The Coakley campaign is bridling at finger-pointing from the White House and Washington Democrats, and outside adviser to the campaign has provided to POLITICO a memo aimed at rebutting the charge that Coakley failed, and making the case that national Democrats failed her.
The adviser, who made the case to my colleague Jonathan Martin on the condition of anonymity in response, he said, to "the current leaking coming out of the White House and the DNC that is chalking all of this up to a bad candidate'.
The adviser, who cited internal polling numbers to make the case, emails that, "There's more to the story than that. If Martha is guilty of taking the race for granted, so is the White House, and the DNC."
The adviser pointed to internal polling to argue that Coakley held a wide -- 20 point -- lead on December 19, and that the damage she took between that survey and a January 5 Rasmussen poll putting the race at 9 points came from the national scene: The Senate vote on Health Care, with the controversy over Ben Nelson's deal for Nebraska, and the Christmas Day bombing.
The Coakley adviser's memo:
National Dems Failed to Aid Coakley Until Too Late
-- Coakley campaign provided national Democrats with all poll results since early December
-- Coakley campaign noted concerns about "apathy" and failure of national Democrats to contribute early in December. Coakley campaign noted fundraising concerns throughout December and requested national Democratic help.
-- DNC and other Dem organizations did not engage until the week before the election, much too late to aid Coakley operation
Brown Capitalized on Concerns About National Democrats
-- From the beginning, Brown labeled President Obama's health care and cap and trade plans as tax increases. Polling throughout the race showed this to be the most effective attack on Coakley.
-- Coakley's lead dropped significantly after the Senate passed health care reform shortly before Christmas and after the Christmas Eve "bombing" incident. Polling showed significant concerns with the actions of Senator Nelson to hold out for a better deal. Senator Nelson's actions specifically hurt Coakley who was forced to backtrack on her opposition to the abortion restriction amendment.
-- Democrats concerns with Obama's Afghanastain plan forced Coakley to oppose the Afghan war in the primary, which hurt her in the general.
Claims about Coakley's Scant Campaigning and Miscues Were exaggerated
-- Because of the failure of national Democrats to support Coakley, she was forced to devote significant time to fundraising in December. She also released a variety of plans in December and had a public event nearly every day.
-- Coakley's failure to release television advertisments until 12 days before the election was the result of a fundraising problem that national Democrats failed to resolve. Meanwhile, right wing groups pumped significant amounts of money into Brown's campaign allowing him to go up with ads first, including negative attack ads funded by the Swift Boat and Willie Horton groups.
#1
It's a bad sign when you've decided to do the autopsy before the patient is dead. Especially when you're the patient.
She blames them, they blame her...too bad that graphic doesn't spin. Truth is, this should've been a slam dunk for her with minimal effort. Too bad she was a complacent, out of touch diva who expected the state to just roll out the red carpet for her all the way to DC.
But them's the breaks...
#6
Return fire from a "senior party official". I'm betting at least a "commissar"...
"This memo is a pack full of lies and fantasies - The DNC and the DSCC did everything they were asked and have been involved in the race for several weeks not just the last one -The campaign failed to recognize this threat, failed to keep Coakley on the campaign trail, failed to create a negative narrative about Brown, failed to stay on the air in December while he was running a brilliant campaign. It's wishful thinking from a pollster, candidate and campaign team that were caught napping and are going to allow one of the worst debacle in American political history to happen on their watch that they are at the 11th hour are going to blame others. Before the DNC and DSCC got involved there was barely a single piece of paper on what the narrative is on Brown. The candidate in this race and the campaign have been involved in the worst case of political malpractice in memory and they aren't going to be able to spin themselves out of this with a memo full of lies."
She's AG until 2012. That should be about it for her. I don't think the party will back "the woman who blew Ted Kennedy's senate seat" for dog officer.
#7
And if they're throwing shit at each other even before the polls close, I have a feeling the ground should start shaking here about ten o'clock. It'll be Ted spinning in his grave.
