As a reporter, my first reaction to leaks is almost automatic, "let the secrets out and let the sunshine in," because - as news people like to say - we have a right to know. But now that I've seen the Wikileaks, I'm wondering, "Do we have a need to know it all?"
I don't know whether to give thanks or give up.
Have you ever seen something and thought, "This can't be true?" and then you find out it is, but you still can't believe it?
We're getting to the holidays, and that means a lot of eating, and a lot of travelling.
"I am proud to be a Democrat and I am proud to have won this race as a Democrat," Governor Deval Patrick said.
We're in the last hours of voting now, so the last thing I'll do is say anything that might influence your vote. But there are a couple things I'd like to say about this campaign.
Unknown four years ago, Massachusetts voters now know plenty about Deval Patrick.
"We've not been standing still, we've been moving forward," Governor Patrick said. And it looks like Deval Patrick is moving forward to re-election.
"I had no idea what I was getting into when I got into this," Charlie Baker says.
For the candidates, this debate is the last round-up, the last time voters may see them all together, and take their measure. The race is close enough to make this debate a game-changer, so the do's and don'ts could help determine the outcome:
This was the sixteenth debate for these four candidates, and it was certainly one of the best because the differences between the two major candidates were so striking, every voter who watched can now make an intelligent choice.
If this were a political play, it could be called "The President and the Governor." The admiration these two feel for each other may have started before either was elected, but it's grown -- based on their shared values.
The debate reflected what the governor's race has become: the candidates say they want to talk about issues, but they seem trapped by the negative tone clouding the campaign.
"The second term is about finishing what we started," Governor Patrick says. And it looks like the governor will get a chance to finish.
This is a very complicated story - or is it?
"It's a great thing to have a partner like that in charge of our federal government, and being such a strong partner," Governor Patrick said. The governor says he's excited the president will campaign for him again. "Our agenda is very like the agenda that he has set nationally." Bay Staters see those similarities.
He can say he's still running, but--politically--Tim Cahill is now a dead man walking.
“And they're coming down to the finish,” the horse race commentator said.
Deval Patrick goes into the debate in front, and here's what he should do to come out of it the same way. Like the president, the governor can be a poet, but he has to be careful his pretty words don't exaggerate his record.
This was not a great debate. The format was too formal, so there was very little spontaneity. And there were certainly no memorable moments.