Health Care

#HealthCareFAIL: How The Dems Botched Their Signature Legislation

Brian Beutler | January 29, 2010, 3:37PM

Clockwise from top left: Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT); MA Sen. candidate Martha Coakley (D); Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA); Former Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and President Obama

Talk about fits and starts.

A year ago Democrats committed to passing comprehensive health care legislation; six months ago, it became clear that their project wouldn't go smoothly; one month ago it was full speed ahead; and a week and a half ago it all fell apart.

Health care reform is now on life support. To mix metaphors, it's on life support and the back burner at the same time. How the Democrats' signature agenda item went from a foregone conclusion to a prospect in peril is a tale of missteps and bad luck. No single player or event brought us to where we are today. But if any of the below episodes had gone...more smoothly, this might've been a done deal.

You know how the saying goes: Success has a thousand fathers, but failure is an orphan. And you can be sure that if health care reform fails, the people below will make like John Edwards--quick-like.

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2010 elections

Top Dem Pollster: Pass Health Care Or Face 2010 'Disaster'

Christina Bellantoni | January 21, 2010, 12:53PM

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake

A top Democratic pollster said today if Congress fails to pass health care it will be a "disaster" this fall.

Celinda Lake, who most recently served as the pollster for Attorney General Martha Coakley's losing campaign in Massachusetts, said there is deep frustration with Washington but moving away from health care would be the worst decision.

"We can't talk about it for a year and deliver nothing, that would be a disaster," Lake said. "We should pass it and then we have to go sell it. We have to tell people what is in it."

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Barack Obama

Poll: Anti-Coakley Obama Voters Say Dems Aren't Doing Enough

Brian Beutler | January 20, 2010, 11:19AM

President Obama with his advisers in the Oval Office.

Here's an interesting finding. A survey yesterday of pro-Obama voters in Massachusetts who didn't support Democrat Martha Coakley (either they stayed home, or they voted for Scott Brown) say their disenchantment has much to do with the fact that Democrats haven't done enough to challenge Republican policies of the Bush years.

A Research 2000 poll commissioned by Democracy for America, MoveOn, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee asked 500 Obama voters who supported Republican Scott Brown "Generally speaking do you think Barack Obama and Democrats in Washington, DC are delivering enough on the change Obama promised to bring to America during the campaign?"

Overall, 49 percent of respondents said "no," 37 percent said "yes," with 14 percent unsure.

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MA-SEN

The Democrats Begin The Blame Game

Laura Colarusso | January 19, 2010, 11:34PM

MA Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) and Senator-Elect Scott Brown (R-MA)

It didn't take long for the Dems to start the finger pointing in the wake of Martha Coakley's loss in the Massachusetts special Senate election.

As the election night returns came pouring in so did the blame. Coakley, a Democrat and the Massachusetts Attorney General, was ahead of Republican State Senator Scott Brown by double digit margins well into December. But, her lead faded in early January and her campaign was never able to recover.

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2010 elections

Dem Talking Points: Laser Focus On Jobs Since Anger And Anxiety Factors In MA-Sen

Christina Bellantoni | January 19, 2010, 11:33PM

MA Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) and Senator-Elect Scott Brown (R-MA)

New Democratic talking points are emerging after Republican Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts, with officials saying the election wasn't a referendum on President Obama or health care.

Republicans have made that exact point in their reactions tonight, but a senior Democrat told TPMDC tonight that while Martha Coakley's loss stings, it wasn't the White House's fault.

Obama wasn't asked to campaign until the final 10 days of the race, when Brown's surge was already underway, the Democrat said. White the party logged a lot of phone calls and doors knocked for Coakley, it wasn't enough to make up for the time she lost by getting her general election campaign off to a slow start.

Brown "tapped into the anger and anxiety Americans are feeling and he won," the Democrat said, adding "This is something the President is familiar with considering it's why we won in 2008."

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Democrats

Determined or Delusional? House Leadership Sounds Optimistic on HCR

Brian Beutler | January 19, 2010, 10:11PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

In the hours and minutes before Republican Scott Brown won Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, House Democratic leadership sounded resilient, even optimistic notes about the possibility of passing health care reform anyhow. But that puts them at odds with their rank and file members, particularly progressives, who, based on press reports and interviews conducted as returns were coming in, but before the race was called, now have a hard time seeing an endgame.

