Scott Brown, during his victory speech tonight after his historic win in Massachusetts had this to say. (I am quoting from memory, will update when I get the transcript.)
We believe in a set of principles, that, when properly articulated, can result in a political majority in this country.
UPDATE: Here is the actual quote from his speech, I am not taking down the original, because I like it and it is a bit interesting to see how memory works for words.
Across this country, we are united by basic convictions that need only to be clearly stated to win a majority.
End Update
Indeed. His positions on the issues here, but here is a short summary in case the link gets overloaded: Oppose Obamacare, lower taxes, oppose cap & trade while supporting energy R&D, support charter schools, oppose amnesty, support the second amendment, oppose partial birth abortion, support Israel's security, and sanctions against Iran.
His position on gay marriage? Let the states decide in elections or through their legislatures, not the courts. Notice there was nothing about flag burning, prayer in school, or other distractions.
I don't see him as being very far from the Freedom Coalition Agenda. Let's see if the Republicans start listening.
...for a great campaign and a solid win that won't be challenged in court (by about 100,000 votes). Also, want to congratulate Legal Insurrection had a great Live Blogging application going that kept me up to date. I also indulged a little schadenfreude and watched Olbermann, Maddow and Matthews on MSNBC for a while. Olbie and Maddow maintained straight faces but Tingles and some of the reporters looked like they were about to cry. Matthews did say something that I think was correct. He said that people support big government when it works, when it builds highways that work and universities that are good. He implied but did not state that people would support big government run health care if it worked. But we know that will never happen. Further, the things he discusses happened in an era of much smaller government. Today, government is so large, it can't even do it's traditional job well, which seems to be lost on Matthews as he pines for the glory days of the Tipster.
Yesterday, was it that long ago?, Dean pointed out that Brown campaigned against Obamacare, Cap and Trade and for fiscal responsibility and that should cover any minor sins of lack of enthusiasm for a social agenda he might have. I think we can all get behind that agenda, right now, most other issues are secondary.
Mrs. Daddy, like a lot of ordinary people, has been very discouraged about politics for the last year. I had been saying that eventually the people would awaken to the crap that the Democrats have been peddling. Thank you Massachusetts voters for giving me a little vindication.
The Dailykossacks are in disbelief. I found it telling that multiple times they commented that they couldn't believe that a "teabagger" could be elected in Massachusetts, no matter how bad the Democrat candidate. This shows a little bit of the bubble world they are living in, because the tea party types are really their every day neighbors that are fed up with big government.
Also, I would like to point out something little noted or commented upon. In the pre-election polling showed Brown winning over 22% of Democrats and holding on to 90%+ Republicans and winning over "undeclareds" at 60%+. This shows the importance of always trying to frame your issues in terms that will appeal to the other side as well as your own, even if you don't think they are listening, because you never know. Even though I am not even the best blogger in the family, I try to keep my tone and language under control so that I am always trying to persuade the other side. If you find me doing otherwise, please call me on it.
Oh well, I guess the Harvard Profs didn't have enough clout to carry Coakley over the top. Wonder what lessons Professor Obama will draw from his failure to help his candidate? Probably double down on his current stupidity if he stays true to his Chicago form.
UPDATE
Maybe this is another reason why Brown won. I liberated this video from the comments on BwD. This Obama's impassioned plea to help Martha Coakley.
Is he the most underwhelming, uninspiring partisan ever?
of Harvard professors that is, by dissing a pickup truck. In a campaign in which the Democrat has run as the pseudo-incumbent, has had a series of gaffes that have shown her to be out of touch with the electorate, and in which Obamacare is polling below 50%, you would think the President could do better than this.
He reportedly obsesses over the GMC pickup truck all over the place in this speech. It just gave Scott Brown an opening that even LT could have run through (sorry, I'm still upset about the Chargers):
Brown took that opportunity to slam the president on government spending..
“Mr. President, unfortunately in this economy, not everybody can buy a truck,” Brown said in a statement. “My goal is to change that by cutting spending, lowering taxes and letting people keep more of their own money.”
More interesting tidbits in a race that has become more interesting than last November's trifecta of NJ, VA governor and NY 23rd congressional. Scott Brown is now ahead of Martha, "I was bequeathed this seat by the Kennedy dynasty" Coakley. First, the last three polls at RealClearPolitics show Brown ahead. As important as the raw numbers is the clear trend line. And speaking of trend lines, look at the InTrade odds for this seat and the rapid movement over the last couple days, where Brown is, as of 2:18 a.m. GMT, Jan 19, a $60 favorite. That means, to win $100 on a Brown victory you have to plunk down $60.
DailyKos ridicules the Brown campaign for countering Obama's appearance with "the triumvirate of Curt Schilling, Doug Flutie, and John Ratzenberger (of cheers fame)." Given Obama's sinking popularity and the popularity of Flutie and Schilling as sports figures, I think Brown got the better deal.
"Believe me, I know how big a lift this has been," Obama said. "I see the polls. . . . I catch the occasional blog poster, cable clip that breathlessly declares what something means for a political party, without really talking about what it means for a country.
"But I also know what happens once we get this done, once we sign this . . . bill into law: The American people will suddenly learn that this bill does things they like and doesn't do things people have been trying to say it does. The worst fears will prove groundless."
That from an appropriately titled WSJ column "Pyrrhus, Call Your Office." Obama could turn into a bigger gift to conservatism than Clinton as his last remark reminds me that in Massachusetts, Romneycare was initially supported by 70% of the people, but now only polls at 32%, with a full 36% calling it a failure.
UPDATE
Can't believe I'm scooping the famous sports/politics blog BeersWithDemo with this little gem from Martha Coakley:
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