With her almost daily gaffes, from bristling at going out in the cold to opposing Catholics working in emergency rooms, Martha Coakley seems like the political candidate with two left feet. Michelle has called her campaign “listless, hapless“. She famously took a vacation over the holidays even as they fell less than a month before the election.
Now, some might say that Scott Brown wouldn’t be doing as well against a candidate who was better prepared. And they might be right. But, given the national mood, a more aggressive and energetic Democratic candidate may have alerted those upset with the things going on in Washington and on Beacon Hill to the upcoming election. Hence, Coakley’s strategy was sensible, given the state’s demographics and the power of its Democratic machine (and special interest allies) to generate turnout on Election Day. Unfortunately (for the Democrats), Brown’s textbook campaign roused those upset with the status quo and eager for change in our nation’s capital.
(Memo to GOP: on January 20, no matter what the result, get someone to do write-up on this campaign, have Brown campaign staffers brief top officials from RNC, NRSC, NRCC and pass this information on to people in states with lackluster GOP operations.)
One should think twice before calling Coakley a bad politician. She won big in the Democratic primary, capturing 47 percent of the vote in a four-way race, “easily outdistancing her closest competitor, Rep. Michael Capuano, who finished with 28 percent.” A novice politician doesn’t do that. It’s just she needed a different skill set in a competitive race with a Republican in an environment with people clamoring for change.
And that, I believe, explains all her gaffes on the trail this past wee. Coakley has spent so much time working her way up in Democratic circles that she just doesn’t know how to face a challenge from a Republican. She thought the battle was over in December when she won her party’s primary. And she, like the media, considered next Tuesday’s election a mere formality.
I’ve been blogging and sent a modest amount of money to his campaign. If he does win…HE BETTER NOT SCREW IT UP!!!!
Dan,
I wonder if you take the sled dog that has his nose planted in the rear portal of the lead sled dog and you put him in the lead position if the change of view is so distracting that he changes his pace, his mission and his ability to carry through.
Here in MA we are trying to fire the “Scott” heard around the world!!!!!!! Go Scott Brown……….
Well lack of real competition will breed laziness and weakness, looks like the Massachusetts Democratic Machine is far too rusty to fight a real battle. I still think they will be able to pull it out in the end with the use of sheer numbers but its obviously moved to a critical situation.
Its always more fun when the race is competitive, though I don’t buy the idea of a moral victory. If they really mattered, Hillary’s moral victories through the second half the 08 primary would have won her the nomination. He loses, nothing really changes…even if it was a surprisingly closing race.
Worst. Ad. Ever.
(HT, Campaign spot)
I’m interested in how large the MA Scott Brown gay vote will be.
If women can vote in droves for John Edwards…..
She has no momentum and Obama is not going to help her when half the city will be away skiing in Vermont and NH during the long holiday weekend.
Darkeyedresolve: I live in Massachusetts, there’s something different about this and something special going on here. Many of the people that have supported Democrat after Democrat regardless of who they were or what cliche they recited are now voting for Brown. We’ve HAD IT! The “sheer numbers” aren’t there. Either they have turned and will vote for Brown or they won’t vote at all. The only ones even remotely excited about this election are those of us that want to change the status quo. The rest are either asleep or in their own way are doing what they really want to do and not vote so they can see what happens. I looked at the MSN website and can’t find an article of what is taking place in Massachusetts. The Boston Globe and local television is not reporting what is actually going on here. It’s bigger than what the numbers are showing or what the perception is of those that rely on major news outlets. TRUST ME! The POTUS doesn’t change his plans for the holiday to fly out to Massachusetts because of our balmy January weather.