Why do no candidates for House or Senate want to be seen with Barack Obama?

[kentuck]

It seems that few Democrats want to be identified with the President. That is understandable in red states but, even in blue states, they are shunning the President.

Is the President really that unpopular with the public?

Or has the Republican "hate propaganda" succeeded across the country?

[spanone]

1. the Republican/media "hate propaganda" has succeeded across the country

[MineralMan]

2. And your evidence for that is?

Link or it didn't happen.

The President has been a bit busy, and hasn't been out on the campaign trail much. His effectiveness will be greater closer to the actual election date.

But, if you have some links to some House and Senate candidates who have "shunned" the President's support, I'll be happy to visit them.

[kentuck]

4. Here is first link I googled:

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/barack-obama-campaign-democrats-103310.html

<snip>
The White House and Senate Democrats are preparing an extensive midterm campaign strategy built around one unavoidable fact: Hardly any candidates in the most competitive states want President Barack Obama anywhere near them.

POLITICO spoke with nearly every incumbent up for reelection and aspiring Democratic Senate candidates across the country, but only a handful gave an unequivocal “yes” when asked whether they wanted Obama to come campaign with them.

“I don’t care to have him campaign for me,” said Alaska Sen. Mark Begich. “I’d rather him come up to see where his policies aren’t working. He’s wrong on ANWR, we’ve had struggles to try to get our permits done down in the southeast for our timber industry, I want to show him how important the military is in Fairbanks.”

Obama’s unpopularity could cost Democrats the Senate, but vulnerable incumbents need the full resources of the White House to hang onto the majority. So the president and party leadership are exploring how to deploy Obama and his team in a way that minimizes complications for Democrats in places like Colorado, Georgia or Kentucky where his polls are underwater. The White House also needs to buck the historic trend of the president’s party losing seats in the midterm election of his second term

[MineralMan]

6. Politico.com? Now there's an unbiased source. NOT!

The President's been busy, but Michelle Obama is out on the stump a lot these days. I think you're reaching.

See this link:

http://www.salon.com/2007/05/04/politico_funding/

[spanone]

7. Alaska Sen. Mark Begich. “I’d rather him come up to see where his policies aren’t working.

there's a fucking democrat for you. fuck him

[GeorgeGist]

3. The Racism Runs Through It.

[Kelvin Mace]

5. That what the political consultants tell the condidates

and the party leadership.

So, it must be true.

[NCTraveler]

8. If they don't they are fools.

How did it work for Gore? I am not all that happy with a number of things this administration has done but the guy is a flat out rock star at such venues. Any Democrat who doesn't want him on stage with them because of his poll numbers is simply a fool, with some exceptions. I would understand it in some red sections of the country. Then again, some of those Democrats might be running against his "progressive" policies just as their red constituents can't stand his "progressive" policies.

[Mass]

9. Because a photo of them with Obama will bring out the crazies

if used in an ad by the GOP,

while Democrats still have not understood that voting is crucial.

[RockaFowler]

12. Like here in Florida

pRick Scott's latest ad shows Charlie Crist saying he loves Barack Obama. It seems like they are insinuating that either of the 2 are gay in the ad. It's deliberate, too. It's the 2nd ad that Scott is running with this. He can't run on his record, so he runs on FEAR!!

[obxhead]

10. Because he's Reagan on steroids and black?

Current and future dems walk the same far right of center policies he does, but that doesn't play well with the base.

Republicans walk even further to the right, which he will accommodate, but he's black so that won't work for their base.

[MineralMan]

13. Who is "Reagan on steroids?"

Thanks for clarifying in advance.

[Johonny]

11. because this idea worked so well in the 2010 election cycle they can't wait to do it again

The election isn't a national election so each candidate is running a regional battle and many of them think they know better how to win than the President. While some candidates embrace things like the Health Care law many others seem to think running against their own party is a great move. It wasn't in 2010.

[JaneyVee]

14. Meanwhile, thanks to his fundraising, Dems are still in it.

If it wasn't for his fundraising the Dems would be getting shellacked in November.

[Savannahmann]

20. In what? Oh, we are getting shellacked in case you haven't noticed.

We're a month away. At best we're trailing in several races by single digits. In several races, we're trailing by double digits.

We have for all intents and purposes, already lost the Senate.

New York Times has it as 63% probability that the Rethugs take the Senate.

Huffington Post has it at 60% probability.

538 has it at 58% probability.

Now, the only question is if it is 51 seats, 52 seats, or perhaps even 53 seats. Greg Orman is the favorite in Kansas, but he hasn't declared what party he will caucus with, at least not publicly. So if he wins, he may want to sign on with the winning team, and go for more power in the committee assignments. The Democrats will probably rant, and rave, but then they'll cheer because we defeated Pat Roberts a Republican, and replaced him with an independent who caucuses with the Republicans. In this, I figure the pressure to act upon his own self interest will be pretty high.

Grimes? Do I need to point out she's been losing in all the polling for weeks now?

How about this, we'll win New Hampshire. Like that was in doubt. We'll lose Ohio and Louisiana. Colorado is still close.

But don't feel bad. This race was lost in the spring when the Democratic Party decided to run on the pray the Republicans screw up plan. The danger of course, is that if the Rethugs don't screw up, we lose. But that plan is a lot easier than actually committing to things, like issues. Now, in March, I was spreading FUD. Now, I assume I'm a defeatist and a troll and a republican plant who is paid to post the truth. If I was getting paid, somebody owes me a lot of money because I've never collected one damn cent.

We ignored the big issues, focused on nonsense, and pretended that our enemies would commit suicide just because we didn't like them. Now, presuming that the Republicans can manage to refrain from saying anything arrogantly stupid, they'll win the Senate, and a majority of the Governorships. Our plan, argue that the Republicans were really awful. So vote for us, because we suck, but we suck less than they do.

[moondust]

15. Hate propaganda has succeeded

in driving his poll numbers down.

[Proud Public Servant]

16. Yes, the President is that unpopular

His approval rating has been under water since mid-May; his favorability rating has been underwater since mid-July. If I were a Dem in a tough race, I'd think twice about appearing with him; and if I were a Dem in an easy race, why should he waste time on me?

[MerryBlooms]

17. He came to IL in May for Durbin.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-05-19/news/chi-barack-obama-chicago-visit-20140519_1_durbin-d-ill-president-barack-obama

He's here tomorrow for Gov. Quinn.

[Peacetrain]

18. At this particular point in time..any political campaigning by the President is a no go

We are in the middle of another Middle East crisis.. Even those who want him to come, understand that one..

Now that would hurt Democrats across the board if the President was spending his time campaigning instead of tending some very hot issues in DC right now..

[kentuck]

19. You may be right?

What is more important? Campaigning or leading the nation? I don't know that he can do both?