rather than simply basing it on personal loyalties or who did a favor for who in the past. I'm not sure why Politico is trying to present this as a negative.

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Markey is making his decisions based on who he thinks is the best

Neither you nor I have any idea what Markey "thinks". Politicians who advance to his level don't get there by speaking their mind. Their biggest skill is being able to smile and say one thing, while thinking the opposite.

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