vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

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

4.02.2008

The scene changes

Eight months ago, Gaye Symington told me she'd like to be governor someday, but it was not the right time. Work and family were taking precedence. Now, apparently, it might be becoming the right time.

The speaker of the House has said she is unlikely to return to working at the Intervale Center, where she was development director during the half-a-year when the Legislature is not in session. So there goes the work part.

As for the family, she said she's talked it over and they're thinking about it, just as she is.

"I am considering running for governor," she said. "This came up in response to a lot of people asking me to run and because I hear such a hunger in Vermont for wanting a sense of vision for where we're going."

Progressive candidate Anthony Pollina says he has no plans to step aside. Of course, as we've seen, plans change.

What are your predictions for percentage of vote for a three-way, Douglas-Symington-Pollina race?

What about Douglas-Symington?

And Douglas-Pollina?

_ Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 4:18 PM |

Comments:

Douglas: 58%
Symington: 30%
Pollina: 9%
Brian Pearl: 2 votes
Michael Colby: 3 votes
Others: 3%

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:12 PM, April 02, 2008

I can't think of anyone less capable. Take a look at what she has accomplished as Leader of the House. Why would anyone trust her with more responsibility?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:53 PM, April 02, 2008

Anonymous must be kidding or a bit light in the head. Symington has more legislative experience than either Dean or Douglas had when elected. (Douglas's service as Secretary of State and Treasurer pales compare to the hand-to-hand combat of the Speaker's role.)She has been recognized by her peers when they elected her Speaker, twice. She has led on health care, education finance, housing and more.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:56 PM, April 02, 2008

I'm sure that Michael Colby is good for more than 3 votes. Maybe 4 or 5.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:11 PM, April 02, 2008

"She has led on health care, education finance, housing and more"

What has she accomplished? The last years have been painful gridlock with a clear lack of leadership. In general the legislature is woefully underwhelming. Their electing her doesn't mean much.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:11 PM, April 02, 2008

Symington may have been elected by her peers but I suspect they are having second thoughts. Her Democrat caucus is in dissaray - there have been rumors of a coup. Partridge/Nease/Smith who's in charge?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:18 PM, April 02, 2008

JWCoop10 has left a new comment on the post "Leahy: Hillary should quit race":

The jimi douglas experience's singular achievement over the better part of three terms in office has been to be the VT Chair of the bush campaign's creep committee while spending the better part of 2004 and 2006 pretending he'd never heard of the nitwit in chief and to con enough moderate nitwits into thinking that he's one of the "sensible" Gops.

No, he isn't. He never was. He never will be.

There's no such thing.

Granted, he's nowhere near as corrupt as shrub, he's every bit as clueless, incompetent, senseless and delusional as the illegitimate trash currently squatting in the WH who prompted lifelong, multi-generational Gop, Jim Douglas into leaving the Party, becoming an independent, caucusing with the Dems and leaving the republiklan party for saner, bluer pastures.

Jeffords was a lifelong Gop who'd served Vermont at home an in DC for decades.

He was a gop. He wasn't a nazi. That's why he left.

As always, if you've got evidence to the contrary, feel free to cought it up.

If any one of you senseless, spineless, nameless shrub shills want to make the case that Jeffords was always a loose cannon prone to mercurial ideological mood swings who'd just become a gop to finish out the remainder of his Daddy's term, knock yourselves out.

The facts say different and you know how poorly you swine fare when faced with the facts.

Douglas, like every other gop rubber-stamp in the past 10 years, has brought this Country to the point where we can only hope and pray that the latest Bush Recession does not slide into the first Bush Depression.

Post a comment.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:55 PM, April 02, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Symington may have been elected by her peers but I suspect they are having second thoughts."

You "suspect" so, eh?

"Her Democrat caucus is in dissaray - there have been rumors of a coup. Partridge/Nease/Smith who's in charge?"

Rumors, eh? Where? Started by whom?

Do you have anything outside the unsubstantiated rumors and suspicions, nameless-nitwit, ignorant-trash- gop-with-bupkis variety, little nameless-nitwit/ignorant-trash- gop-with-bupkis fella?

That's what I thought.

Go cheney yourself, chump.

