Save The Senate? Better Save Himself
by Big Dog on Feb 16, 2010 at 19:01 Political
Barack Obama faces the real possibility of losing not only seats but the majority he enjoys, especially in the Senate. It is a long way to the election and anything can happen but Democrat Senators are dropping like flies (there are slightly more Democrats not returning than there are Republicans) and Obama is still stinging from the loss of the people’s seat in Massachusetts.
So Obama is embarking on a “save the Senate” tour where he will campaign for Democrats in peril of losing their seats.
President Obama kicks off what might be called his “Save the Senate” tour this week, heading west to campaign for two embattled Democrats trailing badly against Republican challengers – including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Washington Times
Considering that he is 0-3, he might want to skip the campaign appearances if he wants to actually help them.
Obama has much more to worry about because a new CNN poll shows that 52% of the people polled do not think he deserves a second term. He has three years to fix that problem so now is not the time to panic but considering he has only been in office for 13 months, it might be time to worry a bit.
Obama will certainly triangulate and work to appear moderate so that he can garner more support. There are people who will forget that, to many, he appeared moderate during the campaign only to become more radical upon taking office. He was (and still is) radical all along to those of us not receiving the Kool Aid IV.
This November the clout of Barack Obama will be put to the test. If he can muster enough votes to keep the majority then he might be on semi solid ground. If he loses a lot, and particularly loses one or both chambers, he will be in trouble.
Then again, Republicans in the Congress helped Bill Clinton with a make-over that gave him a second term.
The economy will not be healed any time soon, particularly with the policies of this administration and once inflation hits things will be really bad.
No wonder Obama is sporting more gray hair.
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Tags: democrat, gray hair, moderate, Obama, republican, Senate
“…there are slightly more Democrats not returning than there are Republicans…”
Is that accurate? Last time I saw it was the other way around even counting Bayh. I can’t find a reliable count right now though.
The latest counts according to wikipedia are 5 Dem Senators and 6 GOP. In the House it’s 14 Dems and 18 GOP.
One of the newspapers today had 2 fewer Republicans than Democrats. In either case, it is virtually even.
I am sepcifically talking about the Senate here and CBS lists 5 Dem and 4 GOP:
Bayh becomes the 9th Senator to announce he’s retiring at the end of this term: Four other Democrats — Roland Burris, Ill; Christopher Dodd, Conn.; Byron Dorgan, N.D.; and Ted Kaufman, Del. — and four Republicans — Kit Bond, Mo.; Jim Bunning, Ky.; Judd Gregg, N.H.; and George Voinovich, Ohio.
There are six actually. CBS left off Sam Brownback of Kansas and George LeMieux of Florida who are both calling it quits.
Technically though George LeMieux joins Roland Burris and Ted Kaufman as having stepped in to replace an elected official but not running for actual election the next time out.
So any way you stack it as of right now the GOP has more people not seeking reelection than the Democrats in the Senate.
“Considering that he is 0-3, he might want to skip the campaign appearances if he wants to actually help them.”
Oh no, Please let him go on his Save the Senate Tour. His ineffectual Midas touch has proven to be most valuable. However, if I were a Democrat, I’d be begging him to stay away from my campaign!
I doubt Obama was a major factor in the 0-3 thing you cite. It’s a tricky gamble any time a president gets involved though for the very fact that people blame him for the loss.
That’s probably why he didn’t get directly involved in NY-23. I think they thought it was a GOP win for sure. Then they turned around and got involved in MA because it seemed like a more sure bet and of course it blew up in their faces. Maybe they need to go to gamblers anon.