Valley
Patriot Exclusive!
Sen. Baddour
Defends Tea Party
(October
08, 2010)
 Democrat State Senator Steve
Baddour of Methuen has been seen
networking and even speaking at Merrimack
Valley Tea Party meetings in Andover, and
North Andover.
Given the hostility that leaders in his
own political have for the Tea Party and
given the guaranteed negative media that
accompanies any Tea Party meeting, we
caught up with Baddour to ask him his
thoughts on the party and the way they
are treated by Democrats.
VALLEY PATRIOT: Senator, what do you
think of the Tea Party?
SEN. BADDOUR: I like the Tea Party. I
enjoy going to the meetings, I love the
give and take. I love the fact that there
are people there who agree with me, don’t
agree with me and aren’t afraid to
express their concerns.
So, I think the Tea Party is going to be
an integral part of the election process
going forward and, quite frankly, we need
it on a local level. We need it on a
national level and on the state level,
too. Anytime we can bring in people and
engage them in the process, it’s a
good thing.
VALLEY PATRIOT: Let me ask you this, when
Jack Wilson was running, I kept
encouraging him to go to the Tea Party
meetings and he said that he was worried
about the Democratic insiders attacking
him if he goes. You are a Democrat
insider, you are an incumbent, what
advice can you give to other Democratic
candidates about going into the Tea Party
and networking with those people and
working the crowd?
SEN. BADDOUR: First of all, I wouldn’t
say I was a Democratic insider, look at
my voting records...
VALLEY PATRIOT: Come on, Senator you are
an incumbent Democrat on Beacon Hill, you
ARE an insider!
SEN. BADDOUR:. Ok, so, I am an incumbent,
I agree. There is a difference, though
between an insider and an incumbent. But
to answer your question, I would say go!
Listen! Listen to what they are saying.
Those are the people that you have to
represent. They have legitimate concerns
about government.
There are Democrats and Republicans. The
Tea Party values are a lot like Democrat
values.
There are similarities between the
Democratic values, you know, fighting for
working families, smaller government,
lower taxes. Small business, private, let’s
put people back to work, that’s what
it is about.
VALLEY PATRIOT: Aren’t you worried
about being called a racist? Aren’t
you worried about the mythological
narrative the media has created about
those who attend Tea Party Meetings?
SEN. BADDOUR: Yeah, look, there’s a
fringe element to the Tea Party, that’s
true. But there is a fringe element to
the Democratic Party! I think the media
overlooks the similarities there.
Look, it wasn’t too long ago that
Democrats were holding signs saying
“Kill Bush” or “Bush is a
Nazi”. So, there are radicals on all
sides in every party. You have to forget
about them, ignore them, push them to the
side and go to the heart of what matters:
that’s working ordinary citizens,
who care about their government, who want
to see America and the Commonwealth move
forward."
TRANSCRIBED BY DAWN
RATTELADE-BRANTMULLER, ASSISTANT TO THE
EDITOR
TOM DUGGAN
Tom Duggan is the president of Valley
Patriot, Inc., a former Lawrence School
Committeeman, and hosts the Paying
Attention! Radio Program on WCAP, 980AM,
every Saturday from 10am-noon. You can
email your comments to Tdugjr@aol.com .
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