"While most of Massachusetts was under a flood watch this weekend, Gov. Deval Patrick was far from the gloom of his home state.
Instead, he was in Miami, addressing the "Political OutGiving" conference of gay and lesbian fundraisers.
The road trip was the latest of a series of weekend getaways made by a Democratic governor who was not shy about criticizing the travels of his Republican predecessor, former Gov. Mitt Romney. In 2006, while laying the groundwork for what turned out to be an unsuccessful presidential campaign, Romney was out of state nearly 250 days.
Last year, Patrick took a monthlong vacation at his second home in the Berkshire Mountains. Barely 10 weeks into the new year, he has left Massachusetts on weekends to campaign for Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Ohio.
He also has taken a week of vacation in the Berkshires this year, followed by a visit to Washington for a National Governors Association meeting. Immediately upon returning, he spent a day campaigning for Democrats running for state representative.
While aides defend the travel, saying it is occurring for official reasons, on Patrick’s personal time or to benefit Obama and not his own political ambitions, this weekend’s trip shows how the lines often blur.
And on every occasion, Patrick is accompanied by a State Police contingent whose airfare, hotels, meals and overtime are charged to taxpayers."
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