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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It's Veterans Day. Thanks to all who have served.
KENNEDY A NO-SHOW AT SENATE FORUM — Sen. Ed Markey and his Democratic challenger Shannon Liss-Riordan squared off during an hour-long climate forum last night. But someone was missing: Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who is also running to unseat Markey.
The event was nearly two months in the making. On the day Kennedy entered the Senate primary in mid September, Markey called on his primary challengers to hold a climate debate early on in the race. Liss-Riordan and corporate executive Steve Pemberton, who has since dropped out, agreed to a debate. Kennedy also agreed to a climate debate, but said it should happen after the new year.
Markey and Liss-Riordan went ahead without him, and drew a crowd of more than 100 climate-minded people to Stonehill College last night for a forum moderated by MSNBC's Steve Kornacki. The two Democrats touched on the Green New Deal, carbon pricing, a controversial compressor station proposed in Weymouth, and autonomous vehicles during the event.
Liss-Riordan knocked Markey for inaction in Washington, D.C., saying the climate revolution he calls for "has not started yet," and that the planet is running out of time. And Markey touted his decades of work in congress, from the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to filing the Green New Deal with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
But without Kennedy — who leads the race in early polling and looms as Markey's most formidable challenger — it was difficult to size up the state of the race.
"I'm disappointed that he decided not to be here. I think it was a very important debate. I wish he was here. I think that it would've been a better debate if he was here and it would've been a better discussion for the people of Massachusetts," Markey told reporters after the event. Markey said Kennedy had "plenty of notice" to attend the climate debate, though Kennedy's campaign disagrees.
"I'm sorry that he wasn't here, I look forward to more debates with all three of us," Liss-Riordan said, echoing Markey. A number of attendees were miffed that Kennedy did not show up for the forum last night, but it's unclear how many voters are tuned into the Senate race this far in advance, especially with the Democratic presidential primary attracting so much attention.
Here's one thing to keep an eye on: At an event meant to highlight the differences between the candidates — at least one new area of agreement emerged. Markey and Liss-Riordan both called for eliminating the filibuster last night. It's a procedural change that Kennedy suggested at the start of his campaign in September, and an idea that's been touted by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the presidential contender who all three Senate candidates have endorsed.
"If the Republicans are still acting in a way that blocks our ability to consider climate change on the floor of the United States Senate, at that point we do have to talk about removing the filibuster as an obstacle, and I would do so," Markey said, adding the caveat that he thinks Democrats have a chance at flipping the Senate.
It's a new stance for Markey, who hadn't said he would toss the filibuster before. The Malden Democrat brushed off a suggestion that he felt pressured to change his position due to Kennedy.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Sen. Ed Markey and Attorney General Maura Healey attend a Veterans Day ceremony at the State House. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito speaks at a Shrewsbury Veterans Day service. Markey speaks at the Evans Park Veterans Day Tribute in Newton. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh kicks off the 2019 Veterans Day Parade in Boston.
Rep. Joe Kennedy III attends a Veterans Day commemoration in Chelmsford and holds a meet and greet with the LGBTQIA+ community in Boston. Walsh and Kennedy attend a Puerto Rican Veterans Day event. Walsh attends an annual veterans town hall. Walsh is a guest on WCVB's "Helping Veterans Heal" program. Rep. Lori Trahan attends a Veterans Day ceremony in Fitchburg.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "Mass. Uses Fear Of Public Scrutiny To Secure Deeper Medicaid Discounts From Drugmakers," by Martha Bebinger, WBUR: "Thirty letters requesting meetings to discuss deeper drug discounts arrived in the inbox of major pharmaceutical executives just weeks after Baker gained leverage that would compel many of those executives to respond. The Massachusetts Medicaid program had already asked some of these same drugmakers to talk about taking less for new, high-priced medications, and the companies had refused."
- "Local delegation pitches veterans legislation," by Greta Jochem, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "When veterans come home and have a disability and are unable to work, Steven Connor, director of the Central Hampshire Veterans' Services, helps them get financial assistance if they qualify for it. But the reimbursement doesn't happen quickly. That could change. A bill filed early this year by Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, would tweak the law and require the state to reimburse municipalities within six months."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "At Harvard, an admissions scandal that unfolded out in the open," by Evan Allen, Boston Globe: "The two coaches plotted over text messages with winking-face emojis, hatching a clean and simple scheme. The middleman was so confident — so delighted at his good fortune — that he allegedly bragged about it publicly. One million dollars to get a kid into Harvard! Can you believe it? The money changed hands right out in the open: a series of donations, a land deal, a real estate purchase. Behind the scenes, they were frank about finances and favors, calling each other "brother," "boss," and "genius.""
- "Fed review of I-90 project begins with a blackout," by Andy Metzger, CommonWealth Magazine: "RECONFIGURING THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE in Allston and building a new transit station there will create construction disruption approaching the scale required for the Big Dig, so it was either inauspicious or fitting that the first federal public comment meeting Thursday night ended early because of a power outage. The meeting was nearing its final phase when federal officials were scheduled to hear input from members of a working group who have spent years advocating on various aspects of the project, including to prioritize neighborhood connections. But just then, the lights dimmed and then shut off completely in an auditorium at Brighton High School."
