[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1912-S1913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HIGH MARKS FOR MAYOR MENINO

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I welcome this opportunity to pay tribute 
to Mayor Tom Menino of the City of Boston and the extraordinary effort 
he has made over the past year to bring the Democratic National 
Convention to Boston in 2000.
  Regardless of the outcome of this effort, all of Boston is proud of 
the brilliant job that Mayor Menino has done in bringing the business 
community and the neighborhoods of Boston together to make our city one 
of the most attractive and dynamic cities in the world. Mayor Menino 
deserves enormous credit for highlighting Boston's great strengths--its 
diverse heritage, its proud history, its cultural attractions, its 
convention facilities, its transportation infrastructure, its 
technological capabilities and its renowned world leadership in 
education, health care and many other impressive attributes.
  Boston has proven itself time and again in recent years in its unique 
ability to host major national and international events. And thanks in 
great part to Mayor Menino's outstanding efforts, Boston is in the top 
rank of cities throughout the world.

[[Page S1913]]

  An editorial last Friday in the Boston Globe entitled ``An A for 
Menino's Effort'' pays eloquent tribute to the Mayor's leadership and 
achievements, and I ask unanimous consent that it be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the editorial was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

               [From The Boston Globe, February 19, 1999]

                        An A for Menino's Effort

       Mayor Menino banged drums, crashed symbols, and sounded 
     trumpets in his attempt to attract the 2000 Democratic 
     National Convention. But in the end the political symphony 
     will take place elsewhere, probably Los Angeles.
       Give the mayor credit on this one. Boston suffered from a 
     dearth of hotel rooms, no previous experience with national 
     political conventions, and the huge Central Artery 
     disruption. But Menino brought Boston to the final three 
     among 28 applicants. In the process, he blended the skills of 
     corporate giants, upstart entrepreneurs, local and regional 
     public officials, and technical experts.
       BankBoston, Fleet Financial, and Bell Atlantic deserve 
     special recognition for supporting the mayor's efforts when 
     few thought Boston could contend. These partners can be 
     called on again to attract major business and professional 
     meetings to a new convention center.
       Boston's bid failed due to conditions beyond its control. 
     California's 54 electoral votes outrank Massachusetts' 12. 
     Equally important, the Democrats need to shore up the West 
     Coast firmly and quickly in order to allocate money and 
     muscle to Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and other key 
     states if they hope to hold the presidency. No amount of 
     showmanship, corporate support, or creativity by Boston's 
     boosters could solve that problem of political calculus.
       A frustrated Menino jumped ahead of the DNC when he 
     announced that Boston's bid had failed. The official decision 
     is not expected until early March. That gaffe might 
     disqualify Menino for the deportment prize. But the mayor's 
     reaction is understandable to all, including the outgoing 
     Democratic national chairman, Steven Grossman.
       ``Menino threw his heart and soul into this thing,'' says 
     Grossman, a Newton businessman. ``That's what leadership is 
     all about.''
       The mayor exhausted his political and inner resources in 
     this unsuccessful bid of the convention. But he energized 
     Boston in the process.

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