News : POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WARREN ON TOUR — WALSH’s base up for GRABS — ZOO in UPROAR over NOISE

Monday, May 10, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WARREN ON TOUR — WALSH’s base up for GRABS — ZOO in UPROAR over NOISE — REOPENING rolls on

May 10, 2021

GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM WARREN'S BOOK TOUR — Elizabeth Warren plans to run for reelection in 2024, making it likely she'll remain a force in state and national politics for at least another decade.

It's an early commitment from the 71-year-old senator, one Warren wouldn't make this far out before her 2018 reelection. But it sends a signal to allies, foes and donors alike about her political intentions, even if she ultimately changes her mind. If she wins a third term, she would hold the seat until 2030.

The state's senior senator divulged her plans to my POLITICO colleague Alex Thompson and local reporters late last week.

"Joe Biden is running for reelection. I plan on helping him, and I plan on staying in the Senate," Warren told WBZ's Jon Keller in an interview that aired Sunday.

The news may be disappointing to some in the state's deep and ambitious Democratic bench, which now must wait until at least 2026, when Ed Markey is up for reelection, for the prospect of an open Senate seat.

While Warren's attempts to move on from the Senate — running for president, vying for vice president, pushing for Treasury secretary — haven't panned out, the senator has instead scored increasingly plum legislative perches from which to push her policy proposals and has seen several of her disciples land jobs in the Biden administration.

And Warren's been signaling in interviews promoting her new book, "Persist," that her work is far from finished. She's been using her stops on the media circuit to amplify her calls to wipe out student debt, institute a wealth tax and make bigger investments in child care. Here's more from book tour:

Warren said in multiple interviews that President Joe Biden is "meeting the moment," but told the Boston Globe she's "fighting as hard as I can" to pull him further left.
She told NPR she's "not looking to be president" — but does "want to see us make change."
Warren isn't buying that Republicans are breaking up with big business: "Actions speak louder than words," she told HuffPost.
The senator isn't dishing on her relationship with fellow progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders after tensions flared between the two during the presidential campaign: "Bernie and I are friends and we're doing great," she told POLITICO.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.

TODAY — Attorney General Maura Healey joins state Rep. Frank Moran, Lawrence Mayor Kendrys Vasquez and other local leaders for a ratepayer advocacy press conference at 12:15 p.m. in Lawrence. Healey later makes local stops in Methuen with state Sen. Diana DiZoglio. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh appears on Bloomberg Baystate Business at 3 p.m. Harvard professor and potential Democratic gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen hosts a fundraiser featuring Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin at 5 p.m. Treasurer Deb Goldberg's campaign celebrates her birthday a day early with a 6 p.m. virtual event.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Massachusetts coronavirus vaccine rollout: 2.9 million people fully vaccinated, 655 new virus cases," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "More than 71,000 coronavirus vaccine doses were administered in Massachusetts during the most recent day of vaccination data, as more than 2.9 million people in the state are now fully vaccinated. State health officials on Sunday also reported six more virus deaths and 655 new cases, as the number of new infections in the Bay State continue trending downward."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Massachusetts reopening moves ahead, but business leaders pressure Charlie Baker to move timeline up," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Massachusetts moves forward with its gradual reopening on Monday, but business leaders said Gov. Charlie Baker isn't moving fast enough as other states are on track to get back to 100% operation by the end of May."

– "Massachusetts looks to tighten hate crime statute," by Kami Rieck, Daily Hampshire Gazette. "The sharp increase in incidents of hate, particularly directed at Asian Americans, has prompted lawmakers to file legislation to strengthen the state's hate crime statute, provide better training to recognize bias and redefine penalties for breaking the law."

FROM THE HUB

– "In Rachael Rollins, a potential reformist for US. But a loss for Suffolk?" by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "Less than three years after Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins first made waves with the progressive platform that propelled her into office, her work has positioned her to become the next US attorney for the district of Massachusetts, the state's top federal law enforcement post. The potential promotion could be an extension of her work. ... But some worry that joining the federal office would necessarily limit her freedom of action and mute her activism — and create a vacuum in criminal justice reform efforts at the local level."

– "Noise at Boston's Franklin Park has zoo animals rattled," by Marie Szaniszlo, Joe Dwinell and Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "The wildebeests and red pandas are pacing, the lions are perplexed and the peacocks are trying to head for the hills. The animals of Franklin Park Zoo are rattled up by the constant dirt bikes and the deafeningly loud bass of illegal parties in the park, leading zookeepers and experts to worry about the animals' health at the Boston zoo."

