Reply #60: This is also to his credit: During an appearance on a roundtable

[liberalhistorian]

discussion on MSNBC's Morning Joe a few months ago, he absolutely refused to join in on the bashing of public workers and their "greed" in "destroying" states, especially teachers. O'Malley calmly and reasonably gave them the business, explaining how he'd talked to and negotiated with them in a civil, respectful manner, and was able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement without the rancor and division and combativeness of many other states (hello, Mr. Walker and Mr. Christie).

He explained what a difficult job teachers and public safety workers have, that many were doing their best under not-so-great conditions. He further patiently explained that you cannot demand accountability for things over which the teacher has no control, and that you cannot demand quality and excellence at the same time as you are bashing, trashing, demonizing, disrespecting and scapegoating the profession and NOT treating it like what it is, a PROFESSION, and at the same time as you are taking away what little salary and benefits they have left and and what little conditions make the jobs bearable. He also even more patiently explained that you cannot ask public safety workers to risk their lives and safety every day on the job, while bashing and scapegoating them and trying to take away what little they receive.

He caused a real stir, because he wouldn't give in to their talking points and he kept putting the blame right where it belonged, on Wall Street and corporations and government kowtowing to them. I sure wish he were my governor!