Looks like interim Senate wannabe Barney Frank (D-Pick Me!) and his  drumbeaters have undercut their own cause. Start with drumbeater and Norfolk resident John F. Kelley (via ABC’s The Note):

MOVEON MEMBER LAUNCHES PETITION TO PUT BARNEY FRANK IN THE SENATE. Bloomberg’s Don Frederick reports: “Barney Frank broke somewhat with traditional political decorum — such as that is–with his public pitch to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat that will come open upon Democrat John Kerry’s expected confirmation by his colleagues as secretary of state … Frank’s cause now is getting some active public support, courtesy of a petition drive started yesterday by Norfolk, Massachusetts, resident John F. Kelley, 63 . . . as a member of the MoveOn.org liberal advocacy group, Kelley launched his petition effort through the group’s online platform, SignOn.org. That means the petition will be sent to all Massachusetts MoveOn members, Kelley said.  He also posted his pro-Frank push on his Facebook page.” 

*** Liberals backing Frank: Liberal organizations are beginning to coalesce around retired Rep. Barney Frank to serve as the interim appointment to fill John Kerry’s soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat. For starters, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee yesterday endorsed Frank for the post. And a MoveOn petition urging Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) to appoint Frank to the interim job has garnered 6,500-plus online signatures so far. By the way, it’s worth noting how Frank toned down his criticism of Chuck Hagel, and remember that Patrick is VERY CLOSE to the Obama White House.

Here’s the PCCC’s website, and here’s AppointBarneyFrank.com. It says they’ve collected 28,941 signatures on this petition:

PETITION TO GOV. DEVAL PATRICK: As Elizabeth Warren opposes any cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits, we can’t afford to have our other senator be lukewarm, undecided, or uncertain. We need someone who we are 100% confident will fight right alongside her. Barney Frank is that person. Please appoint him as our interim senator.

But, back to First Read, it looks like all that support – and Barney himself –  might be having the opposite effect.

*** Is Barney Frank’s campaign backfiring? [Y]esterday we noted how liberal groups are beginning to coalesce around former Congressman Barney Frank for the interim appointment to fill John Kerry’s Senate seat. ButNational Journal reports — and we’ve now heard this, too — that Frank’s public campaign for the job might not be helping him. “[S]ay Massachusetts Democrats and people close to Gov. Deval Patrick, Frank has undercut his own explicit hopes for the seat likely to be vacated if Sen. John Kerry is confirmed as secretary of State. Frank’s very public lobbying for the job—he disclosed his aspirations on Morning Joe—make Patrick, the man who would have power of appointment, less likely to go along.”

Barney’s friends his own worst enemy? How poetic.