You Know It’s Bad When…..

The Boston Globe’s Brian McGrory declares everyone in Massachusetts politics has a story about an unhappy encounter with Democratic United States Representative Barney Frank.  The fine column serves notice to the multitudes who have endured Mr.Frank’s insufferable personality for decades that at last a vessel has appeared to take Frank down many pegs, or maybe even take him out.

The first sign that there might be some burbling discontent with the 15 term incumbent appeared in January when there was much comment that Republican Scott Brown beat Democrat Martha Coakley in special election for the United States Senate in Frank’s 4th Congressional district.  Republicans nominated a credible, canny candidate, Sean Bielat, who has culled some of Mr. Frank’s notorious defenses of his friends at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into a deft ad.  Last week, Mr. Frank was on the back foot over revelations that he’d accepted private jet flights to the Caribbean (and perhaps undisclosed accommodations) from a hedge fund plutocrat, the sort he demonizes when he’s not flying too high in the sky with one.

The Newton Democrat’s nerves jangled enough to cause him to lend $200,000 to his campaign.  He must be hearing many discouraging words on the trail.  Those fundraising calls may not be going so well, either.