In e-mail, Patrick takes on Gabrieli -- no mention of Reilly

On Friday afternoon, when Deval L. Patrick stepped away from a senior citizens' picnic to call a radio talk show, he was asked whether Thomas F. Reilly's much-criticized debate performance the night before had effectively made it a two-man primary race between Patrick and Christopher F. Gabrieli.

Patrick was clear: Don't count Reilly out, he said.

But Patrick seemed to be doing just that in an e-mail to supporters yesterday.

Patrick makes no mention of Reilly in the message, but he devotes three paragraphs to pointing out differences between himself and Gabrieli on healthcare and proposed state investments in stem cell research. ``I also think Chris was wrong about excluding public colleges and universities from a role in making Massachusetts a leader in stem cell research," Patrick wrote.

But Gabrieli's campaign immediately raised an objection to that line yesterday, saying Patrick was completely misrepresenting Gabrieli's position. ``We can disagree about stem cell research without making stuff up about each other," said Gabrieli spokesman Dan Cence.

Gabrieli did, in fact, say during the debate that not all stem cell research dollars should go to private universities. ``I'm not suggesting that it all be about Harvard. But Children's Hospital . . . and Harvard, were the first two places who went ahead with embryonic stem cell research," he said.

Scott Helman

Goldberg to miss debate

After more than a week of haggling over times and dates, the state Democratic Party has scheduled its debate for the lieutenant governor candidates. The debate will take place at the Joseph P. Keefe Technical School in Framingham on Sept. 17, just two days before the primary.

Only one notable face will be absent: Deborah Goldberg, one of three candidates in the race, is not participating. The two other candidates, Andrea Silbert, a Harwich businesswoman, and Timothy P. Murray, mayor of Worcester, have committed to be in the debate.

Goldberg, who is the former chairwoman of the Brookline Board of Selectmen, has already committed to present an award at an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of Adoptions with Love, an adoption agency. Goldberg is president of the agency's board.

``I understand that folks are trying to squeeze things in last minute, but we've been campaigning for two years and we want to be out there in the home stretch," said Patrick McKiernan, a spokesman for the Goldberg campaign. ``There's been nine televised debates and dozens of forums. It's not like we're trying to avoid our opponents at all."

The debate was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but the candidates later said it was in poor taste to have a debate on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

``We'd love to have all three of them, but we understand that this is close to the primary," said Cyndi Roy, spokeswoman for the state Democratic Party.

Matt Viser

Money matters

At first blush, it would appear that if Deborah Goldberg wins a spot on the November ticket with either Deval Patrick or Thomas F. Reilly, the Democrats would be out of some significant funds -- namely a good chunk of the $750,000 available in public campaign financing. Because she is the only lieutenant governor candidate not to join the public system (which requires agreeing to a $1.5 million spending limit), her presence on the ticket disqualifies it from getting any of the funds. The third gubernatorial candidate, Christopher Gabrieli, has not signed onto the financing system, as Reilly and Patrick have.

But Goldberg, an heiress to the Stop & Shop fortune, is telling Democrats not to panic, that she will make up the shortfall, plus a little more, with a $1 million check for the party the day after the primary election.

Meanwhile, Christy Mihos, the convenience store magnate running as an independent for governor, will get the benefit from both worlds -- using his own fortune and getting some public funds. Two weeks ago, he signed up to get some of the $750,000, agreeing to the limit, depending on what he matches with qualifying funds he raises. But he knows that GOP candidate Kerry Healey, who is self-financing her campaign, has to set a spending limit of her own by Sept. 25 -- a spending level that the law says he can match with his own funds while also taking public money.

Frank Phillips

In the background

Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly's campaign took advantage of the state's lax campaign finance laws to bury from public view the fact that it had contracted for a background report last January on state Representative Marie St. Fleur's financial issues.

The work, performed by Vance, a security firm, was subcontracted through The Campaign Group, a Philadelphia-based company that is run by Reilly's media consultant, Neil Oxman. State law does not require Reilly or Oxman to give a further breakdown that would detail the amount that the campaign paid to the consultant. The Reilly campaign says it won't release the cost of the report.

The existence of the report has proved a thorny issue for Reilly in the closing days of the primary campaign, raising questions as to whether he reviewed it before he announced St. Fleur as his running mate. She was forced to withdraw when the Globe reported she had tax problems.

Frank Phillips

Read more about the campaign for governor and other political news at boston.com/politics.