Some Democrats worry about whether Obamas campaigning will help or hurt
With Election Day drawing near, the countrys most influential Democrat is finally weighing in on the midterm elections. But the big question for some worried Democrats is whether President Obama could do them more harm than good.
On Tuesday, Republicans were celebrating what they saw was a political gift from Obama in the form of sound bite perfect for an anti-Democratic attack ad. Obama told the Rev. Al Sharpton that even vulnerable Democrats trying to keep their distance from him are all folks who vote with me. They have supported my agenda in Congress.
The remark seemed to undercut the efforts of many embattled Democrats to distance themselves from an unpopular president. It was the second time this month that Obama has put himself front and center in the midterm debate, giving Republicans a quote to tie himself to Democrats who are trying hard to keep their distance.
Already despairing about their midterm prospects, some Democrats say they are not happy with the approach Obama took with Sharpton.
If this is a strategy, its not one that was devised with any input from Senate leadership, said one senior Democratic Senate aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk freely about his partys troubles.
The White House stressed Tuesday that Obama has been supporting Democratic candidates all along behind the scenes. He has headlined dozens of fundrasiers and provided logistical and tactical support from his 2012 campaign. And he has been key to motivating party base voters ahead of the Nov.4 election.
Democrats who are running in red states, blue states and in so-called purple states are going to need the strong support of those voters who supported the president in his reelection campaign, said White House press secretary Josh Earnest.
But Democrats on Capitol Hill worry privately that Obamas remarks will complicate the final leg of the campaign, which is shaping up as an uphill climb for the party. Senior Senate aides said Tuesday that Senate Democratic leaders never asked the White House for Obamas help in explaining the difficulty some Democrats have in being too closely associated with him, and they said that his remarks were not part of any coordinated effort to gin up turnout among young and minority voters, who have been less eager to vote in midterm elections.
Obama told Sharpton on Tuesday that he sees his job as getting out his base in that case, African American voters.
These are folks who are strong allies and supporters of me, Obama told Sharpton of the candidates that are telling him to stay away. I tell them I said, you do what you need to do to win. I will be responsible for making sure that our voters turn out.
Original post:
Some Democrats worry about whether Obamas campaigning will help or hurt