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Massachusetts: 'Bottom has fallen out' of Coakley's polls
Washington Examiner ^ | 01-15-10 | Byron York

Posted on 01/15/2010 11:28:14 AM PST by GOP_Lady

Here in Massachusetts, as well as in Washington, a growing sense of gloom is setting in among Democrats about the fortunes of Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley. "I have heard that in the last two days the bottom has fallen out of her poll numbers," says one well-connected Democratic strategist. In her own polling, Coakley is said to be around five points behind Republican Scott Brown. "If she's not six or eight ahead going into the election, all the intensity is on the other side in terms of turnout," the Democrat says. "So right now, she is destined to lose."

Intensifying the gloom, the Democrat says, is the fact that the same polls showing Coakley falling behind also show President Obama with a healthy approval rating in the state. "With Obama at 60 percent in Massachusetts, this shouldn't be happening, but it is," the Democrat says.

Given those numbers, some Democrats, eager to distance Obama from any electoral failure, are beginning to compare Coakley to Creigh Deeds, the losing Democratic candidate in the Virginia governor's race last year. Deeds ran such a lackluster campaign, Democrats say, that his defeat could be solely attributed to his own shortcomings, and should not be seen as a referendum on President Obama's policies or those of the national Democratic party.

The same sort of thinking is emerging in Massachusetts. "This is a Creigh Deeds situation," the Democrat says. "I don't think it says that the Obama agenda is a problem. I think it says, 1) that she's a terrible candidate, 2) that she ran a terrible campaign, 3) that the climate is difficult but she should have been able to overcome it, and 4) that Democrats beware -- you better run good campaigns, or you're going to lose."

With the election still four days away, Democrats are still hoping that "something could happen" to change the dynamics of the race. But until that thing happens, the situation as it exists today explains Barack Obama's decision not to travel to Massachusetts to campaign for Coakley. "If the White House thinks she can win, Obama will be there," the Democrat says. "If they don't think she can win, he won't be there." For national Democrats, the task is now to insulate Obama against any suggestion that a Coakley defeat would be a judgment on the president's agenda and performance in office.

The private talk among Democrats is also reflected in some public polling on the race. Late Thursday, we learned the results of a Suffolk University poll showing Brown in the lead by four points, 50 percent to 46 percent. That poll showed Obama with a 55 percent approval rating. Also on Thursday, two of Washington's leading political analysts, Stuart Rothenberg and Charlie Cook, each changed their assessment of the Brown/Coakley race from a narrow advantage for Coakley to a toss-up.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: amirault; brown; byronyork; coakley; ma; ma2010; scottbrown
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1 posted on 01/15/2010 11:28:17 AM PST by GOP_Lady
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To: GOP_Lady

My hope is that Mabus does show up and make a fool of himself just like the Olympics.


2 posted on 01/15/2010 11:31:40 AM PST by GauchoUSA
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To: GOP_Lady
the Democrat says. "I don't think it says that the Obama agenda is a problem..."

Keep telling yourselves that lie.

3 posted on 01/15/2010 11:32:05 AM PST by avacado
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To: GOP_Lady
With the election still four days away, Democrats are still hoping that "something could happen" to change the dynamics of the race.

I'm sure Dem operatives are frantically looking for an "October surprise" for Brown.

4 posted on 01/15/2010 11:32:24 AM PST by Kandy Atz ("Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want for bread.")
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To: GOP_Lady
... should not be seen as a referendum on President Obama's policies or those of the national Democratic party.

BULL ...

5 posted on 01/15/2010 11:33:09 AM PST by TexGuy (If it has the slimmest of chances of being considered sarcasm ... IT IS!)
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To: GOP_Lady

Intensifying the gloom, the Democrat says, is the fact that the same polls showing Coakley falling behind also show President Obama with a healthy approval rating in the state. “With Obama at 60 percent in Massachusetts, this shouldn’t be happening, but it is,” the Democrat says.

Gee, maybe those 60% approval figures are WRONG?


6 posted on 01/15/2010 11:33:47 AM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: GOP_Lady

The Coakley people are now running around in circles. Bringing in outside help but seem to be losing the battle.


7 posted on 01/15/2010 11:34:11 AM PST by eternity (I like IKE)
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To: GOP_Lady
the Democrat says. "I don't think it says that the Obama agenda is a problem. I think it says, 1) that she's a terrible candidate, 2) that she ran a terrible campaign,

Obama is THE problem, and ALL of the liberal democrats are terrible candidates...and run dishonest reprehensible and thuggish campaigns.

8 posted on 01/15/2010 11:35:00 AM PST by Paul Ross (Ronald Reagan-1987:"We are always willing to be trade partners but never trade patsies.")
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To: Kandy Atz
I'm sure Dem operatives are frantically looking for an "October surprise" for Brown.

Look for them to unveil Brown's malicious parking ticket on the eve of the election.

9 posted on 01/15/2010 11:36:15 AM PST by meyer (Government health care = national strike.)
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To: GOP_Lady

Oh man... if this comes to pass I am gonna be one happy happy man Wednesday morning!!!!!!!


10 posted on 01/15/2010 11:36:26 AM PST by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: GOP_Lady

Dunno what they’re so gloomy about. The Democrats have SEIU, ACORN and the Massachusettes (sic) Secretary of State. Seems like they can defraud the voters of Massachusetts at both ends of election.


11 posted on 01/15/2010 11:36:40 AM PST by Little Ray (Madame President sounds really good to me...)
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To: Paul Ross

Approval rating under 40% and dropping.


12 posted on 01/15/2010 11:36:50 AM PST by eternity (I like IKE)
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To: GOP_Lady

Ao, this unnamed Democrat tells us that a “terrible candidate” who “ran a terrible campaign” should nonetheless be elected as a US Senator?


13 posted on 01/15/2010 11:37:05 AM PST by bigbob
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To: GOP_Lady

Surreal article about Croakley in the WSJ yesterday by Dorothy Rabinowitz.


14 posted on 01/15/2010 11:38:17 AM PST by wendy1946
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To: Little Ray

The Mass State Police union is backing Brown. Love the in house battle.


15 posted on 01/15/2010 11:39:22 AM PST by eternity (I like IKE)
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To: GauchoUSA

Have no fear, the goons from ACORN and SEIU will rectify everything. The Kenyan won’t let this slip away so he will have his thugs and miscreants out in force. Arm yourselves and get ready for the revolution. It’s coming.


16 posted on 01/15/2010 11:40:11 AM PST by dumpthelibs (dumpthelibs)
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To: GOP_Lady
"So right now, she is destined to lose."

Now don't any Mass voters decide to not vote after all because it's 'in the bag.' VOTE!!! make it a landslide!!

17 posted on 01/15/2010 11:40:42 AM PST by theDentist (fybo; qwerty ergo typo : i type, therefore i misspelll)
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To: GOP_Lady

Massachusetts maybe having another conversion experience, away from leftist policies.


18 posted on 01/15/2010 11:41:11 AM PST by gitmogrunt (The stupidity of American Liberals never ceases to amaze me.)
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To: dumpthelibs

You could be right. I am still shaking my head at our losing in New York’s 23rd District.


19 posted on 01/15/2010 11:41:54 AM PST by Paul Ross (Ronald Reagan-1987:"We are always willing to be trade partners but never trade patsies.")
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To: wendy1946; All

Yes, I know. ;-)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2428688/posts


20 posted on 01/15/2010 11:43:51 AM PST by GOP_Lady
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