Around the conservative blogosphere you’re hearing a lot of laughter at Martha Coakley’s expense today, over the misspelling of “Massachusetts” in the fine print of her attack ad against Scott Brown. The punchlines write themselves: Before you represent a state in the Senate, shouldn’t you learn how to spell its name?

This isn’t the sort of thing that sways votes, but it does suggest a certain haphazard hastiness surrounding the Coakley campaign; they probably never thought they would have to run attack ads against a little-known state legislator in this state.

For better or worse – probably to Brown’s disadvantage – the battle is now joined; the Democratic committees and interest groups are throwing money in, Brown’s face is on Drudge, and it’s getting a lot of attention in the national press. One of Brown’s best chances was to take the Democratic establishment by surprise, but that’s clearly not an option.

Having said that, the Coakley campaign is now left with no excuses. She’s having the whole national Democratic apparatus rushing in to rescue her, and she’s going to DC to hold a fundraiser with lobbyists. (Hope and change!) If she loses, now the defeat is even more psychologically devastating.

Arguably, the GOP has now won; they’ve forced Democrats to spend mid-to-high six figures on a race that should have been a cakewalk . . .