An auspicious opening to Team O’Donnell’s campaign: Already, Democrats are making unforced errors as dumb as the ones Martha Coakley made in Massachusetts.

Reid said Coons would have won even if Rep. Mike Castle (R) had prevailed over O’Donnell.

“I’m going to be very honest with you — Chris Coons, everybody knows him in the Democratic caucus. He’s my pet. He’s my favorite candidate,” Reid said.

“Let me tell you about him: A graduate of Yale Divinity School. Yale Law School. A two-time national debate champion. He represents two-thirds of the state now, in an elected capacity. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen him or heard him speak, but he is a dynamic speaker. I don’t mean loud or long; he’s a communicator. So that’s how I feel about Delaware. I’ve always thought Chris Coons is going to win. I told him that and I tried to get him to run. I’m glad he’s running. I just think the world of him. He’s my pet.”

Putting aside the sheer Dr. Evil goofiness of referring to someone as “my pet,” does this moron not understand that his endorsement doesn’t help, even in a blue state? His national favorable rating is 26/56; I can’t find numbers for Delaware, but if The One’s approval rating is now underwater there, surely the vastly less likable Reid is deep into negative territory. Why would any semi-coherent Democrat want to nationalize this race in a year when the Democrats’ national brand is pure poison for their candidates?

Ace claims that, in one fell swoop, Reid has succeeded into branding Coons as … a beta male. Surely he’s not that low. Is he?

Update: Submitted for your approval: “Let’s put it this way: The first magazine he reads each week is People.”