A number of progressives say that they still can not vote to pass the Senate bill in the House, even though that would wrap up the reform project once and for all. But with at least one Democratic member of the Senate pre-emptively saying there should be no more Senate votes on health care before Brown is seated, that increasingly appears to be their only avenue. The question is, is that road blocked?

"If it comes down to that Senate bill or nothing, I think we're going to end up with nothing, because I don't hear a lot of support on our side for that bill," said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA). "I've lost my faith in anything happening quickly that requires Senate action.

"If she loses, it's over," Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) said this evening in New York.

Two high-profile progressives--Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)--said the only way they could sign on to the Senate bill is if it was accompanied immediately, or even preceded by, a separate bill, making a number of major preemptive changes to what they regard as an inferior package.

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MA-SEN

Coakley Concedes In Massachusetts

Christina Bellantoni | January 19, 2010, 9:37PM

Senator-Elect Scott Brown (R-MA)

Republican Scott Brown has been declared the winner in Massachusetts, but before the networks and Associated Press called it for him, Democrat Martha Coakley called him to concede.

The Boston Globe reported that she phoned him at 9:13 p.m.

MA-SEN

Brown Wins Kennedy Seat In Massachusetts, Erasing Democrats' 60-Seat Super Majority

Christina Bellantoni | January 19, 2010, 9:27PM

MA Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) and Senator-Elect Scott Brown (R-MA)

Massachusetts voters chose state Sen. Scott Brown as their next U.S. Senator, sending a Republican to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and damaging the chances of passing health care bill that Democrats have spent months crafting.

The Associated Press and CNN declared Brown the victor over Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) with two-thirds of precincts reporting. (See returns here.) Kennedy held the seat 47 years until his death last summer.

It was the first statewide special election in the state's history, and unpredictable from the start. Democrats were caught off guard less than two weeks ago when polls showed Coakley, who had won the primary in December, had just a slim lead.

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MA-SEN

Coakley, Brown Campaigns Trade Attacks Over Alleged Pre-Marked Ballots

Eric Kleefeld | January 19, 2010, 7:34PM

MA Senate Candidates AG Martha Coakley (D) and State Sen. Scott Brown (R)

The two Senate campaigns are now firing rhetorical shots at each other over allegations of irregularities in the election. And the Brown campaign is accusing the Coakley campaign of making the whole thing up -- that is, the Republican says the Democrat is crying vote fraud.

The Coakley campaign sounded the alarm that some voters -- five, by their count -- were handed ballots that had already been marked for Scott Brown.

The Brown campaign seized on reports that the Coakley campaign's press release was originally dated "January 18," accusing the Coakley camp of having written the whole thing in advance. (As of right now, at least, the page is dated January 19. Coakley campaign spokesman Corey Welford told us: "It was a typo.")

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Health Care

House Braces For Coakley Loss: Are They Ready For Health Care Concession?

Christina Bellantoni | January 19, 2010, 6:57PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Are rank-and-file members of the House ready to swallow a bitter pill and pass the Senate version of health care reform if Democrat Martha Coakley loses tonight?

As we've been reporting all week, leadership is faced with two basic options: Plan A of keeping up negotiations to merge the House and Senate bill and somehow rush a final bill through regardless of the even tougher political environment they'd be facing come sunrise or Plan B of passing the Senate's bill unchanged and dealing with the differences in another bill down the line.

Leadership sources have insisted to us for days that no such Plan B talks are happening, and the White House won't publicly entertain questions about health care concession plans should Republican Scott Brown win tonight. Some sources tell us that if such a contingency plan is being developed, it's happening between President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to avoid leaks to the press before the election result is known.

But the sentiment among senators who just barely got to 60 votes last month and privately within the Obama White House - which has weathered blows for months on the delay - is that it may be now or never.

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MA-SEN

RNC Survey: 79% Want MA-SEN Winner Sworn In 'Immediately'

Rachel Slajda | January 19, 2010, 6:11PM

State Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) and State AG Martha Coakley (D-MA)

In a preview of the GOP's talking points should Scott Brown win the Massachusetts special election tonight, the Republican National Committee released the results of a survey it took, asking voters if a winner should be seated "immediately."

The survey asked: "Should the winner of this special election be seated in the U.S. Senate immediately or should the Democrat leaders in Washington be allowed to delay seating the winner until after the health care reform bill has been voted on?"

