Now it's time to toughen up
PASS the Kool-Aid.
For Massachusetts Democrats, Deval Patrick is now the stairway to heaven and the Massachusetts governor's office. This political unknown launched an improbable campaign against an incumbent attorney general -- and won what turned out to be a three-man race.
Patrick will have hope, charisma, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama on his side. He also needs independents and conservative Democrats. Maybe he can get enough of them to win.
It is possible, after all, to earn votes from people who don't agree with you on every issue. George W. Bush did it in 2004 against John Kerry.
But Kerry Healey, the GOP nominee, has hope, too. Democrats will turn this into a national campaign for the state's first African-American candidate for governor -- but so will Republicans, who now stand behind a woman.
The Republican playbook is basic: Repeat the mantra that, since Democrats control the Legislature, a Democrat can't be trusted in the governor's office, especially on fiscal issues.
Patrick definitely plays into this tired, but effective, GOP script. Most notably, he opposes a state income tax rollback -- which voters endorsed. He also wants to allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates for public colleges and universities, and he opposes merit pay for teachers and more charter schools. These are divisive issues, and Healey started immediately to use them against Patrick.
Last night Healey framed the choice that she sees for voters: change or ``Deval Patrick's change." Her opponent's change she defined as Democrats thwarting the people's will behind closed doors; raising taxes; weakening criminal justice laws; and putting the economy at risk.
To win against that formula, Democrats must stay unified. They must also get tough.
Tom Reilly's best moment of the primary campaign came during the last debate, when he responded to Patrick's complaint that his opponents were being mean. ``What do you think is going to happen when the Republicans get a shot at you?" asked Reilly.
Indeed, when Healey takes her shots, what's Patrick's response going to be -- ``Together we can," the inspirational but vague theme of his primary campaign? Voters are going to want specifics, as in together we can do exactly what?
Massachusetts liberals can rally and pull off a primary win. But winning a general election is another story. In 1990, Bill Weld cobbled together a coalition of independents, conservative Democrats, and women. A variation of that coalition held together for Paul Cellucci in 1998 and for Mitt Romney in 2002. Healey hopes to tap into that same voter bloc.
One plus for Patrick is that Romney may be more of a hindrance than a help to Healey. His popularity is down in Massachusetts, undercut by his national ambition and willingness to speak ill of his constituents. A recent State House News poll indicated that 48 percent of those surveyed believed the state is headed in the wrong direction.
Click your heels three times and repeat after me. Deval Patrick can win in November. Deval Patrick can win in November. Deval Patrick can win in November.
That Kool-Aid sure tastes good.
Joan Vennochi's e-mail address is vennochi@globe.com. 