vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

2.06.2008

And then there was ...

Former state Sen. Matt Dunne announced Wednesday he won't be running for office in 2008. He had been considered a possible candidate for governor or lieutenant governor.

Dunne has some sort of thing that will occupy his time, but he said he can't say what it is just yet.

This did not come as a huge surprise. If Dunne was going to run, he probably would be doing it by now, or at least scouring the countryside for support.

That pretty much leaves Peter Galbraith as a possible Democratic candidate for governor against Republican Jim Douglas. Sen. Doug Racine told me a few weeks ago he won't run if it's a three-way race with Progressive Anthony Pollina, and Pollina says he's in the race.

It doesn't seem like Sen. John Campbell, the other Democratic that was on the list of possibles, is really planning to run.

Dunne said he supports Galbraith, thinks the relative outsider position the former diplomat holds can be beneficial and that thinks there's no hurry for him to make an announcement.

"I don't think there is a huge rush," Dunne said. "What Jim Douglas does very well other than campaign seven days a week, 365 days a year is paint people into a political corner. Peter Galbraith has the opportunity to see where Jim Douglas' values are and show himself as an alternative."

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 6:16 PM |

Comments:

What has Matt Dunne ever done but campaign 7 days a week, 365 days a year?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:05 PM, February 06, 2008

EXACTLY!!!!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:59 PM, February 06, 2008

What has Brian Dubie done ever???

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:17 PM, February 06, 2008

Not that I'm a fan of Dubie, but doesn't he fly commercial planes for a living, and military jets sometimes? I'd say that's doing something.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:14 AM, February 07, 2008

Peter Galbraith won't win, but we need a candidate because we don't have much of party if we can't even field a candidate for governor.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:29 AM, February 07, 2008

How about Pollina gives up his personal ambitions for the good of all for a change.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:58 AM, February 07, 2008

Or let Pollina go it on his own this time, and when he loses, tell him that's it. You've had your chance.
Doesn't look like he's ever going to understand otherwise.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:18 AM, February 07, 2008

"Or let Pollina go it on his own this time, and when he loses, tell him that's it. You've had your chance.
Doesn't look like he's ever going to understand otherwise."

I agree with that. Give him a clear shot to lose w/o being able to say that the Dem took votes away from him.

The question is, when he loses will he accept the truth and stop running?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:14 AM, February 07, 2008

"Not that I'm a fan of Dubie, but doesn't he fly commercial planes for a living, and military jets sometimes? I'd say that's doing something."

Brian flies airplanes. That's nice.

Matt Dunne has served in the Vermont legislature. He wrote the Brownfields legislation (which Douglas signed) cleaning up unused industrial lands.

He was the national director of AmeriCorps Vista -- serving under Bill Clinton and GW Bush.

He's worked in the private sector, marketing for Google.

People can disagree on many things about Matt Dunne ... but he can't be called a slouch.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:51 AM, February 07, 2008

Matt Dunne vs. Jim Douglas

energy vs. boring
ideas vs. status quo
diveristy of careers vs. career pol
strong vs. weak
personality vs. poseur
identifies with vs. mystified by
swears on occassion vs. gosh no
real vs. plastic
down to earth vs. wicked uptight
confronts conflict vs. hides from

Shame Matt, but I don't blame you. Douglas will keep pulling the wool over the Vermonters' eyes as long as they let him.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:06 AM, February 07, 2008

Matt Dunne may be a nice guy but what has he ever done for anyone in the state? "Brownfields" for the radical environmentalists? VISTA, another lefty favorite. Sounds like the makings of another liberal feeder at the taxpayer trough. Sort of a mini-Obama.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:47 AM, February 07, 2008

In other words, bubbles got bupkis.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:53 AM, February 07, 2008

"Shame Matt, but I don't blame you. Douglas will keep pulling the wool over the Vermonters' eyes as long as they let him."

Well, I blame him. Democrats = no cajones. A little help?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:29 AM, February 07, 2008

This comment has been removed by the author.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:30 AM, February 07, 2008

"Douglas will pull the wool over Vermonters' eyes"????

If memory serves me, hasn't he been criticized for "telling it like it is" no matter how bitter the pill?

Hasn't it been the dim/progs spreading the syrup on Vermont's terrible tax status (oh, did we FORGET property taxes in our analysis?).

The wretched state of affairs in Vermont is killing the little guy, the wage earners, but sure is a pot of honey for the flatlander trust-funders and environmental scam artists.

Jeezum crow!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:41 AM, February 07, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Read the State of the Union. His comments on Iran echo those made about Iraq prior to the invasion. Then think about it."

"So, you "infer" that he wants to attack Iran?"

"Echo"?

"Sorry, you're going to have to do better than that on the evidence thing."

Ya mean like your, "I knew guys in HS who are probably....", anecdotal nonsense, little fella?

The only evidence you coalition of the clueless loons ever furnish is evidence that ya don't have a case or a clue, ya can't substantiate your lunatic-fringe assertions and ya don't know what the hell you're talking about.

That's a given. So stipulated.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:50 AM, February 07, 2008

"Douglas will pull the wool over Vermonters' eyes"????

