More Casino Questions

A little redemption for Matt Viser? He and Andrea Estes pen a decent article in the Globe today on Patrick's casino plan, after his recent 6-page stink on Mayor Menino's casino position. All is not well for the pro-casino side in Boston, because Governor Patrick has run into a few roadblocks, according to the Globe. Namely,

• Speaker DiMasi's not impressed and promised to hold up the casino debate until at least 2009.
• He put off Treasurer Cahill by including the State's Treasurer as a member of the proposed oversight gaming commission without actually asking Cahill first. Sheesh, touchy.
• According to the Globe, Patrick's not widely promoting the plan. I'm not sure I see it the same way (apparently, radio gigs and mass emails aren't enough), but the Globe wonders why Patrick isn't visiting casinos in order to promote them.
• The Governor's rosy numbers and inconsistencies are being criticized by everyone, including casino supporters.

All of that equates to a weakened pro-casino side, that's fighting against each other instead of working together. Divide and conquer, folks. As I've said all along, there's nothing inevitable about casinos in Massachusetts. They can be blocked, we just have to work hard to make sure it happens.