Blue State Blues: A book review by Doug Holder

Blue State Blues: A book review by Doug Holder

  I met David Slavitt when he ran for office against State Rep. Tim Toomey, in the Cambridge/Somerville area, back in Jan. 2004. Slavitt, at age 69, was a political novice. For the past 40 years he made his reputation as a poet, novelist, translator, academic, and Newsweek movie critic. Slavitt, was interviewed by The Somerville News reporters at our usual Friday morning meeting and I thought that this Republican/Poet/Politician would make a good subject for my Somerville Cable Access TV show: “ Poet to Poet: Writer to Writer.” Slavitt, who is a product of Yale University, is a fascinating study; with his caustic wit, his erudite intelligence, and, as he described it to me his “Built-in shit detector,” a much needed tool in the shoals of politics. Slavitt decided to run, with the help of his son Evan, to address the “problem” of the Democratic-dominated House and Senate, and politics in general. Slavitt doesn’t fit the profile of your typical Republican. He supports gay marriage, and abortion, but he is decidedly conservative when it comes to fiscal and public service matters.

   In “Blue State Blues” Slavitt recounts his “guerilla” campaign conducted with little money, a paucity of volunteers, and a lot of chutzpah. It was exciting to read about so many of the players in the Somerville media and political world; particularly all the guys and gals covering the campaign for The Somerville News. Slavitt uses a diary-like format to map his losing-battle campaign.

   What I like most is his on-the-money descriptions of local pols and personalities, and his unique take on the milieu of Cambridge and Somerville. Slavitt, writes honestly about his fears running for office: after all he is no spring chicken, he has an ongoing flirtation with prostrate cancer, and like anyone who has lived any length of time he has a few skeletons in his closet. Slavitt ruminates;

   “What if Toomey or Green goes to the library and looks into my literary career. The “Exhibitionist,” my pseudonymous potboiler of 1967, was widely attacked as a “dirty book,”…. Worse than that….there’s an elegant little joke that poet and small press publisher Robert Wallace put out in 1987: “ The Cock Book: A Child’s First Book of Pornography…” None of this puts me in the same league with Paris Hilton, but she is not running for office.” (23)

    Slavitt, with his usual dose of levity, speculates on Toomey and the various political players he will encounter:

    “Toomey, I am reliably informed is gay.( He is what at least what polite people used to call a “confirmed bachelor.)  Not that I particularly care, one way or the other,…He is unlikely to march to the bishops’ drumbeat , or…or is he? He’s still pretty much in the closet, although everyone knows ( or everyone but me). Barrios is openly gay. And Avi Green, who worked on his campaign, and is the other Democrat who will be fighting Toomey? Is he gay too? Am I the “straight” candidate? “Straight talk from Slavitt” is a tempting but unattractive slogan.”

     And of course there are generous references to The Somerville News (mostly favorable!) and I was flattered to be included. Here is a description of our former editor Neil McCabe as he lectures the troops, or his young reporters, at an editorial meeting:

    “The editor, Neil McCabe I had already met. He spent about half an hour talking to the young writers and photographers about the next issue and spoke about the different kinds of photographs, from long establishing shots to tight close-ups, what they were for, how to compose and crop them, and there use in layout and design. It was all clear and very professional and I rather liked it. It was like being back in Newsweek.” (100)

     The book is liberally (pardon the choice of words), peppered with interesting anecdotes and insights. At times reading through the extensive emails and political position papers can be tiresome. But overall, when it seems to bog down, Slavitt infuses new life into the proceedings. It is also great to see in this book articles from and about many people I have worked with over the years. I told Slavitt during his campaign that even if he loses he will get a good book out of it. Well…I guess he did.

“Blue State Blues.” David R. Slavitt. ( Wesleyan University Press.) Middleton,CT 06459) $25

Doug Holder/ Ibbetson Update/ March 2006/ Somerville, Mass.

Comments

[irregularity]

Slavitt's comments about the sexual preferrence of his opponents is telling. What a trogolodyte.

It figures Slavitt would be enamored of another trog, Neil McCabe. Neil happens to be one of the toughest Coast Guard drop outs I've ever met. I remember Neil questioning the patriotism of other veterans with whom he disagreed philosophically, during the 2004 presidential campaign.

I was present (as were a few others including a big real estate honcho from the town with ties to the news) for a shouting match Neil had with a Union Square loud mouth when Neil said, and I am paraphrasing as close as my memory serves, "Next time you talk to Max Clelland, ask him why he hates his country." This about a triple amputee with Silver and Bronze stars.

Needless to say I was struck dumb. I thought the guy he was arguing with was going to punch him out. This hapened outside of the Independent Lounge.

Why do I mention this? Because Slavitt and Neil are cut from the same cloth. Avi Green was NEVER rumored to be gay by anyone I ever met. But I don't travel in circles where men wonder what other men might or might not be doing to each other.

As far as representative Toomey goes, why doesn't Slavitt ask him to his face if he's gay? Slavitt needs to stop worrying about other men's sexual preferrences and get a life.

[irregularity]

Maybe Slavitt's book should've been titled, "Who Blew Who" subtitle: "story of a failure just blowing in the wind"

[PT109]

I think you forgot to add a Purple Heart to the list of Max Cleland's awards. For information about what this TRUE patriot is doing now look here: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/23/1546256

[The Truth!]

