The News from Boston

For news of the Senate race I'm listening this evening to Boston's all-news station, WBZ, at 1030 AM.   You can hear it in Rochester at night.

What's interesting are the campaign ads.

Democrats must feel their backs to the wall.   They're resorting to their last refuge:   if Brown's elected, "women will lose their right to choose."   That's the only commercial by the Coakley campaign running on WBZ tonight.

Well what else is she going to say?   Vote for me and that way we can force through the Health Care Bill you hate?   Vote for me and we can stay the course on the high-cost bailouts?   This ad amounts to an acknowledgment by Democrats that the public doesn't support their health bill or their economic policy.   And no mention of the President whatsoever.

The AFSCME union is running a get-out-the-vote ad, never naming Coakley -- certainly because of some campaign finance law -- but saying "we need a Senator in the tradition of Ted Kennedy."   They had to include that, because the rest of what their ad says about the kind of Senator they want -- one who will "create jobs and make sure we have quality health care" -- would have most people thinking they're talking about Brown.

Brown's running an ad consisting of comments from "people in the street."   All with heavy Mass. accents.   One says he was brought up a Democrat, but the party today is not like it used to be, and he votes for the man, not the party.   Another a woman saying she doesn't want the government making healthcare decisions for her. Another person denouncing the spending in Washington, and believes Brown will help get taxes under control.   Another describes Brown as "a regular guy."   This ad seems like an effective effort to get ordinary voters to identify with the candidate.   The populist versus the elitist.

Also an ad featuring Brown's two daughters.   First, denouncing Coakley's negative campaigning against their father, then saying what he's for, and closing by saying he represents the "change we need," because we can't let the government continue "business as usual." Wow.   How the tables have turned in one year!   Scott Brown -- hope and change!