Bob Massie in Menotomy...

Gubernatorial Aspirant, Bob Massie came thru town last night trying to infect local democrats with his own particular strain of viral progressive zeal. The man is a passionate bantam gamecock with a pompadour of Kennedyesque dimensions, garrulous, persuasive, hyper informed about his treasured issues (clean energy-civil rights-healthcare-transportation, get ready for all of that in this exact sequence).  I don't know how well his energy will play on TV and I've no idea if he can persuade a convention center full of delegates, but he is running as the local "Bernie Sanders" variant and that going to get him onto the primary ballot no question.
Of course I think recasting Gonzalez v. Massie as "Bernie versus Hillary part 2" is misbegotten fasle consciousness, parties campaign as much as their nominees in the name of a platform, and we ought to present ourselves as willing to confront certain intractable problems fairly & honestly.
I THINK, Massie understands that, or maybe I hope he does, he seems convinced by the simple truism that a better life a decade hence is forged from decisions and sacrifices made right now.
At least on the subject of public transportation he understands the MBTA isn't gonna improve withour dedicated revenues, that at least is a good start as far as this commuter is concerned.
It is alleged that Massie has a bit of a temper in private, well...so did Lyndon Johnson and LBJ remains the Gold Standard for Progressive Legislation in my lifetime, so maybe a bad disposition is a good thing IF pointed in the right direction...
Massie has an odd resume, a sickly childhood, an ordained minister who attended Harvard Business School and a lifetime of advocacy and activism on behalf of the general category of "Social Justice", but he has never held public office, indeed his last appearance on the campaign trail was 1994 as Mark Roosevelt's ill fated Lt Gubernatorial running mate.  In fact as democrats on primary day we could well strut into the polling booth and vote in a ticket with absolutely no prior experience in public life whatsoever.  Thats a lot to consider, on the other hand, democrats who are seen as "outsiders" with no "priors" on Beacon Hill tend to prosper in the General Election (expl. Deval Patrick).
I think if he is the nominee Massie will do his level best to bug the hell out of Charlie Baker, he seems to get that the Governor is a sort of passive aggressive libertarian when he isn't hiding from the day's challenges or cutting ribbons.
Dunno is Massie can win if nominated, but thats almost beside the point in the current state political climate he seems to understand he'll have to make a fight of it.