The pre-post-mortem - Here's John Steele Gordon with "A perfect political storm."

Martha Coakley's crimes against her own campaign begin with the week-long vacation as she relaxed and dreamed of long lunches in the Senate cafeteria. She became a caricature of the entitled Massachusetts Democrat, waiting to fill "Kennedy's seat." Even yesterday, she and Obama couldn't resist taking swipes at Scott Brown's truck which only underscored the chasm between a regular guy and celebrities who travel in limos.

So she didn't have the common touch. But what about the issues? Here Brown wins again:

The health care issue is front and center as the reason Brown has gained traction. While the plan enjoys more support in Massachusetts than it does nationwide, those with strong opinions on the subject are more likely to oppose the bill than support it. Perhaps the single most shocking thing about the Massachusetts race is the fact that a Republican is running against the president’s health care effort and winning in the Kennedys' home state.

Brown’s position on health care has been supplemented by his positions on national security issues, including the Christmas Day terrorist bomber. Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly want the man who tried to blow up a U.S. airliner tried in a military setting as a terrorist.

This has been the singlemost tone-deaf campaign I've ever seen both on a personal and political level, but it didn't have to be this way if the Democratic candidate had listened to the voters instead of measuring the drapes.