508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Brendan Melican.[display_podcast]

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[0:08] Brendan’s candidate, Steve Grossman, won the race for MA Treasurer.

[4:36] On Monday there was a Tea Party rally, and a counter-rally, in Worcester.

[15:30] Mike reads feedback.

[17:20] Jim McGovern won re-election as US Rep. Is he our most metal Congressman?

[19:00] McGovern didn’t do as well as one might expect.

[24:11] We think he’s, on-balance, a good Congressman.

[29:57] “Spammin’ John” Mahoney was elected state rep.

[30:30] Paul Franco, Mahoney’s opponent, actually linked to Mike’s “un-dorsement” of Mahoney. (Mike ended up endorsing a third candidate in the race, Ron Madnick.) We spend some time criticizing a local radio guy for stealing the term “un-dorse,” but of course it predates our coinage.

[33:30] Newspaper endorsements: Bump got none, still won auditor’s race.

[36:05] Should you vote? We’ll take this more seriously next time it comes up. Brendan mentions the George Carlin routine below.

[37:36] If we’re still doing the show next election, we’ll try some of the idea’s in Jay Rosen’s The Citizens Agenda in Campaign Coverage.

[42:00] What happens when 508 has no 30-minute time limit? We end up talking about The Wire.

[46:40] Idependent Jim Henderson lost the Secretary of State race to incumbent Bill Galvin.