Scott Brown 52, Martha Coakley 47.
Even before the votes were counted, Senator Evan Bayh (D) said "if you lose Massachusetts and that's not a wake-up call, there's no hope of waking up."
Why we love Mark Steyn (from The Corner on National Review):
"Several of us have noted below President Obama's descent into ever-drearier sludgelike rhetoric, to the point where even the most drooling media Obammysoxers have given up swooning over his silver tongue.
By contrast, Scott Brown seems to deliver very nice lines on a regular basis:
'It's not Ted Kennedy's seat, it's the people's seat': Brilliant. Popular democracy vs. the House-of-Lords Democrats.
'Scott Brown believes in evolution, but in the case of Bob Kerrey he's willing to make an exception': Lovely. A genial throwaway response to a demented line of attack that makes the attacker look ridiculous.
'The leader of the free world is talking about my truck': Bullseye. It underlines the David-vs-Goliath nature of the race, and also reminds you that, by having to intervene to prop up his flailing candidate, the president of the United States demeaned himself."
One year ago, it was looking like eight years in the wilderness. What a difference a year makes.
The smackdown on Obama's extreme radical leftism continues.....Boston Tea Party 2.0 in full swing.
PS---Mrs. Shark, hopefully by now "Marcia" Coakley has figured out who Curt Schilling is, and that he is decidedly NOT a Yankees fan....
Posted by: Michele on January 19, 2010 08:16 PMBut the Republicans would be wise to introduce real health care reform (preferably one that empowers individuals with choices and real control) and explain why they didn't do so when they controlled the Congress & the presidency. The also need to stop protecting crooks among their fold. This would help contrast them with "...the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history.” And find someone other than John Boehner to be a leader. Please.
Posted by: jimt on January 19, 2010 08:32 PMBring it on because we're ready for you.
A bit touchy, are we? A bit upset with the election of Brown? Another shining example of the anger and hatred from the Left?
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on January 19, 2010 08:59 PMYeah, that's what they were saying about a Brown victory in Massachussetts just a month ago when he was down by 20 points to coakley. If you think Rossi can't beat the mental midget in tennis shoes with an anti-incumbent mood in the country, you're crazy. Especially when she's just an un-thinking rubber stamp drone of the left wing proposed legislation that has the Dems in trouble in the first place.
Posted by: Rick D. on January 19, 2010 09:16 PMThink about it: A Republican won the seat in Massachusetts formerly held by Ted Kennedy.
Wow.
I wish Ted was alive to see it. I doubt he knows though, I can't believe where he is burning they have cable news channels.
The heads on MSNBC were actually asking if this means that the Dems/Obama haven't been liberal *enough*.
Who says Rossi is running? You?
Posted by: ivan on January 19, 2010 09:29 PMTwo days ago, I had a sense that Scott Brown was going to win, and tonight I am very happy. Scott Brown came from out of nowhere and wrested the "people's seat" away from Coakley, who assumed that she was the annointed one to fill Ted Kennedy's vacated seat.
God bless the voters of Massachusetts who backed up Scott Brown's own "audacity of hope" to not only run competitvely, but to win. This bodes well for other qualified candidates who may step up and challenge Democratic incumbents this coming November.
Most of the people of our country are not behind what Obama and the Democratic leadership are doing in Washington DC. But the Dems are hell bent on passing something, practically anything that looks like a healthcare bill. Its as if it does not matter what is in the 2000+ pages of crap that make up the bill. They just gotta pass something, no matter how bad it is.
Well, they voters in Massachusetts loudly proclaimed that enough is enough. They responded to a conservative candidate who was not afraid to take a stand without compromising his values in order to appeal to a wider audience. Scott's team ran a masterful campaign. Scott was humble, positive, well-mannered, courageous and approachable. Scott did not rip on the Kennedy legacy - he actually used it to his advantage in some of his campaign ads.
Other conservative candidates ought to follow Scott Brown's example. It led to a victory in ultra-blue Massachusetts, and it can work in other states as well. The voters will respond to qualified candidates who have the guts to take a stand on the issues that concern them. And they will vote for them, too.
