To those who think the MA Senate race was about national issues, here's another perspective

[rox63]

From a long-time Boston Dem operative. You know how they say "all politics is local"? Here's a bit of that perspective. This race had almost nothing to do with Obama and anything he's trying to do.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/19/827160/-My-Mom-is-a-Democratic-machine-operative-in-Bostonheres-her-explanation

[Captain Hilts]

1. Yes.It's like Upstate vs. downstate in NY. I find this scenario very believable. nt

[KittyWampus]

4. you got it.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Beacon Hill

is the root of the problem.

[leveymg]

3. Superficial analysis. Boils down to "all politics is personal". Ignores why urban areas didn't turn

out in MA, VA and NJ, all states that went strong for Obama a year ago. Same thing happened here in VA. The Democratic activists are turned-off by outcomes of HCR, etc. So are the Obama voters - young, urban, minorities - who didn't turn out for Craig Deeds (a Blue Dog who ran against Public Option) and didn't turn out for Coakley, either. The progressive base didn't sweat blood in either race. There's a reason for that, and it is a national problem.

[KittyWampus]

5. no, it explicitly explains why.

[rox63]

6. So many people elsewhere thinks they know why Coakley lost and Brown won

But MA is not the generic "liberal oasis" they think it is. I don't claim to know why Corzine lost in NJ or Deeds lost in VA. And I think there are some arrogant know-it-alls who think they know more about Mass politics than the people who live here.

[chelsea0011]

9. This is very true. The burbs and towns west of Rt 128 all the way to NY

have large populations that vote conservative and Republican in many elections. Coakley needed to just be competitive in those towns (she didn't losing many 2-1 and 3-1) and run up the totals in the cities (she did in many) to win. As blue as Ma. gets framed by the media, my town almost never votes blue (Obama squeeked by). And as Republican as these towns go in national and governor races, they are just as likely sending back a dem to the state house.

[rox63]

12. And you have to know that every single republican in the state showed up at the polls yesterday

And lots of Dems did not show up.

[Captain Hilts]

7. YES! Young voters and minority voters followed the traditional pattern of not turning out to vote.

[uponit7771]

11. Umm, there's no ground pounding in those areas and Coakley wasn't any different!!

[Historic NY]

8. And that doesn't turn into an effect nationally.......

the US Senate seat is a national office. Much like all the ballyhoo about Gillibrand in NY. It is resonating in DC. It is part of the adgenda. If Coakley was the best they could do in Mass. then the future looks bleak.

http://gillibrand.senate.gov/

[uponit7771]

10. She went on vacation with no daily tracking from DNC or her campaign manager...

[rox63]

13. What was she doing on vacation during a special election campaign of less than 2 months?

Couldn't she have delayed the vacation until after the election?

[Historic NY]

14. its call being over confident & taking things for granted much like...

whats happening in DC.