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A little love, a little shove

E-mail|Link|Comments () January 29, 2010 03:30 PM

Bill Brett for The Boston Globe

Governor Patrick and senator-elect Brown speaking to the media

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

It was just a little shove, but it showed that even as they were promising to make nice and work together, Governor Deval Patrick and US senator-elect Scott Brown aren't going to agree on everything.

It happened outside the governor's office on Thursday, as Patrick and Brown were telling the media that they had put aside the disagreements of the Senate campaign and were eager to work across party lines.

Then, prompted by a reporter, Brown started talking about "an impression in Washington" that the governor is not spending stimulus cash quickly enough -- a sensitive subject for Patrick, who, as he ramps up for a difficult re-election campaign, is trying to reduce the state's escalating unemployment rate.

Patrick looked a little antsy to speak. But Brown had the microphone.

"The governor informed me about a couple of issues that I was not aware of," the senator-elect said, backing away from his earlier criticisms. "And I appreciated his transparency and providing me with that information, and I suggested that he let all of you know some of the plans that he’s doing."

"OK," Patrick finally declared, smiling and gently shoving Brown away from the microphone. "So move over."

"We have met or beaten every deadline," to spend the stimulus money, Patrick said, clearly relieved to make his point.