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October 23, 2007

Ogonowski not ordinary enough on campaign trail

The Lowell Sun
Article Last Updated: 10/21/2007 06:35:27 AM EDT
A Sun Staff Report

REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL candidate Jim Ogonowski succeeded in giving the Democratic political machine backing Niki Tsongas a run for its money.

Ogonowski fell 6 percent short in Tuesday's 5th District congressional election, better than polls predicted.

The Dracut hay farmer and retired Air Force National Guard lieutenant colonel said over and over again that he would be a "nonpartisan" politician. His success was more about returning to basic Republican tenets -- low taxes, small federal government, tough national security.

The national GOP would have voters believe this election was a harbinger for Democrats, a sign of the beginning of the end after they barnstormed their way to a majority in the House and Senate in 2006.

What is probably closer to the truth is that Ogonowski successfully capitalized on a conservative district in a liberal state that was drawn to a "regular guy."

Unfortunately, too often on the campaign trail he seemed unwilling or too uncomfortable to stray from his campaign script and be that "regular guy," someone who could talk about the complicated issues in simple terms.
His position on the war -- which amounted to "stay the course" -- also hurt him, as did his inability to be frank on the looming veto vote in Congress concerning the state Children's Health Insurance Program.

Tsongas is well known in the district, primarily as the widow of former U.S. Sen. Paul Tsongas but also as a dean at Middlesex Community College and for her roles on several local boards.

Tsongas had been almost inactive in local politics for a decade, and has been living in Boston for the past several years. But her supporters liked the Niki Tsongas they knew personally, agreed with her positions and valued keeping the seat in Democratic hands.

But as one Democratic consultant put it this week, she was "underwhelming" as a candidate, lacking the charisma on the stump to run away with it. Person-to-person, Tsongas could be terrific. But she wasn't exactly the type of campaigner who could walk into a room and stir up a frenzy. That opened the door for Ogonowski.

Tsongas was sworn in Thursday morning, and cast her first vote in a failed effort to override President George Bush's SCHIP veto.

She has to run again in a year for a full term, but she will be tough to beat. Democrats will be out in full force next November voting in a highly anticipated presidential election, no doubt more than doubling voter turnout.

But don't think you've heard the last of Ogonowski either.

FORMER LOWELL Police Superintendent Edward Davis should have been the guest of honor at a testimonial tomorrow night at the Vesper Country Club in Tyngsboro.

Proceeds from the event would have benefitted D'Youville Manor. But Davis said the "appearance" of a possible conflict weighed too heavily on his mind so he decided to pull the plug.

"It was too murky," he said.

The appearance issue is real because Davis is still an active chief, leading the Boston Police Department. If he was retired or working in the private sector, it would be a different story.

The same concerns prompted the local boys in blue to abandon their plans to throw Davis a party months ago.

LOWELL SCHOOL Superintendent Karla Brooks Baehr is often criticized for not attending nearly enough neighborhood and school-related events after hours.

So Baehr attended the Citywide Parent Council School Committee Candidate's Debate ... and got criticized.

Committee member Regina Faticanti, one of six incumbents up for re-election, said it's unusual for a super to attend a candidate's night.

Faticanti added in an e-mail: "After we were done, I asked her if she was there as an intimidation tactic. (Challenger Dave) Conway does work for her, and I am sure she was wondering if there were going to be any questions about her on the night's agenda. She laughed and turned away from me at which I asked her again. Her response 'Oh come on, Regina.'"

SCHOOL COMMITTEE member Jackie Doherty's latest radio ad includes three public-school kids: her 11-year-old daughter, a boy in her sixth-grade class and a Lowell High School teen. Doherty said her daughter also helped out with a television spot she's running on Lowell's public access cable channel.

The premise of both Doherty ads, and particularly the radio spot, is that the Lowell public school system is "making progress." On the radio ad, her daughter complains that "we have to learn so much stuff and do all this math and reading." Her classmate bemoans his summer reading assignments, and the high school teen notes that she has been placed in an advanced Algebra Academy -- a Doherty initiative -- after earning straight As in math.

"Well folks, there you have it: Three out of three experts agree that academic standards are rising," Doherty says at the ad's conclusion.

DICK HOWE Jr. ripped a page from the NFL rulebook last week, providing Lowell School Committee candidates red flags, like that which Patriots Coach Bill Belichick's stores in his sock, to toss if they wanted to challenge a fellow candidates' response during the Citywide Parent Council's candidates forum.

"I urge you to use them judiciously," Howe said, adding each candidate had four challengers.

Incumbent Kevin McHugh was the first to toss his flag, whipping it three feet across the floor during Faticanti's response to a question regarding alternative schools. He was chided by Howe for failing to wait until Faticanti finished her statement.

Challengers Conway and Dennis Canney used all four of their challenges.

"In sports we always say use all of your challenges and time-outs because you can't save them for the next game," said Canney, who coached six sports in his 36-year Lowell High School teaching career.

One question: how does Howe look in a hoodie?

This week's Column was written by Sun Editor Jim Campanini, City Editor Christopher Scott, City Hall reporter Michael Lafleur, Statehouse reporter Matt Murphy and Lowell Schools reporter Jennifer Amy Myers

Posted by Admin at October 23, 2007 10:45 AM