Kerry most popular pol in MA (according to this poll)

[Mass]

Clearly, people are worried as seen by these first numbers, and there is really no reason they would not be.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/state/x2063883666/Massachuhttp://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/state/x2063883666/Massachusetts-residents-pessimistic-about-the-economy&ct=ga&cad=CAEQAhgAIAAoATAJOAlAloWi9QRIAVAAWABiAmVu&cd=SiAsJJWY0Rs&usg=AFQjCNF7M_R8DoAJiGmksCjtVna1Qzlc6gsetts-residents-pessimistic-about-the-economy

According to the MassINC Polling Group survey, 47 percent of respondents said they were worse off financially today than a year ago, with 27 percent saying they were in about the same situation and 25 percent saying they are better off today.

Read more: http://www.patriotledger.com/business/x2063883666/Massachusetts-residents-pessimistic-about-the-economy#ixzz1bvqLEgwn

But one good news is that Brown's numbers are dramatically going down. He is below both Patrick and Kerry. This confirms what other polls have shown. At this point, people are still not seeing very negatively (I guess there still is some illusion he can be bipartisan), but they are clearly rethinking their opinion of the man. Good to see they are rethinking their opinion of Patrick as well, as he has been an outstanding governor.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/state/x2063883666/Massachuhttp://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/state/x2063883666/Massachusetts-residents-pessimistic-about-the-economy&ct=ga&cad=CAEQAhgAIAAoATAJOAlAloWi9QRIAVAAWABiAmVu&cd=SiAsJJWY0Rs&usg=AFQjCNF7M_R8DoAJiGmksCjtVna1Qzlc6gsetts-residents-pessimistic-about-the-economy

ollsters found the following favorable-unfavorable splits: Patrick, 51/36; Brown, 47/30; Kerry, 53/29; Warren, 32/14; and Tea Party, 28/42. Brown’s favorable number was down 10 points from a September 2010 poll and Patrick’s favorable number was up 9 points over that same period. Warren’s numbers indicate a sizeable number of respondents haven’t formed opinions of her despite her stepped up campaigning and more media coverage of her candidacy.

Read more: http://www.patriotledger.com/business/x2063883666/Massachusetts-residents-pessimistic-about-the-economy#ixzz1bvqieGae

As for Warren, she better not disappoint, because she will be the nominee. Khazei is dropping out of the race. No comment,

[karynnj]

1. I agree with you

With Brown, the trend is important - and it has been down. (If I wanted to be really snarky, I would point out that per the most recent BG metric - the net favorable, Warren beats Brown - her net is 18, his is 17 - so she is more popular.)

This one they can't spin that Brown is more popular than Kerry - he has higher favorable and lower unfavorables - I think as low as I ever saw them. But, no matter the metric Kerry is most popular.

As to Warren, I really think many things you have written will be seen to be true. There was an article that shows that she was a Republican until her 40s - which I think means the Reagan era. http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/masspolitics/2011/10/26/elizabeth-warren-ex-republican/#axzz1bx2rqThw This does not change who she is, but the people seeing her as the left's messiah will likely not see that see is a Centrist - as you suggested weeks ago - for years. This may not be bad news as it likely could help counter the far left image the Republicans are creating for her.

But, it may also be that Brown is self destructing - his campaign's whining that the LCV, whose only issue has always been the environment, is just helping his opponent and using dirty tricks. Somehow he thinks it unfair to call him on his votes that gave him a ZERO score.

[Mass]

2. Well, Brown may be imploding and this would be good news.

But with Khazei dropping out of the race, the media will be focusing (and are already) on her "gaffes". They already have, with the comment on OWS and on the fisheries. Not good that a campaign has to do damage control that early, particularly on things that do not really matter.

[karynnj]

3. Very true

I think , as you had strongly argued, that it would have been better to have Warren tested in a tough primary. It is possible for a primary to be tough without a lot of negativity. I do worry that the cheers she gets for the more strident, I think out of character moments, the more she will be encouraged to continue them. They could hurt in the general election.

I think that the left really did jump onto her as a savior and now they are attempting to define her the way they want - just as they did with Webb and Tester. I remember a post you made that spoke of how they will be surprised that she is more of a centrist that many of the Democrats they dismiss as not "progressive enough" for them.

It is tough having to learn to campaign while everyone is watching and every word is parsed to see if it can be spun in a negative way. It is scary to think of how much work needs to be done to define her. Her work to get a consumer agency was good, but it says nothing of any of her other positions. I really wonder if the left's obsession with angry rhetoric might not put them in the position of helping the right define her negatively - with the videos they chose to make viral.

