Uncategorized

Is Martha Coakley Trying To Lose The Senate Race?

By Karen Tumulty | January 13, 2010 | +

This is not a good thing to be saying right before a closer-than-expected election:

Despite that, there is a subdued, almost dispassionate quality to her public appearances, which are surprisingly few. Her voice is not hoarse from late-night rallies. Even yesterday, the day after a hard-hitting debate, she had no public campaign appearances in the state.

Coakley bristles at the suggestion that, with so little time left, in an election with such high stakes, she is being too passive.

“As opposed to standing outside Fenway Park? In the cold? Shaking hands?’’ she fires back, in an apparent reference to a Brown online video of him doing just that. “This is a special election. And I know that I have the support of Kim Driscoll. And I now know the members of the [Salem] School Committee, who know far more people than I could ever meet.’’

Then, you could question the wisdom of taking time out to go to DC (!) for a fundraiser, especially when it ends up this way.

Related Topics: martha coakley, massachusetts senate race, scott brown, Uncategorized

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  • trifecta55

    I don’t think she wants to be in front of the Wal-Mart handing out flyers.
    .
    Sorry, had a Halperin moment there.

  • destor23

    Oh great, a sense of entitlement always works well in an election…

  • deconstructiva

    KT, thanks for your post and link. It’s too bad about the “little room for levity” thingy mentioned in article; I love levity and prefer to see “the real person” on the campaign trail (not the Appalachian Trail, but I digress). Sorry for football analogy but it sounds like she playing either a prevent defense (which I hate) or a don’t-screw-up offense / let the defense win (like the Ravens). I can understand her caution with conservative outlets like FOX likely waiting for a mistake to pounce on.

  • deconstructiva

    KT, sorry for OT, but did you or other swampers cover today’s Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission meeting w/ Big Bank leaders? Certainly there’s heavy political eyeshadow to finance reform, let alone the mascara and (going) rouge to the finance reform process (esp. after HCR process battles as you’ve well covered). Thanks.

  • rustyreturns

    Folks may also find this very interesting as well so far as Senate races for election are concerned.
    .
    Health Care Reform anyone?
    .
    http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/new_hampshire/election_2010_new_hampshire_senate
    .

    “While other Republicans are nosing into the race, former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte remains the GOP hopeful with the best chance of beating likely Democratic candidate Paul Hodes in New Hampshire’s U.S. Senate contest this year.

    A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state finds Ayotte beating Hodes by nine points – 49% to 40%. Three percent (3%) prefer another candidate, and eight percent (8%) are undecided.

    Ayotte, the state’s attorney general from 2004 until her resignation last July, led Hodes, a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, by eight points – 46% to 38% – in September.

    The Republican now has a six-point edge among voters not affiliated with either party – 44% to 38%.For Hodes, his vote in the House on the national health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats may prove critical. Forty-six percent (46%) of New Hampshire voters favor the plan, while 52% oppose it. This is slightly higher support than is found nationally, but those who Strongly Oppose the plan outnumber those who Strongly Favor it by two-to-one – 44% to 22%.

  • rustyreturns

    Health Care Reform may be Obama’s “waterloo”, now the question is how will other elected Democrats fair in the “waterloo of 2010″.

  • stuartzechman

    Seconded.

  • stuartzechman

    I think you mean “fare”, Rustydog.

  • chrisnbama

    If it didn’t take 60 votes in the Senate to move legislation forward, and if so much weren’t at stake, then I’d be all for seeing her lose the race. But, since we live in an extra-constitutional time, where a supermajority is required to govern, then not so much. The democrats will need her.

    But the fix is already in, even if Scott Brown wins, the Massachusetts legislature will wait weeks to certify the election results ensuring that Health Care Reform is settled before the books are closed on the election.

    What we need is Filibuster reform even before more pressing matters like Cap and Trade and Financial Regulatory overhaul.

  • rustyreturns

    Oops, you are correct stuart, thanks

  • http://www.ghostnote.com Cookie Puss

    Michael Meehan. The genius behind Kerry for President. Does not inspire confidence.

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