Not surprisingly, 79% of respondents said the winner should be seated immediately. Only 10% said Democrats should be "allowed to delay seating."

It will likely be at least 15 days before a winner is seated, based on Massachusetts state law and the Senate leadership's announcement that they will wait for official certification before swearing anyone in.

MA-SEN

Dem Memo Warned Coakley Camp About National Dems, Independent Voters

Rachel Slajda | January 19, 2010, 5:51PM

State AG Martha Coakley (D-MA)

A memo leaked today to ABC News, which was circulated to the Martha Coakley campaign and national Democrats in December, outlines some of the problems that Coakley -- then with a 51%-32% lead over Scott Brown -- might face come Election Day. Namely, conservative independents who don't like President Obama.

The memo says Coakley has a "strength of support," but warns that independent voters "look pretty conservative, and the national political context is not helping us much."

It was written by Daniel R. Gotoff of Lake Research Partners after conducting an internal poll and reportedly circulated all the way to the White House.

"Obama, whose job performance is already just barely net positive, is rated solidly negatively by a majority of independents," Gotoff wrote.

"Over the next weeks, our task is to consolidate Democrats and break even among independents. We do pretty well at that right now, but there are about a quarter of Democrats who aren't yet voting for us. And while we have a marginal lead among independents, they will be a battleground throughout this race," the memo reads.

MA-SEN

Coakley Campaign To Sound Alarm On Reported Ballots Pre-Marked For Scott Brown

Eric Kleefeld | January 19, 2010, 5:34PM

State AG Martha Coakley (D-MA)

The Martha Coakley campaign just sent out a media advisory, announcing a press conference at 5:30 p.m. ET, alleging irregularities in the special Senate election.

The press conference will involve reports of voters who received ballots that were already marked for Republican candidate Scott Brown.

It should be noted that the Coakley campaign will have on hand as an attorney one Marc Elias, who was previously the head recount lawyer for Al Franken in Minnesota, a legal drama that lasted for eight months after election day 2008. Elias also worked on another high-profile recount before that, the Washington state gubernatorial race in 2004. So clearly, the Coakley campaign was fully prepared for a super-close election by having Elias already on hand in Boston.

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Health Care

Counting The Days: Will Kennedy's Quick Seating In 1962 Repeat Itself?

Brian Beutler and Eric Kleefeld | January 19, 2010, 2:56PM

MA Senate Candidate Scott Brown (R), the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and State AG and Senate Candidate Martha Coakley (D)

In preparation for what they expect to be Republican Scott Brown's victory in the Massachusetts Senate special election tonight, conservatives and Republicans have unearthed a novel and ironic precedent, which they're using to argue that, if he wins, Brown should be seated right away as the 41st vote against health care reform.

Senate rules require that all newly-elected Senators be certified as winners by their home states before they can be sworn in. But on November 6, 1962, none other than Ted Kennedy himself won a special election to fill his own brother's Senate seat in Massachusetts, and was sworn in the very next day--two full weeks before his victory was certified, and three weeks before that certification arrived in Washington.

1962 is a long way back, and according to Senate historian Don Ritchie, the relevant rule has been in place since well before then.

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MA-SEN

Gibbs Says Tonight's Election Won't Change Health Care Negotiations

Christina Bellantoni | January 19, 2010, 2:36PM

White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs

President Obama thinks the health care bill will live on even if Democratic candidate Martha Coakley loses tonight.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today Obama is going to keep on with health care regardless of the election result, and dodged question after question about a possible Coakley loss.

"Let's wait for the results," Gibbs said repeatedly.

Asked specifically if the fate of health care rides on the election result, Gibbs said Obama does not believe that.

"Health care is a priority for him now, it will be a priority for him tomorrow," Gibbs said.

MA-SEN

Poll: If U.S. Voted On MA-Sen, Brown Would Win Big

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 19, 2010, 2:35PM

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Wrentham) voting at the Delaney Elementary School in Wrentham.

Martha Coakley (D) has had a hard time convincing people in Massachusetts that she should be the one to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate, and a new poll from Rasmussen shows the Democrat hasn't done much better making her case outside the Bay State.

