I talked to my Mom (80 yrs. old) in Massachusetts today, about Coakley-Brown.

[freddie mertz]

She said the general mood in the Commonwealth seemed to be hostile to the local, state Dem establishment, especially the governor and the state legislature.

Independents seem to have gone over to Brown, in part because he has campaigned effectively as the "change" candidate, with ads invoking he young JFK.

She also noted that among older voters, there is a strong Republican "base" in the Cape Cod area, where she lives.

As for Coakley, she seems to have been too passive or, at times, awkward in her response to the growing threat from Brown, with the result that the "enthusiasm" has built up on the Brown side, while a certain despondency, even despair, is evident among Democrats.

She is going to get out early to vote for Martha, and thinks it could go either way.

But she did not seem at all optimistic.

End of report. I'm not sure it contains anything new... but it was a sobering discussion.