Hey,

[No Elephants]

I never thought that the WH wanted to hold onto a sixty person Democratic caucus when Brown ran.

Well, 2010 midterms cost Democrat a few Senate seats. But, now, Warren has Brown's seat. And it looks like a slam dunk for Markey to get Kerry's. With Rivera's hugely sized hat in the ring, I think Lautenberg's seat is safe from everyone but Booker.

Looks as though we may pick up some other Dem seats in the Senate, too, given that voting Republican is toxic now, for all but the diehard 30% that continued to poll in favor of Dummya to the bitter end.

There's even an outside chance Judd will get McConnell's seat, though, admittedly, that is a very long shot in that state.

Anyhoo, I am correct, it's going to be interesting to see what happens between now and 2014 mid terms. Because, I am correct, someone besides Harkin is going to have to go. (Sanders better watch himself, IMO.)

[Enthusiast]

1. We will see what the President agrees to.

His actions will determine the turnout for the midterms. If they "punch the hippie" enough, turn out will be suppressed.

Turn out could reach record levels for a midterm on our side if things are handled right.

[No Elephants]

2. In the Brown special election, I thought turnout was suppressed because of lack of a public option.

By voting day, Coakley was about 23 points behind Brown, and there was a lot of publicity about her Red Sox and Fenway Park gaffes, so only the politically brain dead stayed home because they assumed she was safe in a blue state.

[Enthusiast]

3. If I remember correctly Coakley was a walking gaff......nt

[No Elephants]

4. Yes, but the DNC sent her no help at all.

Not one strategist. Not one dollar. Not one Party star to campaign for her. Not one TV spot from the DNC. Not one bit of advice.

(Bill Clinton came once during the primary, supposedly to repay Coakley for campaigning for Hillary for President, but he did not come back back between the primary and the general. Neither did anyone else.)

And, there was not a single election anywhere else at the time that the DNC had to worry about. Just this one election for the 60th Democratic caucus member--and while Obamacare still needed passing, to boot. You would have expected the entire Party to be here, helping her secure that seat, including coaching her as to what to say.

Meanwhile, Coakley she had never run for anything but local and state AG, for which a law degree and her experience amply qualifies her and which she knows about and can handle.

Later, the DNC said that Coakley had said that she did not need help. But, why would experieced politicians take the word of a rookie at national politics so literally? Did the DNC offer any specific help that she refused? No.

Would she have told the DNC to piss off if they said they were going to get her some money and some support because the election was so important to Democrats and nothing else was going on anywhere in the country anyway? No. Did they even explore her plans with her and make suggestions? No.

To the contrary, when she made a gaffe, as when she said, "What do people expect me to do, stand outside Fenway Park in the freezing cold ad shake hands?", Democrats mocked her. To the point that my California politics buddy was repeating it to me on the phone.

As Coakley's poll numbers plummeted, Vicky Kennedy, who reportedly resented her for opening campaign headquarters before Ted even passed away, campaigned for her a couple of times. My theory is that Vicky just could not bear the prospect of Teddy being succeeded by a Republican (He had certainly done everything he could while on his deathbed to prevent that.) But, it was too late.

As of the Friday before the Tuesday election, the press was asking the White House at least once a day if Obama would to to Massachusetts to campaign for her. And as of Friday before the election the reply was that Obama was not going.

Finally, on the Sunday night before the election, Obama arrived with almost no advance notice or fanfare. He made some dry cracks about Brown's truck, but he looked none too happy to be here and none too enthusiastic about Coakley. Then, the polls opened Tuesday morning.

Enthusiast, it was gobsmacking.

Brown, on the other hand, had every Republican who had run in the 2007-08 primary here, plus Koch money, plus Boston media, plus people being bused in from as far away as Washington State (supposedly) to fill his rallies, create media buzz and, in general, make him seem like the Sixth Beatle and the most phenomenal thing since sliced bread.

[Enthusiast]

5. That is disturbing, to say the least.

And it confirms the worst fear I have about "my" party and their objectives. What are we going to do? There is one thing that gives me hope. Millions of us have become aware of this deception and are sick to death of it.