The pollster asked 1,000 "likely voters" across the country who'd they rather see win the special election today. Scott Brown (R) was the big winner, beating Coakley 49-34. The poll shows Brown has captured the heart of Republicans across the country, while Coakley hasn't fired up Democrats nationwide -- 86% of Republicans said they're pulling for Brown, while 65% of Democratic respondents said they want Coakley to win today. As has been seen in Massachusetts polling, the majority of unaffiliated voters (55%) are rooting for Brown.

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Health Care

Hoyer: Senate Health Care Bill Better Than Nothing

Brian Beutler | January 19, 2010, 12:33PM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD)

At his weekly press conference this morning, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) told reporters that the Senate health care bill would be better than no reform at all. He also insisted that, if Republican Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts Senate special election tonight, Congress can act to pass reform in the approximately 15-day window between tonight and when Republican Scott Brown is officially seated.

I asked Hoyer whether he believes the Senate's health care bill would be better than no bill at all.

"I think the Senate bill clearly is better than nothing," Hoyer said.

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MA-SEN

Getting Out The Vote In Massachusetts Senate Race: One Side Has An App For That

Christina Bellantoni | January 19, 2010, 11:19AM

Scott Brown's PDA application to get-out-the-vote

Scott Brown has taken a page from the Barack Obama playbook, using his Web site as the hub for a get-out-the-vote operation.

Martha Coakley has farmed out most voter efforts to the Democratic National Committee's Organizing for America, and her Web site is still prominently asking people for donations even though it's election day.

Coakley (D) and Brown (R) are going after last-minute voters but the Brown campaign's effort is more aggressive and prominent.

Voters checking in on Brown's Web site today can find their polling location and are asked to make calls to help the Republican win the special election for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. They can download a Blackberry application to reach out to their neighbors and get text messages asking them to take the day off work to get out the vote.

Visitors to Coakley's site are asked to "contribute," and people who sign up for her mailing list are taken to a donation page. There are links for supporters to make calls from home - efforts being fielded by the Democratic National Committee's Organizing for America.

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MA-SEN

Local Reports: Turnout High In MA-Sen

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 19, 2010, 9:52AM

State Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) and State AG Martha Coakley (D-MA)

Boston-area TV station WBZ reports voter turnout "appears high" in the Massachusetts special election today. High turnout could be good news for Democrats, who vastly outnumber Republicans in the state. But increased turnout in the right areas could also be good news for Republicans, who are fired up about Scott Brown's (R) chances to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate.

Massachusetts Secretary of State Scott Galvin told WBZ "he expects about 40-percent of voters to turn out" today, roughly double the number that voted in the primaries in December.

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MA-SEN

Coakley Predicts Victory In MA-Sen

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 19, 2010, 9:23AM

State AG Martha Coakley (D-MA)

After casting her ballot this morning, Martha Coakley (D) told reporters she's going to win the Massachusetts special election today. The AP report:

Coakley said she wasn't paying attention to media or polls suggesting she might lose to Brown, who's ridden a wave of support across the solidly Democratic state. She planned to greet voters at a commuter rail station in Boston before heading to cities in the southern and western part of the state and also scheduled a return to Boston Tuesday night to await the results.

Click here for video of Coakley's brief press conference this morning from WBZ-TV in Boston.

Health Care

When Health Care Deal Becomes Law Obama Will Take To Hustings

Christina Bellantoni | January 18, 2010, 6:26PM

President Obama meets with doctors in the Oval Office

Once it becomes law, President Obama will campaign on the health care reform measure, detailing for everyday Americans how they would see improvements to their system and painting the Republicans as blocking meaningful change.

Though health care hangs on the outcome of tomorrow's vote in Massachusetts, the sales pitch will be critical from here on out.

Superstitious White House officials were reluctant to discuss how Obama would sell the plan given that it hasn't passed Congress and especially in light of the Senate race other than saying the campaign would be "energetic and aggressive." But past is prologue, and to get a sense of how Obama would play salesman-in-chief you only need to look back to the economic stimulus plan.

Showcasing real people and their stories has long been a favorite method for Obama as a candidate and a president. The administration also has deployed technology to help explain how legislation works and to prove transparency, even though the stimulus Web site also had some problems.