#12
She ran one of the most inept campaigns in recent memory (worse than McStain McCain).
Insulting Fenway and common people, calling Schilling Yankee fan, bigoted remarks that Catholics should stay out of medical care providing, etc.
She is the perfect end product of a single party in power - unaccountable, elitist and entitled. THere are a lot more like her in COngress for the same reasons. 2010 there is hope we may actually see some of the rascals thrown out.
The panic that has over taken liberals watching the Massachusetts Senate race has been perfectly reflected in the comically hysterical coverage on MSNBC.
Just in the last day or two we witnessed: Keith Olbermann's unhinged rant calling Scott Brown "an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, teabagging supporter of violence against women"; Ed Schultz suggesting that Democrats cheat to keep the Republican "bastards" from winning the Massachusetts Senate race; David Shuster introducing a segment on the Massachusetts Senate race by asking whether the Democratic leaning state has "lost its mind"; and Chris Matthews pining for the "old school" days when Democratic machine politicians would use "walking around money" to pack voters into booths to make absolutely sure they'd win races.
Poor Tim Russert must be spinning in his grave watching what passes for political commentary and analysis on MSNBC these days.
#6
So what's gonna happen when Comcast get's the keys to the store and Dean Wormer walks into the frat house and says, "Have you boys and girls seen your rating points?"
#1
Should Brown win in Massachussetts, the Pubs shold not take comfort. Should the Donks win, they likewise they should not take comfort. This is about slowing down or stopping Washington and the present direction and agenda. It is also about corruptness in Washingon in both parties. It is about the economy. It is about what is perceived as un-Americanism. It is about both parties being deaf to voters. There is no wrath like that of a scorned voter. More heads will roll come November 2010.
#3
Somehow I don't see Carly Fiorina as a strong, energetic and innovative candidate like Brown appears to be. She's a tired, old RINO like McCain. I'm afraid if she wins the primary that Boxer will scratch her eyes out in the general. Unlike Coakley, Boxer has been around the block a time or two.
#4
Ebbang,
I suspect you are correct about California finale, but Fiorina did not get to the top of a major corporation without knowing how to play hardball politics.
#5
Having seen Carly run a great company into the ground, I'd prefer swine flu to her. On the other hand I'd prefer her to Boxer. I'm glad I don't live in California.
#6
I'd prefer Boxer. At least she won't hurt the trunk brand like FioriNO. Campbell or Whitman. They're RINOs, but you don't have to be ashamed of them.
A poll conducted Sunday night for Politico by InsiderAdvantage shows Scott Brown leading Martha Coakley 52-43.
As one looks at the polls that have been released of late, there's a trend worth noting. Not only has Brown locked up his Republican base and taken a commanding lead among independent voters. But a growing number of Democrats seem to be shifting toward the Brown column. In this new survey, Brown wins Republicans 86-10 and independents 69-28. Among Democrats, Coakley's lead is just 71-24, meaning nearly one-in-four of those voters plans to cast a vote for the Republican.
Compare that to other recent surveys:
Research 2000/Daily Kos: 89-9
PPP: 77-19
ARG: 73-23
With word that the Obama operation is moving in to supplement Coakley's GOTV operation, there's a challenge for them beyond just the weather: find only those Democrats who plan to stick within their party tomorrow.
#1
I think a lot of Massachusetts residents are expressing their frustration by telling pollsters they will vote for Brown, but I think most of them will end up voting Democrat - their gut hatred of the very word 'Republican' will prevent them from voting the way their rational mind would direct them.
A Democratic operative familiar with Martha Coakley and the DSCC's massive get-out-the-vote operation says that outreach workers in and around Boston have been stunned by the number of Democrats and Obama supporters who are waving them off, saying they'll vote for Scott Brown.
#4
I have such great respect for the voters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Teddy, Kerry, Bawney, etc.) that I figure if Brown wins it will because his old hunky photo spread in some magazine garners him an unusually high percentage of the gay male and cougar vote.