– "Scofflaws flout early attempts to curb dirtbikes, ATVs in Franklin Park," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Electronic message boards brought in to remind drivers of off-road vehicles to stay off the footpaths at Franklin Park or face fines appeared to have little effect on Sunday as dirt bikers sped past — some even popping wheelies as they passed the new signs."

– "Boston Sports Fans Are Back In The Stands — And Paying A Ton For Tickets," by Callum Borchers, WBUR: "After being shut out of sports arenas for a year, Boston sports fans are shelling out huge sums to watch the Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics play in person. Pent-up demand and limited supply are driving ticket prices to record highs, even with capacity limits at Fenway Park and TD Garden set to double Monday to 25%."

– "Changes in admission rules for Boston exam schools boosted diversity of accepted students," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "A temporary change in the admissions criteria for Boston's exam schools increased the diversity of the accepted applicants, particularly boosting the percentages of Black, Latino, and low-income students, according to data released Friday. The data analysis confirms earlier projections that temporarily suspending the admissions exam and instead using grades and ZIP codes would lead to a more diverse selection of applicants and lower the portion of white and Asian students receiving admission offers."

The Race for City Hall

– "In a crowded, diverse mayoral field, where does Marty Walsh's base go?" by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Martin J. Walsh's ascension from City Hall to US labor secretary not only triggered a crowded scramble in this year's mayor's race but also raised the question of which candidate might inherit the voter base that powered the Dorchester Democrat's victories. While dozens of labor groups — Teamsters, painters, pipefitters — endorsed Walsh when he was running for mayor, providing his campaign with an army of volunteers, their support appears to be fracturing in this election. That dynamic is contributing to a race in which no clear front-runner has emerged with less than five months to go until the contest's September preliminary."

– "Boston's 'Methadone Mile,' emerges as major mayoral campaign issue as it's 'only gotten worse'" by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Escalating violence and open-air drug use at the city's so-called Methadone Mile that has "only gotten worse" is emerging as a top campaign issue in the upcoming mayoral race as constituents and business owners alike call out the situation as a major quality of life issue."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

– "Maybe this time? MGH, MBTA have held detailed discussions about connecting Red and Blue lines," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "...as Massachusetts General Hospital prepares a massive expansion of its nearby campus, the Red-Blue connector is getting another turn in the spotlight. But this time, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority seems serious enough about the idea to have held about a dozen meetings with MGH, poring over detailed engineering plans and snazzy renderings as they consider how the two projects would coexist."

DAY IN COURT

– "Equal Rights Amendment takes center stage as pivotal case advances in federal court," by Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald: "Under President Biden, the Department of Justice is blocking the Equal Rights Amendment from becoming the 28th amendment to the Constitution, just as the DOJ did under President Trump, an attorney who argued the case this week in federal court in Boston said."

WARREN REPORT

– "Warren says she will run for reelection in 2024," by Alex Thompson, POLITICO: "In a move that may surprise some ambitious Massachusetts Democrats, Sen. Elizabeth Warren says that she's going to run for reelection in 2024. 'Yep,' the 71-year-old said simply in a POLITICO interview Friday, when asked if she planned to make the run."

– "Warren 'fighting as hard as I can' to nudge Joe Biden left; wants to help president succeed," by Emma Platoff and Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: "Senator Elizabeth Warren wants $50,000 in student loan debt canceled. She wants $700 billion invested in child care. She wants the richest Americans to be taxed based on their total wealth. President Biden has not shown an appetite to do any of those things in full. But the senior senator from Massachusetts is focusing her energies on tugging her onetime rival left, not on planning another presidential campaign, she said in an interview with the Globe."

– "We read Elizabeth Warren's new book. Here are three things we learned, and two questions we still have," by James Pindell, Boston Globe: "Senator Elizabeth Warren says at the beginning of her new book 'Persist' that it is not a memoir of her 2020 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. On that she is right. The book, which was released Tuesday, offers very little insight on what she was thinking at key moments of the campaign, or lessons learned. At the same time, the book is almost entirely about her unsuccessful bid for the presidency."

THE PRESSLEY PARTY

– Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a former Boston city councilor, isn't picking a candidate in the Boston mayoral race right now. Pressley said on WCVB's "On the Record" that she's "very encouraged" by President Joe Biden's first 100 days in office, but continued her calls for him to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower.

DATELINE D.C.

