Every week it, seems, another Rhode Island Democrat signals interest in the 2010 governor’s race.

Last week it was Bob Walsh. Walsh, the well-known executive director of National Education Association Rhode Island and a State House regular, put his own name into consideration Friday in a posting on the left-leaning political blog www.rifuture.org, run by his colleague, NEA assistant director Patrick Crowley.

But in a subsequent e-mail to Political Scene that same day, Walsh said it doesn’t necessarily mean he is staging a run to succeed term-limited Republican Governor Carcieri.

In early January, Walsh suffered a stroke during surgery and is still recovering, he reports.

“As I noted in the blog entry, the main purpose was to start the dialogue to put together the type of platform on which I would like a progressive candidate to run for governor,” Walsh tells Political Scene. “As for me being that candidate, right now I have to focus on fully recovering from my health issues, although I have been overwhelmed with the positive response I have received in the short time the entry has been posted on RI Future, and therefore have a lot of thinking to do.”

In the original posting, he outlines his position in a succinct sentence: “progressive, pro-public education, pro-labor, pro-job creation and economic development, pro-choice, pro-environment, pro-marriage equality, and supportive of a fair tax policy for our state.”

Walsh is no stranger to political races. In 1992, when he was a 31-year-old financial consultant, he ran unsuccessfully for Congress.

House leaders, again, shelve budget-change rule

Facing behind-the-scenes resistance, House leaders have once again withdrawn a proposed rule change that would have limited the kinds of amendments that rank-and-file lawmakers could propose to the state budget.

The 2009-10 rules package slated for a hearing last week would have banned the introduction — during the annual budget debate — of any proposed amendment that mirrored a bill already considered by a House committee “without the prior consent” of the House Finance Committee chairman.

An infuriated John Loughlin, R-Tiverton, the House minority whip, readied for battle, claiming the rule would force the majority of the 75 House members, Republican and Democrat, “to sit with their hands folded, because most of the issues we care about we introduced as bills. … You have to wonder if maybe these rules are so harsh because we have a lame-duck speaker and he realizes it’s the only way he can control the room.”

But late last week, House spokesman Larry Berman said the clampdown was first proposed two years ago as a suggested way to “prevent duplication,” since lawmakers often try to resurrect their failed bills through proposed budget amendments. But he said House Finance Committee Chairman Steven Costantino, D-Providence, never supported the move, and “at the request of the House leadership, the proposal has been dropped.”

Haves and have-nots

Call it an only-at-the-State-House moment.

As dozens of Rhode Island’s jobless rallied on the sidewalk in front of the Capitol Thursday, uniformed parking attendants dodged between them, parking shiny cars for a cocktail reception inside.

The event was part of the Chamber of Commerce Coalition’s annual legislative day, when Chamber members are invited to mingle with legislators over wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Chamber lobbyist Dave Carlin said the Chamber paid for the valet parking to make it easier for members and attendees. “Anyone who goes to the State House has an awfully hard time finding a place to park,” Carlin said.

He reported that the event was a successful one, attracting more than 70 legislators.

Ex-candidate Edwards will speak at Brown

For months he’s flown under the radar.

Now John Edwards, the former United States senator and 2004 vice presidential candidate, will speak at Brown University on Tuesday of next week.

The address — at 8 p.m. in the Salomon Center’s DeCiccio Auditorium — is one of only a handful Edwards has made since admitting last year that he had an affair with an employee on his 2008 presidential campaign.

His appearance is sponsored by the student-run Brown University Lecture Board. Tickets will be offered to students, faculty and staff on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space permitting, the event will also open to the public that night. Doors open at 7:15 p.m.

Murphy sees long session

March is approaching. . And already, House Speaker William J. Murphy is predicting an unusually long legislative session.

“I’m not going to be popular by saying this, but I do not seeing the Assembly getting out by July 1 this year,” the speaker said after a news conference last week on the economic stimulus. “I think this is going to be a year of protraction where there’s going to be many long nights in this building.”

The part-time legislature traditionally recesses for the year by the end of June. But Murphy said there’s too much uncertainty this year to predict a traditional departure date.

speoples@projo.com