Manu Raju and Marin Cogan are reporting that some Democrats are refusing to support President Barack Obama because they are either "too focused" on their own elections or they want the White House to cater to their agendas before they agree to endorse the president. Raju and Cogan write:
Some up for reelection in red states or in swing districts fear that even showing up on stage with Obama will give their opponents an image to seize upon — much as Democrats did in 2008 when they repeatedly flashed shots of Sen. John McCain hugging President George W. Bush.
So as the president faces the dual challenges of energizing his base while wooing moderates, some Democrats in Congress are keeping their distance, with the president’s approval rating hovering in the mid-40s — and even lower in states like West Virginia, where moderate Sen. Joe Manchin is up for reelection.
Who else is refusing to endorse President Obama? Moderate Democrats like Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar and liberals like Sen. Bernie Sanders are said to be two Democrats keeping their distance.
The unwillingness of some Democrats to support President Obama is not unusual. When Democrats controlled both Houses, it was just as difficult for Obama to get measures passed as it has been with the GOP controlling the House. Some congressional Democrats waffling on supporting the president is nothing new. It appears that it may just be the status quo as we move toward the 2012 election.
Read more at Politico.
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