Keller @ Large: Back From South America, Patrick Talks Casinos

FOXBORO (CBS) - Gov. Deval Patrick, back from his trade mission to South America, spoke out for the first time Monday about the new proposed hotel and casino in Foxboro.

The new casino law gives the power over those very controversial casino and slot parlor siting decisions to a five-member gaming commission that is supposed to operate independently of political pressures.

Then again, it's politicians who will be picking them.

Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakley, and Treasurer Steve Grossman will be picking the commission members.

Watch Keller @ Large:

And given the inextricable relationship between money and politics at the Statehouse, should these new commission members be politically savvy or apolitical?

"Well, you know, this is a small community. I think it would be helpful for people to have a sense of what the noise is gonna be about their decisions," said Patrick.

How are they going to find anybody from Massachusetts without a potential conflict?

"These men and women have to look you in the eye and basically say we will run this for the best interests of 6 1/2 million people," said Grossman.

"This commission is one that's going to be under an intense amount of scrutiny for everything they do and don't do and the commissioners have to expect that," said Coakley.

Will Patrick, Coakley and Grossman be setting their own agendas aside when they interview and choose the commission members? Presidential candidates often promise to impose no litmus tests on Supreme Court Justices, but also often end up naming like-minded appointees.