Nora O’Donnell just now on MSNBC:

I’ve spoken with a number of people in both campaigns, both parties. And I’m shocked, stunned frankly by the information I’ve received from a Democratic Party official already blaming Martha Coakley the candidate even before the polls close. This official telling me that in between that key period from December 19th when Coakley had a 20 point lead, and then January 5th when her lead was cut in half, that Brown — excuse me, that Coakley was “literally on vacation.” This is a Democratic Party official blaming her, saying that she went to the Carribean while Scott Brown was able to define this campaign. I don’t recall a time Rachel when I’ve covered House and Senate races, and even Presidential campaigns, when one party official has been dissing the candidate even before the polls close.

Howard Dean followed and as Rachel noted, he was the only one who said there was plenty of blame to go around.

I wonder why the DNC and the White House (who began torching Coakley on Sunday night) don’t mention the fact that Coakley’s drop in the polls started when they demanded she bow down and kiss the feet of President Ben Nelson over abortion:

Coakley’s lead dropped significantly after the Senate passed health care reform shortly before Christmas and after the Christmas Eve “bombing” incident. Polling showed significant concerns with the actions of Senator Nelson to hold out for a better deal. Senator Nelson’s actions specifically hurt Coakley who was forced to backtrack on her opposition to the abortion restriction amendment.

Pollster Celinda Lake says it’s ludicrous to blame Coakley:

Asked about reported criticism from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, pollster Celinda Lake said she had seen the stories. “I think it’s a circling squad to protect the White House. I don’t think it’s very useful,” she said, mixing a metaphor while getting across a clear message.

Lake said that the problem for Democrats is that voters are blaming them for the nation’s poor economic conditions. “2010 is fast turning out to be a blame election and I think that either we are going to characterize who deserves the blame – whether that’s banks and lobbyists and people who still want to hold on to national Republican economic strategies – or we’re going to get the blame. And that’s a very different tone than, often, the administration is comfortable with,” she said.

The feeling among voters, said Lake, is that Washington prioritizes Wall Street over Main Street and that, despite Coakley’s credentials as a state attorney general who has taken on and beaten Wall Street banks, sending her to Washington would not make a difference.

“There’s a lot of blame to go around, but the point of the matter is there’s a wave. And that wave, it hit Virginia; it hit New Jersey; it hit Massachusetts,” she said.

Cue the Boy Band Apologists who conclude that it’s All Coakley’s Fault, based on the whisperings of little more than their fellow members of the Boy Band. Just like Creigh Deeds was a bad candidate. And Jon Corzine was too. And FDL destroyed Vic Snyder with the very first 600 call “push poll” (most others take 80,000 or 100,000 calls to move public opinion in a single congressional district, who knew all it took was a few hundred).

What can you say.  Hangin Tough!  Maybe mullets will come back too.  I wonder who gets to be Joey?