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PrintThe Hiller Instinct: Reilly for Governor?
He's taken on Cardinal Law, former U-Mass President Billy Bulger, even the former owners of the Red Sox. And now it looks as if Attorney General Tom Reilly is getting ready to take on Mitt Romney...
Andy Hiller
"If I say, 'you are running for governor,' would you say I'm nuts?"
Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"I'd say it's premature… It's going to go where it's going to go and the future will take care of itself. I don't worry about that, I just don't."
Reilly established himself as an independent Democrat by blasting Bulger…
Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"I did what I had to do."
His pursuit of Cardinal Law put him on center stage and Reilly says Law and other church leaders couldn't get away now with what they did then…
Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"They clearly would be criminally susceptible to criminal charges, no question about it."Andy Hiller
"Cardinal Law was lucky. He had the law on his side at his time."Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"In a criminal sense, yes."
They gay marriage debate now pits the AG directly against Romney. Like the governor, he opposes gay marriage. But, unlike Romney, Reilly thinks fighting it is futile…
Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"May 17th is coming and marriage, same sex marriage, will be legal in the state. You know what? The world is not going to end. It's not going to threaten my marriage or my relationship and it's not going to threaten other's people’s relationships. And I don't think the whole concept and institution of marriage is going to be as threatened as other people think it may be."
Reilly is aware all his activities have increased his prominence as a potential candidate.
Andy Hiller
"If you're not the leading democrat in state politics, who is?"Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"I have no idea."Andy Hiller
"That's an agreement. Then it must be you."Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"I have no idea who would be the leading democrat..."Andy Hiller
"You are..."
And while he insists he's not thinking about running, he already knows why he would…
Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"Everything is going up, everything is costing more and people don't see a way out."
He already has a slogan…
Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"We're better than this. We are absolutely better than this!"
And he's already sure he could handle the corner office…
Tom Reilly (D)-Attorney General
"The experience that I've had, district attorney, attorney general, prepares you for a lot of positions. Yes, no question about it."
If Reilly runs, he'll be running against history. The last two AG's, who tried to move up, were moved out by voters. But if there's one thing Tom Reilly doesn't worry about, it's tradition.