Lieutenant governor stands up for boss.

PositionINSIGHT

Byline: Robert Z. Nemeth

COLUMN: ROBERT Z. NEMETH

What a difference a few weeks make. The last time I had a one-on-one conversation with Tim Murray - about his years in municipal government in Worcester, his political philosophy, hopes and expectations - he was about to leave for a new job in Boston. Asked to sum up his contribution to city government in one sentence, he replied: "I like to think I changed the psyche and raised the bar."

Much has changed since that exit interview. He was inaugurated lieutenant governor, took center stage in state politics, gathered a lot of influence in a hurry, and became the lightning rod for an embattled administration.

Last week, as I waited for him in his former law office, a modest place on Institute Road, I was reminded of his humble origin and unpretentious style that have served him well. I was thinking of the political mantra he articulated during our previous meeting: "Have high expectations of yourself and your staff. Be a team player, do your homework, be loyal, share the credit and don't be afraid to lead. To find faults and blame others is cheap politics." Those qualities have made him an invaluable asset in his new job.

A small door leading from the parking lot opened, and he walked in, youthful and energetic as ever. But this time he was accompanied by a huge man he introduced as his state police escort. We found a small conference room; he took off his jacket, cracked open a couple of windows, and out came my first question: "What went wrong, and how can it be fixed?" There was no need to elaborate.

Unlike some Deval Patrick backers high in the Democratic Party, who privately attribute the governor's early missteps to arrogance or unwillingness to listen to advice (one lawmaker told me Mr. Murray actually tried to talk Mr. Patrick out of buying a Cadillac as his official vehicle), the lieutenant governor launched into a full-court defense, praising his boss as a talented, hard-working and dedicated individual who has been too busy with substance to pay attention to appearances.

"He hasn't been a state representative or senator and had to bring himself up to speed," Mr. Murray explained, "I watched him spend hours and hours at a time working on the budget, going over line-item by line-item with cabinet secretaries. The budget determines about 80 percent of the agenda. Because he has spent so much time and acquired that knowledge, he will be a better governor for the next 31/2 years."

He...

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