ED: IT IS TIME FOR THE OTR POLITICAL ROUNDTABLE.
JOININUSG IS REPUBLICAN ANALYST ROB GRAY AND A "BOSTON GLOBE" COLUMNIST.
JANET: BILL WELD EXPLORES A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.
HE HAS SHARP EDGED TH ACCIDENTS PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT WILL HE BE MORE THAN A THORN IN PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SIDE?
ROB: MOST REPUBLICANS BACK THE PRESIDENT, BUT THERE ARE POWER CENTERS IN THE PARTY WHO DON’T BACK THE PRESIDENT.
THEY ARE FUELING WELD’S RUN.
HOW MUCH GAS IS GOING TO BE IN THAT TANK?
IS OUT THERE NOW.
JAT:NE ADRIAN?
ADRIAN: IT WILL BE HARD TO BE MORE THAN A THORN IN HIS SIDE OF YOU WILL BE FUN AND AUS M -- AMUSING SORT IN HIS EYE.
JANET: IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY REPUBLICANS JUMP IN.
ROB: WELD AGAINST TRUMP MANO A MANO WOULD BE GOOD FOR WELD.
:ED CHARLIE BAKER, WHO IS CONNECTED TO BILL WELD, DID NOT ENDORSE HIM.
IS THAT HAVE ANY TRAINING HERE - - RINGING HERE?
ROB: HE DID ENDORSE WELD.
YOU DID NOT ENDORSE CHRIS CHRISTIE UNTILHE T FINAL OF FEBRUARY A YEAR FROM NOW.
CHRIS CHRISTIE WAS OUT OF THE RACE TWO WEEKS LATER.
IT DID NOT LAST LONG.
HE WILL IN TIME.
ADRIAN: HE WILL EVENTUALLY ENDORSE HIS MENTOR.
ED: INTERESTING FUNDRAISER IN BOSTON THIS WEEK -- FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY WAS ONE OF THE HOSTS FOR THE KAMALA HARRIS EVENT.
THERE WAS A LIST OF LOBBYISTS AND RAINMAKERS WHO ATTENDED.
ADRIAN, WHAT IS TO BE MADE OF THIS?
ADRIAN: IT IS SMART FOR KAMALA RRHA TO CAST AS WHISENANT AS POSSIBLE IN TERMS OF FUNDRAISING AND BUILDING SUPPORT.
ED: RIGHT IN THE HEART OF ELIZABETH WARREN’S STATE.
ADRIAN: SHE HAS TO COMPETE IN EVERY STATE.
ROB: IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE KAMALA HARRIS WAS ANG, A AS WAS MARTHA COAKLEY.
HOWEVER, IT DOES RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF ELIZABETH WARREN’S TEMPE TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ENDORSEMENT THIS EARLY IN HER HOME STATE JANET: EXACTLY.
WE ARE MORE THAN A YEAR AWAY FROM THE PRIMARIES.
THERE IS A LOT OF TIME FOR FUNDRAISING.
MASSACHUSETTS HAS BEEN A BIGGER HOME -- ROB: THERE IS LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT ENDORSED WARREN YET.
ED: AND WHAT IS THERE FOR THE RECORD THAT MARTHA COAEYKL WAS A CHANNEL 5.
JUST BE TRANSPARENT.
NEJA SHARING TIME WITH JAMES CORDENND A 50 CENT -- ED: GOOD.
NET:JA WHO SUGGESTED SHE SHOULD LOOSEN UP.
[LAUGHTER] JANET: WILL THIS HELP WITH THE YOUNG VOTE, ADRIAN?
ADRI:AN I THINK IT IS GOOD ADVICE.
ED: THERE’S THE SELFIE THERE.
ADRIAN: LISTEN UP IS GOOD ADVICE.
ROB: ADRIAN IS RIGHT.
SHE DOES NEED TO LOOSEN UP.
SHE IS A STIFF CANDIDATE.
SHE IS NOT REALLY BEEN TESTED AS A CANDIDATE, BECAUSE SHE HAS HAD MOSTLY EYAS RUNS IN MASSACHUSETTS.
I’M NOT SURE GLORY AND REFLECTED YOUTH WORKS FOR CANDIDATES.
ED: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GE ISSUE.
GE IS GIVING BACK $90 MILLION IN INCENTIVES TO THE STATE NOW THAT I CANNOT GO THROUGH WITHHE T PROMISE TO BUILD THE HEADQUARTERS, IDEAS ARE GOING THROUGH WITH HOW TO SPEND THE
MONEY.
ANY SUGGESTIO?NS ROB: I HAVE BORING SUGGESTIONS, WHICH IS PUT IT IN THE RAINY DAY FUND,AY P THE UNFUNDED PENSION OBLIGATIONS, DON’T RSEAI TAXES.
I’M FOR ALL OF THAT INSTEAD OF SPENDING IT.
ADRIAN: SOME OF IT WAS SUPPOSED TOO G TO EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
ED: DO YOU THINK THAT IN THE END GE IS GOING TO REFUND THE MONEY?
ADRI:AN THEY SAID THEY ARE GOING TO.
I’M ASSUMING THE STATE WON’T ALLOW THEM TO SLIP OUT.
ROB: I THINK THEY WILL.
THEY HAVE OTHER INTERESTS HERE.
I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD FOR IT.
JANET: NEXT SEASON --