Lynch and Markey agree to 1st live TV debate March 27 at 7pm at Channel 5 studios. #masen

— Michael Levenson (@mlevenson) March 7, 2013

So fact check me: Lynch will debate at WCVB but won’t make an ad buy at the station?

Yes, that is true, according to the letter Lynch sent to WCVB this morning, which I admit I didn’t read until now.

If the contract dispute is as Lynch stated a “similar issue [as] arose during my first campaign for Congress in 2001, when I was forced to skip a debate at Fox 25 because I refused to cross a picket line.”

Then how can Lynch, who equates the no contract situation as a “picket line” cross that same picket line and attend the debate?

Stephen Lynch came out with a clever strategy to yank Ed Markey out of his Rose Garden and get him front of live pitching to answer Lynch’s move to refrain from advertising on WCVB due to a labor contract dispute.

Lynch campaign will refrain from advertising on WCVB stephenflynch.com/news/2013-03-l… #masen

— Stephen F. Lynch (@lynchforsenate) March 8, 2013

 

Will it work? No word yet on Markey’s stance on a WCVB ad buy.

Lynch spokesguy @conoryunits tells me the IBEW asked both campaigns to boycott WCVB–so maybe my “Hail Mary” take was premature. #masen

— Adam Reilly (@reillyadam) March 8, 2013

Not questioning @repstephenlynch‘s commitment to unions, but the WCVB boycott feels a bit like a #masen Hail Mary. #mapoli

— Adam Reilly (@reillyadam) March 8, 2013

Not to be out done, the Massachusetts GOP is also out today calling both Markey and Lynch as anti-job. In a press release on the medical device tax GOP honcho Kirsten Hughes said the Congressmen were in a fight for title of ‘Best Job Killer’.

From the statement:

“While Markey and Lynch fight over who makes the better foot soldier for the D.C. Party bosses, the people of Massachusetts deserve to know that both of them voted for job-killing tax increases in an industry important to the future of Massachusetts. There are residents of this state who literally lost their jobs because of the votes taken by Markey and Lynch. Now that’s an issue I’d like to hear them discuss,” said Kirsten Hughes MassGOP Chairman.

 

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-partner=”tweetdeck”><p>Paging Rand Paul:Was that a newspaper article or a drone strike the Globe just fired at @<a href=”https://twitter.com/lynchforsenate”>lynchforsenate</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/search/%23mapoli”>#mapoli</a></p>&mdash; Jack Gately (@gatelywire) <a href=”https://twitter.com/gatelywire/status/310002167807344640″>March 8, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src=”//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

The National Wildlife Federation Action Fund and state affiliate the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund have given the nod Ed Markey, the endorsement comes on the heals of the MoveOn.org approval in the last twenty-four hours.

From the Markey statement:

Among Rep. Markey’s top conservation highlights:

· Co-authoring the first ever climate change legislation to pass the House

· Successfully battling for landmark new fuel economy standards that will save Americans more than $1.7 trillion at the gas pump

· Working for full enforcement of air pollution limits to protect public health as well as fish and wildlife

· Leading successful efforts to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other cherished public lands across the country

· Fighting BP to make public a live video feed of its Gulf oil gusher, which scientists analyzed to determine the spill rate was much higher than BP’s public estimate

Howie and Joe take on #mapoli and #masen discuss recent poll numbers, no show state officials other inside baseball.

This is the best regularly scheduled video web chat on Massachusetts politics so far and hints at future ways newspaper can become multi-media outlets.

I’d embed it here, but the embed is programmed for auto play, not site visitor friendly!

Sullivan: I'll be on Mass. US Senate ballot | Politics – WCVB Home.

In one of the most bizzare instances of electoral malpractice Gabriel Gomez candidate for US Senate has declined all media interviews since declaring over a week ago. The Herald explains:

“But those who have gotten used to Gomez’s reputation as a man of mystery, have no fear. In addition to the public campaign events, the former Navy SEAL is also “expected to make several quiet meet-and-greet stops along the way to meet with local leaders, activists and supporters,” according to his campaign.

Those events won’t be open to the press, so Gomez can maintain his elusive air and continue to keep reporters at arm’s length.”

The campaign did state that Gomez would grant interviews on Friday when he announced, or maybe even as “soon” as Thursday, so the clock is set for the end of the work week, Friday, March 1st at 5pm.