SANDERS’ chilly Cambridge reception — ELDRIDGE gets GOP challenger — More on JK III's Midwestern swing Presented by CuriosityStream

By Lauren Dezenski ( [email protected] ; @LaurenDezenski) and Rebecca Morin ( [email protected] ; @RebeccaMorin_)

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Morning fog gives way to sun and a high in the low 70s today.

NEW THIS MORNING — Sen. Bernie Sanders is coming to town but not everyone in the people’s republic of Cambridge is happy about it.

In a letter sent to the Vermont senator and former presidential candidate on Sunday, a group of Sanders and Clinton-backing Cambridge Democrats including state Rep. Marjorie Decker criticized his visit today — and the thinking behind the endorsements at all. Sanders plans to endorse a slate of 18 candidates for local offices like Cambridge city council, Somerville town council, and Somerville school board. The group writes that his visit is unnecessary and question the reasoning behind the candidates he plans to endorse today. “All of us are concerned that the candidates were chosen without regard to whether they differ on the economic and social justice principles that are your platform,” they write.

“There are many races around the country, including some local ones, where a progressive voice is needed,” they write. “Intervening in the Cambridge city council race is a counterproductive choice and divides, rather than unites, progressives here.”

Read the full letter here.

This pushback comes on the heels of a big recent victory for a Sanders-backed candidate in Mass — last week, voters in the Bristol and Norfolk district voted to send his 2016 state campaign director Paul Feeney to the state Senate.

Sanders is scheduled to speak at ONCE Somerville at 9:30 this morning.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: [email protected].

TODAY — The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce hosts a convention for millennials at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate with appearances from Rep. Seth Moulton, Chamber CEO Jim Rooney, Boston City Council President Michelle Wu, state Senators Eric Lesser, Ryan Fattman, and Joe Boncore, Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell, and former First Lady Diane Patrick — Attorney General Maura Healey holds a roundtable on the opioid epidemic in Fall River, followed by a town hall forum in Walpole — Sen. Bernie Sanders endorses a slate of candidates for local office at an event in Somerville this morning.



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WHAT CITY HALL IS READING — “NAACP to release harsh report on Walsh’s promises to communities of color,” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “The Boston branch of the NAACP will release its first report card this week on the administration of Mayor Martin J. Walsh, harshly grading him on his ability to deliver on key campaign promises to communities of color. The nearly 200-page analysis, provided to the Globe, graded the mayor on his pledge to resolve vexing barriers for blacks and Hispanics in public safety, education, diversity at City Hall, and economic development .”

WHAT CITY HALL IS ALSO READING — “Marty Walsh dominates Tito Jackson in new Globe poll,” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “Mayor Martin J. Walsh has a dominant lead of 35 percentage points over Councilor Tito Jackson in a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll .”

DATELINE BEACON HILL —

— “Suffolk Downs: Racing For Amazon,” by Robert DeLeo, WGBH News: “When I grew up in a crowded corner of East Boston, Suffolk Downs radiated electricity and excitement. Everyone knew the major race days. Customers at Carlo’s Market on Bennington Street buzzed about fast horses. Many spent entire days, if not whole weekends, at the track. … The track was about more than recreation. It was about jobs .”

TRUMPACHUSETTS —

— “Neal rejects Republican tax plan in weekly Democratic address,” by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle: “While details of President Donald Trump's tax reform proposals haven't been nailed down, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, said that what he's hearing so far points to tax changes that might favor the rich. In the weekly Democratic address taped this week, Neal rejected a tax overhaul framework hatched by Trump and Republican lawmakers .”

THE WARREN REPORT —

— “Elizabeth Warren starts warming up to the media,” by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: “In what would have been routine for most of her colleagues, she took questions in the hallway outside the hearing room where she’d just been grilling former Equifax CEO Richard Smith. For Warren it was an exceedingly rare event. So rare, in fact, that her office had to announce it was happening by e-mail first. CNBC carried the informal press conference live .”

THROWBACK TO THIS STORY IN MARCH — “Elizabeth Warren finally busts out of her media bubble,” from yours truly: “With re-election on the horizon, the press-dodging senator is suddenly open and accessible to local reporters .”

