Blasts Dem Rival Over Death Penalty Flip-Flop

Mitt Returns Fire

Says Tom Reilly Pandering To Liberals


Republican Massacusetts Governor Mitt Romney is finally starting to fight fire with fire, shooting back at shameless Attorney General Tom Reilly.

Democrat Reilly, who wants the governorship so badly he can taste it, has been blasting Mitt's death penalty proposal and relative lack of accomplishments so far as governor.

Romney returned fire by noting that Reilly has been a longtime death penalty supporter, switching only now, in order to curry favor with liberals. Will Democrats really go for Reilly, or will they see through his fakery and select someone else, such as former Clinton Administration official Deval Patrick?

Could somebody please explain how Romney could ever get anything done with a legislature full of Democrats? Even a Dem governor might not fare much better, as there are many factions on Beacon Hill.

Romney has little to lose by pounding on opponents. It makes him look stronger, the Dems aren't giving him any help on legislative issues anyway and Reilly isn't going to stop going after him anytime soon.

A more aggressive Romney could boost his own fortunes significantly.

Reilly's flip-flops are noted here:

(Boston Herald- Kimberly Atkins- 30 April 2005)


Gov. Mitt Romney fired back at Democrat Tom Reilly for mocking his death penalty bill, charging the attorney general with currying political favor with liberals to mount a run for governor.
``I'm afraid the real reason that the attorney general has backed away from his long-term support of the death penalty is he's facing a more liberal opponent in the primary,'' Romney said.
Reilly, a likely gubernatorial candidate, shot back, calling the bill a ``red herring'' Romney is using to divert attention from his poor track record.
``What we have here is another clear example of a governor who cannot get things done and who has his priorities seriously out of whack,'' Reilly said. ``This is not a political game.''
While stressing his support for the death penalty - even admitting that he would sign the bill if he were governor and it reached his desk - Reilly said Romney's focus was not on crime prevention, but national agenda-setting.