#5
New Jersey, Virginia, and maybe Massachusetts. I think a strong message is being sent to Washington. It would be stronger if Brown wins. Hoping he wins. Time to clean house (and Senate).
Barney Frank is up for re-election in 2010. It is a good time for the citizens of Massachusetts to re-think what a jerk he is. Come on do the yourselves and the rest of the country a service and Bwawney.
Jim Geraghty, "Morning Jolt" newsletter from National Review
Politico: "President Barack Obama plans a combative response if, as White House aides fear, Democrats lose Tuesday's special Senate election in Massachusetts, close advisers say."
Well, we didn't really expect humility, did we?
Great to know, Mr. President, that Iran shot protesters dead in the streets, beat the hell out of young kids, North Korea's firing off missiles so regularly you can set a clock to them, al-Qaeda tries to blow up a plane on Christmas, al-Qaeda's Yemeni branch is winning "Franchise of the Year", China's hacking Google until every search brings back at least one smiling Mao photo, Kabul's blowing up, our southern border looks like a war zone, and after a year of outreach, reset buttons, "changing the tone" and 364 days of kumbaya we finally get to see a "combative response" from you... to a Republican winning a race.
I look forward to his Oval Office address announcing that the electorate has deeply disappointed him, and that he expects more of us.
This is not a moderator note; please don't post under that category. It's also not WoT Operations. AoS.
Posted by: Mike ||
01/19/2010 10:18 ||
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Link ||
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#1
Currently Hussein and his regime is facing being voted out of DC. If he decides to be combative he and his goons can be hauled out of DC straight to jail. If he trully goes third world (Kenyan) on Americans he and his people will be removed by any means necessary.
Posted by: Boss Snomotle8280 ||
01/19/2010 10:36 Comments ||
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#2
A Confederacy of Fools
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails us. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."
The FBI violated the law in collecting thousands of U.S. telephone records during the Bush administration, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Citing internal memos and interviews, the Post said the FBI invoked nonexistent terrorism emergencies or persuaded phone companies to provide information as it illegally gathered more than 2,000 records between 2002 and 2006. They even admit it's old news -
The bureau said in 2007 that it had improperly obtained some phone records, and the Justice Department inspector general is expected to release a report this month detailing the extent of the problem.
Documents obtained by the Post show that FBI managers as high as the assistant director level approved the emergency requests. Caproni said FBI Director Robert Mueller did not know about the requests until late 2006 or early 2007, after the inspector general's investigation had begun.
Caproni told the Post that the bureau will await the inspector general's report before deciding whether disciplinary action is warranted. What a novel idea!
Posted by: Bobby ||
01/19/2010 05:55 ||
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#1
I'm not going to the link, but let's do some math - 2,000 "illegally gathered" records over 5 years. That's 400 a year, a little more than one a day. And how many records were "legally" gathered during the same period? And what's the ratio of the two?
Again, without bothering to see if the WAPO gets the basics right, I'd bet this is a failure rate of something less than .1%.
Statistical background noise, probably not noticeable even if you're standing there watching it happen.
But I'm sure it's a nefarious conspiracy of some kind.
#2
Diversion.. (I haven't even seen much/any of the Ft Hood massacre report that was issued last Fri nite. (Haiti, MLK day, Mass election, BHO anniversary tomorrow)
As voters head to the polls in Massachusetts, nervous Democrats have already begun to blame one another for putting at risk the Senate seat Ted Kennedy held for more than 40 years.
Many angry Democrats blame their candidate, state Attorney General Martha Coakley, for running a sluggish campaign that let Republican Scott Brown set the contours of the race.
Some Democratic strategists lay the fault at the feet of President Barack Obama, saying he should have done more to sell the party's agenda.
And in private conversations, Hill sources say White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has blamed Coakley, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Democratic pollster Celinda Lake for failing to see Brown's surge in time to stop it.
