Jules Crittenden has some observations on Deval Patrick's inauguration, along with a prediction: "I suspect this whole governor thing will soon become a great frustration."

On a related noted, Harvard Constitutional Law Prof Charles Fried was deeply unimpressed with Patrick's handling of the gay marriage issue:

Yet Deval Patrick, our new chief magistrate, instead of showing principled leadership by urging the Legislature to vote, but to vote the proposal down, or, failing that, urging the people to reject it, has resorted to ambiguous but lawless sloganeering, urging the legislators to defeat the petition by all "appropriate" means. And if you thought that meant voting against it, Patrick goes on to say that a civil right should not be subject to a referendum, and more amazing that the question of civil rights outweighs the provisions of the Constitution providing for citizens' petitions to amend the Constitution. [snip]

I wonder whether Deval Patrick had his fingers crossed yesterday when he took the oath to uphold the Constitution.

Ouch. Not the best of beginnings.