Carl Stanley McGee, a high-profile aide to Deval Patrick, is on an unpaid leave of absence after being accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy at a Florida resort. Casey Ross at the Herald considers the political impact of McGee's departure. While Bostonist uses the term "high-profile" because McGee was one of the Globe's most stylish people, he was more than just a fashionable face who put off a strong Tim Gunn vibe (in this......

A few days ago, everyone cared about the Commonwealth. Senator McCain was here, Senator Obama was here, Senator Clinton was in Worcester, the Kennedys were everywhere. Now we won't even have our ex-governor parading around the country insulting us. It all happened so fast. To figure out exactly what went wrong, we headed to the epicenter of right-wing commentary: the National Review. And as it turns out, Romney's defeat was caused by something we're pretty......

--So there was this blizzard in 1978, and the blizzard was ridiculous. But a blizzard can't be that bad if you get trapped at the Garden with color TV, beer, and hot dogs. [Boston Globe] --The Globe found not one, not two, but five Republicans in Cambridge. That's hard. [Boston Globe] --A high-school athlete in Scituate died Saturday in a car accident. The young man was a passenger in a car driven by a friend,......

With Rudy Giuliani out of the way, the remaining Republicans were free to catfight at the Reagan Library last night. Much of the debate involved front-runners John McCain and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney trying to out-Reagan one another. No matter what they said, each moment felt like this: Romney: "I'm more like Ronald Reagan than you are!" McCain: "No, you're not, you helmet-headed bitch!" Romney: "Nancy just checked me out, so that proves......

While on Meet the Press, when Tim Russert wasn't waving flip-flops in his face, Mitt Romney got teary when recalling the time in 1978 when he learned the Mormon church would accept black people. Some news outlets focused on the crying, such as the Boston Herald and Boston Daily. (At least one black Mormon wasn't impressed with the show because Romney didn't apologize for the church's discrimination.) Bostonist shrugged and figured all politicians have......

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is gaining appeal among Republicans thanks to his hard-right views, his ability to lose weight, and Chuck Norris. Obviously, this has former Massachusetts governor and presidential aspirant Mitt Romney thoroughly freaked out because Romney has spent boodles of money and has less to show for it. All Huckabee had to do was lose weight and gain an action star. Hence, Romney has unleashed an attack ad. However, we think Romney......

Since Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is sticking around Boston and it's campaign time, he's dipping his toe into the waters of politics again by endorsing Republican John McCain for president. Having Schilling near New Hampshire must make McCain feel a little better. In New Hampshire, he can compete with Mike Huckabee, who is on the rise thanks to an endorsement from Chuck Norris. When it comes to tough guys with a political bent to......

Former Massachusetts governor and presidential aspirant Mitt Romney delivered a thoughtful, moving speech today at the George Bush Sr. Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas. Romney delivered points that no one could argue with--namely, that religious liberty is "fundamental to America's greatness." No kidding. Isn't that why the pilgrims came here in the first place? Aside from a few "duh" moments, Romney delivered a solid speech with some quotable lines, particularly: "Americans do......

The cold weather - and holiday festivities - descended upon Gothamist. The Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit, Broadway stagehand finally ended their strike, and NASCAR decided to run their victory lap through Times Square. There were disturbing photographs revealing the working conditions in which many city manholes are produced and ninjas were also a hot topic, either robbing homes or entering into alibis. But the city was really rocked by how Rudy Giuliani's visits......

Seattlest watches as a S.L.U.T. is born and Seattle Flickr users go nuts over a local art installation. A restaurant critic demands a Diner's Bill of Rights over a gnat next to her drink, and, in lieu of a Portlandist, Seattlest debates with itself over the identity of the Northwest's crown jewel. Seattlest also joins the guys from Fantagraphics for an ill-fated gun party in the woods. LAist saw national headlines soar this week with......

Steve Almond's (Not that You Asked) will be sold in bookstores starting today. He will be reading at Brookline Booksmith on Thursday, September 13, at 7:00 pm. Almond spoke with Bostonist right after Karl Rove resigned, so we caught him when he really raging against The Man. He resigned from Boston College when BC invited Condoleezza Rice to speak at their commencement, so he didn't mince words when it came to Rove or any other......

Today, some Massachusetts residents will be voting on a replacement for State Senator Jarrett Barrios, who left the Senate to make some bucks working for Blue Cross. The following candidates for his position are all Democrats: Timothy Flaherty - Former assistant DA and son of Charlie Flaherty, who used to be speaker of the Massachusetts House. Definitely has the most badass campaign photo. Also has the most endorsements (Globe, Cambridge Chronicle, Blue Mass Group). Anthony......

The results of today's primary for Marty Meehan's vacant seat in the 5th Congressional district have been announced. Niki Tsongas has beat out the Democrats in a crowded field, while Jim Ogonowski, who has been surprising constituents with telephone calls, won for the Republicans. The race between Niki Tsongas, widow of Paul Tsongas, and Eileen Donoghue, Lowell city councilor and former mayor of Lowell, was tight, as expected. According to the latest numbers, Tsongas edged......

As easy as it is to forget in the bustle of going back to school, going back to work, and Labor Day hangovers, the 5th district primary election is going on today. Five democrats and two republicans are battling it out to see who will fill the empty space that Marty "Daddy Warbucks" Meehan left when he became chancellor at UMass-Lowell. The 5th Congressional district covers Lowell, Methuen, and Lawrence. The Democrats who are running......

Mort Sahl will perform at Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway Theater on Thursday night. For more information, go to Jimmy Tingle's website. All shows are at 7:30 pm. Without Mort Sahl, there would be no Daily Show or Colbert Report. James Wolcott at Vanity Fair went so far as to suggest that Sahl was more important to American comedy than Lenny Bruce. Whether or not that's true, Sahl laid the foundation for today's political satire. He......

