People make mistakes all the time. Sometimes, they make mistakes that are well intentioned. Sometimes mistakes happen because of forgetfulness or some other benign cause. On other occasions, mistakes arise […]
A double-standard on Martha Coakley
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Battle of the blands
In an election where the most passionate candidate for governor appears to be the United Independent Party candidate Evan Falchuk, it may be worth considering the state of the Bay […]
Posted inGambling
Wynn, Mohegan differ on commission approaches
The two applicants for a Greater Boston casino license responded in typical fashion to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s proposed licensing conditions, with Mohegan Sun trying its best to please the […]
Posted inGambling
Gaming panel seeks casino clarifications
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Monday seemed to be near an impasse in choosing a Greater Boston casino licensee, so the agency asked representatives of Mohegan Sun and Wynn Resorts […]
Posted inHealth Care, Politics
Oversight questions raised on Elder Affairs
The state’s Elder Affairs office, which is charged with regulating some 200 assisted living facilities that care for more than 12,000 senior citizens, some of them suffering from dementia, appears […]
Posted inGambling, The Back Story
Running the casino numbers
Judging from this week’s deliberations by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the high-stakes battle for a Greater Boston casino license may hinge on which company can give the greatest boost to […]
Posted inPolitics
Cities go for Coakley
Martha Coakley won Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary because she posted huge numbers in urban areas and lower-income communities. Coakley’s overall margin of victory has worried some observers, because the six-point […]
Posted inGambling
Gaming panel gives Boston Wynn leverage
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission may give Boston a trump card in its ongoing battle with Wynn Resorts, requiring as a condition of licensure that the Las Vegas casino operator obtain […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
The AG curse
T.S. Eliot wrote that “time future [is] contained in time past.” That observation may haunt the Martha Coakley campaign as it enters the general election having led in the polls […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Coakley’s bad optics
Politics is a math equation. Rival candidates tally their votes, and the one with the most votes emerges. The math is cold. It’s dispassionate. But beneath the math, there’s perception. […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Machine breakdown
Campaigns are living, breathing things. They take on a life of their own, with their own rhythm and momentum, a momentum that can’t be easily thrown off by outside forces. […]
Posted inGambling
Gaming panel fine tunes license conditions
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission fine-tuned its licensing conditions on Wednesday and gave Mohegan Sun and Wynn Enterprises, the two applicants for a Greater Boston casino license, until Friday at 5 […]
Posted inGambling
Wynn tops Mohegan Sun in panel’s initial review
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s initial review of the two companies vying for a Greater Boston casino license gives the Wynn Resorts proposal for Everett an edge over Mohegan Sun’s plan […]
Posted inGambling
Suffolk Downs is a wild card
Jay Bernardini with one of the horses he trains at Suffolk Downs On a beautiful Saturday afternoon this summer, Suffolk Downs feels empty. About 2,500 people show up at a […]
Posted inPolitics
Final sprint
Leaving it all on the field “Hello, Marty? It’s Steve Grossman. Listen, Marty, I need you to look at something…” Steve Grossman is four days away from what could be […]
Posted inGambling
Mohegan Sun finances take heat at hearing
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, which began comparing the two companies vying for a Greater Boston casino license on Monday, raised concerns about the design of the proposed Wynn Resorts hotel […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Endorsements don’t always translate to votes
If endorsements reflected a candidate’s standing among voters, Steve Grossman would be sitting pretty just days from the September 9 primary for governor. Instead, he finds himself trailing Democratic front-runner […]
Posted inPolitics
Republican Super PAC Follows Obama Strategy on TV Buys
Political campaigns usually save their heaviest television spending for the tail end of a campaign. They save their powder because political advertising is expensive, and because academic researchers haven’t found […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
Checking Bump’s mileage
Every St. Patrick’s Day the state’s leading politicians flock to South Boston for a roast that features jokes, songs, and lots of laughs. Most of the pols view the event […]
Posted inPolitics
Baker’s demographic dilemma
Charlie Baker’s first run at the governor’s office was marked by an enormous 24-point loss among women. Since Baker’s 2010 loss, strong showings with women provided Massachusetts Democrats with decisive […]
Posted inGambling
Wynn offers T $6m for Everett parcels
Wynn Enterprises has agreed to pay $6 million for three parcels of MBTA land the Las Vegas company needs to construct the preferred entrance to its proposed Everett casino. The […]
Posted inOpinion, Transportation
The lessons behind Somerville’s new T stop
On Tuesday I had the privilege of cutting the ribbon on the first new MBTA rail station to open in 27 years. Thanks to the new Orange Line T stop […]
Posted inGambling
Polls indicate casino repeal is in trouble
They haven’t spent a penny yet, but pro-gambling forces seem to be pulling away in the battle over a ballot initiative that will decide the fate of casinos in Massachusetts. […]