The evening news yesterday was buzzing with the sensational news that Deval Patrick, Democratic candidate for Governor, is soft on crime. The evidence? 10 years ago, he got involved with a rape appeal in which there was evidence the accused did not get a fair trial. After DNA evidence proved the rapist's involvement, Patrick backed off and did not get further involved.
But now ads and news stories are blaring that Patrick is soft on crime - he wants convicted rapists freed!!!
Here's how the Globe is covering it. I hesitate to even look at the Herald.
Is this the best they can do? Silly Willie Horton accusations?
Now the victim's family is getting involved, saying what a terrible person Deval Patrick is for wanting the rapist to get a fair trial. Soft on crime! Wants to raise your taxes!
It's making me sick. They haven't been able to find any real skeletons in Patrick's closet, so they're bringing up the spector of letting rapists out for early parole. Boo! Be scared!
Oddly, the usually right-wing Herald has running a story on Romney-Healy style soft-on-crime. But this isn't getting the free airplay on the tv news.
And the Patrick campaign isn't stooping to using it in their ads.
Ugly.