We're getting a little burnt-out on Mitt Romney because the man seems to be everywhere. But we were curious to find out what happened when Mitt Romney took the big-money types to Fenway Park. It's surprising that Romney would set foot in Massachusetts, especially since he claimed that he tamed the state in one of his first campaign commercials. But people can't say no to Fenway. And, if they can afford nice tickets, then they......

We're wondering if Romney asks a higher power to smite his enemies. Rudy Giuliani's campaign stoked Mormon Fear by sending out a release linking the Mormon's candidacy to a weird prophecy about a Mormon riding in on a white horse. During the Republican debate, lightning struck and cut out the sound while Giuliani was speaking. The photo above shows Romney aiming a finger at Giuliani 'cuz he probably thought the Lord was pulling through.......

All in all, it's been a pretty good week for former Massachusetts governor and presidential aspirant Mitt Romney. Aside from a minor seatbelt flap, Romney saw a considerable improvement in his chances at election. The Des Moines Register announced that Romney was backed by 30 percent of Iowa Republicans, which puts him ahead of McCain and Giuliani. What is making Romney so appealing to those who haven't had the dubious pleasure of being governed by......

At one point or another, a New Englander is bound to ponder Tom Brady's sex life. He's handsome, talented, and rich, the Ken doll of the NFL. Of course he's scored some mattress touchdowns. But Kevin Thompson, candidate for Marty Meehan's empty spot in the 5th Congressional district, thinks Brady needs to keep his pants zipped. Thompson had a lot to say about Brady's recent interview with Details magazine: What kind of world is this......

Anthony Petruccelli defeated his other Democratic opponent, Dan Rizzo, in the Democratic primary for who would replace Robert Travaglini (aka "T-Vag") for State Senate. The primary turned out to be the real deal since Republicans couldn't find an opponent. Raja Mishra of the Globe reported that Petruccelli, currently a representative of East Boston, won 59 percent of the vote according to the latest tallies. The Herald noted that Petruccelli took 85 percent of the vote......

We're playing a little game we call "what's Tommy's name not on?" The Zamboni that smoothes the ice at the Frog Pond? It's on there. The welcome sign to Boston? It's on there. The toothbrushes the Boston Public Health Commission distributes? It's on there (and happens to be absurdly huge.) The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center? Yeah, that's it. Menino's name does not adorn the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is not yet called......

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has a lot to worry about. His former chief of staff testified that Gonzales played a part in firing federal prosecutors because they leaned too hard on Republicans and weren't sufficiently supportive of President George W. Bush. We thought we lived in a democracy, not a kingdom where you have to lick the boots of the emperor to keep your job. But that's another matter entirely. While all this scandal was......

Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy gave the kind of speech that makes people want to stand up and cheer. He's always been a smooth talker, but he threw a little bit of Howard Dean's barbaric yawp into the mix, and the result was explosive. Here's Teddy railing against the Republicans tacking on more and more amendments, which are slowing down the passage of an increase in the minimum wage: At about three minutes into the video,......

New Hampshire has been feeling the rays of national media attention thanks to numerous announcements from aspiring presidential candidates. The state is already getting ready for the politicians, the journalists, and Wolf Blitzer. New Hampshire has announced upcoming debates at Saint Anselm College on April 4 and April 5. The eminent Mr. Blitzer will moderate the fray. Not to be overshadowed by CNN, Fox News is also planning a Republican debate. Newly declared candidate Senator......

The Massachusetts midterms were downright sane compared to what happened in the rest of the nation. There was voter deception in Virginia. A poll worker strangled a voter in Kentucky (you'd think it would have been the opposite). Computer glitches slowed down voting across the nation. South Carolina's governor wasn't able to vote for himself. Britney Spears divorced K-Fed, which may have been a cultural sign that "The Man" was about to get stuck.......

After the painfully boring debates which marked the 2004 Presidential campaign, the nation became aware that John Kerry wasn't the most interesting of orators - at times even coming off as a little pompous. Massachusetts voters have known this for years. Occasionally Kerry will deliver a joke, well crafted for his use by writers, and it will work. National and international attention is being given to one of those instances when that didn't work out......

Halloween is Tuesday, which means this weekend is really the time for all of the –ists to celebrate. And whether they’re designing super-spooky costumes or talking about the super-spooky upcoming elections, we’d say that they’re doing a fine job of it. Austinist knows that few things in life are scarier than zombies, people with way too much money, and politicians who try too hard to be funny. Slightly less scary, depending on whom you......

Bostonist has never made pretensions of conservatism, and it won’t take much to guess whom (this) Bostonist is voting for in a week and a half. Because of that, we don’t expect people to care if we take time out of our busy schedule to debunk things that Kerry Healey and her supporters say. Also, with Christy Mihos and Grace Ross running quixotically for governor, Healey has enough higher-profile-than-us detractors already. But damn it, if......

The good news about last night's gubernatorial debate in Springfield was that the moderators and the panelists had the opportunity to remind the candidates that there's more to Massachusetts than Boston. The debate was also a more tasteful affair with a moderator – Jim Madigan of WGBY-TV - who seemed to relish telling people to settle down. The bad news was that the debate wasn't nearly as exciting. The main goal was to keep Independent......

It didn't take long after the primaries for one of the gubernatorial candidates to aim below the belt - literally. In a cartoon ad that is airing only after 10 pm, Independent candidate Christy Mihos walks up to some stuffed shirts and asks the question, "Hey, how did the Big Dig get 12 billion dollars over budget?" Instead of dissembling or blame-throwing, the stuffed shirts promptly stick their heads up their behinds, encouraging voters to......