It wasn’t exactly a beer summit, but GOP gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Baker plunked down about $200 of his own money at South Boston’s legendary L Street Tavern last weekend to buy a round for the house packed with Patriots fans.
Baker spent some time behind the tap at the bar made famous by the 1997 film “Good Will Hunting.
” Baker, who says he usually spends fall Sundays gathered with neighborhood friends to catch the game — in noncampaign years, of course — didn’t just lug his pint of Guinness around as a media prop either.“It was wonderful. It was great,” Baker told a Herald scribe after downing the world-famous stout. “The great thing about Guinness is, especially when you’re campaigning, you have one Guinness and it’s like a meal. I won’t be hungry again until tonight.
“Seriously.”
All together now
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Martha Coakley continued her make-good tour last week, appearing for the first time on the trail with former opponent Don Berwick in a show of unity in Lexington.
Berwick said he is “unequivocally” backing the attorney general in her general election fight with Republican Charlie Baker. Coakley, meanwhile, called Berwick “one of the finest people in Massachusetts” who will be “front and center on what we do moving forward.”
“Of course we don’t agree on everything,” she told the crowd. “... I can guarantee that (running mate) Steve Kerrigan and Martha Coakley will always remember Don Berwick and the values that we stand for as we campaign and as we govern. I know Don will be there with us.”
Berwick, the Herald reported yesterday, said he also wants to be a visible figure on the anti-casino trail, where he plans to hook up with the group, Repeal the Casino Deal, who pushed onto the November ballot the question nixing the state’s casino law that Coakley tried to have barred from voting booths.
Coakley isn’t making casinos a foundation of her campaign, but it’s a fair guess that Berwick’s anti-expanded gaming stance isn’t among those “values” she heralded.
“It’s not awkward,” Berwick said of the clash of stances. “I’m passionate about these issues. What I will do and continue to do for both Martha and her candidacy and any other public venue, the Senate, the House ... is to say what I think will be really helpful to the people of the commonwealth.”
Are we there yet?
After 216 years, what’s another six weeks?
That $11.3 million makeover Gov. Deval Patrick ordered for his Corner Office digs was unveiled to much media attention in early August, but work on the third- and fourth-floor offices has quietly motored along even after administration staff moved back in.
Working in a construction zone, however, can have its drawbacks.
The odor of paint fumes hung so heavily in the air of the waiting area of the newly renovated offices Thursday that the receptionists were forced to prop open a balcony door to air out the gleaming new space.
Patrick spokeswoman Meghan Kelly said workers continue to do “touch-ups” around the office, completing what she called “punch-list” items.
“It’s nothing out of the ordinary,” she said. “Anytime you’re painting, it’s just normal.”
She said she didn’t have a date for when the work is expected to be finished.