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House of Representatives

House, Senate At Odds Over Health Care Endgame If Brown Wins

Brian Beutler | January 18, 2010, 5:37PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

If Republican Scott Brown wins Ted Kennedy's Senate seat tomorrow, would the House go along with the health care "Plan B" we outlined earlier today? Would the House pass the Senate bill, on a promise from leadership and the White House that their concerns would be addressed in a filibuster-proof bill down the line?

"Certainly the dynamic would change depending on what happens in Massachusetts," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the San Francisco Chronicle today. "Just a question about how we would proceed. But it doesn't mean we won't have a health care bill.... Let's remove all doubt, we will have health care -- one way or another."

House aides say passing the Senate bill would be an extremely hard sell, and may not be possible. But they, and a growing number of members, are insisting that their main focus right now remains on "Plan A": amending the Senate bill and sending it back for final passage.

The hope, it seems, is that, if Brown wins, Democrats would have enough time to vote down a Republican filibuster in the Senate before Brown gets sworn in.

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MA-SEN

Brown: If I Win, I'll Go To D.C. Friday

Rachel Slajda | January 18, 2010, 5:06PM

State Senator Scott Brown (R-MA)

Scott Brown, the Republican candidate in the Massachusetts special election, said today he has already made travel plans to go to Washington, D.C., this Friday if he wins.

As we've reported, Massachusetts won't certify election results for about 15 days after tomorrow's election, and the U.S. Senate won't swear a winner in until they get that paperwork from the state.

But Brown has said he expects to be sworn in right away.

The timing is important because Brown's vote would end Democrats' filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. If he's sworn in before the Senate votes on health care, Democrats will have to take extreme measures -- such as trying to persuade the House to adopt the much more conservative Senate bill or going for reconciliation -- in order to pass the legislation.

MA-SEN

Politico Poll: Brown 52, Coakley 43, Kennedy 2

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 18, 2010, 4:52PM

MA Senate Candidates AG Martha Coakley (D) and State Sen. Scott Brown (R)

A new poll sponsored by Politico shows Scott Brown (R) with a comfortable lead the day before the Massachusetts special election to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate. The poll, conducted Sunday night for Politico by InsiderAdvantage, shows Brown leading Martha Coakley 52-43, with Libertarian Joe Kennedy hovering at 2% support.

Internal numbers from the poll are even more damaging to Coakley's chances. The results show Brown leading by 41% among independent voters and by 15%. Other recent polls have shown Coakley's support among independents to be waning, and the Politico poll is not the first released today to show Brown solidly ahead in the horserace.

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MA-SEN

Massachusetts Law: Certificate Of Election Can't Come For At Least Ten Days (And Probably More)

Eric Kleefeld | January 18, 2010, 3:29PM

MA Senate Candidates AG Martha Coakley (D) and State Sen. Scott Brown (R)

With the Senate Democrats indicating that they will wait for the state of Massachusetts to follow its own procedural guidelines for certifying a winner in the Massachusetts special Senate election, the next question should be asked: What are the state's guidelines and procedures?

We asked Michelle Tassinari, the legal counsel for the state Elections Division, and she sent us over a list of the relevant statutes.

First of all, no certificate of election can be issued until at least ten days following a special election, and in real terms it would probably be at least 15 days. State law can allow for a certificate seven days after a special election -- but that law is trumped by the federal laws governing overseas and military ballots, which are triggered because this is an election for federal office, and which create a longer window in this election.

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MA-SEN

Latest MA-Sen Poll: Brown Leads By 7 Over Coakley, Kennedy Not A Factor

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 18, 2010, 3:02PM

Senate candidate Scott Brown (R-MA).

ARG's latest poll from the Massachusetts Senate race shows Scott Brown (R) extending his lead over Martha Coakley (D) in the final hours campaigning.

The previous ARG poll, taken Jan. 12-14, showed Brown with a 3-point lead over Coakley, 48-45. The new poll, released today, was taken over the weekend and shows Brown's lead to now be 7 points. He leads Coakley 52-45, with 2% undecided. The margin of error is 4%. Libertarian Joe Kennedy, who some have suggested might split the anti-Coakley vote tomorrow, polled at just 2% in both surveys.

MA-SEN

Research 2000 Poll: Coakley And Brown Tied 48%-48%

Eric Kleefeld | January 18, 2010, 12:48PM

MA Senate Candidates AG Martha Coakley (D) and State Sen. Scott Brown (R)

The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of the Massachusetts special Senate election has the race as a tie between Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Scott Brown -- the best independent poll result that Coakley has had in the last few days.

