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Obama giftwraps another sound bite for Republicans | Obama giftwraps another sound bite for Republicans |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A couple weeks ago, President Obama declared that, while he wasn't on the Nov. 4 ballot, his policies were. And just about every GOP candidate in a red or swing state soon launched an ad using that comment to tie his or her Democratic opponent to Obama. | A couple weeks ago, President Obama declared that, while he wasn't on the Nov. 4 ballot, his policies were. And just about every GOP candidate in a red or swing state soon launched an ad using that comment to tie his or her Democratic opponent to Obama. |
Well, Obama appears to have just handed Republicans some more ammunition. | Well, Obama appears to have just handed Republicans some more ammunition. |
In an interview with Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday, Obama defended his support for candidates in top races who haven't welcomed Obama to campaign with them. | In an interview with Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday, Obama defended his support for candidates in top races who haven't welcomed Obama to campaign with them. |
"The bottom line is, though, these are are all folks who vote with me; they have supported my agenda in Congress," Obama said. | "The bottom line is, though, these are are all folks who vote with me; they have supported my agenda in Congress," Obama said. |
He continued: "So this isn't about my feelings being hurt. These are folks who are strong allies and supporters of me. 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." | He continued: "So this isn't about my feelings being hurt. These are folks who are strong allies and supporters of me. 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." |
While it's the second time Obama has gone down this road, this comment probably stings more than the last one for Democrats running in key Senate races -- almost all of which are in red or swing states where Obama is quite unpopular. | While it's the second time Obama has gone down this road, this comment probably stings more than the last one for Democrats running in key Senate races -- almost all of which are in red or swing states where Obama is quite unpopular. |
While Obama's previous comment suggested the election was indeed something of a referendum on him, these comments suggest not only that, but that Democratic candidates are actually on-board with him -- something most of them have made pains to argue is not the case. | While Obama's previous comment suggested the election was indeed something of a referendum on him, these comments suggest not only that, but that Democratic candidates are actually on-board with him -- something most of them have made pains to argue is not the case. |
Obama's comments are the kind of thing Democrats might privately say to assure donors and the party base, but wouldn't really say in public. | Obama's comments are the kind of thing Democrats might privately say to assure donors and the party base, but wouldn't really say in public. |
At the same time, he's really only saying something that most political observers already believe to be true -- that however much distance these Democrats are seeking from the president, they will generally be on-board with his agenda. Almost all Democrats in Congress, after all, vote with their party the vast majority of the time. | At the same time, he's really only saying something that most political observers already believe to be true -- that however much distance these Democrats are seeking from the president, they will generally be on-board with his agenda. Almost all Democrats in Congress, after all, vote with their party the vast majority of the time. |
It's just that two weeks before an election in states in which Obama isn't all that popular, Democratic candidates probably don't want voters to be reminded of that fact. |
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