— “Sen. Warren Calls for Probe After VA Medical Center Death,” by Associated Press: “U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is calling for an expedited criminal investigation into the death of a patient at the Bedford, Massachusetts VA Medical Center. William R. Nutter Jr., a Vietnam War veteran who served 21 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, died July 3, 2016. Warren cited reports in The Boston Globe and The Lowell Sun, saying Nutter's death was due in part to neglect .”

— “Elizabeth Warren describes sexual harassment in early teaching job,” by Julia Jacobs, Boston Globe: “Senator Elizabeth Warren has stepped forward to tell of her own experience with predatory behavior as a young law instructor, joining other prominent women who have recounted their stories of sexual harassment and abuse following allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Warren was one of four female senators, all Democrats, to divulge her personal experience Sunday morning on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ as part of the #MeToo campaign .”

— “Elizabeth Warren to appear at fundraiser for Tammy Baldwin Saturday in Milwaukee,” by Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Facing a tough re-election fight in 2018, Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin will get a big cash boost Saturday afternoon with a fundraising event headlined by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The fundraiser will be held at Good City Brewing, a Democratic Party operative confirmed. The two senators will not hold a joint public appearance .”

MOULTON MATTERS —

— “Congressman And Veteran Says Trump Has A Pattern Of Disrespecting Troops,” by NPR: “I don't think anyone misunderstands the fact that President Trump has sadly disrespected our troops many, many times. I remember during his campaign when he told the country that the troops had no idea what they were doing, that the generals had no idea what they were doing. And he even praised Saddam Hussein. So I don't think it's lost on people that President Trump, a draft dodger himself — a five-time draft dodger, has a lot of trouble respecting the troops and the sacrifices that they make .”

ON THE STUMP —

NEW THIS MORNING — “Acton’s Margaret Busse Announces Bid for State Senate in the Middlesex Worcester District,” from Busse’s campaign: “Acton Republican Margaret Busse today announced her candidacy for State Senate representing Middlesex-Worcester District, a seat currently held by the self-styled Progressive incumbent, Jamie Eldridge.”

MORE ON KENNEDY’S MIDWESTERN SWING — Rep. Joe Kennedy III has returned from a tour of industrial cities in Michigan and Ohio, with a side of fundraising. His office tells me the trip was built around his emphasis on economic development and health care. Kennedy delivered the keynote speech at Crain’s Detroit Business annual conference about the future of health care, asking attendees on Thursday, “is there any cause greater, any pursuit nobler or any challenge more defining of this country’s character than our efforts to save as many lives and shield as many families as we possibly can?”

— Kennedy also attended a high school opioid awareness awareness event with Rep. Debbie Dingell in Taylor, Michigan, visited the Ford Rouge Factory in Dearborn, Michigan, Cleveland’s Magnolia Clubhouse, and got an update on Flint’s recovery efforts with Rep. Dan Kildee. Kennedy’s wife and daughter also joined him in Flint, and he hugged @LittleMissFlint . While in the heartland, Kennedy was the special guest at a fundraiser for Rep. Marcy Kaptur and hosted a fundraiser for Kildee.

ENDORSE — “A second term for Mayor Walsh,” by the Boston Globe editorial board: “Public education is still waiting for the kind of disruption that Walsh’s administration has brought to the housing market in Boston. Walsh spent his first term mapping a pathway to improvement for the school system and has notched some victories. He implemented a longer day, hired a good superintendent, and expanded summer learning opportunities for low-income kids. The Globe endorses Walsh with enthusiasm, in the hope that in a second term he will build on his accomplishments of the last four years while using more of his political capital to improve Boston schools .”

— “2013 Challenger John Connolly Endorses Mayor Marty Walsh,” from Committee to Elect Martin J. Walsh: “Former city councilor John Connolly endorsed Mayor Marty Walsh on Saturday, citing the mayor’s commitment to improving Boston Public Schools. The endorsement took place in West Roxbury where the two were joined by dozens of supporters. ‘I am proud to support Mayor Marty Walsh, who has spent four years putting our children and families first,’ Connolly said. ‘It’s hard work moving our schools forward, and I know he is committed to doing the necessary, critical work to create opportunities for all children in Boston. Together, we’re making great strides towards becoming an even better place to live. … No one has fought harder to create a better tomorrow for all of us.”

