>> VIEWPOINT CORRESPONDENT FOR THE REPUBLICAN AND MASSLIVE AND
HE REGULARLY DROPS BY TO SHARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE
CATCHING HIS ATTENTION. IN HIS LATEST VISIT WE STARTED
BY ASKING HIS REACTION TO WHETHER RED SOX SUPERSTAR DAVID
ORTIZ WILL RETIRE NEXT SEASON. >> WELL, I'M NOT TOTALLY
SURPRISED. I'M GLAD HE'S SAYING IT NOW SO
WE CAN APPRECIATE HIM ONE MORE YEAR SO THERE'S NOT A SEASON OF
DEBATE ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY IF HE STARTS SLOWLY, QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHETHER HE SHOULD RETIRE OR NOT.
HE'S GOT IT OUT THERE, SAYING WHAT HIS PLANS ARE AND WE CAN
ABSORB THAT. >> WHERE DO YOU THINK HE'S GOING
TO RANK IN RED SOX LORE? >> I THINK HE'S THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL PLAYER NORTHBOUND THE FRANCHISE INCLUDING ARE
JONATHAN WILLIAMS. NOT ONLY IS HE A GREAT PLAYER,
GREAT HITTER, HE WAS LEADER FOR THREE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIPS
AND HE HAS BEEN A BONDING AGENT FOR THE CITY.
MINORITIES ROOT FOR THE TEAM COMFORTABLY.
PEDRO MARTINEZ HELPED THAT TOO. I THINK YOU GOT TO CONSIDER ALL
THESE THINGS. I DON'T WANT TO DUMP ON TED
WILLIAMS' LEGACY, MY FAVORITES TOO, ORTIZ HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS
INFLUENCE ON AND OFF THE FIELD. >> IN 2004 I REMEMBER READING A
QUOTE AFTER THE SEASON WHERE HE SAID THE OTHER GUYS ON THE TEAM
WHEN THEY WERE DOWN 3-0 TO THE YANKEES HE SAID, IT'S MORE THAN
JUST A GAME TO THESE PEOPLE. IT'S EVERYTHING.
WE GOT TO REALLY DO THIS. WIN FOUR IN A ROW, SWEEP THE
SERIES. HE'S EMBRACED THE PRESSURE OF
PLAYING IN BOSTON WHICH HAS MULTIPLIED BECAUSE OF THE TYPE
OF PERSON HE IS. HE'S A SUPERSTAR.
EVERYTHING GOOD AND SOMETIMES NOT SO GOOD IS MAGNIFIED.
IN 2013 HE DID THE SAME THING. THEY WERE LOSING TO THE
CARDINALS AND HE GOT THEM TOGETHER, SAID, YOU MIGHT NOT BE
HERE AGAIN. DON'T LOSE THIS MOMENT.
AND THEY RESPONDED. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT OTHER THINGS
GOING ON RECENTLY IN THE WAKE OF THE PARIS TERRORIST BOMBINGS.
YOU WROTE TO ME JUST A FASCINATING COLUMN ABOUT THE
FACT WE ARE LED BY A PRESIDENT WHO FROM THE GET GO HAS BEEN AN
ANTI-WAR PRESIDENT. REALLY ELECTED ON HIS OPPOSITION
TO THE WAR IN IRAQ FROM THE GET-GO.
YOU WONDER IF A TIME NOW COMES WHERE WE ARE BOOTS ON THE
GROUNDS, IN SYRIA, AGAINST ISIS. IS THIS PRESIDENT A WAR TIME
LEADER AND MORE THAN THAT ARE THE PEOPLE GOING TO FOLLOW?
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I HAVE SOME ANXIETY ABOUT IT IN
BOTH CASES. HE'S NEVER BEEN A COMMANDER IN
CHIEF PER SE. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S ALL ABOUT.
BUT SOMETIMES CRISIS AND SITUATIONS MAKE YOU RISE TO THAT
OCCASION. THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS IF HE
DOES BECOME THAT BOOTS ON THE GROUND COMMANDER AND HE SAYS AT
THE MOMENT IT WON'T HAPPEN IN SYRIA BUT WE'LL SEE, WILL THE
NATION RALLY BEHIND YOU? WE'RE A VERY POLARIZED NATION
AND HE'S A POLARIZING PRESIDENT. WILL WE GET BEHIND OUR LEADER
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
>> IN THE DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK WHEN QUESTIONS CAME UP ABOUT
ADMITTING SYRIAN REFUGEES TO THIS COUNTRY, OUR GOVERNOR,
CHARLIE BAKER, JOINED THE MAJORITY SAYING I HAVE REAL
RESERVATIONS ABOUT LETTING THESE PEOPLE IN.
