Farewell, Robert E. Travaglini ("Who's That?" All But Reporters and Politicians Ask)

Paul McMorrow's "Hill and the Hall" weekly column, part of Boston magazine's Daily blog, is always an enlightening read. I think it works exactly as a news blog attached to a formal publication should: It leaves the formal trappings of writing style, policy questions, affairs of state, etc, to the print side, and writes about the week's news with an irreverent look composed of minor but insightful scene-setting details that are equally elucidating about the people who run the affairs.

This week's was very interesting. It has a piece about former state Senate President Robert Travaligni, who resigned last year to take a lobbying job (though, at least he openly admitted why he was leaving; even the Globe at the time said he needed to earn more money to pay his kids' college tuition), having his formal portrait unveiled at the State House.

McMorrow writes that all the notable politicians except Gov. Patrick used the occasion to crack jokes about Travaglini, drinking a lot, and breaking into his meticulously neat office to rearrange everything. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino was ready to crack his own jokes when he "spied a Senate aide clutching a tape recorder. 'Awww,' he moaned, before launching into a grudging, but florid, recitation of Trav’s greatness. Then he paused, staring at the aide, a wide, open-mouthed grin on his face." Former House Speaker (and unlistenable radio host) Thomas Finneran joked about being a convicted felon! Patrick, good for him, "emotionally recalled" how Travaglini swore him in as governor last year. "I’ll never forget that day," he said.

This scene captures exactly why I think so much of the Legislature -- most infamously House Speaker Sal DiMasi -- has an uneasy relationship with Patrick. They view politics as a good-ole'-boys club where every get-together is a chance to crack jokes and have a drink, and eventually you get around to doing your job, i.e. passing a state budget, writing and approving new laws, etc., just as the Legislature is now scrambling to finish its job before the session closes. (On the even years, the session closes in July so they can go campaign, even though the overwhelming majority have no challengers because no one dares run against incumbents on the state level. And we pay them a full year's salary for this?! But as, they would say, "We're all doing good work here!")

Patrick, on the other hand, strikes me as a serious man who is here to do a job -- corporate lawyers, as he is, get down to work and spend a lot of hours doing it. He spent the first year laying out a vision, with some notable, unfortunate missteps, and now wants to realize it. Perhaps he is of a different social class -- the "elite liberal," critics would say -- but I prefer "different personality" and isn't hoping to always reminisce about shenanigans and drinking. Life, for him, is emotional and worth working hard for and striving. That's what he's always done and what should always be done.