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O'Malley Pulls a 'Sorkin'

Recycling is easy if you try: Whether it's jobs or connecting homes to the power grid, the most important one is always the next one.

Gov. Martin O'Malley loves a good turn of phrase.

The poet-governor took a page from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin Monday during an update on storm recovery. Sorkin, writer of the West Wing and other movies and television shows, has a reputation for liberally borrowing from himself (some would say "self-plagiarizing").

It is in that tradition that the O'Malley Monday offered reporters and the public this re-heated line:

"The most important home we restore to power is the next one," O'Malley said, speaking about efforts by BGE and PEPCO to restore power to customers around Maryland.

Sound familiar?

O'Malley has used a variant of this before in comments about job creation:

"This is why the most important job we create is the next one."

O'Malley said that during his February 1 State of the State speech and again during an April 13 Innovate Maryland speech.

In the movie "Bull Durham," Kevin Costner advised Tim Robbins to work on his cliches: "They're your friends," he said.

So can you really blame the governor if he re-purposes his own words every now and again?

It got Sorkin all the way to the White House (twice).

Keep up with what's happening in Baltimore County politics by following Bryan P. Sears on Twitter and Facebook.

Jamie July 3, 2012 at 01:16 pm
So I guess he's back in town from his political vacation then? Must have been nice to escape the darkened homes without any ac in the heat wave. Wish I could have done it!
Tim July 3, 2012 at 01:54 pm
Sometimes its okay to not post a story if it's 100% fluff.
Tom Henry July 3, 2012 at 01:56 pm
Its' nice to see he's quoting from someone just as narcissitic as himself.
Steve July 3, 2012 at 01:57 pm
"Political Vacation"? Last time I looked the Eastern Shore (including OC) was part of MD. I wish somebody would tell Andy Harris that.
Bruce Robinson July 3, 2012 at 02:52 pm
Bryan - Do you have a recollection of Governor O'Malley using the "Boot up the backside" line he employed on television while implying that BGE employees were working less hard than they were capable of. I recall some classic lines when he was pointing out his perceptions of poor performance by at least one past City Police Commissioner and a State's Attorney.
Bruce Robinson July 3, 2012 at 02:53 pm
Thanks for the Sorkin Cut. I will never again watch West Wing without thinking about the plagerism and Governor O'Malley.
Native July 3, 2012 at 04:12 pm
These idiot politicians are all the same. Blaming the power companies for not being fast enough to respond to a surprise storm that would overwhelm them even if it was forecast. How about deploying the national guard, how about moving police departmants around to cover intersections without lights. How about taking some of the blame instead of saying childish things like "you'll put your boot up their ass" if they don't work faster.
Bryan P. Sears (Editor) July 3, 2012 at 04:56 pm
I don't have a specific recollection of that but it might be easily checked. I'd wager someone would have reported it had he said it.
Buck Harmon July 3, 2012 at 05:59 pm
Interesting...
Arbutus Town Crier July 3, 2012 at 07:09 pm
Very Interesting...Martial law? Native you might have a good idea!
Steve July 3, 2012 at 07:12 pm
Oh Geez! Don't get the Resist Nuts all worked up!
Tom Henry July 4, 2012 at 01:40 am
sorry, narcissistic.
DS July 4, 2012 at 02:15 am
He should have said "What's the most important tax hike? The next one".......sorry too easy
JD1 July 4, 2012 at 03:49 am
Somehow I can't picture him in a pair of workboots...wingtips and a golden shovel maybe. I would love to see a scrappy lineman working on 3 hours of sleep clean the street with OMalley's pansy ass when he tries to put that boot up his ass. What a soft-handed Irish tool!
Tom Fitzpatrick July 4, 2012 at 09:43 pm
I never watched "The West Wing" and I haven't seen more than a few seconds of "The Newsroom". But I have noticed a sudden obsession with Sorkin amongst the conservatives I encounter on the blogs, lately.
What's with that?
mimialley July 5, 2012 at 02:20 pm
@native. all of those were deployed. maybe they just didn't come to your neighborhood but I had police at intersections in my neighborhood and guard handing out ice.
Scott in Towson July 5, 2012 at 10:35 pm
I think most speakers and political figures repeat themselves because they're on the road all the time and speak to various and many audiences and therefore need to reiterate their message over and over again.
You must have been hard up for something to write about. This says more about YOU, Bryan, or Patch, than it does about our outstanding Governor Martin O'Malley, who happens to be one of the most popular elected officials in the country. What, Bryan, has it been too long since you've stoked up the nutcases on the far-right who despise O'Malley regardless? Can't wait to hear those wackos go berserk as he's building his profile for future national politics.
Tom Fitzpatrick July 5, 2012 at 11:42 pm
Yes they do repeat themselves.
O'Malley using variations of this line doesn't sound nearly half a stupid as John Boehner and Mitch McConnell going on about "job creators".
Native July 6, 2012 at 12:41 am
Montgomery County was hard hit, had no police at intersections.
Native July 6, 2012 at 12:43 am
Thank God most of Maryland does not feel the same as you Scott!
de. nielson July 6, 2012 at 01:41 am
it would be funny if MOM ran for president and couldn't win his home state because we know the truth

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