The 'Kennedy Seat' Falls

This morning I received this email from President Obama:

Sue --Right now, the polls are open to elect a new senator to the seat that my friend Ted Kennedy held for 47 years.The choice could not be more stark, and the result could not be of greater consequence -- for Massachusetts or the nation. The Bay State can send progressive champion Martha Coakley to Washington to fight for everything we believe in -- health reform, getting all of our money back from Wall Street, and holding corporate interests accountable. Or the Senate can get one more person already walking in lockstep with Washington Republicans.The polls are still open, the choice has not been made, and you still have a crucial role to play by calling voters in Massachusetts. In a low-turnout special election like this one, every single voter counts. Please sign up for a phone bank for Martha Coakley near you on this Election Day. Opponents of change and progress have been pouring money and resources into the Commonwealth -- they want to keep things just as they are. The most important thing you can do to stand up to them is call other voters and urge them to get out to vote for the leader we need representing Massachusetts. In a race as close as this one, no matter how many voters you call, you could tip the balance. So please make sure you do everything you can today. Click here to find an Election Day phone bank near you:http://ma.barackobama.com/CoakleyPB. If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election. Thanks for everything you've done, and for your efforts in this final push,


President Barack Obama

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee, www.barackobama.com. Authorized by Martha Coakley for U.S. Senate Committee.


Tonight, this was the headline at boston.com, the online Boston Globe: Brown stuns, surges to Senate victory.

I can honestly say that I did not donate to the cause, nor did I help man a phone bank for Martha Coakley. While Obama personally campaigned for her, I'm not a big fan of folks sticking their nose or their money in other people's elections.

I think the pundits will have a ball with this one, as will the special interests who now will have renewed vigor in their efforts to shape health insurance reform to their liking. I'm sure health insurance companies, such as the one I work for, will be no exception. And it's not just health insurance reform, it's the entire legislative agenda for Obama that is (theoretically) at risk now that the 60-vote majority is no longer.

How big a hit does the President take for this loss? How smug will Republicans be now that they've handed him this defeat? Will Democrats feel free now to not toe the party line, without fear of repercussion? Or will we see even more wheeling, dealing and bribing, more discourse and discontent, than we saw last year?

Going to be an interesting year...