HAILSTORM OF CRITICISM. YOU CAME IN AND SAID, WAIT A
MINUTE, LET'S NOT BE UNFAIR TO THE GOVERNOR.
>> I THINK THE TREATMENT OF THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN UNFAIR BECAUSE
HE'S SAYING LET'S LOOK AT THIS. A LOT OF THE OTHER GOVERNORS AND
THE DECISION ANNOUNCEMENTS CAME ACROSS PARTY LINES, REPUBLICANS
WERE AGAINST IT WITH ONE EXCEPTION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
DEMOCRATS SAID LET HIM IN. CHARLIE BAKER SAYS, I WANT TO
KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE. WHAT ARE WE DOING?
I DON'T THINK THAT'S UNREASONABLE OR HEARTLESS.
HE JUST WANTS TO MAKE SURE THIS IS DONE PROPERLY.
HE'S KEEPING THE DOOR OPEN IF IT'S DONE PROPERLY TO ADMIT SOME
REFUGEES. >> YOUR COLUMN READS FOR ME THE
WHOLE BASIS TO SOME EXTENT OF WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE, YOU
SAID, WHAT'S THE PRIORITY HERE? IS IT LIBERTY OR PUBLIC SAFETY?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO THINK IT'S BACK AND FORTH.
THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE.
EYE BOTHERED IT'S BREAKING DOWN ALONG PARTY LINES.
I DON'T THINK KEEP PUBLIC SAFETY IN MIND IS WRONG.
ON THE OTHER HAND THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN BUILT ON PEOPLE WHO
NEEDED TO BE HERE. IT HAS TO BE DONE CAREFULLY.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE THESE REFUGEES NEED HELP
RIGHT NOW. >> IS THAT JUST SOMETHING -- YOU
AND I IN OUR BUSINESS LIKE TO THINK ABOUT THE FREEDOM OF
SPEECH. WE CAN'T GO TO WORK IN THE
MORNING WITHOUT THAT. DO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THERE'S
KIND OF A DANGER BUILT INTO LIVING IN A FREE SOCIETY THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO SPEAK AND ASSEMBLE, MOVE ABOUT FREELY?
A LOT OF COUNTRIES DON'T ALLOW THAT.
BUT THAT MAKES IT RATHER HARD TO STOP A TERRORIST OR SOMEONE WHO
IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO HURT OTHERS RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
>> IT'S THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE OF THE DEMOCRACY I THINK JUST
HOW MUCH FREEDOM WILL YOU ALLOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE NERVOUS
OR WORRIED AS WE ARE NOW, AND WITH REASON.
HOW MUCH WILL YOU BE WILLING TO MORTGAGE THE FREEDOMS THAT EWITH
TAKE FOR GRANTED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE FEEL SAFE?
THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT.
>> ANOTHER TOPIC, YOU BROUGHT UP VERY INTERESTING ADDRESSING THE
ISSUE OF BUYS COSBY, WHO HAS BEEN A MAINSTAY IN WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS, LIVES HERE, BEEN HERE MANY, MANY YEARS.
ALL THE VARIOUS THEY SAYEROUS CHARGES AGAINST HIM IN THE LAST
YEAR OR TWO. MANY HONORARY DEGREES GRANTED.
THEY ARE NOT SURE HOW MANY. THEY THINK IN THE RANGE OF 80,
90. MORE THAN 60.
MANY HAVE BEEN WITH DRAWN. YOU FIND THE WHOLE IDEA OF
HONORARY DEGREES I THINK YOU USED THE TERM BEWILDERING.
>> TO SOME EXTENT UNNECESSARY. IT'S SHOWBIZ EDUCATION.
I'M TRYING TO GET LETTERS FROM PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH ME ON
THIS. I KNOW PEOPLE I'M SURE YOU HAVE
AT WORK, WORKED FOR YEARS AND EARNED DEGREES THEN WE HAND ONE
TO SOMEBODY. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR OR
NECESSARY. >> ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU
WITH US, SIR.