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WH Sources: 'Yeah, We Think Coakley Will Lose.'

Expectations, managed.

5:39 PM, Jan 17, 2010 • By MARY KATHARINE HAM
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After a rousing speech from Obama about how people power can make a difference by electing a lackluster Democrat to the Senate, etc., unnamed sources are following on the president's efforts by saying they expect Coakley to lose:

Multiple advisers to President Obama have privately told party officials that they believe Democrat Martha Coakley is going to lose Tuesday’s special election to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat held by the late Ted Kennedy for more than 40 years, several Democratic sources told CNN Sunday.

The sources added that the advisers are still hopeful that Obama's visit to Massachusetts on Sunday - coupled with a late push by Democratic activists - could help Coakley pull out a narrow victory in an increasingly tight race against Republican state Sen. Scott Brown.

The White House denies this, via Bill Burton's Twitter account:

"The President is in Massachusetts today because he believes Martha Coakley is the right person for the job and indeed will be the next senator from Massachusetts."

Let the expectations games begin.

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