[Cross-posted on Blue Mass Group.]
With less than a month until Election Day, how was Republican Scott Brown described in the last week? Based on Brown making mudslinging the foundation of his campaign, Republican former Congressman Joe Scarborough noted that Brown "looks a little desperate." In his recap of Brown's weak performance in the most recent debate, WBUR's Dan Payne used adjectives including: nervous, unprepared, tentative, irrelevant, and unsteady. Go Local Worcester yet again simply identified Brown as "Not" (to Democrat Elizabeth Warren's "Hot").
Yup, it was that kind of week for Republican Scott Brown.
With that, here's a rundown of must-reads on Republican Scott Brown's last week:
· In what I think is the first newspaper endorsement in Massachusetts' 2012 U.S. Senate race, Republican Scott Brown lost the endorsement of the New Bedford Standard-Times to his Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Warren. This isn't particularly shocking given that Brown also reiterated his refusal to attend the SouthCoast Alliance debate, a move that the Standard-Times referred to as a squandered opportunity.
· Go Local Worcester ran ProgressMass' column on the difference between Republican Scott Brown's misleading rhetoric and actual record. It's a thorough primer on Brown's many hypocrisies. Visit www.BothWaysBrown.com for more.
· A couple of secrets Republican Scott Brown is trying to keep tucked away received additional scrutiny. He backed away from his promise to release a full list of his private legal clients, a move that resulted in an ethics complaint filed against him. Also, he refuses to disclose when in August he fulfilled his required two weeks of National Guard duty. This is particularly vexing because, according to the Boston Globe, Brown only had five free days in August in which to fulfill two weeks' worth of service.
· On a related topic, the Boston Globe's Brian McGrory took Republican Scott Brown to task for stretching the truth in the most recent debate regarding his self-described "service" in Afghanistan. Also taking Brown to task for misleading rhetoric in the debate, The Nation's George Zornick calls out Brown's "hypocrisy on Wall Street reform."
· Republican Scott Brown got himself tangled up in a public health scandal. A co-owner of the compounding pharmacy firm reportedly responsible for the recent meningitis outbreak held a fundraising event for Brown. While Brown is contributing to charity the donations he received from the employees of the firm, the story doesn't end there. Six weeks before the fundraiser in question, on July 24 of this year, Brown signed a letter in support of regulatory changes requested by the compounding pharmacy industry. Was the fundraiser payback to Brown for his support of the industry? As Forbes Magazine concisely questions, did Brown "trade $10,000 to protect [the] meningitis pharmacy?"
· Republican Scott Brown's ties to other corporate interests also received greater scrutiny. The chemical industry has been linked to ads supporting Brown's re-election, while Brown coincidentally is in opposition to chemical safety reform legislation, despite supporting similar legislation at the state level. In separate chemical industry news, Brown has taken a chunk of change from Dow Chemical's PAC, and he coincidentally voted Dow's way to limit the EPA's regulatory ability over greenhouse gases.
In addition to the must-read stories, some must-watch videos are circulating:
· A retired steelworker whose story Republican Scott Brown exploited for his misleading negative attacks says: "Shame on you, Scott Brown."
· After Governor Deval Patrick dubbed Republican Scott Brown the "Bay State Birther," ProgressMass compiled a video driving the point home.
· Congressman Barney Frank referenced ProgressMass' analysis when he criticized Republican Scott Brown's record of partisan obstruction on The Rachel Maddow Show.
· Comedian Bill Maher delivered one of his trademark "New Rules" especially for Republican Scott Brown.
· Oh, and there's that hilarious joke Republican Scott Brown made about stalking a bunch of women.
Finally, last week, many Massachusetts residents from all corners of the Commonwealth took to their local newspapers to voice their discontent with Republican Scott Brown. Here are some of the best:
· In the Needham Times, a Needham resident and self-described "lifelong Republican" explains why Republican Scott Brown lost his vote.
· An Amherst resident takes to the Boston Herald to label Republican Scott Brown a "fake independent."
· In the Boston Globe, an Arlington resident notes that, with the "makeup of [the] Supreme Court at stake," Republican Scott Brown identifying right-winger Antonin Scalia as his "model" justice speaks volumes.
· A Lee resident dubs Republican Scott Brown a "threat to women's rights" in the Berkshire Eagle.
· In the Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle, a South Hamilton resident and small businessperson bluntly declares that "I have never been so disappointed with any of our representatives as I have with Scott Brown."
· In the Daily Hampshire Gazette, a Northampton resident urges you to judge Republican Scott Brown "by the company he keeps."
· A Sudbury resident in the Sudbury Town Crier concisely asks: "Who is the real Scott Brown?"
· In the Newton TAB, a Newton resident lays out "how Scott Brown lost my vote."
· An Amesbury resident writes in the Newburyport Daily News that Republican Scott Brown has made "false claims" about his role in the passage of the STOCK Act.
· In the Cape Cod Times, a Yarmouthport resident reminds us that Republican Scott Brown's blind adherence to Grover Norquist's right-wing pledge will only lead to gridlock and partisanship.
· In the Berkshire Eagle, a Becket resident notes that Republican Scott Brown "is on the side of rich financiers and corporate power."
· A Wayland resident writes in the MetroWest Daily News about Republican Scott Brown's "cruel" policies.
What does the coming week hold for Republican Scott Brown as he gets more desperate and slings more mud? Stay tuned for the next "Weekly Scott Brown-d Up" to find out!
