One Coakley Adviser: "She is not a natural campaigner."

[jefferson_dem]

We all want her to win (and I still think she will) but, truth be told, she has run a terrible campaign. The Globe report below is worth a read.

Amid tight race, Coakley’s campaign goes full-bore
Observers say complacency had set in
By Frank Phillips, Globe Staff | January 16, 2010

After Attorney General Martha Coakley sailed largely unscathed through the Democratic Senate primary, her aides set a course for the general election that fit her status as the perceived front-runner: protect her statewide popularity, and ignore the little-known Republican opponent.

It turned out to be a major miscalculation.

With Democrats around the country now panicked about a neck-and-neck race with Republican Scott Brown, Coakley’s campaign has been forced to tear up that strategy. She has pivoted into attack mode, targeting Brown and his record in TV ads, at events, and in news releases and interviews. She has expanded her presence on the campaign trail. And she has called in national Democrats to bail her out.

“They should have been prepared for this,’’ said Michael Shea, a Democratic media strategist who worked for Representative Michael Capuano, whom Coakley beat in the primary. “You don’t let someone creep up on you like he has.’’

So what happened?

Insiders in the Coakley campaign - none of whom would agree to talk strategy on the record - say they were convinced that Brown faced too many hurdles to be a viable challenger in the race to replace Edward M. Kennedy. His political profile signaled no threat. They felt he was too conservative for Massachusetts, and that his legislative career had been unremarkable.

Some in Coakley’s inner circle say it was mere complacency. One adviser said the early strategy also fit Coakley’s personality - she is not a natural campaigner, she does not like to grandstand, and she is averse to stirring up controversy. The campaign’s approach in the immediate post-primary days was to focus on Coakley’s strengths - broad statewide recognition and high favorable ratings among voters - and ride the momentum off her landslide victory in the four-way primary race.

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http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/01/16/amid_tight_race_coakleys_campaign_goes_full_bore/

[jwirr]

1. No kidding. Hopefully every Democrat in MA will step forward to

help the rest of the nation if they do not think they will be helping themselves. PLEASE?

[Dinger]

2. Why Post This Fucking Shit? Unrec

To me, and this is just my opinion, it's a pseudo attack on Kennedy's choice of replacement.

[geckosfeet]

7. It's the truth. Coakley has to play catch up in a big way. People in MA

have to understand that the repuglicans would like nothing more than to get a foothold in the state. They are funneling money and resources to anyone who who they think can further their agenda. See Massachusetts gubernatorial election 2002, Romney vs O'Brien for an example.

The democrats better get off their asses and the citizens of the historic commonwealth of Massachusetts need to stand up and be counted.

[KittyWampus]

3. Fuck The Boston Globe- they are no friends to Democrats.

[Gman]

4. Rule #2 of politics: if your opponent is breathing, they're a threat

Rule #1 remains as: Know how to count.

[OHdem10]

5. These advisors are disgusting. They get paid big salaries because

they are so smart. Part of their responsiblity is to
"RE-Make" or Make over a Candidate so they are appealing
to the pubolic. If they expect all candidates to be naturals,
then why would a candidate need one???

[Arkana]

6. Hopefully if she wins, she'll have learned a goddamn lesson.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER take an election for granted. Ted Kennedy knew that.

[jefferson_dem]

8. Yes! That's the point. For her and all Dems...

We need to take these teabagging fucks seriously, or else...

[Mass]

9. The Globe has been busy bashing her campaign for weeks, the way they do for all Democrats.

But why post this? We need support, not bashing. I know bashing a candidate is somehow a natural sport among democrats, but it is not useful.

She will be a wonderful Senator.

[jefferson_dem]

10. I hear you and I'm on board.

Why post this? Frustration.

She will make a wonderful Senator, in spite of all this.

[Mass]

12. Sorry, but these advisors are trying to get off the hook, are as many other Dems.

This is a collective loss. No need to put that on the candidate back only. There is a Democratic leadership who did nothing before last week. There are job issues that are hurting. Coakley deserves a part of the blame, but It is always easier to blame the candidate than to think at the problems that lead us there.

[Arkana]

13. Her campaign, in all fairness, deserves some bashing.

They didn't plan well and they underestimated Scott Brown's greasiness.

[IndianaGreen]

11. GOTV is always critical in these special elections

What do you have to motivate the voters to come out in crappy weather and vote in a special election? What makes anyone think that the anti-people health insurance bail out Senate HCR is the "great motivator" for the working class to come out and vote against Brown?