Actually, the crowd was a bit larger because the overflow was in a room across the street from the Northeastern University gymnasium. Two of my friends, foreigners who can't vote, said that right next to them was an anti-abortion hysteric--"Abortion! Abortion! Innocent Blood!"--noticed by the cops and taken out by them only after a noisy hassle. In fact, there were three of these hysterics. All this comes from a story, "Pulling out all the stops," in this morning's Boston Globe.
I have no idea who will win tomorrow's contest. I know that I'm voting for Coakley, but with absolutely zero enthusiasm. But when was the last time you voted for anyone with real enthusiasm?
Still, it may now be, as most of the analysts seem to be saying, that the election is Scott Brown's to lose. Coakley may have had the president in Boston. But the Republican candidate had a full front of certified celebrities at his "People's Rally" in Mechanics Hall in working-class Worcester. They were "former Red Sox ace Curt Schilling; Doug Flutie, the former Boston College and NFL quarterback; comedian Lenny Clarke; and John Ratzenberger (Cliff from 'Cheers')."
Of course, when have the Republicans ever done anything for the working class? This is the first time they've opened up tea parties to laboring men and women.
A loss in Massachusetts for the Obami would be a disastrous event. A narrow win would be a terrible warning.