Massachusetts
I wonder if this political ‘upset’ is as unexpected as the media on both sides of the Atlantic make it out to be. We know from experience in this country that many by-election seats lost, are won back at a general election. We know also that all but two U.S Presidents did badly in the Congressional election following their inauguration. But this Senate seat was a walk in the park for the Democrats surely?
Well was it? Teddy Kennedy was a Democrat yes, but he was first a Kennedy. The Kennedys have a history of wealth, some of it of dubious origin, glamour and mis-behaviour. All of that Massacheusetts overlooked, because above all the Kennedy clan offered glamour, maverick glamour. Even when the car went over the bridge and drowned the girl, something that the Democratic party nationally could never quite forgive, Teddy was at once forgiven by the voters of his home State when he went to them in a snap election after that life changing accident.
For this senate race, critical for Barak Obama to win perhaps more for image than actual damage, the Democrats, certain of victory, fought a dull campaign on the things that needed to be done to put America right. The Republicans, expecting defeat, fought an emotive campaign about what all this putting right was going to cost in taxes, in individual freedom and in choice. Neither campaign should have had any effect on the outcome, nor would it have, bar one thing.
The Democrats chose a worthy, safe, diligent and competent woman to coast along the road to Capitol Hill. The Republicans chose a handsome, glamorous and maverick man to fight every inch of the way. That is why they won.
This answers the question ‘What happened in Massachusetts?’ It also tells the world something about the deep psyche of America.