I say this as an ardent supporter of Steve Grossman. Martha Coakley was masterful in the debate this evening. I think Martha has finally found her voice.
It is not that she was the adult in the room. All the candidates (except rightist Scott Lively) were impressive, actually. But Martha Coakley channeled the ethos of Massachusetts in a way I have never seen her do before.
MASTERFUL MARTHA!
I, for one, am convinced that she can, and will, win.
Terry McGinty
Please share widely!
I was attending a fund raiser in Melrose tonight for my friend Rep. Paul Brodeur hosted by Congresswoman Katherine Clark. We had a surprise visit from Senator Ed Markey so I missed the debate.
When I got home Terry called and told me what a great job Martha did in the debate and it made my day. Keep pouring it on Martha. We’re all rooting for you to WIN !
Fred Rich LaRiccia
It was a little bit like watching the Patriots game on Sunday night after hearing all week about how bad things were for them and how they were doomed, DOOMED I tell you. We’ll see if she gets any bump but I don’t know how many were watching.
To the electorate’s ears….
Thought Martha did well – she was lively, engaged and didn’t take any crap from the others.
Is it just that I don’t like him, or was Baker’s affect a bit odd? He spoke unnaturally slowly and was so flat emotionally…
The guy is dull as all hell. He always seems to speak that way.
Tom Reilly always struck me as the last Irish guy standing, which entitled him to the Governor’s office. Baker strikes me as the last white guy standing. Dull, suburban, hair parted on the side. I’m not sure that he feels the sense of entitlement, but he’s like a cardboard cut out of the President of the Rotary Club or the Jaycees.
I have seen him speak a lot and the challenge for him is not to seem like the CEO talking to the employees. Another issue is that when he gets excited it can sound forceful (read:mean).
GW Bush used to get all twisted and the way they fixed that was to put “periods” in the middle of his sentences. It sounded a little weird but it solved his problem.
This is sexist but I think that female candidates sound better when they’re “lively” because male candidates can sound “goofy” when they do the same thing.
Another issue I hear here at BMG is the candidate vs elected official. As involved people we’re looking for exciting candidates to entertain us. Mr & Mrs Average Voter might be looking for Steady Eddie (or Edna) to be a calm in-charge type.
had speaking problems. I remember some jerk in the New Republic wondering if he suffered from aphasia.
I suppose it’s hard for people not used to that sort of public speaking to get the skill down. I do all right most of the time; I think because I’ve been teaching for 20 years. Still I struggle to speak without a prepared speech and still struggle with a prepared speech. I’m lucky enough as a selectman that people aren’t jumping on my every word for a gaffe.
Does Baker sound better in person? Some people are good at retail and suck wholesale. Steve Grossman was never great at wholesale politics, but I’ve heard he’s decent in person.
Coakley did better this trip, but as a woman, she still has to run the risk of sounding “shrill.” Her opponents have to be careful not to look like they’re beating up on a woman. I hope these two things are changing, but it made life difficult for women in the past.
I read the transcript of that and she was very feisty and delivered a stinging rebuke to Baker’s economic agenda and defended the middle class in front of his base (the business elite). I thought that was the ballsy populist approach I have been begging her to adopt. Looks like she has. And it couldn’t come a moment too soon.