The impact of President Obama's visit.

We won't really know whether or not President Obama saved Martha Coakley's candidacy (and, potentially, health care reform) until 8 p.m. tomorrow.  What we do know, is that this race is no longer about Coakley herself, and that may be a good thing for a flailing candidate.

While he may be sagging in popularity around the country, President Obama remains popular in Massachusetts (last week's Suffolk poll put him at 55% favorable against 35% unfavorable - vs. 49%-41% numbers for Coakley).  Somebody on the Democratic side must have realized this (I'm guessing someone from the White House or DNC, and not the Coakley staff), as the final ad of Coakley's campaign prominently features the President and makes the candidate almost a minor character.



When I watch the ad or clips from the speech, I see a crowd fired up an enthusiastic for a President they overwhelmingly voted for in November 2008, and not a candidate they have been decidedly ambivalent about for weeks.

That is a good thing for Martha Coakley.  When voters see television ads in which she voices her support for health care reform in her monotone voice...well, let's be honest, they probably aren't inspired.

In a press release this afternoon, Coakley campaign manager Kevin Conroy said, "The energy surrounding President Obama’s visit and the upcoming election reflects the enthusiasm we’ve seen for Martha’s proud record of standing up for Massachusetts, and her strong vision for our country."  With all due respect to Mr. Conroy, if voters had been that enthusiastic for Coakley, the President wouldn't have been needed here in the first place.

But when they turn on their televisions tonight and see the President they loved just 14 months ago passionately asking them for their vote again tomorrow...I would guess Massachusetts Democrats are finally going to be moved to the polls.  If not?  Then there are rough times ahead for Martha Coakley, President Obama, and the DNC.