A Research 2000 poll from last week, which was commissioned by the local liberal blog Blue Mass Group, had Coakley with a stronger lead of 49%-41%.

Daily Kos's Laura Clawson writes: "As we keep saying, this one comes down to GOTV."

MA-SEN

Coakley Camp Turns Obama Rally Moment Into New TV Ad

Christina Bellantoni | January 18, 2010, 12:21PM

Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley and President Barack Obama

President Obama stars in a new ad for attorney general Martha Coakley (D), who is trailing in the polls before tomorrow's special election for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.

After inundating voters in recent days with negative ads, Coakley's Obama spot is positive and features the president saying that she's a fighter. There's no mention of her rival, state Sen. Scott Brown (R)

"We need you on Tuesday," Obama said.

Watch the ad after the jump.

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MA-SEN

Rothenberg Moves MA-SEN To 'Leans Takeover'

Rachel Slajda | January 18, 2010, 12:01PM

Senator-elect Scott Brown (R-MA)

Rothenberg Political Report today moved the Massachusetts Senate special election from a "tossup" rating to "leans takeover."

"Brown is running extremely well with Independents in the Bay State, and unless Democratic turnout exceeds everyone's expectations, Brown is headed for a comfortable win," Rothenberg writes.

Cook Political Report, on the other hand, issued a statement yesterday saying the race is still in their "tossup" column, writing, "This race could still go either way, but we put a finger on the scale for Brown."

The seat, which belonged to the late Ted Kennedy, is now held by interim Sen. Paul Kirk (D). Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley, as well as Libertarian Joe Kennedy, are vying for the seat.

John Kerry

Kerry: 'Tea Baggers' Are 'Revved Up' About MA Senate Race -- But 'It's Not Too Late'

Jillian Rayfield | January 18, 2010, 11:38AM

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) today attempted to galvanize support for Democratic senate candidate Martha Coakley by referencing the "tea baggers" who are "revved up" by Republican Scott Brown's momentum in the Massachusetts special election.

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MA-SEN

Could Joe Kennedy Win The Race For Coakley?

Rachel Slajda | January 18, 2010, 11:38AM

MA Senate candidate Joe Kennedy (I)

Not much attention has been paid to Libertarian Joe Kennedy in the Massachusetts Senate race. But might he be the deciding factor in who wins the seat?

As Campaign Diaries points out, polls which include Kennedy (no relation to the late Ted Kennedy) make things look better for Democratic candidate Martha Coakley. Polls that only include Coakley and her Republican rival, Scott Brown, look better for Brown.

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MA-SEN

Brown Files Criminal Complaint Against Mass Dems Mailer Charging He Wants Rape Victims Turned Away

Eric Kleefeld | January 18, 2010, 11:31AM

State Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) on the campaign trail.

The Massachusetts Democratic Party released a hard-hitting mailer against Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown, Greg Sargent reported over the weekend, accusing Brown of wanting the state's hospitals to turn away all of the 1,736 Massachusetts women who were raped in 2008.

"1,736 WOMEN WERE RAPED IN MASSACHUSETTS IN 2008," the mailer said (all capital letters in the original). "SCOTT BROWN WANTS HOSPITALS TO TURN THEM ALL AWAY."

The ad is an extension of a a Coakley TV ad from last week, which attacked Brown for having backed proposed legislation in the state Senate to allow hospitals or hospital personnel to refuse to dispense emergency contraception to rape victims. That ad was also particularly brutal, with the visual of a woman cowering with her head in her hands, presumably meant to signify that the woman was a rape victim being harmed even further by Brown's policies.

So is the claim true, or not? The short answer is that Brown did not want hospitals to turn away rape victims en masse, refusing to provide any and all care. He did want to guarantee them the legal ability to refuse to provide emergency contraception. This was presented accurately in the Coakley TV ad, but is being seriously twisted around in this state Dem mailer.

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Health Care

Plan B: Democrats Consider How To Pass Health Care If Coakley Loses

Brian Beutler | January 18, 2010, 10:27AM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

A new way forward on health care is gaining some traction among Democrats, who are preparing for the possibility that Democrat Martha Coakley will lose her bid to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate, costing Democrats their 60th vote, which they'll need to overcome the filibuster.

