Massachusetts politicians take stage again at second night of DNC

Massachusetts politicians filled the Democratic National Convention’s schedule once again on Wednesday, as Gov. Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino voiced their support for President Barack Obama.

Patrick showed his support of Obama at the forum Changing Political Demographics, according to a livestream provided by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Museum website.

The forum, hosted by NBC’s David Gregory and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, included Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, New York Times columnist Matt Bai and Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes.

Patrick addressed a number of topics, including the Obama’s political history so far as president.

Patrick said 100,000 Massachusetts residents can track their paychecks back to Obama’s stimulus.

Patrick said Obama’s efforts helped to bail out the auto industry, end the war in Iraq, focus on poverty and promote marriage equality.

But Patrick said there is still work to do.

“It’s not that we are ready to declare victory,” he said. “We want to acknowledge the progress we have made and acknowledge the folks who are still suffering. I know that this president understands his role.”

Despite rumblings that Patrick has his eyes set on the White House, Patrick said he would not run for president in 2016.

“Let me just break it to you now,” Patrick said to Gregory. “I’m not. You want me to say it again?”

Patrick spoke in depth about campaign-finance and the large amounts of money being funneled into the presidential election.

This election cycle will be as a great example of wasted money, he said.

“[There is] all this money spent to tear people down and polls have hardly moved on account of it,” Patrick said.

Patrick also addressed gun control.

“Why have military weapons in neighborhoods?” Patrick said. “Even in Massachusetts I have tried to move a one-gun-a-month bill.”

Even in a democratic-controlled legislature, he said, the bill did not pass.

He said a lack of real political courage by legislators makes it hard to pass meaningful laws, a theme he brought up Tuesday night when he told Democrats to “grow a backbone.”

“[Politicians are] accumulating political capitol but no one’s willing to spend it,” he said. “What we need is a willingness to spend that capitol.”

In his debut at the podium later that evening, Menino said former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was a poor leader and left office when Massachusetts ranked 47th in job creation, according to a livestream provided through the convention’s website.

“He wasn’t all that good as a governor,” Menino said.  “He cut education, he cut workforce training, he disguised tax hikes as fees.”

Menino said Romney did not share the values of Bostonians.

“His campaign values aren’t Boston values because in Boston, we know this country didn’t become great by exploiting folks,” he said.

Menino also described his Boston home.

“In Boston, you know what we call immigrants?” Menino asked. “Mom and dad. Same-sex couples? Friends, brothers and sisters.”

Menino ended his speech with a firm support for Obama.

“It’s time to reelect Barack Obama as president of the United States,” he said.