Congratulations, Scott Brown. I admire you for taking on Goliath and felling the Giant Democratic Machine.
Posted by: Gary on January 19, 2010 09:35 PMthe GOP got smacked down in 2008 for spending like drunken sailors. now the Democrats are getting smacked down for spending even more. setting up sweetheart deals for your special interest supporters and expanding government at every turn is a losing strategy with the current electorate.
The GOP can lead from the middle on a platform built with libertarian inspired policies. Fiscal restraint combined with common sense regulation reform to get the economy going and to solve healthcare the American way, not the European way as the Democrats would have it.
We need Republicans to stand up and propose the following:
1. Allow insurance shopping across state lines.
2. Common sense tort reform.
3. Much higher HSA limits.
But most of all, the economy must be the forefront of any GOP compaign.
Posted by: blindman on January 19, 2010 09:46 PMAs long as this state has one-party rule, WA will be perceived as politically retarded to the rest of the US. Oregon is in a similar predicament and California leads the way. The Obamanation is waking up to the ugly reality of one party rule, no matter which party it is...
Posted by: KDS on January 19, 2010 09:48 PMWhat is different between Susan Hutchison and Scott Brown (no dirty jokes, please)?
What is different between Dino and Scott Brown?
Did Brown embrace the wild Tea Partying nature of 21st century Republicanism rather than trying to be "part of the Home Team" or a "GOP Party" member?
Posted by: Blue Swan on January 19, 2010 09:53 PMI voted Obama, but am not surprised about today's results. Wait until November.
I was at least hoping for a few liberal justices to resign / be replaced by Obama, and now that looks even unlikely. Talk about blowing it. Jeez.
Posted by: Outis on January 19, 2010 09:53 PMWe seriously need tort reform in this country to help bring down healthcare costs. Many doctors are paying more for malpractice insurance than most of us earn annually. And to cover their butts, they order potentially unnecesary tests to make sure that they do not miss something. You do not suppose this inflates the cost of healthcare, do you?
We also need to allow health insurance companies to freely compete across state lines. More competition will drive down costs, too. It will also give consumers more options.
Many Dems think that somehow healthcare coverage is a right for everyone, that it ought to be an entitlement provided by the government. I respectfully disagree. Healthcare is not a right. If you want healthcare insurance, you have a couple of options. Either get a job that provides the healthcare insurance that your desire, or pay for it yourself. I have no desire to subsidize somebody else's healthcare, and I should not be taxed to do so.
Posted by: Gary on January 19, 2010 10:05 PMFun night! Will be interesting to see what suicidal absurdity the dims offer up next.
Posted by: RagnarDanneskjold on January 19, 2010 10:13 PMCan you picture Barry and Michelle in a pick-up truck? I didn't think so.
Posted by: Gary on January 19, 2010 10:17 PMThank You Barack Obama, this is change I believe in.
Ding dong the health care bill is dead.
Posted by: Andy on January 19, 2010 10:20 PMNight night Ivan. Sweet dreams!
Posted by: johnny on January 19, 2010 10:23 PM(doesn't that sound horrible...the idea she could serve 4 terms in the senate? I wouldn't hire her to rake leaves, let alone her current job
Posted by: righton on January 19, 2010 10:59 PMCan you hear America NOW?
And as long as Obama and his congressional cronies keep thinking like you do ("So what is it we're supposed to be hearing?"), next November looks to be a continued royal smackdown of Obama and the democrat party. Except you'll probably still be wondering what happened....
Posted by: Michele on January 20, 2010 12:52 AMBrown is pro-choice. Chew on that.
Posted by: Joe Wisconsin on January 20, 2010 12:56 AMCoakley did run a horrible campaign. She sounded totally flat when she regurgitated the dem talking points. Like a true believer who didn't quite believe. Maybe she can be saved?
BTW, I'd rather be a tea-bagger than a tea-bagee like you. Bet ya'll need extra sugar tonight.
Posted by: threeoddnumbers on January 20, 2010 01:00 AMYou are still a bully.
