Welcome to Off Message. I'm Isaac Dover. Today's guest, Deval Patrick. So why am I talking to a former governor of Massachusetts who stepped out of politics? Well, he's someone whom I've been hearing a lot of whispers about among Democrats already thinking toward 2020, even though he has taken no moves to make anyone think he's actually running, at least not yet.

But, and I wrote this all up in a story on our political website, that hasn't stopped the hopes.

Among the people who told me they've talked to him about running, Obama's strategist and close advisor,

David Axelrod, and Obama's other close advisor and friend, Valerie Jarrett.

Plus, as you'll see in that article, Obama himself has encouraged Patrick to think about it.

They're actually, truly friends, not just political-speak friends.

And, as it's been put to me, Patrick is one of the few people out there whom Obama admits

has actual political skills.

There's a lot that they have in common, though not everything.

One thing that struck me is an old Joe Biden line about Obama.

He used to say, I've never met a guy who's better at talking to 10,000 people than one.

Patrick is a soaring orator, but he isn't quite Obama level.

One potential hitch, if he does decide to do it,

has to do with where we recorded the interview in Boston, at the John Hancock building,

on the 38th floor, in the Bain Capital headquarters. Yes, that same bane that the Obama

2012 campaign turned into a curse word for Democrats. First, we'll check in on the Massachusetts

feeling about Patrick from Lauren Daczynski, who's based out of the State House on Bacon Hill

and the author of our Massachusetts Politico Playbook. Remember to subscribe and rate us on Apple

Podcasts for your favorite podcast platform. Coming up, Alaska Governor Bill Walker, the only

independent elected governor in the country on the future of

independent centrist in American politics. And also Cecil Richards of Planned Parenthood and many more.

Follow me on Twitter and on Facebook at Isaac Dover and keep those emails coming to Isaac,

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