Say Goodbye to Barney

At a news conference at City Hall in Newton, Barney announced that he would not run for reelection in 2012. His statement was exactly what you would expect: rambling, unapologetic, and blunt.  He cited the byproducts of redistricting, namely the potential hardships of campaigning in a district with 30,000 new constituents. The loss of New Bedford removed a key constituency for him, and the addition of conservative towns in Blackstone Valley and Norfolk County slightly impacted the political leaning of the district (In 2008: old district was 62% for Obama, new district was 60% for Obama).

“I would’ve had to work very hard,” Barney said, noting his distaste for raising money and hard campaigning. “I would have to start now raising another couple million dollars.”

He was never the plastic politician; always the no-bull-shit wonk. He was never the charmer, but always the crowd-pleaser.

Frank summed it up a statement that his constituents understand all too well: “One of the advantages of not running for office is that I don’t ever have to pretend to be nice to people again.” To which Newton TAB Editor Gail Spector remarked, “Listening to him, I couldn’t help but think, ‘This has been what being ‘nice to people’ looks like?’ I can’t wait to see how he treats people when he’s not nice.”

Perhaps the most articulate assessment of his political force came from an unlikely source.  The New York Times quoted former congressman and Wall Street lobbyist Steve Bartlett: “He’s the smartest guy in the room. In a debate, you want to be on the same side as Barney, and if you’re not on the same side, you should re-evaluate being in the debate at all.”

Barney was a great political mind, one of the most respected (and despised) politicians in Washington, and touted a distinct character. I have been proud to call him my congressman for my entire life (2/3 of his congressional career). Replacing him is impossible, but I have faith that the best possible candidates in the district will step up and try.

I am creating this blog to cover the race to replace Barney in 2012. In congressional elections, I have often found a lack of clarity and consolidation in reporting. I see “Replacing Barney” as an unofficial go-to source for keeping up to date with the race. I will cover the race, as well as the coverage of the race. My analysis will inevitably enter, but I will make sure to distinguish between fact and opinion. I hope my take on the race as it progresses will add to readers’ understanding, rather than just distorting it.