Obama Stumps for Coakley; Brown Up by 5 Points

President Obama stumped hard for Martha Coakley yesterday, making the case that the Massachusetts special election for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat represents a final hurdle for health care reform. "Understand what's at stake here: It's whether we're going forward or going backward," Obama told a crowd of 1,500 at Northeastern University. "As much progress as we've made, I can't do it alone."

Coakley's rival, Scott Brown, said on a bus tour across the state that he would make the Senate Democrats "start over," reports the Los Angeles Times. "As the 41st senator, I will make sure we do it better," he told crowds who responded by chanting "41" —the number of Senate votes Republicans need to filibuster legislation. Brown is up 51% to Coakley's 46% in the latest numbers from Public Policy Polling. (More Martha Coakley stories.)