Dem. Candidate Starts Fundraising

Democratic candidate for Massachussetts lieutenant governor Robert K. Massie, Jr. kicked off his public fundraising drive yesterday evening by hosting a folk music concert in Boston.

Bill Morrissey, Christine Lavin and Peter, Paul and Mary performed at the concert, and Massie himself played the banjo in the closing number, "This Land is Your Land."

Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary called Massie's performance, which echoed President Clinton's saxophone playing, "not bad".

"I think he could be a better banjo player than you-know-who is on the sax," Travers said.

Lavin brought the 400-person crowd to laughter with her rendition "in six-part harmony" of the Everly Brothers' "All I want to Do is Dream."

Peter Yarrow compared Massie's candidacy to the horse stewball, who in a Peter, Paul and Mary song won a horse race despite drinking wine rather than water.

"If I had bet on Stewball, I'd be a free man today," Yarrow said, echoing the words of the song. "If only we can bet on the Bob Massies in our lives, who are the Stewballs, we will be free."

Massie addressed the crowd toward the end of the program and explained the similarities between folk music and his campaign.

"At the heart of folk music come two commitments," Massie said. "We should see the world as it is, and we are called to make the world a better place.

He said he is running "because the current governor has neglected the great traditions of the state."

Massie, who is HIV-positive, criticizedGovernor William F. Weld '66 for a lack ofinterest in solving the health care crisis andsaid that Weld does not care about the expansionof small businesses.

"Instead of tax cuts and foreign trademissions," Massie said, "we need a government thatwill expand credit opportunities for smallbusinesses."

Massie outlined some of his specific proposals,including limiting the expansion of gambling.Massie said he planned to make up for lost revenueby imposing a graduated income tax onMassachusetts.

"Gambling is a cancer which threatens the majororgans of our body politic," Massie said. "Thestate is spending $150,000 each week on televisionads to promote a destructive behavior,"

But Massie said he does not intend to get ridof gambling altogether, if elected.

Massie campaign officials said last night theywere not sure how much the concert raised, butMassie said he needs to gather $100,000 by theDemocratic convention in June.

Among those in attendance included Democraticgubernatorial hopefuls Michael J. Barrett '70 andMark Roosevelt '78 as well as several statedemocratic party officials.

Barrett praised Massie for his views oneconomic progress and his ability to rise frompolitical obscurity.

"Anybody who emerges from the grass roots withdegrees in divinity and business has something tooffer to politics," Barrett said. "I'm happy to behere just to lend support and solidarity."

Not everyone, however, came to support Massie,despite the fact that a large portion of ticketproceeds went to the Massie campaign.

"I came for the music," said will C. Campbell'97. "I did not hear of Bob Massie before I came.

Massie, who is HIV-positive, criticizedGovernor William F. Weld '66 for a lack ofinterest in solving the health care crisis andsaid that Weld does not care about the expansionof small businesses.

"Instead of tax cuts and foreign trademissions," Massie said, "we need a government thatwill expand credit opportunities for smallbusinesses."

Massie outlined some of his specific proposals,including limiting the expansion of gambling.Massie said he planned to make up for lost revenueby imposing a graduated income tax onMassachusetts.

"Gambling is a cancer which threatens the majororgans of our body politic," Massie said. "Thestate is spending $150,000 each week on televisionads to promote a destructive behavior,"

But Massie said he does not intend to get ridof gambling altogether, if elected.

Massie campaign officials said last night theywere not sure how much the concert raised, butMassie said he needs to gather $100,000 by theDemocratic convention in June.

Among those in attendance included Democraticgubernatorial hopefuls Michael J. Barrett '70 andMark Roosevelt '78 as well as several statedemocratic party officials.

Barrett praised Massie for his views oneconomic progress and his ability to rise frompolitical obscurity.

"Anybody who emerges from the grass roots withdegrees in divinity and business has something tooffer to politics," Barrett said. "I'm happy to behere just to lend support and solidarity."

Not everyone, however, came to support Massie,despite the fact that a large portion of ticketproceeds went to the Massie campaign.

"I came for the music," said will C. Campbell'97. "I did not hear of Bob Massie before I came.