MA SEN Debate: Coakley Still Standing
AG Martha Coakley (D), the frontrunner to succeed the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), emerged last p.m. from the campaign's first televised debate not only unscathed, but curiously unchallenged by her three rivals.
It was the clearest sign to date of the complex role gender plays in the race leading up to the 12/8 Dem primary, in which Coakley faces off against three competitors, all of them men.
Rep. Michael Capuano (D-08), who trails Coakley by a wide margin in recent polling, turned in the night's strongest performance, delivering clear and detailed responses on issues from Afghanistan to health care reform with his trademark mix of everyman gusto and Hill know-how. On nearly every question, Capuano pointed to examples drawn from his six-term record in the House, arguing that the best way to ensure the continuation of Kennedy's legacy was to elect someone who already knows DC. He also came across as the candidate best acquainted with Kennedy's nearly five-decade record of work.
At one point, as he did with many of moderator/JFK Library Pres. Peter Meade's questions, Capuano turned a question about job creation into a tribute to Kennedy's work in securing funding for the NIH, which supports a large body of MA-based research.
"Senator Kennedy was the lead on that," Capuano said, adding: "And that's part of being a senator that you can only understand from being in Washington."
Capuano's references to his cong. experience drew a jab from Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca (D), who -- although he often prefaced his answers by expressing agreement with Capuano -- contrasted his business experience with the six-term rep.'s constant references to DC. "I know it's rocket science down there [in DC] to get things done," Pagliuca said, drawing chuckles from the crowd.
City Year co-founder Alan Khazei (D), the least-known of the four, framed his long-shot candidacy in language that evoked Pres. Obama's WH '08 bid.
"We all voted powerfully for change last November," he said in his opening remarks. "The question tonight is, how do we get change?" But while some of his ideas, such as his vows to rid stimulus spending of any earmarks, were surely music to the ears of MA progressives, he faltered when answering complex policy questions, such as the fundamental question of whether a pre-emptive strike against Iran should be on the table.
Coakley turned in a solid performance. She handled a question on troop increases in Afghanistan particularly well, arguing that "we have not made the case yet to send more troops" to the region while also putting a human face on the war, in contrast to the other contenders, who portrayed the war in pure policy terms.
Most importantly -- in perhaps what remains the key to maintaining her frontrunner status -- Coakley avoided making any major missteps.
In a primary battle among four ideologically like-minded Dems battling over character and biography in lieu of issue positions, the candidates' silent treatment toward Coakley in their first face-off may simply indicate that they are all determined to run a positive primary campaign. But given the previous gender-tinged clashes between members of the Capuano and Coakley camps, it may rather be an indication that they are still calculating how best to challenge the frontrunner without coming across as hostile or bullying.
With only six weeks remaining until primary day, if Coakley's rivals have any hope of changing up the game, they must figure out a way to engage her -- and quickly.
(FELICIA SONMEZ)
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