Once again, the only thing you've managed to prove is that you're just another anonymous, gop-slop- spewing, nameless nitwit who can't spell disarray.

Once again, those facts were never in dispute, schmuck.

Then again, your ignorant trash with bupkis credentials remain intact and impeccable, putz.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:14 PM, April 02, 2008

Anonymous said...
"She has led on health care, education finance, housing and more"

"What has she accomplished?"

She's minimized if not stopped the damage Douglas has done and tried to do to the State of Vermont.

As Thomas Dewey said before Beating Truman for the Presidency in 1948 only to lose to him once they actually counted the votes - if only his parents had thought to present him with a lard-butted kid brother to fix Florida for him from the Governor's Chair - "The job of the opposition party is to oppose."

If nothing else, she sets a good pick, provides a reasonably effective speed bump and does a nice job of sticking a stick in his spokes as she was elected to do.

That said, she's gonna have to elevate her game, override his vetoes if he's dim enough to cast them and help put him out of Vermont's misery once and for all.

"The last years have been painful gridlock with a clear lack of leadership."

Actually, that's one of the more positive reviews the jimi douglas experience has received.

"In general the legislature is woefully underwhelming. Their electing her doesn't mean much."

In other words, you're a gop who thinks the Dem Majority should just roll over and rubber-stamp whatever delusional dreck doogie sends them whether they have the votes to override his vetoes or not.

That's just not gonna happen, little fella.

Assuming Symington can't muster the votes to override Doogie's veto or vetoes, it means doogie has to go on record vetoing legislation supported by the majority of Vermonters.

Of course, that's assuming she can't muster the votes to override his veto. Let's see what happens in late June, little fella.

He might not even be able to cheney Vermont up and over with a veto any longer.

In general and in this specific instance, little lyin'-slime fella, your evidence is woefully nonexistent, your analysis is an exercise in lunatic-fringe flights of fancy and your conclusions are utterly-psychotic to say nothing of them not being supported by the facts.

At the end of the day, you're ignorant, anonymous trash with bupkis, schmuck.

Ya always are.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:09 PM, April 02, 2008

Anonymous said...

Anonymous must be kidding or a bit light in the head."

What's with the either/or thing? Who says they're mutually exclusive?

Said schmuck is perfectly capable of goose-stepping and sig heiling at the same time.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:28 PM, April 02, 2008

yawn... you were up late last night. Were Mom and Dad out?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:38 AM, April 03, 2008

This is JW's blog now. He is the troll that now controls the cave. I will take my anonymous, bupkis-spewing butt elsewhere and let the troll drool over himself in peace.

No cool kids hang out here anymore, anyway. Only trolls.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:48 AM, April 03, 2008

Apparently in the blog-o-sphere, anyone who has an opposing opinion is defined as a troll.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:00 AM, April 03, 2008

Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "The scene changes":

"Apparently in the blog-o-sphere, anyone who has an opposing opinion is defined as a troll."

All ya gotta do is see 'em, raise 'em, call 'em, watch 'em fold and listen to 'em whine.

They've got bupkis every time.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 8:30 AM, April 03, 2008

Boy I hope she doesn't use the photo in the BFP as her official Gubentorial Portrait

It will scare the hell out of the many students who visit the Statehouse each year

Maybe they could keep in the archives and just bring it out for Halloween

She must be JW's dream girl

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:08 AM, April 03, 2008

Yea, I bet you look like Jessica Alba.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:45 AM, April 03, 2008

Will she break down and cry and throw one of her typical hissie-fits the first time that things don't her way?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:52 AM, April 03, 2008

Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "The scene changes":

"This is JW's blog now. He is the troll that now controls the cave. I will take my anonymous, bupkis-spewing butt elsewhere and let the troll drool over himself in peace.

No cool kids hang out here anymore, anyway. Only trolls."

Nice try, nitwit.

Ignorant trash has never been cool.

You've always been ignorant trash with bupkis, but you were never cool, schmuck.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:01 AM, April 03, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Yea, I bet you look like Jessica Alba."

If he did, he'd be a nice house with nobody home.

He's not a nice house.

He's ignorant, anonymous trash with bupkis.

