Slate

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State of Shock

By Christopher BeamPosted Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010, at 12:52 AM ET

 

BOSTON—President Obama flew in Sunday for a last-minute campaign stop for beleaguered senatorial candidate Martha Coakley. In his speech, besides the usual exhortations to the party faithful, he managed to work in several snide references to her opponent's truck as a symbol of false populism. Coakley's opponent, Republican Scott Brown, was flabbergasted. "Unbelievable," he said. "The leader of the free world is talking about my truck."

The last 24 hours before polls opened in Massachusetts had a similar, is-this-really-happening, holy-crap-it's-really-happening kind of feel. As Brown cruised around the state—not always in his truck, but certainly alongside it—he encountered crowds that were undeniably more energetic, emotional, and populous than those that greeted Coakley, the one-time Democratic front-runner. Yes, some were bused in. Others drove on their own from out of state. But most were Massachusetts conservatives who felt like their votes mattered for the first time. The signs people waved echoed those of the tea parties—"I'm Not Obama's ATM," "The Scott Heard Round the World." But this time, they were looking for more than airtime on Fox.

"I can't sleep," said Paul Tusini of Boxford, who showed up at a rally for Brown in North Andover, a suburb north of Boston. "It's all can I think about." "The world is watching, not just the country," said Stephen F. Jackman, a bearded man wearing a red plaid jacket and waving a huge "Don't Tread on Me" flag. Hundreds of people lined the town's Main Street Monday afternoon. Dozens more gathered that morning in front of TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, where Brown greeted Bruins fans as they passed. (The rallies were infectious even to people who don't follow politics. "Woo hoo! Go Brown!" cheered Chris Pires, a Brockton native who was selling Bruins hats. He later said he did not know Brown was a Republican.) Several hundred more showed up to his final pre-Election Day rally in his hometown of Wrentham.

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