This is an excerpt from the Final Reading of Thursday, Feb. 27.
Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld brought his lo-fi presidential candidacy to the Statehouse Thursday morning, as part of a one-day Vermont swing. President Donald Trump’s Republican challenger was accompanied by his wife Leslie Marshall, one campaign staffer, and Josh Fitzhugh, former chair of the Washington County Republican Committee. Weld, who bears more than a passing resemblance to the actor Ian McKellen, held an impromptu press conference upon his arrival.
“Vermont Republicans have historically been on the moderate side of issues, as have I,” Weld said, when asked why he was touring Vermont. “I’m a New England Republican, not a movement conservative trying to impose my views on others.”
He then held a 20-minute meeting with Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman with reporters in attendance. The two chatted about politics in Vermont and Massachusetts. Zuckerman showed off a family heirloom: a scrapbook chronicling the political career of his great-grandfather E.U. Curtis, who served as mayor of Boston from 1895-96 and was later the city’s police commissioner. (Ironically for the progressive Zuckerman, commissioner Curtis broke a 1919 attempt to unionize the city’s police department and refused to rehire any officers who went on strike.)
The two also engaged in a lively discussion of tax policy. Zuckerman failed to convince Weld of the merits of higher taxes on the wealthy, while the Republican touted a middle-class tax cut.
Weld spent about an hour circulating around the Statehouse, chatting freely with anyone who offered a greeting. “I’m Billy Weld, and I’m running for president,” he said as he shook the hand of a legislative page. Many people recognized him; others didn’t give him a second glance. He and his retinue sat down in the cafeteria for a quick lunch; Weld ate a pre-made turkey cheddar wrap.
Afterward, he was ushered in to Gov. Phil Scott’s office for a brief meeting that was closed to the press. Which seemed a bit odd, since Scott has openly endorsed Weld’s candidacy. “It was only a 5-to-10-minute conversation,” Scott explained at his weekly press conference Thursday afternoon. “It was a personal conversation.” He denied that the meeting was closed to preclude any photographs being taken.
After his time with Scott, Weld and his group headed for the door and an afternoon of campaign stops in the Burlington area. The Statehouse tour was absurdly low-key for a nationally known presidential candidate, but Weld was unperturbed. He knows he’s on a Don Quixote mission, and finds no indignity in tilting at windmills.
