Where was Patrick?
BY THE end of last night's gubernatorial debate, Republican Kerry Healey was wearing more than blue beads around her neck. She was wearing the Romney-Healey administration, and particularly its role as ultimate overseer of the troubled Big Dig.
The albatross was placed there by Christy Mihos, the independent candidate, who clearly has not forgiven a previous Republican administration for attempting to kick him off the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board.
Mihos chastised Healey for standing by when Jane Swift, then acting governor, tried to remove him. And he criticized the Romney-Healey administration for ignoring information he said he turned over to them about Big Dig irregularities.
``You ran away from your responsibilities. I gave you the documents and you people did nothing with it," Mihos said to Healey.
Several times, Healey insisted the administration did what it could, but, ``We did not have the power" to do more.
So, what about Deval L. Patrick, the Democrat who is running for governor? Where was he?
After Mihos opened fire on Healey regarding the Big Dig, Patrick chimed in to say ``The question is not taking responsibility when it is your responsibility." When Healey tried to speak about about what the administration did after the July accident that killed a woman driving through a Big Dig tunnel, Patrick said, ``It took a tragedy to do it, and that is a shocking shame."
But for parts of the debate, Patrick seemed more like passive observer than engaged participant. Surely it was a calculated decision to stay out of the political foodfight between Mihos and Healey.
Grace Ross, the Green-Rainbow Party candidate, tossed an occasional egg, as well, at the Republican and Democrat.
Patrick is lucky that Mihos effectively derailed Healey by putting the focus on the Big Dig. Because Healey looked and sounded good -- and she was hitting her talking points when the subject was taxes or immigration.
She favors an immediate income tax rollback; Patrick does not.
He did a good job highlighting ``the $985 million in new taxes and fees" he says the Romney-Healey administration embraced.
He also stressed the need to ``restore local aid so we can get the property tax down." But he never got around to explaining how he would do it.
Healey opposes granting in-state tuition rates and driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Patrick supports both, but last night conceded, ``Both sides have a point." Patrick needs to sharpen his rebuttals.
He would also be wise to follow Mihos's lead and hold Healey accountable for the last four years -- for the Big Dig and beyond.
Joan Vennochi's e-mail address is vennochi@globe.com. 
