My formerly home State of Rhode Island and [do you remember the rest of the official state name?] recently mourned the loss of Robert Healey, founder and perennial candidate of the Cool Moose Party:
Robert J. Healey Jr. was a fixture at Rod’s Grille in Warren — so much so that words became unnecessary. With a nod of his head and a playful look to the kitchen staff, he’d have his breakfast ordered: french fries with a cup of black coffee.Healey, who ran for governor four times and lieutenant governor three times, went largely unnoticed to other customers, hiding behind his long, curly hair and thick beard, said owner Ray Rodrigues. But that was him, “a low-key kind of guy.”“He really looked like he rolled out of the ’60s,” said Rodrigues, who witnessed many a business breakfast over his shop’s epoxy table tops. “But he was sincerely one of the smartest guys I’ve ever met.”He continued: “The smaller you are, the more he would want to help you.”
Healey’s platform when he ran for Lt. Governor was to eliminate the job if elected.
Healey was one of the quirky characters that made Rhode Island unique. As I said in my farewell message when we moved in 2013:
My home State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations has provided much material for Legal Insurrection over the years, including the dispute as to the name itself.Splitting the year between Ithaca and Rhode Island provided me with the distinction of having Patrick Kennedy and Maurice Hinchey as Congressmen for several years.I’m reminded of the Seinfeld episode about the dentist who converted to Judaism for the jokes. Sometimes I felt that I lived in Rhode Island for the same reason.
Add another “joke” to the list.
Rhode Island recently launched a new marketing campaign. The slogan?
Cooler & Warmer.
The promotional video included a scene from Iceland.
Not cool.
It did not go over well. In a state used to humiliation, this was a humiliation too far.
Rhode Islanders responded with ridicule.
The Governor gave in, fearing pitch-forked patriots:
News 12 Rhode Island reports:
After days of embarrassments, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced Friday evening that she has accepted the resignation of Rhode Island’s chief marketing officer and is getting rid of the state’s widely criticized new tourism slogan, “Cooler & Warmer.”Raimondo also said taxpayers would get back more than $100,000 from two of the companies involved in the new tourism campaign’s launch, and said she plans to keep the new tourism logo while dropping the slogan that went with it.
Now Rhode Island government can go back to doing what it does best. As soon as it figures out what it does best.
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