It might have been different had there been someone in the race as good or better than Warren at reaching out to the grass roots. But there wasn’t. And that’s what I’d be on the lookout for before handwringing that a Democratic front runner is late on this.

It is fair to argue that being late will matter more in a shorter election cycle. It is odd to argue that because Elizabeth Warren was late, this somehow shows it’s a problem, when Warren won by more than anyone was predicting.

I do not work in politics, but I am a manager in the private sector. And if I were going to be launching a major new venture, I’d expect it might take more than 3 weeks to assemble my complete management team. Even if I had a tight deadline.

Pointing out the need to assemble a top-notch team with recent grass-roots experience is fine (and constructive). Gnashing teeth because the task is not finished before the seat’s even open seems a bit overwrought to me.

Woke up early and cleaned the garage or Gail would not speak to me. Had to think long and hard, but ended up cleaning it anyway. Going into Boston for a meeting, then a nice lunch and then hit a movie tonight. Any suggestions?

I get that he is all about being everyman, but it’s not clear which is weirder the first sentence or the second. Not to mention I wonder if he continues to delay his own nomination whether – especially if he thinks that a 2014 Governor race would be easier – whether he will anger Republicans because he is not running for this.

Other than that the only thing I heard was his attack on Markey not being really from MA, which creates echoes of his attack on Warren – not pleasant ones.

As to his website being better is it different than his 2010 one? (I either forgot that one or never looked at it.)

Too many people feel that DP, EW or even BO-won because they were fresh and new. This is true, but if an experienced candidate ran on that experience with a fresh and new style of campaign than they can still win with that fervor and fire.

Michael Pratt, who served as ­Warren’s national finance director, and Colleen Coffey, who headed fund-raising in Massachusetts, were labeled a “dynamic duo” Friday by a Democrat familiar with the hirings who confirmed them for the Globe.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2013/01/11/edward-markey-hires-elizabeth-warren-two-top-fund-raisers-work-his-senate-campaign/fluM41fSlFmvsVELjVS07K/story.html

David, I agree with you that Deval Patrick, John Walsh and leaders throughout the grassroots have built a new model for campaigns that has been incredibly successful in MA and the country. Elizabeth Warren helped expand and strengthen that model.

I have not spoken with Markey’s team, so I don’t know what their strategy is or how they are planning to go about the race. But I do think given their past experience, they have earned some time to implement it before everyone gets worried.

Of course it can take a little time to get the messaging down and have a good sense (through polling) to figure out what issues will resonate most in the race… but you have to give supporters and interested parties information on a regular and frequent interval, and make it look like you’re asking them to do something, otherwise they get frustrated and start to question the campaign like David’s done right here.

This is exactly what happened in the Coakley campaign, btw. People weren’t getting responses from the campaign, would call them asking for things to do and get no answers, or would offer to door knock and get a vague ask to hold a sign, etc. People were incredibly frustrated and thousands of volunteer hours were lost.

And you know what is the only thing you can’t get more of in a campaign? Time.

He needs to have a clear strategy before blasting out email messages. He also needs to have his team in place before he starts campaigning.

The real campaigning will begin in a week or two.

Markey knows what he is doing. He will win.

Nevertheless, my thinking was that he ought to be a bit coy because he isn’t officially running since there’s no vacancy. But, so long as he is officially running, I guess my advice is a bit dated [to that time when he was thinking about it but it was "too soon"].

Stay inside his own district? Again, this makes no sense to me. Markey’s problem is that there are 8 congressional districts worth of MA voters (9, really, if you go back to the boundaries that were in place for the last 10 years) who don’t know him from a hole in the wall. He needs to start introducing himself to them yesterday.

Finally, joint appearances with other congressfolk? Unless they are endorsing him for Senate, that’s impractical, as a joint appearance will be perceived (correctly) as an endorsement. AFAIK, no current reps have endorsed Markey yet.

And, if at all possible, when you go to other CDs, try to get the other Reps to do joint events, at least at first. This way you can bring their supporters out to get bigger crowds. Step 1 is to hone your message while making “soldiers” out of friendly Democrats.