The House has been preparing to tweak the Senate bill with a package of amendments based on a deal reached last week with organized labor, send it back to the upper chamber for final passage, and claim victory. But Coakley could well lose her race, depriving Democrats of the 60th vote they'd need to overcome a filibuster, and that unthinkable possibility is forcing party leaders to consider a Plan B.

As I noted last week, the House could simply pass the Senate bill unchanged, and Obama could sign reform into law. As recently as last week, a number of high-profile Democrats were saying that would never fly. But many are now suggesting that the House might still pull through, if House members are promised that the deal they agreed to last week will be passed separately--and quickly--through the filibuster-proof budget reconciliation process.

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Scott Brown

Brown Spokesman: 'He Doesn't Believe' That Obama Was Born Out Of Wedlock

Eric Kleefeld | January 18, 2010, 10:24AM

President Obama and State Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)

Massachusetts Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown's campaign is distancing itself from comments he made in 2008, which we reported on over the weekend, in which Brown expressed doubts over whether Barack Obama was born in wedlock -- and is declaring that any idea that he might believe otherwise is a lie.

Said Brown spokesman Eric Fehrnstom told Greg Sargent: "He doesn't believe that. This is more desperate campaigning from Martha Coakley. When she isn't calling for higher taxes, she's making things up about Scott Brown."

For the record, Brown was debating another guest on a regional news show during the 2008 election, when a discussion came up of Bristol Palin's pregnancy. Brown pointed out that Obama's mother had him when she was 18. The other guest said "And married." Brown then replied, "Well, I don't know about that," and chuckled.

2010 elections

Massachusetts Voters Deluged With Calls From Nation's Political Activists

Christina Bellantoni | January 18, 2010, 9:46AM

Women at a switchboard

Out-of-staters descended on Massachusetts this weekend, flooding the Bay State with money and manpower in the final days of the special election to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.

In a bit of a shift from other big elections, activists in both parties are dialing in to help as the race is down-to-the-wire and closer than either party would like.

Administration staffers and Capitol Hill types flocked to phone banks in D.C. to dial in for attorney general Martha Coakley (D) while Republicans across the country rallied to help state Sen. Scott Brown (R).

Former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove told his nearly 100,000 followers yesterday, "#RETWEETTHISIF You want to help Scott Brown but don't live in MA." He sent out a link to the Brown campaign's Web site allowing for supporters to "call from home."

Arkansas Democrats asked their supporters to "Help Win the Massachusetts Senate Seat," blasting out a link to the DNC's Organizing for America phone banking site which also says Democrats can "make calls from home."

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MA-SEN

Pajamas Media's New Outlier Poll: Coakley Making Up Ground Fast?

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 18, 2010, 9:40AM

MA Senate candidates State Sen. Scott Brown (R) and AG Martha Coakley (D)

Pajamas Media has published another poll in the Massachusetts Senate race that differs significantly from others in in the field on the final days of the race. But unlike the last Pajamas Media outlier, this poll shows Martha Coakley (D) with more momentum than the polls from other firms.

The Pajamas Media poll from Friday -- which produced more than a little consternation from readers when we posted it -- showed Scott Brown (R) ahead by 15 points, 54-39. The new Pajamas Media poll, taken yesterday afternoon, shows Coakley has cut that lead to 10, 52-42. Other polls over the weekend from PPP (D) and the Merriman River Group also show Brown ahead, but the PPP shows Brown with the momentum.

MA-SEN

Coakley, Dems Jump On Brown Staffers Story

Rachel Slajda | January 18, 2010, 9:26AM

MA Senate Candidates AG Martha Coakley (D) and State Sen. Scott Brown (R)

Last week, TPMDC reported that Massachusetts Senate candidate Scott Brown (R) is paying his campaign staff as "independent contractors," meaning they're responsible for paying their own payroll taxes and health insurance.

Brown's opponent, Martha Coakley (D), and other groups have jumped on the story, attacking Brown for not providing health insurance to his staffers.

"We already knew that Scott Brown didn't want to make health insurance more affordable for Massachusetts families and businesses. Now we learn that he won't even make health insurance available for his own staff. If he won't stand up for the people he employs, how could we ever trust him to stand up for us?" Coakley said in a statement.

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