McNamara gets ringing endorsement to lead state Democrats

John Howell
Posted 10/14/14

State Democrats showed their support for House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello Thursday night, unanimously electing Mattiello’s choice, Rep. Joseph McNamara, to lead the party.

The Warwick/Cranston …

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McNamara gets ringing endorsement to lead state Democrats

Posted

State Democrats showed their support for House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello Thursday night, unanimously electing Mattiello’s choice, Rep. Joseph McNamara, to lead the party.

The Warwick/Cranston lawmaker – a retired Pawtucket school department administrator and educator – vowed to work to give the party a sweep of state and local races in the Nov. 4 election, including giving the state its first woman governor. He also pledged to introduce new technology to the party and to engage young people in the political process.

Going into the vote, McNamara said he didn’t expect a contest. He was right.

Following his nomination by Edna O’Neill Matteson, who said McNamara was the “best of the best,” and seconding speeches by Rep. Grace Diaz – who has served as acting chairwoman of the party – and Rep. Jan Malik, Jacqueline Hickey of Warwick moved to cast a single vote for McNamara and his election was assured.

Paraphrasing Casey Stengel, McNamara said there are three types of political activists: those that make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who say, “What the hell just happened?”

“In Rhode Island, the Democrats are truly the party that makes things happen,” he said.

And predictably, McNamara fired a salvo at the Republican candidate for governor, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung.

While not naming Fung, McNamara likened his plan to put the Rhode Island economy on track and willingness to default on the $75 million in bonds for 38 Studios to the story of Humpty Dumpty.

“If we put the Republican candidate in charge, Rhode Island would fall off the wall like Humpty Dumpty – even with all the king’s horses and the king’s men, we’ll never be able to put our economy back together again. Our state doesn’t need Humpty Dumpty economics … elect Gina!”

McNamara played a key role in lining up the votes for Mattiello after Gordon Fox stepped down as Speaker this spring following raids in which law enforcement officials secured boxes of documents from his home and office in the State House. No charges have been brought against Fox since the raid, but the Providence representative resigned from the leadership post and chose not to seek re-election.

Thursday night, Mattiello joined the lineup of state candidates – including the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Gina Raimondo – at the Cranston Portuguese Club as better than 100 delegates filled most of the seats.

Starting with U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, McNamara singled out each of the Democratic candidates on the state ticket, citing attributes and what they bring to the state and the party.

“We have a great statewide ticket that will sweep every office in the state,” he said.

In her nomination address, Diaz said McNamara “is a lot of fun to work with … he has even tried to learn to speak some Spanish with me – not too well, but he tries.”

Diaz said McNamara’s professionalism “shines through” at committee meetings, and although retired, “Joe is still an educator at heart. He always wants what is best for the school children of Rhode Island.”

Reiterating an agenda he outlined when tapped by Mattiello, McNamara said in addition to a Democratic sweep in November, he is looking for the party to invest in modern technology to give Democratic candidates the resources to be successful this year and in the future. He pledged to be a “salesman for our party to get new young men and women engaged, involved and excited. Politics can be fun and Democratic politics can be more fun than any party.”

And in an obviously unscripted aspect of the meeting, after conferring with those sharing the dais, McNamara ruled out of order resolutions commending successful primary candidates and those unsuccessful primary candidates now joining in a show of party unity.

As copies of the resolution were not available, McNamara said party members should not be asked to vote on them without the opportunity to read them. He said as chairman he would follow open meeting procedures, and that party members would get copies of matters they would be asked to vote on at least 48 hours in advance of a meeting.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    Look at how many endorsed general officer candidates won in the Democrats primary.

    'nuf said

    Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Report this

  • InTheW

    “In Rhode Island, the Democrats are truly the party that makes things happen,”............too bad he's doesn't realize that they are all bad things.

    Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Report this