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| PRIMARY SOURCES |
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- "Joe Kennedy III gets a warm welcome amid Senate primary challenge," by Matt Berg, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "In a home overlooking the mountains off Westhampton Road on Saturday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III fielded questions from about 30 politically active Democrats on topics ranging from climate change to health care amid his Democratic primary challenge to incumbent U.S. Sen. Ed Markey. Kennedy began his talk with an overview of his life growing up in Boston. After high school, he attended Stanford University before a two-year stint in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. He returned to the U.S. to study law and became a prosecutor outside Boston, working with people facing eviction during the housing crisis in 2008."
- "In visit to Berkshires, Kennedy picks up Harrington's endorsement," by Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle: "In his second visit to the Berkshires since launching his campaign for U.S. Senate in September, U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III acknowledged Saturday morning that his voting record might be largely similar to that of Sen. Edward Markey. And if he is elected to unseat Markey, Kennedy said, he intends to fully represent his constituents by ensuring that their voices are heard and play a role in policy-making."
- "HE WAS ELECTED MAYOR AT 21 — NOW ALEX MORSE IS RUNNING FOR CONGRESS," by Kenya Hunter, MTV: "Alex Morse just got out of his 20s, but not without a few scars. His wedding-to-be went awry, then he lost a parent, and is now considering a shift in career — all while also working as the mayor of his hometown of Holyoke, Massachusetts. "Break ups suck," Morse told MTV News. "You have constant ups and downs when dealing with a break up, and having to be in public and do your job and pretend you're OK. In many ways, being mayor provided a great distraction." The 30-year-old mayor has been single since, and says he hopes for love to come one day. Today, though, he's running for Congress ."
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| ALL ABOARD |
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- "The new Red Line cars feature more space and new seats. Here's a look." by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "The first new Red Line cars are currently scheduled to hit the tracks next spring, but the MBTA gave a preview of what's to come Thursday. At the agency's maintenance facility in South Boston, transportation officials showed off a few of the sleek, new pilot cars, which will eventually replace the current 218-car Red Line fleet. The MBTA says the full order of 252 new vehicles is projected to be in service by 2023. Officials say the new fleet will increase the Red Line's capacity by 65,000 riders a day."
- "MBTA shuttle bus brought riders to wrong destination," by Jordan Frias, Boston Globe: "Riders boarding a shuttle bus from Orange Line MBTA stops Friday night were taken to the wrong place, the MBTA said. The agency said it is investigating "an incident involving a third-party Orange Line shuttle taking its riders to the wrong destination," in a tweet Saturday evening."
- "Baker tours Orange Line repairs as MBTA prepares for Red Line shutdowns," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "Six weekends of Orange Line repairs are coming to an end — giving straphangers a brief respite before the shutdowns shift to the Red Line next weekend. MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak and Gov. Charlie Baker acknowledged riders' frustrations with the weekend closures while touring track work at Downtown Crossing on Saturday — but deemed the service disruptions necessary to improve service. " One of the things I hear a lot from people in the system is 'move faster, fix it faster,'" Baker said."
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| THE OPINION PAGES |
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- "Is Baker launching a new state political party?" by Ed Lyons, CommonWealth Magazine: "AFTER MONTHS OF CONFLICT between Gov. Charlie Baker and the Massachusetts Republican Party, a powerful new SuperPAC that backs candidates Baker supports has stepped into public view and gotten involved in elections. In last week's municipal elections it spent an unbelievable $267,000 on 15 candidates, of which 11 won. Four of the 11 candidates who won did so in close races. By all appearances, Massachusetts Majority is the engine of a new statewide political party, targeting that sizeable majority of largely unenrolled voters who support Charlie Baker and his politics but are not being served by loud partisans to the left and right."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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- "Are Faculty At Religious Colleges Ministers? Question Is At Center Of Mass. Lawsuit," by Max Larkin, WBUR: "A judge will decide whether faculty at religious colleges in Massachusetts should be considered ministers — and therefore not be covered by anti-discrimination laws. The question arises from a lawsuit by professor Margie DeWeese-Boyd at Gordon College in Wenham, who claims she was denied promotion because of her advocacy for the college's LGBT students."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Elizabeth Warren Seeks to Win Over Black Voters," by Joshua Jamerson, The Wall Street Journal: "Rev. Jeff Brown knew his endorsement, along with backing from a slate of other prominent black faith leaders here, would be a boost to Elizabeth Warren in the fall of 2012, when she was in the home stretch of her first political campaign. The incumbent, Republican Sen. Scott Brown, had been attacking Ms. Warren in television ads over her claims to Native American ancestry, for which she would later apologize. The race was rated a toss up by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, despite Ms. Warren heavily outraising her opponent."