Posted by: Mathew "RennDawg" Renner on January 20, 2010 04:20 AMAnd yet abortion remains safe and legal. Glad to see that you're okay with that, if it means chalking up a victory here.
Posted by: Joe Wisconsin on January 20, 2010 05:51 AMAnd Deeds, and Corzine... You just keep telling yourself that, mike. Okay, yes mike. You are 100% correct. The problem is not Obama or his policies. Please proceed full-steam ahead with the socialist agenda.
In November, we'll see dozens and dozens of Dems running "horrible campaigns". The #1 issue in Mass was the heath care bill, and how much the voters hated it.
Please jam it down our throats, mike.
"In Scott Brown we have an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, tea-bagging supporter of violence against women and against politicians with whom he disagrees."
- Keith Olbermann, host of MSNBC's Countdown, in a virulent rant against the Massachusetts candidate
If that guy isn't a candidate for non-voluntary admission to the nearest psychiatric hospital I don't know who is.
Posted by: Rick D. on January 20, 2010 06:36 AMI, for one, am loving their reaction. They can't "get it".
Posted by: Gary on January 20, 2010 07:10 AM"Carol Albert, manager of Sen. Patty Murray�s re-election campaign, said the election is not altering their strategy.
�Are voters sending a message in Massachusetts? Yes. What we will do out here is not going to be any different tomorrow than it is today,� she said."
When you're a coward, everybody looks like a bully to you.
But somehow Ivan makes it work.
Posted by: Smokie on January 20, 2010 07:48 AM- Terry McAuliffe (former DNC Chairman)
No Terry, they are not confused, they don't want it. That is exactly why Scott Brown won. People also know that cap and tax will destroy jobs in this country, and they also know it's the Democrats pushing for it. But Terry probably thinks we are all just confused about that too.
Posted by: Palouse on January 20, 2010 07:51 AM- Continue to push Health Insurance reform
- Continue to push Cap-and-Trade
- Continue to push Amnesty
- Continue not paying any attention to the
unemployment situation
By all means continue to push those top three agenda items that Americans are not at all interested in, and continue to ignore the #1 issue that Americans demand action on.
Posted by: Gary on January 20, 2010 07:59 AM"I think everyone [involved in the health-care negotiations] agrees that there are certain things in the Senate bill that must be changed," she told the Washington Post today. "We do have our differences, and our members want to resolve those differences."
So, no way is the House going to vote up or down on the Senate bill now.
This thing is deader than hell.
Keep pushing, Mr. President!
To which I say, please do. Yep, it was just that Coakley ran a poor campaign. Nothing to see here. Continue passing massive new taxes and legislation. Ignore rising unemployment. Ignore high union salaries which are driving business out. No consequences, because progressives are the intellectual elite. They know better, WA is safe, and their Camelot is just around the next bend.
Posted by: Jeff B. on January 20, 2010 09:05 AMHoward Fineman says that people who drive pickup trucks are racists too.
Their heads are exploding.
Posted by: Gary on January 20, 2010 09:48 AMWhich is why Bayh is out today telling the Senate to heed the lesson from yesterday.
Massachusetts actually elected republicans in the last 16 years to be governor. Washington hasn't.
MA is Utah compared to Washington in terms of how liberal it is. We're the only state to legalize same sex marriage. We left the fate of Boeing in WA state to two union presidents (The Governor delegated it to the folks who actually make the decisions around here).
We had a choice between a far left business person and a far left leftist for Seatle Mayor, and those chose the guy with no business experience in a city with a 21% vacancy rate.
Even Gates is moving folks out of Washington State. Boeing's prognosis is 'we won't layoff as many people this year as we did last year. The governor can't even let go of the liquor stores, much less do anything that remotely resembles a job growth policy strategy.
Other than the seat down in Vancouver, moonbats have nothing to fear in WA. This state has been drunk on the natural beauty of the area, and the good fortune of having certain businesses start here.
If there isn't a geographically oriented resource supply reason why you'd need to be in WA, then there is exactly zero reasons why an investor would make a capital investment in this state. Zero.
