BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- New details about the actual story that gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker told surfaced this week and FOX 25 wants to know if that crying moment helped or hurt.
When Baker started crying during a debate, did it mark a turning point in this tight race?
FOX 25 Political Reporter Sharman Sacchetti is finding out new details about Baker's emotional story of a New Bedford fisherman who regretted not sending his sons to college on football scholarships. During a debate Tuesday night, Baker said "I got asked the other day to tell some stories of people I've met over the course of the campaign, and I told the story of a fisherman I met down on the dock."
Turns out the story is old. It's not from this campaign but the one in 2009, when he lost to Deval Patrick.
And who is this fisherman?
Baker's spokesman wouldn't identify him when we asked, only saying the campaign is not in touch with him. When Sacchetti asked Baker if the tears were genuine, he said, "I've been moved by that story. First of all, the question we got asked by the panelists last night was, 'When was the last time you cried?' And I said the last time I cried was when I told this story on Saturday. It happened four years ago and it still gets me even now."
For her part gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley said she doesn't doubt Baker's story, saying, "I don't, in fact we talked about it."
She says the race ought to be about the issues.
"We're two different people. We have two different proposals for Massachusetts. That should be what this race is about, who is gonna best lead Massachusetts," Coakley said.
So did the crying help or hurt?
Sacchetti asked Boston University Political Historian Tom Whalen how much the tears were worth.
"I think at least a couple percentage points," Whalen said.
He says the tears helped Baker, but isn't certain it would have worked for Coakley.
"There is a double standard in politics, and it weighs against women candidates, I think that's what makes it so difficult for women candidates to break that glass ceiling," Whalen said.
We called the New Bedford school superintendent's office, to see if they remember any football players who were brothers who were both offered scholarships.
They simply referred us back to the Baker campaign.
Residents hit the polls in six days.
