Martha Coakley wins Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary

[Alexander]

Source: NECN

The Democratic US Senate primary in Massachusetts has been called for Martha Coakley.

Scott Brown has been declared the winner of the Republican primary.

Read more: http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/12/08/Live-Right-Now-Massachusetts/1260318550.html

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Is this a woman who can fill Teddy's shoes?

So to speak. There will never be another Ted Kennedy. :patriot:

[Arkana]

4. Coakley was not terribly well-liked by the Kennedy family.

However, that was because she's had her eye on his Senate seat for a long time. She'd never even given any thought to trying to primary him, but she's wanted to go into the Senate forever.

She's very liberal and was an excellent AG--she'll be a good Senator.

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. Good news. Thanks!

[bertman]

12. You say she's very liberal, but just a couple of days ago I asked about her record and was

told that she is a DLC Dem who doesn't even lean liberal.

That thread was on DU, so now I'm really confused.

[ruggerson]

14. Does a woman

who opposes the Afghanistan troop surge, spoke out passionately against the Stupak amendment and, as her state's A.G., took it upon herself to file suit, on behalf of her state, against the federal government to overturn DOMA - does that woman sound like a DLC'er to you?

[bertman]

15. No that does not sound like a DLC Dem to me. Thank you, ruggerson. I am encouraged.

[Arkana]

16. I think I know who you listened to.

Chances are you also got an earful about the Fells Acre Day Care case too.

[bertman]

18. No, Arkana, I did not. Would you care to elaborate?

[No Elephants]

19. All four Democrats who ran said the exact same things on those issues, but only one had

a record of doing anything about them, and that was Capuano. It's Massachusetts. Of course, all the Democrats in a primary are going to run liberal. But actions speak louder than words.

Coakley's career has been as a prosecutor. As of 2004, Coakley was defending the Patriot Act, though she backpedaled in 2007. That was after a mostly Republican SCOTUS had declared several of its provisions unconstitutional, though.

I cannot point to one thing she actually did in Massachusetts that was liberal before she set her sights on Kennedy's seat. And I am not so sure she took the DOMA suit on herself. Massachusetts is a gay marriage state and Governor Patrick's daughter is gay. He may well have had something to do with it.

Of the four candidates, she was the only one who chose to distance herself from Kennedy. The other three all proudly referred to him in their ads (though, IMO, Pag had some nerve to do so).

[ruggerson]

23. She has SUED the federal government

She has actually stood up and DONE something. Question her motivations all you want, but the fact remains that she DID something. And apparently a lot of Democrats agree. SHe won by a 2 to 1 margin and a lot of very liberal people voted for her.

[No Elephants]

24. Again, please mention something liberal that she did BEFORE setting her sights on Kennedy's seat.

And again, Governor Patrick may well have had something to do with that suit.

Coakley's had a long career and is no spring chicken. If that is the only thing to which you can point in her career and private life that shouts liberal, doesn't that say something?

As far as her winning, her gender and statewide name reccgnition had more to do with that than whether she is a DLC type or not. (But Bubba endorsed her and he is DLC.) I don't think winning proves you are the most liberal one in the race. Far from it.

This is beating a dead horse, though, since the primary is over. For better or worse, she is the candidate.

[CreekDog]

17. nope

:eyes:

[No Elephants]

22. This is a woman who doesn't want to fill Kennedy's shoes, only his seat. Of the four

Democratic primary candidates, three ran on their affinity with Kennedy's ideals, even Pag, who had supported Romney when Romney ran for Kennedy's Senate seat. Coakely was the only one who distanced herself from the Kennedy legacy. She is the only one who never mentioned him in her ads.

Most Kennedy family members stayed silent about this primary. Those who did not remain silent, though, endorsed Mike Capuano. That is no surprise, since he voted a great deal like Kennedy, including voting against the Iraq War and against the Patriot Act.

[Arkana]

2. Wootles.

I voted for her.

[virgogal]

8. Me too !

[Bombtrack]

3. God damn it

horrible, horrible choice.

[MissMillie]

10. I do like her.... but

she started some stuff here as AG... that I would like her to stay and finish.

[ccharles000]

5. k/r

[ruggerson]

6. She just reached out to you and asked for your support

n/t

[wisteria]

7. No surprise. No one could ever fill Ted Kennedy's shoes, so this is ok. n/t

[virgogal]

9. I voted for Martha but Scott Brown is a VERY interesting candidate.

Should be fun even though Brown doesn't have a chance.

[ruggerson]

13. I don't find virulent homophobes very interesting

they all kind of blend into each other after a while.

[No Elephants]

20. Melt down Brown? Centerfold Brown? Republican Brown?

Please don't do pr for him at DU.

[chelsea0011]

25. Correct mer if I am wrong about this, but isn't Scott Brown married to Gail Huff

for Channel 5 News, and why wasn't she there last night?

[virgogal]

26. Yes he is and I didn't know she wasn't there until you told me. Who

knows why,and who cares?

[chelsea0011]

27. I was wondering why because she still works for Channel 5 and may of thought

it would look odd when Channel 5 covers his speech. Maria Shriver had to step aside when Arnold ran for governor. She wasn't ahppy. I wonder why gail huff hasn't been asked to do the same.

[virgogal]

28. Good point. I don't know if Huff is still working or not.

[No Elephants]

21. Another example of people getting the government they deserve.

Of the four Democrats in the primary, Coakley was either the most right or tied for the most right. And, during the debates and round tables, she came across to me as the least capable of thinking on her feet. She was also the only candidate who chose to distance herself from Ted Kennedy, rather than trying to to succeed to his great legacy.

This is not a surprise since she has been the favorite all along, thanks in part to statewide name recognition, thanks to her years as a prosecutor and AG, in part to her being a woman (Massachusetts like to to vote for women and minorities) and in part to getting large donations from Emily's List, which supports women running for office. Not a surprise, but, to me, a disappointment.

This is also another sign that this country continues to move right. That is, IMO, the wrong direction.