Big difference.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:09 AM, April 03, 2008

Fine. Starve. Suit yourself, schmuck.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:16 AM, April 03, 2008

Troll.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:39 PM, April 03, 2008

Trash.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 4:05 PM, April 03, 2008

Gargoyle for Governor!!! Hoo-rah.

She'll fix what's wrong with us for sure.

I know Jim Jeffords is seen as some sort of hero to the left, since he left the Republicans and flipped the Senate back into Democrat hands for all of six months. (Just long enough for someone to repair Senator Wellstone's plane.)
But I would like to point out that Jeffords never would have left the party without the assurance from Senator Daschle that Harry Reid would step aside as the ranking member of Jeffords pet commitee, which he did.

Jeffords used his leverage the moment he had it, negotiated for and got his coveted chairmanship (for all of about 6 months), and could claim the high road the whole way, abandoning the red party in a blue state.

The people who took care of Jeffords did a great job. The final 7 years or so, you almost never saw him speak without a prepared text in front of him. They made sure he never had to engage in a live televised debate against his opponent dating back to the 2000 election. (Remember Ed Flanagan debating on WCAX against the 8 X 11 photo of Jeezum Jim? If Ed had had any comic timing or sense of humor, he could've buried Jeffords in that one-sided debate!)

Nobody gained more from Jeffords' move than Jeffords.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:27 PM, April 03, 2008

Lightnin' has left a new comment on the post "The scene changes":

"Gargoyle for Governor!!! Hoo-rah.

She'll fix what's wrong with us for sure."

Thank you, as always, for that factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/ignorant trash with bupkis, perspective lightnin'.

"I know Jim Jeffords is seen as some sort of hero to the left, since he left the Republicans and flipped the Senate back into Democrat hands for all of six months. (Just long enough for someone to repair Senator Wellstone's plane.)
But I would like to point out that Jeffords never would have left the party without the assurance from Senator Daschle that Harry Reid would step aside as the ranking member of Jeffords pet commitee, which he did."

Really? Then what stopped him from leaving in '92, '94, '96, '98 and '00 if not before hand, little factually-challenged fella?

That's what I thought.

He left the Party because the party left him, schmuck. He was a GOP. He wasn't a nazi.

You're ignorant trash with bupkis, lightnin'. You always are.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 4:51 PM, April 03, 2008

More bupkis from Dr. Bupkis

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:56 PM, April 03, 2008

Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "The scene changes":

"said like the intolerant bigot that you are Coopy."

Ah, the ol' "if you call a nazi a nazi, you're a bigot, too" song and dance.

No sale, schmuck.

Thanks, as always, for your factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/ignorant-trash/nameless-nitwit perspective, little fella.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 6:41 PM, April 03, 2008

Why didn't Jeffords leave earlier?

EASY!

Jeffords did not leave the party earlier because he had nothing to gain during those years by leaving, but.....

During that one moment in 2001, the whole balance of power in the Senate hung on Jeezum's loyalty. He used his leverage to acquire for himself his choicest political assignment, period.

Please, Let's not confuse what Jeffords did with integrity.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:47 PM, April 03, 2008

Don't feed the JWTroll.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:49 PM, April 03, 2008

I heard a lot of speculation about whether Gaye is serious and possible motives. It's hard to know what's going on.

Is she hoping that a huge Democratic turnout for Obama will lift her? Is it a gracious way to bow out of the Speakership without conceding her tenure at the gavel has not enthralled the Democratic base? Does she believe that this is the party's best opportunity to win? Is it a chance to pound a stake in Pollina's heart, or to take a break from politics while taking a bullet for the party?

Some combination of the above?

Who knows? But it will certainly give the press plenty to write about, the blogs plenty to speculate about (in the short term), and the race a lot more juice (if she stays in).

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:20 PM, April 03, 2008

Lightnin' has left a new comment on the post "The scene changes":

"Why didn't Jeffords leave earlier?"

EASY!

"Jeffords did not leave the party earlier because he had nothing to gain during those years by leaving, but....."

Why'd ya cut yourself short, little fella? It's gonna take more than pretendin' ya had somethin' more to say to make it like ya actually had somethin' to say, schmuck.

Ya didn't. Ya don't. Ya never do. Ya never will.