"If memory serves me, hasn't he been criticized for "telling it like it is" no matter how bitter the pill?"

No, he's been criticized for everything but telling it like it is, spinderella.

"Hasn't it been the dim/progs spreading the syrup on Vermont's terrible tax status (oh, did we FORGET property taxes in our analysis?)."

No.

"The wretched state of affairs in Vermont is killing the little guy, the wage earners, but sure is a pot of honey for the flatlander trust-funders and environmental scam artists."

In other words, ya got bupkis.

"Jeezum crow!"

Jeezum or not, spinderella, you're eatin' it.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:56 AM, February 07, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Or let Pollina go it on his own this time, and when he loses, tell him that's it. You've had your chance.
Doesn't look like he's ever going to understand otherwise."

I agree with that. Give him a clear shot to lose w/o being able to say that the Dem took votes away from him.

The question is, when he loses will he accept the truth and stop running?"

The only problem with that is that ya end up with 2 more years of the jimi douglas experience.

Douglas can be beaten. The only thing going for him is Pollina.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 12:00 PM, February 07, 2008

Pollina should enter the Democratic primary and fight it out in September with Galbraith or whoever else wants to seek the Democratic nomination. Douglas will probably still win a 2-way race against the winner of the primary, but this will avoid either the Democrats or Pollina putting the "spoiler" label on the other.

Pollina would have to agree not to run as a third party or Prog candidate in November, which probably won't happen, but this strategy forces him to decide what's more important - uniting the anti-Douglas forces behind one candidate, or pursuing Anthony's own personal agenda.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:11 PM, February 07, 2008

I'm in favor of letting every candidate who wants into the race. Screw filing deadlines and petition signatures. Illuzzi could enter as an Independent, maybe a pro-pot candiate, a global warming candidate, a farming candidate, whatever. This would almost ensure that Douglas gets less than 50 percent of the vote. The legislature could then pick the governor and it would be game over. If it's two or even three candidates, Douglas slimes his way back in again.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:23 PM, February 07, 2008

Bubba Says:
"Brownfields" for the radical environmentalists? VISTA, another lefty favorite. Sounds like the makings of another liberal feeder at the taxpayer trough.
________________________________

Bubba, Douglas signed the Brownfields legislation. Douglas even tried to make it sound like it was his idea.

And Dunne was appointed to serve as the head of Americorps/Vista by George W. Bush.

Dunne works across party lines.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:10 PM, February 07, 2008

It's better for the ecconomy to clean up brownfields. This is unused land which, due to the brownfields legislation, is being put back on the market.

This is great for business, great for the over priced housing market and great for Vermonters.

Learn about what it is before you speak.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:12 PM, February 07, 2008

Matt Dunne vs. Jim Douglas

On the Dunne side, you forgot, transparently ambitious.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:41 PM, February 07, 2008

"JWCoop10 said...
Anonymous said...
"Read the State of the Union. His comments on Iran echo those made about Iraq prior to the invasion. Then think about it."
"So, you "infer" that he wants to attack Iran?"
"Echo"?
"Sorry, you're going to have to do better than that on the evidence thing."
Ya mean like your, "I knew guys in HS who are probably....", anecdotal nonsense, little fella?
The only evidence you coalition of the clueless loons ever furnish is evidence that ya don't have a case or a clue, ya can't substantiate your lunatic-fringe assertions and ya don't know what the hell you're talking about.
That's a given. So stipulated.
Dismissed."

And this has to do with Matt Dunne or anything else on this thread just how, little confused fella?

Another "oops-wrong-thread-again" belch by jw.

11:50 AM, February 07, 2008

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:45 PM, February 07, 2008

"No, he's been criticized for everything but telling it like it is, spinderella."

Wrong. He was criticized mercilessly for telling the truth about the business climate and economy of this state.

He was telling it like it is, not telling it like the Dem. leadership wants to pretend it is.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:53 PM, February 07, 2008

"Pollina should enter the Democratic primary and fight it out in September with Galbraith or whoever else wants to seek the Democratic nomination."

I don't want Pollina seeking the nomination of my Party. He's spent a career insulting my Party. No thanks.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:55 PM, February 07, 2008

"Douglas can be beaten. The only thing going for him is Pollina."

By whom? Not by Peter Galbraith, whether Pollina's in or out. And if Shumlin or Dunne seriously thought Douglas could be beaten, they'd be beating a path to the nomination papers.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:58 PM, February 07, 2008

Matt Dunne vs. Jim Douglas

"On the Dunne side, you forgot, transparently ambitious."

For the sake of argument, little fact-free fella, let's pretend ya know what day it is and your assessment of Dunne is accurate.

Is it your contention that he's the only person in politics who possesses that trait?

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:46 PM, February 07, 2008

No, he's been criticized for everything but telling it like it is, spinderella.

"Wrong. He was criticized mercilessly for telling the truth about the business climate and economy of this state."

That alleged "truth" sure seems to change like the wind, little fella. We had a thread here a week or two ago about his State of the State economy-related comments varied greatly from comments he'd made just a few months ago.