WOOD WAR — Herald: “HAYSTACKS OF NEEDLES,” “WHOMP THERE IT IS” — Globe: “Mayor has 35-point lead over challenger,” “Sox turn to Cora to take them to next level,” “Warren, in shift, reaches out to press,” “Trump’s travel orders, US dollar slowing tourism,” “For Arlington novelist, an almost surreal success,” “A BLOCK PARTY.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE —

— “Rep. Kennedy talks about release of JFK documents,” by WJRT: “While in Flint Saturday, Representative Joe Kennedy III spoke about the scheduled release of the remaining files related to JFK's assassination. ‘It woulda been nice if there was some communication between the administration and members of our family. I understand the historical value of those documents, I don't dispute that, they also happen to be quite personal as well, I have no idea what's in them,’ Kennedy said .”

— “Special Report: Number of needles in Boston parks soars,” by Meghan Ottolini, Rob Way, Marisa Dellatto, Jonathon Sheley House, Daniel Kam, Boston Herald: “Boston has seen a dramatic increase in the number of used hypodermic needles littering the city’s streets and parks, with health officials reporting a stunning 60 percent surge in the sharp hazards collected since last October .”

— “How the 1967 mayoral race changed Boston,” by Andrew Ryan, Boston Globe: “The campaign announcement dreaded by Boston’s establishment came with gold-embossed invitations and a 475-pound cake baked in the shape of the new City Hall rising at Government Center. It was a crisp May night in 1967, and a crowd estimated at more than 1,000 packed the Sheraton Plaza’s Oval Room. A band struck up a soon-to-be familiar tune, with the lyric: ‘Every little breeze seems to whisper Louise .’”

— “Massachusetts releases its pitch, with 26 sites, for Amazon's second headquarters, ‘HQ2,’” by Gintautas Dumcius, Masslive.com: “Massachusetts officials on Friday stressed the region's brainpower and the availability of 26 locations across the Bay State that could become the site of Amazon's second headquarters. It was a bipartisan pitch - alongside photos of Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito were those of state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and Robert DeLeo, both Democrats. A letter signed by Robert Kraft and MassMutual's president, CEO and chair Roger Crandall, among other business leaders, accompanies the proposal .”

— “The relentless persistence of domestic violence,” by Kate Hogan and Jason Lewis, Masslive.com: “Domestic violence is a serious public health issue that harms individuals, disrupts families and imposes wide-ranging costs on society. It may start with seemingly small threats and later escalate to shouting, grabbing and physical assault. People experiencing this type of violence will likely fear for their personal safety while their mental, emotional and physical health may deteriorate .”

— “Right whale deaths called ‘apocalyptic,’” by Mary Ann Bragg, Cape Cod Times: “Whale scholars, lobstermen, conservationists and government officials converge today in Nova Scotia to save right whales. ‘Everybody is running out of adjectives,’ Defenders of Wildlife attorney Jane Davenport said of the death of 12 North Atlantic right whales since June in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and another three off the U.S., totaling 3 percent of the total population. ‘ It’s apocalyptic. It really is .’”

SPOTTED at a fall party in Washington, D.C.'s Woodley Park yesterday afternoon hosted by Romney alums Ryan Williams, Annie Starke, and Jill Barclay, along with Andrew Mills (pic of the hosts http://bit.ly/2xXNkn2 ): Matt Mowers, Lauren Claffey, Josh Dawsey, Alex Isenstadt, Matt Nussbaum, Tyler Grimm, Meridith McGraw, Matt Gorman, Alan He, Michael Falcone, Kate Hansen.

ONE FOR THE MONEY (AND YOUR #MAPOLI LISTENING PLEASURE) – In the latest installment of The Horse Race, it's that time of year — flannel, fall activities, and FEC REPORTS! Democratic campaign fundraising guru Sean Curran walks us through what the quarter three reports mean, Lauren is vindicated in her special election love, and Steve gets sentimental about public opinion polling. Keeping up with our trivia? Listen to the episode to find out last week's answer. This week: What Massachusetts city was nicknamed the City of Notions in the 19th century? Subscribe and listen now on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

HAPPY BELATED — to Michael Clark, former Longmeadow School Committee member and state Sen. Eric Lesser's senior adviser and director of strategic engagement. He celebrated on Friday.

DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! — The Patriots beat the Falcons 23-7 and the New England Revolution topped the Montreal Impact 3-2. The Bruins fell to the Sabres on Saturday 5-4.

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