Progress Report: Defining Moment in Cicilline, Doherty; Ugliest Campaigns; What EG Is Debating; Guy Fawkes Day

A defining moment of the David Cicilline v. Brendan Doherty campaign was captured by Phil Marcelo of the Providence Journal this weekend … both candidates were in a South Providence fruit store when a Cicilline “Spanish-speaking emissary,” according to Marcelo, said of Doherty, “He shouldn’t be in this neighborhood. He talks about undocumented immigrants posing a threat to our neighborhood.” Doherty denied the accusation but the woman retorted that it is right there on his website.

Here’s a few of the reasons why this exchange defines the campaign: In so many different ways, Cicilline is running to represent the people who shop at this market, and Doherty is running to oppress them … from immigration to economic policy. Doherty is pretty acutely anti-immigration. He doesn’t support the DREAM Act. But also, Doherty likes to distance himself from his conservative leanings – so much so that he actually claims it’s negative campaigning when Cicilline links him to his own party, let alone his own policies…

That said, if David Cicilline holds on to his seat in Congress it won’t be because of favorable media coverage – this story was buried inside the Sunday ProJo and it’s been pretty disheartening to see the tacit and overt biases exemplified against his campaign – it will be because the 1st District loves liberals. The local media, not so much…

Scott MacKay has some brilliant 11th-hour observations about the election … including dubbing East Providence the Ohio of the CD1 contest.

GoLocal ranks the ugliest campaigns of this cycle … they give the top honor to the Mark Binder/Gordon Fox contest and rank the Cicilline/Doherty race as number 3. Anthony Gemma appears no where on their list.

Speaking of Anthony Gemma, you know the campaign season must be winding down because he has re-followed me on Twitter! Welcome back, Anthony!!

The ProJo Political Scene team eviscerates Gina Raimondo this morning for trying to keep her fundraising efforts secret. Tey report that at least half of the money she raised last quarter came from out of state … who are these non-Rhode Islanders that want Raimondo to be governor, and whose interest do they represent? The state’s or their own?

A great story of a Smithfield farmer who has tripled in size since 2008, without the benefit of any new tax breaks … more evidence that local agriculture is great economic development!!

Not only will the House vote on marriage equality next session if Gordon Fox holds on to the Speaker’s gavel, he says it will vote early too … that means the media will have ample time to press Teresa Paiva Weed and the State Senators (a great 50s’ band name if ever there was one) into doing likewise!! Just a vote, TPW … that’s all we ask!!

Just in case you thought all Rhode Island towns are suffering in these though economic times, take a look at the questions candidates for East Greenwich School Committee are being asked about why they should be considered for office: “Do you favor iPads (or the like) for every EGHS student? If so, how quickly would you like to see that take place? Should the EGSD expand language offerings (i.e. to include Chinese and/or Arabic), even if that means current language offerings would have to be reduced? Are you in favor of high school students starting later?” I’m pretty sure these aren’t the same questions being asked of school committee candidates in West Warwick, Central Falls or Pawtucket…

Coventry fire fighters are the best!! Some of ’em work for free; others deliver babies.

Happy Guy Fawkes Day … on this day in 1605, Fawkes is caught in the basement of Parliament trying to blow the joint sky-high. To celebrate, Anonymous says it’s gonna take down Facebook.

And happy birthday to one of the world’s most progressive (and best?) basketball players of all time, Bill Walton.