Also, Doug, I think you’d agree that the model for a successful progressive campaign in MA has changed in the last few years – in large part because you helped change it. Have these guys been involved? Do they see what has happened? Do they know how to replicate it? I don’t know, and they don’t post here (unless Larry Rasky is EB3 – hey, could happen), so I’m asking you!

What surprised me was how dull and almost flat Coakley’s speech was compared to Capuano’s and Markey’s.

I am looking for another “fresher” option for the US Senate seat for the remainder of the term, six years or any part of the future. Massachusetts incumbency is toxic. The exciting candidates of our recent history have been the newcomers.

These guys have won a lot of races. Let’s look at the entire record before we jump to conclusions.

If you want to criticize decisions they make during the campaign, that’s fine (trust me, it comes with the territory!). But let’s give them credit for the success they have had in the past.

I agree that Markey ought to start appearing at events outside of his district, pronto. Beyond that I’m willing to give it a little more time. I’m hoping he’s out looking for good campaign staff.

Meanwhile, what exactly has Scott Brown been doing recently besides whining about Markey’s residency? Just checked, his last tweet was “Just spent the morning cleaning the garage. Ugh. On another note, looking forward to Sun. 4:30.” Not sure he’s had his brilliant campaign kickoff just yet either (if he is indeed running).

RT @Joan_Vennochi: Big generational split with Democrats when Marttila,Rasky and Campion are called old-timers not wise veterans.. #mapoli

I agree about Markey’s web site, not thrilled – I hope we see lots more of him around the state, soon!

I’m also not thrilled with the lack of email from Markey and the lackluster website. It had virtually no content and the look was lousy. But I agree with Christopher that there is no vacancy yet. I hope he’s doing some things behind the scenes and expect he is. As compressed as a special election is, five months is enough time for voters to get to know him better.

At least do the listening-tour routine and visit outside the 5th CD.

Mindy Myers was really the person who did the fundraising strategy for Warren.

Of course, Coakley’s loss can’t “be attributed to not campaigning prior to Kennedy’s seat actually opening up.” Rather, it can be attributed to her running a bad campaign (among other factors). What I’m worried about is the signals being sent by what Markey so far has done and not done.

And, yeah, that means hiring the people who just got Warren elected and Patrick in 2010. Anyone else isn’t a lock, and there’s no time to recover from having hired the wrong staff. Just ask Martha Coakley that one, when she stubbornly stuck to her AG apparatus, instead of infusing herself with Patrick’s people in the state apparatus.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Technically, there isn’t even an election to be had yet as John Kerry is still a Senator. Markey is pre-empting the process as it is so….

… it ain’t just the news that’s a global, 24×7, ever-escalating search for the next sensation and/or anger-fix.

And it ain’t just the news that gets, um, about 94 percent of it wrong ’cause they hurrying so much so fast so very very eagerly.

Also, you kids get off my lawn!

He evidently advised “Kerry’s senatorial campaigns, as well as for his bid for U.S. president in 2004″ and “Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s 2006 campaign.”

He could be our Bob Shrum, but I, for one, don’t know that. It’s hard to really know the actual role of campaign advisers. A little circumspection may be in order.

If he wants this he’s gonna have to really work at it –and pronto.

http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2013/01/11/edward-markey-hires-elizabeth-warren-two-top-fund-raisers-work-his-senate-campaign/b7kfJQ6KFFwlT6bzLqQOML/story.html

and then I read your post and…oy.

Agreed, not terribly inspiring or confidence inducing.

I like Markey and think he has a good shot especially given his $ on hand and his leadership on climate among other issues, but he needs to run a nimble, modern campaign to win this. And while I’m sure those guys are all nice guys and they have lots of experience, it doesn’t sound to me like they have a lot of experience running campaigns in modern Massachusetts or New England — and to beat Scott Brown you have to understand what works here against someone like him, and you have to understand the demographic and cultural changes, etc.

Warren’s top team was made up of folks with experience in Mass and New England and I can’t imagine that that didn’t make a ton of difference in terms of campaign strategy…Same goes for Deval’s campaigns.

Which begs the question — why isn’t Markey hiring folks from the state/region to run his campaign?