Roosevelt Officially Declares Candidacy

BOSTON--Calling job creation his top priority, State Rep. Mark Roosevelt '78 (D-Beacon Hill) officially declared his candidacy for the governorship of Massachusetts last night.

Addressing a crowd of nearly 200 supporters at the Park Plaza Hotel last night with his fiancee, Jessica Hallowell, at his side, Roosevelt said the citizens of Massachusetts deserve more than Gov. William F. Weld '66 has offered them.

"I run for governor because the only person in Massachusetts who does not seem to know what the real world is like today is the governor we have now," he said. "This state, with all of our greatness, can do far better than we are doing right now."

Roosevelt compared Weld to former President Herbert Hoover in his declaration speech.

"They both stood by and did nothing while the national and state economies deteriorated," he said. "They were both one-termers, and they were both beaten by Roosevelts."

Roosevelt joins State Sen. Michael J. Barrett '70 (D-Cambridge) and former State Sen. George Bachrach (D-Cambridge) as the only Democratic candidates seeking the nomination to run against Weld.

Roosevelt said Massachusetts has lost 66,000 manufacturing jobs and 100,000 jobs overall during Weld's term in office. Roosevelt said he plans to reverse this trend by offering tax credits and limiting government regulations.

"Jobs are the number one, two, three, four and five issues," he said.

But Roosevelt said legalized gambling, which Weld advocates, will not solve Massachusetts' economic problems.

"We will not have casinos in Massachusetts," hesaid. "It is a sad story that we have given up onmaking products in out state."

Roosevelt also called education a priority,citing his sponsorship of the Education Reform Actof 1993, which the Legislature enacted.

He said his educational "vision" includes "testscores rising, more kids going to college, highschool graduates who do not go to college armedwith degrees that actually mean something," all ofwhich were provisions in his education bill.

Roosevelt reiterated his support for a "therestrikes and you're out" law for violent criminals,similar to those enacted in several in the pastyear.

Under the proposal, an individual would facelife imprisonment after being convicted of threeviolent crimes.

"For first-time offenders, we will provide thedrug and alcohol treatment they desperately need,"he said. "But there is a limit to out compassion."

Roosevelt said he has changed his view on thedeath penalty. Roosevelt said he is now willing tosupport a "carefully crafted, carefully defined"program of capital punishment.

And Roosevelt criticized Bachrach's contentionin a debate last Sunday that individuals losetheir violent tendencies after age 35.

"I wouldn't want to bet my life on it," hesaid.

Paul G. Kirk Jr. '60, former nationalDemocratic party chair, introduced Roosevelt. Kirksaid Roosevelt's "work ethic" sets him apart fromother Democratic candidates.

Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh, a childhood friend, wassupposed to introduce Roosevelt, but his flightwas delayed. Instead, Bayh closed the program bysaying Roosevelt would make a successful,progressive governor.

"Without a doubt," Bayh said, "you will beelecting a man who is an unquestioned leader [and]will insist that this great state will be as fineand as great as it can be."

Supporters paid from $100 to $500 to attend,and more than $100,000 was raised, according toDwight Robson, a Roosevelt campaign aide

"We will not have casinos in Massachusetts," hesaid. "It is a sad story that we have given up onmaking products in out state."

Roosevelt also called education a priority,citing his sponsorship of the Education Reform Actof 1993, which the Legislature enacted.

He said his educational "vision" includes "testscores rising, more kids going to college, highschool graduates who do not go to college armedwith degrees that actually mean something," all ofwhich were provisions in his education bill.

Roosevelt reiterated his support for a "therestrikes and you're out" law for violent criminals,similar to those enacted in several in the pastyear.

Under the proposal, an individual would facelife imprisonment after being convicted of threeviolent crimes.

"For first-time offenders, we will provide thedrug and alcohol treatment they desperately need,"he said. "But there is a limit to out compassion."

Roosevelt said he has changed his view on thedeath penalty. Roosevelt said he is now willing tosupport a "carefully crafted, carefully defined"program of capital punishment.

And Roosevelt criticized Bachrach's contentionin a debate last Sunday that individuals losetheir violent tendencies after age 35.

"I wouldn't want to bet my life on it," hesaid.

Paul G. Kirk Jr. '60, former nationalDemocratic party chair, introduced Roosevelt. Kirksaid Roosevelt's "work ethic" sets him apart fromother Democratic candidates.

Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh, a childhood friend, wassupposed to introduce Roosevelt, but his flightwas delayed. Instead, Bayh closed the program bysaying Roosevelt would make a successful,progressive governor.

"Without a doubt," Bayh said, "you will beelecting a man who is an unquestioned leader [and]will insist that this great state will be as fineand as great as it can be."

Supporters paid from $100 to $500 to attend,and more than $100,000 was raised, according toDwight Robson, a Roosevelt campaign aide