You, bubble boy and the entire nameless-nitwit ignorant-trash community haven't mustered up an argument that will hold water or stand up to the facts and the light of day since long before I got here and this one ain't faring any better against the facts than your ignorant gop-slop nonsense ever does, punk.

"During that one moment in 2001, the whole balance of power in the Senate hung on Jeezum's loyalty. He used his leverage to acquire for himself his choicest political assignment, period."

Gee, I hate to confuse your ignorant ass with the facts, little none too bright lightin' fella, but he was into his third term as the Junior Senator from the State of Vermont and he already had a Committee Chairmanship as a GOP, so that ignorant slop don't play.

Jeffords was a lifelong GOP. His Father had been Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. He came from a well-established Vermont GOP family and had held elective office as a GOP since '69. He replaced Bob Stafford in '88 after serving 14 years in the House.

Vermont knew who he was and they kept sending him back to DC so your idiotic "He was just waitin' for the right time to make his move" song and dance ain't holdin' water any better than the rest of your factually-challenged, ignorant slop, but thanks for playing, little fella. We have some lovely parting gifts for your ignorant ass.

"Please, Let's not confuse what Jeffords did with integrity."

Actually, he was the last GOP breath of it, little fella.

Go cheney yourself, schmuck.

Jeffords left when he saw what Shrub and Cheney were up to and he decided his loyalty to the Country was greater than his loyalty to the GOP or the fuhrer and when he left, he took the last shred of gop integrity with him.

Once again, your ignorant gop-slop nonsense doesn't mesh with the facts or stand up to the light of day, little fella. It never does.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:59 PM, April 03, 2008

Gee JW, you managed to cut and paste most of your greatest hits in this post again saying nothing constructive. I particularly have missed the reference to the Judge and Al Franken.

As I have shared your posts with my business colleagues from Asia they point out two intersting facts:

1.) the greatness of America is that postings as crass as yours are tolerated without consequence. We truly are a free country.

2.) If our health care was socialized, you probably would be able to have access to the pyschiatric care they believe you need.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:16 PM, April 03, 2008

Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "The scene changes":

"Gee JW, you managed to cut and paste most of your greatest hits in this post again saying nothing constructive."

In other words, ya got bupkis.

Gee, I'm shocked.

Nice try, nitwit.

As the archives clearly show, sayin' something constructive is an issue your ignorant anonymous ass will never face, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest fella.

"I particularly have missed the reference to the Judge and Al Franken."

That's swell, schmuck.

As long as the likes of you and your ignorant ass slithers the Earth, it'll always be timely, true, relevant and it'll always apply, little factually-challenged fella.

"As I have shared your posts with my business colleagues from Asia they point out two intersting facts:

1) You're ignorant anonymous trash with bupkis who can't spell interesting.

2) You intend to stay that way.

That's not exactly news, nitwit.

Still, I'm glad you and your invisible, imaginary friends finally have something "intersting" to talk about, little fella.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 7:01 AM, April 04, 2008

Gaye Symington should run - it's great!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:10 AM, April 04, 2008

Yes, she's got more work to do helping the governor.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:05 PM, April 04, 2008

Would Symington run as a Democrat or a Republican? Many times, I don't think she knows which party she belongs to. She should pow wow with Susan "Waffles" Bartlett.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:14 PM, April 04, 2008

I thought she was a Progressive just like Deb Markowitz

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:34 PM, April 04, 2008

Only a far far lefty would think Symington was a Republican.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:23 PM, April 04, 2008

Here, here!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:49 PM, April 04, 2008

I thought Jeb Spaulding wanted to run for Governor?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:50 PM, April 04, 2008

He only will when Douglas is not running.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:14 PM, April 06, 2008

Green Mountain Daily is suggesting it is a Symington/Shumlin ticket.

Won't that be interesting ...Douglas -v- Pollina -v- Symington.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:47 PM, April 08, 2008

Bill Sorrell for Governor

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:12 PM, April 08, 2008

jw gaye and shummy
sounds alot lika dummy

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:10 PM, April 13, 2008

Anonymous has left a new comment on the post "The scene changes":

"jw gaye and shummy
sounds alot lika dummy"

Not as much as this ignorant slop of yours, little fella.

Dismissed.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 8:53 PM, April 13, 2008