Boston Herald

No-show no way to get things done for Bay State

- Jaclyn CASHMAN Jaclyn Cashman is co-host of the “Morning Meeting” show on Boston Herald Radio. Follow her on Twitter @JaclynCash­man.

I refuse to jump on the anti-Trump bandwagon filled with hatred, and Katherine Clark should, too.

The 5th District Democrat needs to rethink her decision to skip Presidente­lect Donald Trump’s inaugurati­on Friday and prove to her constituen­ts that she’s above partisan politics.

Sure, thumbing her nose at the 45th president will score cheap political points among liberals and increase her name recognitio­n, but those are petty points. I guess she cares more about having Teen Vogue write about her — again — than being a witness to history.

Her hostility to the next president won’t help the Bay State secure vital federal funding and will only further splinter our relationsh­ip with the man who is about to reside at 1600 Pennsylvan­ia Ave. Even the ever-polarizing U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren plans to stand out in the cold to see Trump put his hand on the Bible and “solemnly swear ... (to) faithfully execute” the office of the president.

Disgraced Hillary Clinton will also be in the crowd — gritting her teeth, I’m sure, while listening to the man who denied our country the chance to usher in the first female president. But good for her. It’s the responsibi­lity of every member of Congress — and others with a connection to the Oval Office — to attend. No excuses.

I did not vote for Trump, but I refuse to drag him down before he’s even in office.

The liberal media is all too pleased to reward Clark and other Democrats who are refusing to attend. U.S. airtime means more these days than tradition.

U.S. Rep. John Lewis said he won’t go to the inaugurati­on because Trump is not a “legitimate president.” Then CNN broadcasts the Georgia Democrat’s entire MLK speech. He is clearly a civil rights leader, but he would never have gotten that kind of liberal love unless he insulted the network’s nemesis — Donald J. Trump.

The media has been seething ever since Trump won and they have no problem blatantly backing Democrats who want to knock him down.

Clark is just part of that mindless feeding frenzy.

More than one million people in Massachuse­tts voted for Trump. Clark needs to recognize those votes, especially the ones in her own backyard. For a party so horrified that Trump once said he might not accept the election results, this group of politician­s sure seems to be struggling with accepting their new reality.

Maybe they are OK with being empty seats. But that’s not why they were voted into office.

 ?? STAFF FILE PHOTO BY NANCY LANE ?? AWAY GAMES: Mass. U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark says she’ll skip Friday’s inaugurati­on of Donald Trump.
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY NANCY LANE AWAY GAMES: Mass. U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark says she’ll skip Friday’s inaugurati­on of Donald Trump.
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