Pelto and Scully Will Be In-Studio...Together.

By Tucker Ives

Right now, Jonathan Pelto and Patrick Scully are not best friends. They’ve been going back and forth in their blogs and newspaper columns over their criticism/support of Governor Malloy. It started back in July when Pelto wrote:

I am  disgusted by the Malloy Administration’s failure to do the right thing…

And I want my 2010 gubernatorial vote back.

Foley instead?  At least with Foley we would have had a Legislature Branch of Government that was willing to stand up and do the right thing.  Now we don’t even have that.

On August 7, Scully wrote a column for the Hartford Courant titled, “Malloy Labor Critics Should Count Blessings.” He specifically called out Pelto for his criticism of Malloy:

Former state Rep. Jonathan Pelto is a thoughtful and accomplished media relations professional who is deserving of being heard on the issues facing the state. He and other critics, however, are also hopelessly disconnected from the average Connecticut citizen and continue to wallow in the failed, far-left, now-fringe policies of 1970s.

George McGovern is no longer relevant, nor are his policies. Today’s Democrats (myself included) are in the camp of John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and, yes, Dan Malloy.

Of course, Pelto fired right back with a LONG rebuttal on his blog. Most of this was a defense of George McGovern but at the end, he addressed the current situation:

I appreciate Mr. Scully’s right to criticize me and others for our criticism of Dan Malloy and I certainly understand his concern that now is not the time to “wallow in the failed, far-left, now-fringe policies of 1970s.”

But that said, I’m pretty sure that fighting against a senseless war, preserving programs like food stamps, revamping the tax structure to support not punish working families and working to end hunger here and abroad don’t count as “failed, far-left, now fringe policies”.

I don’t doubt that there are “Good Democrats” who support both President Obama and Governor Malloy.  I too consider myself a “Good Democrat” and in that capacity I believe we have an obligation to speak out when it appears that either of them have stumbled from the path that got them elected – or even more importantly – are failing to implement the most fundamental principles and values that we Democrats stand for.

Scully seemed annoyed with Pelto’s fixation on what Scully called a “throwaway line” about McGovern:

Instead of countering my argument, Pelto launched into a lengthy defense of George McGovern. Pelto started with “My response [to Scully’s column] is rather long, but I hope you’ll take the time to read it in its entirety.” Not a chance. I started to doze after the first five or six paragraphs. I did notice Pelto saw the need to question my age—always an effective debating tool.

Next Wednesday (8/24), Pelto and Scully will be in-studio for a discussion about their feud, the SEBAC deal and Democrats in Connecticut…and I’m sure George McGovern will be mentioned at least once.

Pelto. Scully. Where We Live. August 24th at 9am.

This should be fun.

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