With the legislative and political stakes so high, it's unbelievable that the Senate committee and White House let this race get so out of hand,' said one senior Washington Democrat. There's a lot of blame to go around. Martha Coakley is only one of the problems here.'
Coakley is at the center of the criticism. Democrats complain that her campaign was caught napping after last month's primary and that Brown was able to use the pause to shape the race.
A malaise set in, and there was a failure to take advantage of the opportunity to define yourself the next day' after the primary, said longtime Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.). You thank people for the primary and then begin to define the next six weeks.'
Added Neal: Going dark was not a great idea.'
Although DSCC Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) was still predicting victory Monday, even he conceded that it would have been better' if Coakley had laid out the differences between the candidates earlier. He said Democrats have learned a crucial lesson: that even in very blue states, Democrats should expect a volatile' environment with a tough' electorate and you can't afford not to be aggressive.'
You have to define your opponent before they define themselves,' Menendez said. In Brown's case, he's working hard to try to disguise himself.'
Menendez learned that the race was tightening about a week and a half ago, when independent pollsters returned results showing the race much tighter than Democratic polls had been portraying. He acted quickly unleashing more than $2.5 million into the race, including $1.4 million in television ads in the past week alone, according to sources familiar with the effort.
The DSCC also dispatched senior staff to take tighter control of the Coakley campaign, bolster her get-out-the-vote efforts, improve her fundraising and enhance coordination between the White House and the campaign. As a result, the tone of her ads and her stump speech were sharpened in an attempt to define Brown in the minds of the voters as a far-right Republican out of touch with the state's mainstream voters.
Look, we're never in place of a campaign; a candidate has to run their own race,' Menendez told POLITICO. When the alarm bells went off, we sprung into action.'
Emanuel has told his confidants that those bells rang too late and that both Menendez and Lake, who declined to be interviewed, should have been moving sooner.
But the White House itself is facing a barrage of criticism among Democrats, with many saying that Obama has let the GOP frame the issues particularly health care in the minds of many independent voters, including those who elected Republican governors in Virginia and New Jersey in the fall.
We lost independents in Virginia, we lost independents in New Jersey and we're losing independents in Massachusetts,' said one Democratic campaign strategist. The only thing those three states have in common is Obama.'
The Democratic National Committee, which spent at least $750,000 almost exclusively on get-out-the-vote efforts, has also faced criticism for not dispatching its resources early enough.
Democrats recognize the difficulty any candidate would have had, given the political headwinds blowing against the party at the moment. Still, they argue that the race was still very much winnable and that a veteran pol such as Rep. Michael Capuano who was trounced by Coakley in the primary would not have let Brown define the race.
Instead, they complain that Coakley effectively ceded to her opponent the day-to-day news coverage what political pros call earned media' by not taking him seriously enough until it was too late.
Coakley was so confident, noted one fuming Democrat, that she even stopped the critical task of identifying supporters on the phone following the primary the very foundation on which she should have structured her turnout operation.
Brown, a little-known Republican state senator, used the opening to cultivate a regular-guy image, most vividly rendered in what became the campaign's defining ad that of the candidate driving around Massachusetts in his well-worn GMC truck.
And while Brown, who is actually an attorney and is married to a local news broadcaster, was defining his just-folks persona, Coakley was committing a series of gaffes that made her seem politically out of touch or at least tone-deaf.
Asked about why she was not spending more time with voters, Coakley jabbed at Brown for having greeted hockey fans who attended a special outdoor game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers.
As opposed to standing outside Fenway Park? In the cold? Shaking hands?' she said.
Such one-on-one interaction with voters is the lifeblood of this state's politics, and mocking the idea of braving the cold at Boston's iconic baseball stadium seemed bizarre given the tens of thousands of voters who did just that to see the game.
She had a humanity deficit as a cold campaigner, but they didn't try to warm her up or, instead, define the race about big issues and instead ended up with a referendum on likability,' said one Massachusetts Democratic veteran.
