| September 9, 2008 Despite limited experience, Ed O'Reilly takes on John Kerry
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(Greg Wayland, NECN) - In political terms it's David versus Goliath. An unknown newcomer is running for the Massachusetts Senate seat held by John Kerry. NECN's Greg Wayland introduces Ed O'Reilly.
Ed O'Reilly: "Is it going to be more of the same going back to the United States Senate or are we going to look at the problems in a different way?"
There was 55-year-old democrat Ed O'Reilly up against John Kerry in a televised debate. More than once, the famous senator told the lawyer and former firefighter that he didn't know what he was talking about.
KERRY: Maybe Mr. O'Reilly hasn't counted the votes yet, but that's what you do in the United States Senate.
AFTERWARDS, O'REILLY MADE An unusual ADMISSION. It was my first debate. I don't think I've ever had a debate before.
O’Reilly grew up in Watertown, Mass and lives Gloucester. He served on the Gloucester city council and school committee. One term each -- over twenty years ago.
I look at those jobs as really community service, not as stepping stones to higher political office.
Despite his limited political experience, O'Reilly decided to take on Kerry in the democratic senate primary. Kerry agreed to one pre-recorded debate where he shrugged off O'Reilly as a political dabbler.
KERRY DURING DEBATE: If you're going to fight for change, you fight for change all the way.
AFTERWARDS, KERRY SAID HE COULDN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO WORK IN WASHINGTON.
KERRY: I want
to go back there, to get health care done. I want to go back there to get global climate change past. I want to strengthen our policy, get our troops out of Iraq.
FOR **HIS** PART, O'REILLY SAID HE COULDN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO CAMPAIGNING.
WAYLAND TO O'REILLY: And yet, people are going to look at you, as they are, if they're looking at you at all, and say -- what a long shot! Guy hasn't got a chance! What do you say to them? -- Absolutely correct. WAYLAND :About the doesn't have a chance part? -- No, about the long-shot. But you know what? Let me say this. Everything about this campaign has been an evolution. I am not at the point that I was when I first started out.
What's the difference between you and John Kerry?
I'm a worker. I've been a worker my entire life. I'm a fighter. I've been fighting in courtrooms all across Massachusetts for twenty-five years, and, you know, I went to law school at night. I paid my way through college at UMass in Amherst by working in a factory and working in a bank.
JOHN KERRY RESPONDS THAT HE AND HIS FELLOW SENATORS WORK VERY HARD FOR **THEIR** PAYCHECKS, TOO.
KERRY TO REPORTERS And we now have eleven billion dollars in mortgage revenue bonds that will help prevent people from being foreclosed on. We're getting extra money for low income heating energy assistance for the state of Massachusetts. We've helped veterans in this state be able to get tax breaks for their deployment overseas. I can go a long list of things where I am delivering to the citizens of this state.
Ever vote for John Kerry? -- Absolutely. Absolutely. I gave him money. I gave him two thousand dollars to win the Presidency. -- So there's been a broken love affair here? -- Well, not a broken love affair, because I don't know if I was ever in love with John Kerry. I think there's a big difference between love and like.
AND ALTHOUGH KERRY HAS WORKED FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, O'REILLY INSISTS KERRY IS STILL BEHOLDEN TO LOBBYISTS.
John Kerry's kick-off campaign event was a thousand dollar cover charge to get in the door. Twenty-three hundred dollars if you wanted a special reception with him and his wife. That's not right. That- really -- the first step to influence is access.
“I will have a website, if I have the privilege to serve them that will list all of my appointments with lobbyists and everyone else. I will have a public calendar that people will be invited to attend any meeting I have with lobbyists.”
AS FOR O'REILLY'S CAMPAIGN CHEST...
O'REILLY: I think I have enough to do this. I've used a lot of my own money. I took out some equity in my own home and I did well as a lawyer for twenty-five years and I'm at a point in my life where my daughter's grown. All her tuition payments are paid and it's a time to give back to my country.
And you may have noticed O'Reilly's strong resemblance to former congressman Joe Kennedy. He remembers a memorable encounter while on vacation.
“I had a guy follow me around all week, telling me, Joe, you know me. You know me, Joe. I said, I'm not Joe Kennedy.”
“Well, I just tell people, I say, you know, call Joe for oil, and, ah, vote Ed for change.”
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