Senator-elect sees himself as maverick
By Matt Viser and Eric Moskowitz
The Boston Globe
January 29, 2010
Senator-elect Scott Brown, hailed as a savior for the Republican Party, pledged yesterday that he would not always vote the party line, saying he would chart his own course in Washington.
In a wide-ranging 30-minute interview with the Globe, Brown said he told GOP Senate leaders last week: “With all due respect, I really don’t know a lot of you people, and you don’t know me. But maybe that’s good, because I’m going to vote how I want to vote.’’
“They were cool,’’ Brown said, explicitly acknowledging the political capital he carries to Capitol Hill. “They said . . . ‘You could probably do whatever you want right about now, Scott, so that’s OK.’ So they were very respectful, and they understand. They understand all eyes are on me.’’
Brown made his declaration of independence a week after his upset of Democrat Martha Coakley sent shockwaves through American politics, and as he continues to wrestle with sudden stardom.
In his trademark aw-shucks, self-effacing style, he reflected on becoming a political sensation.
“I try to just be myself,’’ he said. “Like today, I got up, I rode the bike for an hour, watched TV, read the newspapers, you know, and then spent a little time with the dogs, got them all settled up, gave [my wife] Gail a kiss and went to the gym, did a swim, and then I came in here. I’ve been meeting with you guys, I’m going to caucus. The only different thing is, I’m doing [Jay] Leno.’’
The article continues at The Boston Globe.