When Boeing has quietly moved their know-how down to South Carolina, and that final assembly line is humming down there, then they'll start to shutter Everett and the alarm will go off in idiots heads around here.
Economics is called the dismal science because its inexorable. Stevie Wonder can see what's going to happen in this state, but the moonbats can't. Nothing to worry about for liberals for the next couple of years in terms of elected job security.
Posted by: RinaseaofDs on January 20, 2010 10:23 AMWell, after years of revealing himself for the RINO he was and practically bankrupting the state, conservatives aren't proud of him now.
It seems like conservatives keep on making the same mistakes over and over again. Scott Brown will prove to be another one of these mistakes.
Posted by: Steve on January 20, 2010 11:06 AMWatching liberals completely freak out is wonderful. They've fooled people for years. Perhaps we should be grateful to Obama for finally revealing who liberals really are. They've lost the independent voters and have now lost a large percentage of traditional Democrats. That doesn't leave them with much.
I don't want to be over confident, but I think finally after years of beating us with political correctness and "consciousness raising" Americans have finally had it with these people. Oh, and by the way, I drive a pickup truck.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on January 20, 2010 11:43 AMWhat a hoot.
I guess not everyone got the message:
By the way, if you're wondering who Jeffrey Scott Shapiro is, you may be surprised to learn that he worked for John F. Kerry during the 2004 presidential election
America Betrayed President Bush
Posted by: RagnarDanneskjold on January 20, 2010 12:31 PMWhat a hoot.
I guess not everyone got the message:
By the way, if you're wondering who Jeffrey Scott Shapiro is, you may be surprised to learn that he worked for John F. Kerry during the 2004 presidential election
America Betrayed President Bush
Posted by: RagnarDanneskjold on January 20, 2010 12:32 PMNot that he had any choice...
Yet O-bummer still doesn't get it. Look at their next gov trick. Like S/S and Medicase isn't a basket case, now this!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
A bill currently before the Senate would empower the Obama administration to nationalize the student lending industry, eliminating the federally subsidized private loans millions of university students rely on to finance their educations.
"I look at the numbers and I am worried. I am worried about this government committing itself to so many entitlement programs and committing itself to such a level of taxation to support those entitlement programs..."
You know who said it? Chris Matthews. Yes, Chris Matthews. Gee, Chris, when we Tea Partiers were expressing the exact same concerns, you called us all racists and rednecks. Gosh, is Chris Matthews a racist redneck now?
Duffman, yep. Obama wants to completely take over student loans and make it a single-payer.
Posted by: Gary on January 20, 2010 01:42 PMThis election was not just about the healthcare bill. Scott Brown also campaigned on national security, tax cuts, spending cuts, and creating jobs.
So, do you suppose that we can win more elections in November by following the Scott Brown example of focusing on the issues that are most important to the voters?
I say, "Yes, we can!"
Posted by: Gary on January 20, 2010 02:08 PM"I support the 2006 healthcare law..."
That would be the Massachusetts law that mandated that most citizens of that state buy health care insurance.
You sure didn't read his web page carefully, did you?
Posted by: Steve on January 20, 2010 02:11 PM"Health Care - I believe that all Americans deserve health care coverage, but I am opposed to the health care legislation that is under consideration in Congress and will vote against it. It will raise taxes, increase government spending and lower the quality of care, especially for elders on Medicare. I support strengthening the existing private market system with policies that will drive down costs and make it easier for people to purchase affordable insurance. In Massachusetts, I support the 2006 healthcare law that was successful in expanding coverage, but I also recognize that the state must now turn its attention to controlling costs."
Posted by: Jack on January 20, 2010 02:56 PMFrom what I have read of the Massachusetts system, it's deep in debt and unsustainable. Here's the full text of what's on his website:
I believe that all Americans deserve health care coverage, but I am opposed to the health care legislation that is under consideration in Congress and will vote against it. It will raise taxes, increase government spending and lower the quality of care, especially for elders on Medicare. I support strengthening the existing private market system with policies that will drive down costs and make it easier for people to purchase affordable insurance. In Massachusetts, I support the 2006 healthcare law that was successful in expanding coverage, but I also recognize that the state must now turn its attention to controlling costs.