J.B. Poersch, executive director of the DSCC, acknowledged that Democrats didn't do enough to portray Coakley as an independent voice' for Massachusetts. That allowed Brown to grab the change' mantle and to appeal to voters upset over the direction of the country.
We just didn't use the primary to set her up as a change agent enough,' Poersch said.
But Poersch strongly defended the committee's efforts, saying we, more than anybody, represented the difference in spending.'
We were the principal funders of her field program,' Poersch said. And my political director was side by side with her campaign manager' doing voter turnout.
Party officials say Monday's debate and some subsequent Coakley gaffes may have done her in.
When moderator David Gergen asked Brown about the Kennedy seat,' the Republican shot back that it was actually the people's seat.' The line became a populist rallying cry for both Brown and his supporters.
Coakley, meanwhile, hurt herself at the debate by suggesting that there were not currently any terrorists in Afghanistan.
More missteps followed, each of which amplified her weaknesses: leaving the state to attend a lobbyist-packed Washington fundraiser which became a Brown ad; suggesting Catholics with strong views on contraception shouldn't work in emergency rooms; appearing not to know that former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling was, in fact, a player for the Red Sox.
A candidate who was not a part of the Beacon Hill boys club, had no ties to Washington and had little in the way of a relationship with the Kennedys somehow managed to be cast as the ultimate insider.
Massachusetts isn't insulated from the anti-incumbent sentiment nationwide, but this was a race that a competent candidate would have won without panic or palpitations,' said a Massachusetts Democratic hand.
#2
It's always a good thing when the other guy's team is the one laying circular-firing-squad ambushes for each other on election day morning. Nice turn-around from November 2008.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
01/19/2010 9:01 Comments ||
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#3
The democrats have only one man to blame and that is Rahm Emanuel . Mister Twinkle Toes. He will blame everyone but his grandmother. Bottom line, Rahm Emanuel is a sinister character and Obama is keeping this idiot around. If he was such a genius then why is Obama such a failure.
Posted by: Art ||
01/19/2010 9:30 Comments ||
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#4
the republicans should erect a large statue of Kennedy or obama just so it can be toppled post election
Posted by: lord garth ||
01/19/2010 9:33 Comments ||
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#5
After reading this:Martha Coakley's Convictions
you have to ask, who was the clown who put her on the ticket to start with.
A new study of the nation's voter registration records finds 3.3 million dead voters are still on the rolls - including an estimated 116,483 in Massachusetts - while another 12.9 million who are ineligible also remain.
The study was done by Aristotle International Inc., a Washington, D.C. technology company that specializes in election-related programming and database services for public officials and agencies.
Not only does this raise concerns about potential voter fraud, but from the interest of campaign consultants, ineligible or expired voters could lead to a waste of resources, John Aristotle Phillips, CEO of Aristotle, told CNS News.
"Some states have bigger problems than others," Phillips said. "With deadwood exceeding one in seven votes in some counties, candidates might as well spend a day a week campaigning in the cemetery."
Other states besides Massachusetts with high numbers of dead and ineligible voters on their registration rolls include New Hampshire, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming, according to Aristotle. North Carolina has the fewest such voters on its rolls, Aristotle found.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
...and the estimated turnout for the 116K is 472 percent.
#11
another 12.9 million who are ineligible also remain.
Those are the ones that worry me. When I was working on the L.A. County Election System, I discovered voters in CA are registered by county. If you moved from LA County to Orange County you were not necessarily taken off the rolls. You could, of course, register in Orange County, in which case you could vote twice. It might take years to get your name removed from the old county.
Bay State Rantburgers, do you have the same system?
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
01/19/2010 12:12 Comments ||
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I'm amazed at how many Democratic politicians are using the word 'teabag' to fire up their constituents. Chuck Schumer proudly called Republican candidate Scott Brown a "far-right teabagger" earlier in the race, and now it appears Sen. Kerry is following suit.