– "'He's doing a hell of a job': Biden leaves message for Marty Walsh's mom in Mother's Day video," by Mark Gartsbeyn, Boston.com: "Moms want to know if their kids are doing well, and an endorsement from the president probably goes a long way. President Joe Biden's social media accounts shared a short Mother's Day video Sunday evening, where Biden and former Boston mayor Marty Walsh leave a voicemail message for Walsh's mom."

– "Dems have a problem on police reform — and it's not the GOP," by Maya King, Nicholas Wu and Marianne Levine, POLITICO: "Democrats will almost certainly blow past President Joe Biden's May target to reach consensus on a major overhaul of American policing — and progressive activists, as well as the GOP, are compounding their obstacles. That's because, as a bipartisan group of lawmakers makes headway in their talks on a policing deal, some liberal-leaning groups say Democrats' reforms don't go far enough."

FROM THE 413

– "Williamsburg Selectboard, new administrator agree on terms," by Bera Dunau, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "Nicholas Caccamo, a Pittsfield city councilor, has come to an agreement with the Select Board to become the next town administrator. Caccamo was offered the job by the Select Board over finalists Brenda Lessard, Williamsburg's town clerk, and Carl McKinney, the former town administrator of Clarksburg."

– "Northampton City Council call on mayor to establish new policing alternative," by Kate Wilkinson, WWLP.com: "The Northampton City Council is calling on the mayor to establish a new policing alternative. A unanimous passing of a resolution calling to establish the new department met with support as well as concerns during the public comment session."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Leicester police-involved shooting: Man repeatedly rammed doors of police station with SUV, pointed what appeared to be rifle at officers before they fatally shoot him," by Scott J. Croteau, MassLive.com: "The man who was fatally shot by police in Leicester Sunday morning drove an SUV up a handicap ramp and repeatedly rammed the doors of the police station, authorities said. That man, who police have not yet publicly identified, then popped out of the SUV and 'immediately shouldered what appeared to be a rifle and aimed it at the police officers,' Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said."

– "Mom of dead Hopkinton teen has open assault case: records show," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "The Hopkinton mother accusing the DA's office of misconduct faces a July hearing on an open domestic violence case in Framingham District Court, where she's charged with assaulting one of her children."

– "In Dracut election, ties to cable access not a winning program," by Prudence Brighton, Lowell Sun: "Election night results brought good news to two retired firefighters but bad news to three candidates associated with Dracut Access Television, which has been mired in a long-running dispute with the Board of Selectmen over finances and accountability."

– "Malden Police Assist With 'Daring Duckling Rescue' On Mother's Day," by CBSBoston.com: "Police lent a Mother's Day hand to a family of ducks in Malden when the ducklings got stuck in a storm drain."

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

– Iconic New Hampshire campaign stop changes hands: "Mack's Apples property sold," by Julie Huss, Eagle-Tribune: "A family farm legacy and historic orchard in town has been sold. Moose Hill Orchard, also known as Mack's Apples, owned and operated by generations of the Mack family will be under new ownership, with a deal closing recently, according to town officials ."

GRONK SLIDE – Former New England Patriot and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Rob Gronkowski was back in Boston on Friday to sign some "Happy Gilmore-type checks" as he and his Gronk Nation Youth Foundation donated $1.2 million to renovate the Charlesbank Playground — which could be renamed Gronk Playground should legislation pass . Gronk shared a masked hug with Gov. Charlie Baker, who, along with heaping praise on the "big man with a big heart," called the 31-year-old "one of the most spectacular partiers of all time." Link.

TRANSITIONS – Stonehill College's Peter Ubertaccio will join Caldwell University as vice president for academic affairs.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Linnea Walsh, director of marketing and communications at the Group Insurance Commission; Andrew Card, chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy; Amy Russes, Chloe Gotsis, senior deputy press secretary to AG Maura Healey; the New York Times' Jaclyn Reiss, Alex Milne, Elise Italiano, Brad Bannon, the Boston Herald's Bruce Castleberry, and Gary Dzen, deputy digital sports editor for Boston.com and the Boston Globe. Happy belated to Harvard's David Gergen, a CNN senior political analyst, who celebrated Sunday.

NEW EPISODE: THANKS FOR THE MEM-MURRAYS – On this week's Horse Race podcast, co-host and soon-to-be POLITICO Morning Score author Stephanie Murray says goodbye to the pod and reflects on her time on the #mapoli beat with fellow hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela. With the future of workplaces post-pandemic still uncertain, Miles Howard discusses his Boston Globe article making the case for turning vacant offices into affordable housing. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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