Posted by: Palouse on January 20, 2010 02:56 PM"Health Care - I believe that all Americans deserve health care coverage, but I am opposed to the health care legislation that is under consideration in Congress and will vote against it. It will raise taxes, increase government spending and lower the quality of care, especially for elders on Medicare. I support strengthening the existing private market system with policies that will drive down costs and make it easier for people to purchase affordable insurance. In Massachusetts, I support the 2006 healthcare law that was successful in expanding coverage, but I also recognize that the state must now turn its attention to controlling costs."
Posted by: Jack on January 20, 2010 02:56 PMHe says he supports requiring Massachusetts citizens to get health care (that was what the 2006 law required).
Posted by: steve on January 20, 2010 03:09 PMWell, it might be that Scott saw what happened with the MA healthcare plan? It's 10's of millions out of sych with projected costs. It has underdelivered on services, and it has become a magnet for illegal aliens.
Here's a quote from NYT (hardly a right wing mouthpiece) that just about sumarizes the problem.
"Alan Sager, a professor of health policy at Boston University, has calculated that health spending per person in Massachusetts increased faster than the national average in seven of the last eight years. Furthermore, he said, the gap has grown exponentially, with Massachusetts now spending about a third more per person, up from 23 percent in 1980."
Further, another left wing mouth piece the LA Times documents how for the middle class, the MA has raised the cost of healthcare for the middle class without improving quality of care. (Oct 17 2009).
It's gotten so bad that MA recently announced a plan to drop legal immigrants from the plan. That wouldn't be funny except according to many reports (and the experience of many regular citizens in MA) reports, the healthcare plan has become a magnet for ILLEGAL alien.
(And - of course - any attempts to verify citizenship in association with this program have been forbidden by the liberal bureaucrats that actually run the program.)
Could it be that Scott Brown isn't eager to see a program that isn't working on a state level be adopted on a national level?
This is something everyone is going to find out with in a few years.
But remember when I do repeat it in a few years and you all go well, duh, everyone knows he's a RINO, that I said he was a RINO today!
Posted by: Steve on January 20, 2010 03:15 PMIt was enacted by a Republican Governor. Therefore YOU HAVE TO BE FOR IT.
Posted by: Alex on January 20, 2010 03:21 PMYou try to justify it to yourselves by thinking "it's the lesser of two evils" but it still means that progressivism moves forward.
Posted by: Alex on January 20, 2010 03:51 PMI wish there was a candidate that agreed with me on everything, but I know that will never be the case. So unless there is some kind of deal breaker issue (e.g. Reichert's vote on Cap/Tax for me), there's nothing wrong with going for the candidate with whom you mostly agree.
Mass's health law is their law. It's a state issue, and Brown wants to keep it that way. I would not favor enacting it here, but they can do what they want there.
So this is how liberals are trying to make themselves feel better now? By saying to themselves "It's okay that Brown got voted in because he's not REALLY a republican. We didn't really lose."
Wow. Just...wow.
Here's a wake-up call to the dems who are reading this: Your team got beat because they deserved it. Your reps stopped listening to anyone but themselves and their special interests and didn't even pretend to care about trying to work with divergent interests for the good of everyone.
They got arrogant, power hungry and wasteful and the electorate turned on them.
It's the same thing that happened in 2006 to the GOP because they deserved it too, and regular visitors to this board will probably be the first to admit that. We aren't stupid no matter how much you'd like to think we are.
You folks can learn from the mistakes adjust your attitudes and maybe - just maybe - during the next election cycle you'll only some of your congressional seats instead of a whole lot of your congressional seats. Or you can pretend that this election (and Virginia, etc.) were just flukes and the problem is that you aren't being pigheaded enough.
