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Martha Coakley on Principles & Values |
"I felt it really was important to say to people, 'I know how tough that loss was,' " Coakley said afterward. "I think people recognize that we don't win every race."
Coakley said she's jumping back into the political ring to continue to fight for issues she's worked on as attorney general. With a tight smile and a wave, she insisted she was pleased with Saturday's results. "It's terrific. We had a goal coming in that we wanted to get our 15% to get on the ballot," Coakley said. "We've had a great day."
Coakley did not call herself a liberal in her speech, but she told reporters outside that she considers herself a liberal. Then she qualified it. "I think that these labels in Massachusetts particularly don't mean as much as they might," she said. "I think you have to look at people's records."
Attorney General Coakley began her legal career in 1979, practicing civil litigation in Boston. She joined the Middlesex District Attorney's Office in 1986. In 1998, Coakley was elected Middlesex District Attorney.
Martha Coakley received a B.A. degree, cum laude, from Williams College in 1975, and a J.D. degree from the Boston University School of Law in 1979. Coakley resides in Medford, Massachusetts, with her husband, Thomas F. O'Connor, Jr. In her spare time, Coakley is an avid reader, and enjoys downhill skiing, walking her Labrador Retrievers, Jackson and Beauregard, and kayaking with her husband on the Mystic Lakes.
These values have directed me throughout my life and career, from my first job scooping ice cream at Howard Johnson's, through my time as Attorney General.
As Middlesex District Attorney, I sought justice for the victims of crimes, to make our homes, schools, and communities safer, and to ensure a fairer system for everyone.
As Attorney General, I represent the Commonwealth as well as the people of the Commonwealth. I took on Wall Street firms, recovering tens of millions of dollars, and addressed root causes of the foreclosure crisis.
We've enforced fair labor laws, advocated for lower utility and insurance rates, and obtained restitution for consumers and the Commonwealth from pharmaceutical companies and health insurers who drive up health care costs. We've protected consumers and kids from identity theft and sexual predators.
[Coakley is the first to announce for what should be a crowded field for the US Senate]. She has been quietly putting together her probable Senate campaign over the past year. Nor has she been shy about her political ambitions, consistentl saying she would entertain running for higher office--including Sen. Kerry's seat, when he was rumored to be on the short list for the nation's secretary of state, or for Gov. Patrick's seat, were he to accept an appointment in the Obama administration.