How did it come to pass that the Democratic Party find themselves thisclose to losing Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts? This is a seat the Republicans have not held since 1952, in a state that has gone Republican for president only once since 1960.
Whether the Democrats keep control of the House and the Senate this November, the loss of THIS seat on Tuesday would have dire repercussions.
Personally, I think it's pitiful that they find themselves in this position. Even if the Democrat wins handily on Tuesday, the fact that it's close less than a week out is unfathomable. With huge majorities in both houses of congress, with a president who won the largest popular vote margin since 1988, this was their time to be the Republicans of the early 80s.
Of course, I know the economy is still on the mend and after a year in office the public, rightly or wrongly, is shifting blame from Bush to Obama (more on that next week when I assess his first year in office), but the Democrats are lousy at P.R., and with the tea-baggers stepping up to every microphone in sight, Americans are only hearing one side of the argument.
My hope is that the Democrat pulls this out in Massachusetts, but that the close call forces the party to grow some cajones and fight the fascists on the other side as if their lives depended on it. Because, right now, their jobs do.