How is the Vermont Economy suddenly so much better when there's been no substantive changes in law or policy that would affect it as the National Economy slides ever deeper into yet another Bush Recession?

Riddle me that, boy blunder.

"He was telling it like it is, not telling it like the Dem. leadership wants to pretend it is."

As always, little fact-free fella, you're entitled to your ignorant, ill-informed opinion.

Ya sure as hell ain't got any evidence to support your slop.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 5:10 PM, February 07, 2008

You sure as hell don't have anything to support anything you've posted on this blog in several months, except your own vile, anti-social pathology.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:29 PM, February 07, 2008

"Is it your contention that he's the only person in politics who possesses that trait?"

Where did I say that, little confused fella?

Not at all. Add Shumlin to the list.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:30 PM, February 07, 2008

There's plenty of time for one of the Democrats who have the credentials to run a credible race to get in; paperwork isn't due until July if I'm not mistaken.

But so far Deb Markowitz, Jeb Spaulding, Bill Sorrell, Tom Salmon, Peter Shumlin, and Gaye Symington have all declined.

It's not a hard call; Shumlin has firsthand knowledge of what will happen if Pollina is in the race. If he continues to refuse to run in the Democratic Party, there isn't much sense in anybody who can actually win risking anything to try. They probably can't if Pollina is going to split the left with them.

If Douglas were as incompetent and ill-connected to the populace as some posters on this blog would have you believe, there would probably be a top-tier Democrat stepping up to challenge him. He's not, and they're not.

There's still a chance that circumstances can change between now and July, or whenever. But right now, Pollina and Douglas are the two top candidates in this race, and I'm guessing Douglas isn't too worried about that race.

I've said it before, Pollina's tendency to condemn Democrats as no better than Republicans is coming back to bite him. They won't tolerate him unless he runs in their primary, and he won't.

P.S. Nothing wrong with ambition. Dunne, Shumlin, and Pollina are all possessed of it. So is Douglas. You don't get where they are without it.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:55 PM, February 07, 2008

"Is it your contention that he's the only person in politics who possesses that trait?"

"Where did I say that, little confused fella?"

Which part of "is it your contention" is giving you trouble, little idiot fella?

You made the statement. I asked you a question.

Which part of that is giving you trouble, little idiot fella?

"Not at all. Add Shumlin to the list."

Way ahead of ya, little fella. It's already of the ever-expanding list of cases you can't make and allegations you can't prove.

How is not at all a sentence, little fella?

Make another notch and call it a night, kiddo.

Ya got bupkis.

Sleep tight.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:05 PM, February 07, 2008

This comment has been removed by the author.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:05 PM, February 07, 2008

"Is it your contention that he's the only person in politics who possesses that trait?"

Why ask such a stupid question in the first place?

Besides, I don't answer questions from people who refuse to answer questions.

"How is not at all a sentence, little fella?"

"Not at all" is an interjectional phrase punctuated as a sentence. Like "please" and "thank you." Oh, I forgot. You don't know those words.

How is "Way ahead of ya, little fella" a sentence, little fella?

Ya got bupkis, you're grammar-challenged, and you're so oblivious or unethical that you attack other people for making typos when you've made them yourself.

How's that "race" vs. "the race" thing going, little fella? How's Peter "Feyne?" And where's that bullet-in-the-chamber evidence that Kennedy was about to get us out of Vietnam just before he was shot, pally?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:28 AM, February 08, 2008

Well said and exactly on target.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:07 AM, February 08, 2008

Well, it's nice to see you've sold one of your invisible little friends on your slop.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:09 AM, February 08, 2008

Just stop reading JW's posts.

When you see his name, just skip to the next post.

That's what I've done.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:39 AM, February 08, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Just stop reading JW's posts.

When you see his name, just skip to the next post.

That's what I've done."

That's a good boy. If ya can't win, don't try.

Good luck. You're gonna need it.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:10 AM, February 08, 2008

"If ya can't win, don't try. "

Please JW share with us the game you are trying to win here. What are those voices telling you?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:44 PM, February 08, 2008

"That's a good boy. If ya can't win, insult 'em."

jw's mommy.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:49 PM, February 08, 2008

Matt Dunne didn't run because he can't win. Besides , other than ego he has no need to run. A new administration in Washington will
probably give him a position there.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:46 AM, February 09, 2008

"Matt Dunne didn't run because he can't win. Besides , other than ego he has no need to run. A new administration in Washington will
probably give him a position there."

signed,
Matt's mom

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:48 PM, February 10, 2008

Anonymous said...
If ya can't win, don't try.

"Please JW share with us the game you are trying to win here. What are those voices telling you?"

Ya mean those little nameless-nitwit voices, little fella?

What's the difference. It's all nameless-nitwit nonsense. I just smack 'em and move on until it's time to smack the next one.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:20 PM, February 12, 2008

JW..nothing better to do than reply to a 4 day old post? I would hope at 10:20PM you had something better to do than hang out on the BFP site spewing the slop you spew. You need a life.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:16 PM, February 13, 2008