Martha Coakley’s campaign team began leveling charges against DC Democrats as it became increasingly apparent the wheels had fallen off her campaign wagon well before Election Day. DC operatives, including those in the White House, of course, couldn’t withhold return fire. Politico reports:

And in private conversations, Hill sources say White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has blamed Coakley, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Democratic pollster Celinda Lake for failing to see Brown’s surge in time to stop it.

Coakley advisors, meanwhile, say DC operatives stepped in too late, so the blame lies with them. A memo, obtained by Politico, said in part:

National Dems Failed to Aid Coakley Until Too Late

— Coakley campaign provided national Democrats with all poll results since early December

— Coakley campaign noted concerns about “apathy” and failure of national Democrats to contribute early in December. Coakley campaign noted fundraising concerns throughout December and requested national Democratic help.

— DNC and other Dem organizations did not engage until the week before the election, much too late to aid Coakley operation

The Atlantic reported on a “senior” DNC official:

“This memo is a pack full of lies and fantasies – The DNC and the DSCC did everything they were asked and have been involved in the race for several weeks not just the last one -The campaign failed to recognize this threat, failed to keep Coakley on the campaign trail, failed to create a negative narrative about Brown, failed to stay on the air in December while he was running a brilliant campaign…”

And Byron York reported on the Washington Examiner site that it’s a virtual brawl within Democratic ranks about who is to blame. And liberals are so beside themselves, they’ve taken to personally attacking their candidate. From York’s story:

“She’s kind of aloof,” the Democrat says. “There are people who will vote for her who don’t really have a sense that they like or trust her. The Kennedys aren’t really fond of her. She basically announced her campaign the day Ted died, and didn’t give Vicki the opportunity to think about [running to replace her husband]. From the Kennedy side of the ledger, there’s no great love for Coakley. They look at her as kind of a predatory politician.”

Regardless of who is to blame for Coakley’s loss – and who is hit in the cross-fire – the event will send shock waves through the ranks of the Democratic Party. Incumbents and challengers in the states not as blue as Massachusetts – all 49 of them – will now go through the process of determining whether they want to sacrifice their careers for the sake of passing their president’s and special interest groups’ agenda of socialized medicine.

The special election may serve as a wake-up call for Democrats, just in time for the November election. But Barack Obama is no Bill Clinton. Having self-admitted Mao fans as advisors, and allowing radical unions such as SEIU to throw their weight around, the Democrats will likely hit the snooze after Tuesday’s election. The question will be whether or not it goes off or if they’re caught sleeping in November, too.

This election serves as a punch in the gut to their agenda. For now, freedom remains mostly intact and Democrats have been boxed in and if anything, will only be able to pass a watered-down version of health care reform. Thank you, Massachusetts voters, for preserving a bit of freedom for the rest of us.