The only thing Slavitt is a "Soar Looser"! He lost the election between him and Tim Toomey with flying colors and now he will be a forever crybaby just like TL is when he lost to JC! So will someone send him a pacifier please!

[irregularity]

Veteran's history Project

[This Is A Newspaper?]

Nice job by the Somerville News. You guys are certainly doing William Randolph Hearst proud. Is this really journalism? For a member of the News' staff- Doug Holder- to celebrate the dissemination of baseless claims is highly questionable, both legally and ethically, and provides a prime example as to why people don't take this paper seriously. How can people regard you as a real news organization when the editors and staff of this paper completely disregard all basic rules of journalistic ethics and happily cloak themselves in Slavitt's innuendos and absurdities? Doug Holder would like to perpetuate the illusion that Slavitt, Holder's poetry buddy (keep up the good work Doug- I can't wait to see more of your stuff in Spare Change!), is some sort of touchy-feely Republican. But the evidence and Holder's reckless form of 21st century yellow journalism only further illustrates that when push comes to shove, or when yet another ridiculous farce of a Slavitt campaign comes to its inevitable crushing defeat, Slavitt is no different from his buddies Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. And at least Rove and Cheney are up-front about their beliefs; Slavitt hides behind his Cambridge zip code and then lobs cheap shots at his Democratic opponents via his mouthpiece, Holder. It's shameful and embarrassing that this is what amounts to journalism in the city of Somerville.

[Doug Holder]

I was just reporting what was in the book. Actually I am a registered Democrat, and I disagree with many of Slavitt's political positions. If you noticed I used the phrase Slavitt's usual dose of levity, within the paragraph. As to my poetry in Spare Change, I am quite proud of it...and if you look at my website you will see that I have been published in quite a few other places. As for the News as a joke...why are you reading it? All I know is we get calls from all kinds of folks who want to be interviewed in it, and we can't accomodate them all... and people like you get all upset, I mean if we are a joke--why would it bother you so much if I was a "mouthpiece" to Slavitt...

[James Norton]

Doug -

They post shitty comments about people on here to intellectually masturbate. You'd have to have a moderate amount of mental retardation not to know that you and Slavitt are political opposites.

If it isn't one thing its something else. Its funny they won't put their real names on here and they don't have the testicular fortitude to say crap like that to someone in person (they were probably beat up in school every day).

I don't even bother to unpublish comments like that anymore. I find it amusing when they start in saying stupid crap like that and pulling the pin to see what kind of explosion they'll get.

In the end, their attempts at witty derision reveal the introspective nature of their own self-absorbed arrogance. I wouldn't normally comment, but you always try to stay above the fray so to speak and aren't the most visible of targets typically.

That's my two cents.

JN

[Candy Cane]

LA LA Mortadella is up to his old tricks again. He is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Beware of this blabber mouth jerk.

[James Norton]

I just now saw that earlier comment with a reprint of something supposedly printed in another publication. That's not how to go about getting your message across and we don't republish supposed letters without verifying the authenticity first, period.

If the commenter wants to email me at my email address and provide the original letter or the original transcript and the Editor of this paper finds it newsworthy, then that's great, otherwise, please don't do that.

Thanks -

JN

[Bubbles]

JN, I understand your reasoning behind getting the originals but when we send them, there is nothing said on this paper about them.

The March madness is a huge $$$ taker. When it emanates where I sent you the email from, as you requested, I would think you wanted that to verify the authenticity of that email. There is no doubt about where it came from, yet it has been over a week and nothing was said either by you on the blog or as a return email back to me. So I take it that you don't find anything wrong with what the content of the email and where it was sent from. I know you’re not a part of it because I checked the names and you were among the missing as I sent you the follow-up to the standings. But something like that coming from where it came from during times which ethics is in question, in my opinion, is news worthy.

You are holding back stories it seems that do not taste right to you because of who they are about and the long arm that reaches out. It has to be one of the two reasons.

You say your the middle of the road on certain people in this Administrations field because of family ties and have no comment about these individuals. I feel you can be selective at times and hold back an issue that would seem news worthy. That to me is not proper reporting.

You will say I am wrong but I have found that you at times, do not hold up to the bargin.

[???????]

Whaa?????? What the hell is that previous post all about???? And who is LA LA Mortadella and why should we be worried about him????

[James Norton]

Bubbles -

Please please please get over yourself. I have said probably 30 to 40 times on here that I have nothing to do with the reporting of news. I have also explained that none of the publishers get involved with stories - who they're about - what gets investigated, etc.

You wanted to interact with me, I told you to give me something instead of just randomly cutting and pasting on here - you did, and it was forwarded to the appropriate person.

Now, because what you thought was earth shattering news didn't make it to the pages of the newspaper (yet I have to add), you want to lob backhanded insults at me and the paper. That's swell, I have been accused of much worse, and if you want to be like that it's your right - but you're dead wrong.

Enjoy.

JN

[Bubbles]

Your right JN, I forgot about your limited capacity there at The News.

Once again I guess when I get involeved I tend to think the worse in people. Ce'la vie.

You could tell me who you like in the pool though!!!!