The Hiller Instinct: Scott Brown Interview

Hiller: “What’s the most important thing you've learned during this campaign?”

Brown: “I've learned how to survive on 4 hours of sleep.”

Hiller: “Suppose you had 10 seconds to convince someone to vote for you, what would you tell them?”

Brown: “If you care about your wallets and pocketbooks, and you're concerned with where our country is going in terms of out of control taxation and spending, then you want to vote for me. If you're happy with the way things are going, you vote for Martha."

Scott Brown is quick with a quip or an answer. Maybe too quick to be consistent.

Look at his web page and you'd think he's a traditional Republican: he supports the surge in Afghanistan, lowering taxes, and the death penalty. He opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and believes marriage is between a man and a woman.

But Brown insists he's not a conservative:

"For example with the Metco program, I am the co-chair of the Metco Caucus, is that a liberal or conservative issue? No, it’s an issue that affects kids," Brown says.

Put his positions together and what does he say you get?

"I'm a Scott Brown Republican," Brown says.

Which may mean not really a republican at all:

"People shouldn’t look at the letter after my name, because I never do, there are many issues that are supposedly traditionally Democrat or liberal issues and I vote for them," Brown says.

All of which has not impressed the National Republican Party, which you'd think--given a chance to win a senate seat in Kennedy country--might send an army and a bank here to help Brown win:

Brown: "I am satisfied with what we've received so far.

Hiller: “What have you received so far?”

Brown: “Technology, phones, advice...”

Hiller: “Money?”

Brown: “Yeah, a little bit of money, but it is what it is."

Hiller: “But what if I said to you that the reason they are not giving money is the reason they don’t think you can win?

Brown: "i don't think thats accurate...i'd say you're wrong."

"I am proud to endorse Scott Brown for the Senate," Senator John McCain said.

Brown received a statement of support from Republican John McCain, but it came on a video--instead of at a well-attended campaign event.

Hiller: “But what about coming here personally?”

Brown: “He doesn’t have enough time."

And Brown is running out of time, too:

"If I win is it an upset? Of course it's an upset," Brown said.

A Scott Brown victory could kill national health care. In almost any other state, that alone would make this race big news day after day.

The relative lack of excitement surrounding the election here is just more evidence that--for better or worse--Massachusetts remains out of the political mainstream.

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