"We also see how revved up the tea baggers are at the thought of hijacking health care reform and every chance we have at making progress in Washington." warned Kerry this morning.
The vulgar term has become commonplace in the liberal blogosphere and television commentators, in spite of the raised eyebrows amongst conservatives. I think its odd, however, that 'esteemed' Northeastern senators are saying it with pride.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
"We also see how revved up the tea baggers are at the thought of hijacking health care reform and every chance we have at making progress in Washington." warned Kerry this morning.
"We also see how revved up the tea baggers tea baggees are at the thought of hijacking health care reform and every chance we have at making progress in Washington." warned Kerry badanov this morning.
#3
Yes, Senator, these extremists are getting far more coverage than they should get. It's that vast, right-wing conspiracy again!
Posted by: Bobby ||
01/19/2010 6:03 Comments ||
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#4
Impressive job with the rouge and lipstick girly man. My money is on Kerry being intimately familiar with the finer points of being teabagged.
Posted by: ed ||
01/19/2010 7:07 Comments ||
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#5
From a commenter on the article: I'm a Mother, a Grandmother and Great Grandmother. I finally asked my Daughter in Law what this meant. This statement by Mr. Kerry is so dirty and insulting I can't believe it. A grown man, a respected or should say once respected man and politician I voted for is saying this about me, my family, my friends because we get together to voice that we don't like the direction this President has taken this country and don't like being lied too? And now we're being called a name that is absolutely disgusting? When he and the rest of the party know what this word means? I still can't believe it. To say you've lost me forever is an understatement. Go Scott Brown!!!
Pretty much sums it up for me, except I have no great-grandchildren. And yeah, they know what it means.
Posted by: Bobby ||
01/19/2010 7:17 Comments ||
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#6
You may contact the distingusihed gentlemen from Massachusetts at -
http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
Apparently, you don't have an address within the Commonwealth to contact his staff. Dirtbag.
Posted by: Bobby ||
01/19/2010 7:29 Comments ||
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#7
Kerry is just as classless as the rest of the dhimorcats.
#8
Someone uses that term around me, I try to correct them. IF they are adamant about it, I say "OK, which do you prefer I use with you: a buttbitch or cocksmoking liberal?" That usually drives the point home.
#10
Thats right there mojo, and the self proclaimed clever people who have been slinging this around as an insult are just now starting to realize they had been slamming themselves the whole time.
#12
Let's see. Teabagging is primarily a homosexual activity. The left loves using this term for name calling. So what has happened? They are calling us all "faggots" without getting in trouble for it.
#13
The Tea Party movement has exposed the contempt the liberal elite has for the common man like nothing else in recent history. The Progressives favorite tactic is to dismiss rather then debate. But traditionally people with the stature of sitting senators have left the vulgar ridicule to their minions and the press. Perhaps, someone will publicly ask Senator Kerry why he feels comfortable comparing people concerned with out of control government spending with gay strippers slapping their scrotums in the faces of other men.
#14
"Perhaps, someone will publicly ask Senator Kerry why he feels comfortable comparing people concerned with out of control government spending with gay strippers slapping their scrotums in the faces of other men."
I'd pay good money to see that, DepotGuy!
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
01/19/2010 12:45 Comments ||
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#15
How can that term be used so casually? Surely someone needs to call these people out on their comments.
#18
Well Shumer and Kerry, just keep running your mouths about "tea baggers" and you will be looking for jobs next time around. The voters don't like this arrogance.
As Odgen Nash said: Here's a good rule of thumb: Too clever is dumb.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
The Coakley campaign is bridling at finger-pointing from the White House and Washington Democrats, and outside adviser to the campaign has provided to POLITICO a memo aimed at rebutting the charge that Coakley failed, and making the case that national Democrats failed her.
A new study of the nation's voter registration records finds 3.3 million dead voters are still on the rolls - including an estimated 116,483 in Massachusetts - while another 12.9 million who are ineligible also remain.
