Absolutely giddy about a poll that showed Republican Scott Brown marginally ahead of Democrat Martha Coakley in Massachusetts, the Times' Johanna Neuman uncorked this beauty under the oh-so-subtle headline “Coakley losing it in Massachusetts, Dems in panic mode” [emphasis added]:

You could tell Coakley was losing it the other day when she derided her opponent by disdaining the most sacred of Boston icons -- the Red Sox. Criticized for taking a vacation during the campaign, Coakley defended herself and dissed Brown for an ad showing him shaking hands with voters at Fenway Park. “As opposed to standing outside Fenway Park? In the cold? Shaking hands?” Coakley was quoted saying.

Slight problem. The entire paragraph is built upon a lie, because Coakley never disdained the Red Sox. Period. Neuman just made that part up in order to fill out the blogger's GOP-frenzy narrative.

In the item, Neuman linked to a Boston Herald article that told the supposed tale of Coakley dissing the Red Sox:

Former Red Sox ace Curt Schilling ripped Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Martha Coakley today for dissing Fenway Park, saying her disdain made her seem “out of touch.”

“That's exactly what I've come to expect from politicians. So many are so far out of touch with their constituents it's laughable and pathetic,” Schilling told the Herald.

Schilling, who considered running for the U.S. Senate seat himself, recently endorsed GOP candidate state Sen. Scott Brown. He linked another blog post on his Web site 38pitches.com that slammed Coakley's Fenway flub even more.

“It's Massachusetts. You do not make sneering insults about Fenway Park. What's she going to do next, insult the Red Sox?” wrote blogger Cassy Fiano in a post linked on Schilling's site. “She's apparently been trying to win the title of Worst Political Campaign Ever.”

Schilling highlighted the blog post following a Boston Globe article quoting Coakley's response to concerns that she hasn't been campaigning enough during the tight race.

"As opposed to standing outside Fenway Park? In the cold? Shaking hands?" Coakley was quoted saying, apparently referencing a Brown ad where he greets supporters outside Fenway.

Did Coakley mock the Red Sox? No. Did she even mention the Red Sox? No. Did she belittle the fact that her opponent shakes hands outside Fenway Park in the cold? Yes. Does Neuman honestly not understand the difference between referencing a Boston city location vs. ridiculing the hometown baseball team?

Even the article Neuman linked to conceded that Coakley hadn't insulted the Red Sox (i.e. “What's she going to do next”?)

This is just awful journalism.