One thing I can say about Bill Clinton is that when he got handed his ass in 1994, he changed his attitude and actually ended up doing some good things for this country even if he did it with a gun to his head. Will Obama be nearly that smart? Since we're stuck with him for another three years I'd like to hope so.
Posted by: johnny on January 20, 2010 05:05 PMI guess $2 trillion would be irresponsible.
I think much of the country is breathing a sigh of relief now that there is a fresh new veto awaiting Health care, Cap and Trade and the next round of stimulus and bailout.
But it doesn't mean the country loves the Republican agenda.
They may be saying they want Obama to stay in power but be more like Clinton: Just balance the budget and talk about things, but don't really do anything.
As a leftist who would have broken personal tradition to vote for Brown, I'd say that'd be a big improvement over initiatives like a health care bill that will make healthcare more expensive, a cap and trade bill that will hurt the environment, and jobs bills that will have a net negative effect on employment.
Obama pres, with a Repub veto or even one or both houses.
Alot closer to paradise than Bush pres and a Demo congress.
Sincerly
new left conservative
Posted by: new left conservative on January 20, 2010 07:07 PMEvidence from The Seattle Weekly
Murray? Well she's only a three-time incumbent in a state with a weakened GOP whose most high-profile challenger thus far farms dirt and believes the nation's capitol is rife with communists. Trouble? What trouble?
They don't listen.
They don't care.
They don't learn.
They are arrogant.
Evidence from The Seattle Weekly
Murray? Well she's only a three-time incumbent in a state with a weakened GOP whose most high-profile challenger thus far farms dirt and believes the nation's capitol is rife with communists. Trouble? What trouble?
They don't listen.
They don't care.
They don't learn.
They are arrogant.
I donated to Scott Brown's campaign, and so did record numbers of other non-residents. It made me wonder - is this the start of a new trend towards a more national conservative/libertarian movement, where residents of all states put money into local races? I would love to see Patty Murray ousted, and this might be the only way we can overcome the money machine.
If we do see more of this, how long do you think it'll be before they try to introduce another round of "campaign finance reform" to prevent political contributions across state lines?
Posted by: Arka on January 21, 2010 03:53 AMhttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_larry_j_sabato/senate_2010_more_shocks_on_the_way
"Among the senators who could be endangered by a new wave of Republican entries are Evan Bayh (Indiana), Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), Patty Murray (Washington), and Russ Feingold (Wisconsin)."
Yeah, that's right, even Feingold and Bayh are not safe.
Bayh and Nelson were out front yesterday talking about how they shared the public's anger over how things have been handled in Congress. Well, you two voted for this health care monstrosity. You own it.
Too friggin' late.
"There will be time for them to make profits, and there will be time for them to get bonuses -- now is not that time. And that's a message that I intend to send directly to them,"
Okay, Mr. President, can you please tell us when business' will be permitted to start making profits again so that they can hire people? Thanks.
Expect results like Massachusetts in other venues but winning still requires a decent candidate.
Posted by: G Jiggy on January 21, 2010 09:37 AMThat man is delusional.
Those of you leftists here that think that Cantwell can't be beat please remember that Brown was little known with a 20 point deficit a month before the vote. He also had votes siphoned off from the libertarian candidate and still beat Coakley like a drum. If it can happen in Massachusetts, of all places, it can happen here. The GOP simply needs to not be afraid of its message. In fact, if I was Luke Esser I'd make a poster of Brown's planks and hang it in every campaign office in the state.
One last thing. One poster here mentioned that Cantwell "brings home the bacon" and that would save her. Two things on that. First of all, pork is part of the problem and rational people know that. So she's behind the curve there. When you start talking 7 trillion in debt and out of control spending, well, you get what I'm sayin' about pork and Maria. She's part of the problem. And don't forget that Nelson with his "Nebraska carve out" is losing his ass at this point )down 30 last I saw) and that NCO was the mother of all pork.
Those voters who want Murray are hungry, I guess.
Posted by: Gary on January 21, 2010 01:39 PMhttp://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/01/21/breaking-air-america-ceasing-live-programming-this-afternoon/
Posted by: MattC on January 21, 2010 05:51 PM