How and Whither Goes MA Gov. Patrick?

Finishing his second and last four-year term as MA Gov., Deval Patrick has considerable PR and legacy issues. There's been ncompetence at the agency charged with children's safety. Then, the transition from state health insurance exchange to the federal version failed pretty badly. Several scandals have ended up in the courts, like the probation department. Both casino and pot-dispensary applicant seem questionable. There remains drug-lab bungling. On and on.

Yet, this good buddy of President Obama has been good for the commonwealth. He led the fight to clean up ethics and political conflicts, and guided us out of recession ahead of most of the country. The whole time he remains two years ahead of Obama — in election to high office, in governing and supporting universal; health care and marriage equality, among other progressive aims. Now, he'll step back two years ahead.

Here the wingers decry the devil out of Deval Patrick. When talking heads ask the predictable will-you-run-for-Pres the klaxon's are deafening. All Patrick's policy and legislative successes are gone, leaving only shards of scandals visible on the floor. 

We'll muse on what's next for him and whether he can suture and heal the troubles of the past year before he leaves in January 2015.