Boston Public Radio's last Ask The Governor with Charlie Baker featured a lot of surprises

Before he leaves the State House and goes back to life as just Charlie from Swampscott, Gov. Charlie Baker had a chance to reconnect with some old friends Thursday — and leave some notes for his successor. Maura from Cambridge, Bill from Canton and Marty from Dorchester — better known as Gov.-elect Maura Healey, former Gov. Bill Weld and U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh — all called in during Baker’s final appearance on Boston Public Radio as his eight years in office wind down, expressing their gratitude and congratulations. “You’re busted!” Baker said to Healey, laughing. “I do have a lot of questions, though,” she quipped after thanking Baker for his “incredible service to the commonwealth.” After the incoming and outgoing governor exchanged jokes about Healey cleaning out the highest shelves in the governor’s office after the much-taller Baker leaves, the governor told her he looks forward to her and Lt. Gov-elect Kim Driscoll “climbing aboard and taking over the show.” “It will be, I promise you, it will be one of the most maddening and amazing professional experiences you’ll ever have,” he said. Asked what he hopes to see Healey do once she takes office next month, Baker pointed to some of the unfinished business of this legislative session, including a package of tax cuts he proposed at the start of the year and a funding bill he filed last month to address the housing and shelter needs for the influx of migrants that have been arriving in Massachusetts. He also reflected on his time as governor, calling his upcoming departure bittersweet. "Obviously, Karyn Polito and I have really appreciated the time we've been able to spend with the people of Massachusetts for the past eight years, and I wouldn't trade it for anything," he said. "I think both of us believed that it was appropriate not to run again, and I think we're leaving the state better than we found it — which, given the fact that there was a pandemic in the middle of it, we think is pretty cool." 00:00 Start 12:24 A presidential bid for 2024? 16:23 Former Governor Bill Weld calls in 35:04 Driving an electric vehicle 42:27 Governor-elect Maura Healey calls in 57:38 Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh calls in GBH News is a premier source for in-depth local news and original story telling based in Boston, Massachusetts. Subscribe to the GBH YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/gbhnews?sub... Follow GBH News on Instagram:   / gbhnews   Like GBH News on Facebook:   / gbhnews   Follow GBH News on Twitter:   / gbhnews