- "Warren Would Take Billionaires Down a Few Billion Pegs," by Patricia Cohen, The New York Times: ""Yes, billionaires will have to pay a little more," Senator Elizabeth Warren said of the revised tax package she introduced recently, "six cents on each dollar." This modest-sounding proposal, though, would have a far-reaching impact on the wealthiest Americans when combined with her other tax plans — shrinking colossal fortunes over time and making it much more difficult to hand down multibillion-dollar legacies."
- "In a shift, Warren responds to Biden's 'angry' comment," by Annie Linskey, The Washington Post: "After days of silence, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and her campaign responded with careful calibration to former vice president Joe Biden, who accused her Tuesday of holding an "angry, unyielding viewpoint." In an email to some supporters Friday, Warren (D-Mass.) turned the criticism from her Democratic rival into a rallying cry, writing, "I'm angry and I own it." The Friday fundraising email — which never mentioned Biden directly — marked a shift for Warren's team, which initially ignored Biden's "angry" comment even as her allies suggested the former vice president's language was gendered ."
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| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
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- "Former Mass. Gov. Bill Weld Warns Of Dire Consequences For GOP If Trump Stays," by Chris Van Buskirk, State House News Service: "Former Gov. Bill Weld said Republicans in the U.S. Senate have an existential choice to make with respect to the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump — "walk the plank" or vote for removal. "My prediction is if they fail in that duty and line up behind the president, walk the plank, as I say, the verdict of history as I indicated in an op-ed piece in the Boston Herald this morning, will be harsh," he said Friday during a speech in Boston."
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| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
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- "Marijuana legalization gets lost in the weeds," by Shannon Young, Sam Sutton and Paul Demko, POLITICO: "Five Democratic states are poised to create a pot lovers' paradise, legalizing marijuana from Pennsylvania to Connecticut. But political infighting — especially among Democrats — could conspire to kill it. Democratic lawmakers in New York and New Jersey are arguing over criminal justice reforms. In Connecticut, powerful religious leaders torpedoed legalization once before. And all five states must find common ground on taxes to keep up with Massachusetts, where marijuana is already legal."
- "Medical Marijuana Patients Set to Regain Vape Product Access," by Chris Lisinski | State House News Service: "Medical marijuana users are on track to regain access to vaping products next week after state cannabis regulators declined Thursday to uphold the Baker administration's ban, though access could be short-lived amid ongoing legal challenges and potential future regulatory measures. The executive director of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) said Thursday he may pursue a quarantine of oil-based cartridges if a court order to resume sales of medical marijuana-related vaping products on Tuesday remains in place."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "PRIDE AT 100," — Globe: "Dueling strategies on hearings to impeach," "When duty calls, at age 99." |
| FROM THE 413 |
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- "He spends $230 a week to get from Western Mass. to Boston and he's not alone; meet one of the state's more than 10,000 'super commuters'" by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "Six days a week, Ricarte Burgos wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to drive halfway across Massachusetts to get to work. Fortunately, the 40-year-old Springfield resident narrowly avoids the morning traffic jam along the Massachusetts Turnpike at that hour. But the journey carries with it considerable cost and sacrifices, and is fraught with variables including accidents on the highway and the availability of parking upon reaching his destination, among other things. And Burgos, who's lived in Western Massachusetts for more than three decades, is not alone."
- "The Whole 2019 Yards: Westfield Election's End Begets New Race," by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: "Many expected Westfield State Senator Don Humason to waltz right into the Whip City's mayor's office. It turned out to be far more complicated than that. Police Captain Michael McCabe put up an unexpectedly intense fight. By Election Day Tuesday, not even 100 votes out of nearly 10,000 cast separated the two. On Friday, despite the right to a recount, McCabe conceded, handing Humason the city's top job and assuring pieces set in motion earlier this year would keep moving."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "AP finds nearly 40 problematic dams in Massachusetts," The Associated Press: "When Frederick Law Olmsted designed Brockton's largest park in the 1930s, his centerpiece was a chain of small lakes and ponds. One of those, Ellis Brett Pond, was for years a popular swimming hole. Photographs from the 1950s show hundreds of people, adults and children alike, lining a sandy beach on summer days and playing in knee-deep water. The pond's glory days as a community gathering spot are long past. What remains is a shallow lake wrapped around woods and wetlands. But in big storms, it can fill up quickly, and that's what concerns officials in the city of 95,000."
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Mike Bloomberg, COS to Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, who celebrated on Saturday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Will Boscow, The New York Times' Eric Athas, a UMass Amherst alum; and Jesse Adams.
FOR YOUR COMMUTE: PAC It Up, PAC It In- On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Stephanie Murray and Jennifer Smith break down the 2019 municipal elections. Boston Business Journal digital editor Gintautas Dumcius talks about how candidates backed by the Massachusetts Majority Super PAC performed in local elections, and Coalition for Safe and Secure Data spokesperson Conor Yunits discusses a "Right to Repair" ballot question that could be coming down the pike. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.
Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.
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