It will be interesting to see if she can retain the love of the far left as she gets a more balanced picture of who she is out. (Meanwhile on DU, she is "fire breathing FDR Democrat".

[Mass]

4. Posting here Khazei's email. Classy guy who decided not to stay in the way/

I know I fell all the time for people who show empathy and are not afraid to say there are poor people. I hope he will run again some day.

Dear Friend,


I am writing to thank you for your extraordinary support and friendship during my Senate campaign and to let you hear directly from me that I am leaving this race.


Six months ago I had the honor of beginning a dialogue with the people of Massachusetts and it has been a tremendous experience and an incredible privilege. The citizens of our Commonwealth have been amazing hosts and inspiring thought-partners throughout this campaign.


I’m blessed to have so many wonderful friends and such a loving family – my wife Vanessa, daughter Mirabelle and son Reece. And I’m deeply grateful to my incredible campaign team and volunteers. Truly, as scripture says, my cup runneth over.


I had the opportunity to champion issues that matter, and I continue to believe that we need a new politics that embraces 21st century solutions and a spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship, and results to address our biggest challenges.


And we need to be honest about the scale of our problems and speak directly to our fellow citizens about what it will take to solve them.


We desperately need to focus on our 26 million fellow Americans who are unemployed or underemployed; our 46 million fellow citizens who live in poverty; the 50% of kids in inner-city and low-income schools who drop out of high school each year, as well as those who fall victim to violence.


We need to reclaim, in short, our citizen-led democracy: we need a dramatic expansion of national service, and we need fundamental political reform. We have way too many lobbyists; too much partisan extremism and obstructionism; and way too much money in our politics that is corrupting our system.


And I continue to believe there is a better way.


I believe in public service of all different kinds, and have staked my career on that belief. In this campaign, I’ve sought the privilege of serving as a United States Senator. I’ve looked up to that chamber as the greatest deliberative body in the world, and I still do.


However, in the past few weeks, it has become clear to me while talking with my family and friends, that the best way for me to be of service now is to bring this campaign to a close.


Elizabeth Warren has struck a chord with citizens across our state and across our country, at all levels of the political process, and I congratulate her doing that so quickly.


I’ve said throughout this campaign that Scott Brown does not deserve to be re-elected because he has failed to lead when our country is crying out for game-changing leadership. I don’t want to do anything that could prevent the defeat of Scott Brown in 2012. And so I believe the best way to be of service is to exit the race at this time.


Today is a difficult day for me, yes; but it is much more important to remember that every day is a difficult day for far too many of our fellow citizens in our commonwealth and in this country.


We need to dedicate ourselves to them. And so, even as I step aside in this campaign, I promise I will not retreat to the sidelines, and I ask that none of you do either.


Twenty five years ago, my friends and I were convinced our country needed a national service movement that would bind our generation and our country together, reminding us that our similarities are always greater than our differences – uniting us in service for the good of all.


Today, I stand firm in that belief, but I also believe we need a new political movement. And I hope the quiet majority of Americans who know we have to put the country first and end the division and dysfunction in Washington will get off the sidelines, using the democratic process to take charge of our country once again.


I promise that I will be standing right beside you. And I promise that I will continue to dedicate myself to our fellow citizens who lack opportunity, to the causes that we championed, and to the ideals that unite us as Americans.


Thank you for your tremendous support and friendship. I will be forever grateful.


With deep thanks and appreciation,


Alan

[karynnj]

5. Very classy letter - his background is incredibly impressive and far more progressive than Warren's

I was impressed with him and with Setti Warren. As someone not from MA, I knew far less about all of the candidates. I had always assumed that once one of them pulled away and won - and the choice was down to one person and Brown, that the result in any case would be Brown losing - because of his votes. This seemed the opposite of the Republican Presidential race - in that all of them - except the engineer - were solid, serious people, who would make excellent Senators.

I saw a photo of a huge organizational volunteer meeting for Warren. It really seems that she will have a lot of energy behind her.

[Mass]

6. Another sign that Kerry is more popular than Brown in some quarter

The Globe published his followers on Twitter. He has 50 % more than Brown. This one surprises me as he does not have a lot of Twitter messages.

I cant post the article as it is behind the Globe firewall, but the article said that Kerry had about 18,000 followers and Brown had about 12,000.