As you read this, bear in mind that this guy isn’t up for reelection until 2012. Two years out from having to defend his vote and already he’s doing damage control over it. That’s how worried he is. And he should be.

When he says he “took a common-sense approach,” is “common-sense approach” code for kickback?

“With all the distortions about health care reform, I want you to hear directly from me,” the Democratic senator says in the ad, according to the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper.

Wearing a more casual open-necked shirt and sweater, Nelson will say during the Nebraska-University of Arizona football game: “I listened to you and took a common-sense approach to improve the bill.”

“Now it lowers costs for families and small business, protects Medicare, finally guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions and reduces the deficit. And it’s not run by the government,” he will say. “I’m convinced this is right for Nebraska.”

Oddly, the ad appears to make no attempt to respond to the biggest criticism — that Nelson worked with Senate Leader Harry Reid to include language in the health care bill that funds abortions.

Current disapproval rating for ObamaCare in Nebraska: 64 percent. I wish I could give you the clip, but alas, it’s not out yet. In lieu of that, enjoy the fun spot below cooked up by dopey liberals who can’t quite accept that the votes aren’t there for the public option and now prefer to dump on The One and wreck the bill to sate their outrage. Exit question: To show you just how toxic ObamaCare is, try to guess which hardcore tea-partyin’ wingnut said the following.

The landmark health care bill passed last week by the U.S. Senate but opposed by every Republican senator was written behind closed doors, riddled with sweetheart deals and does little to rein in insurance costs, according to [X].

“Other than that, it’s a great bill,” [X] said Tuesday during a speech to the Rotary Club…

Hint: It ain’t Jim DeMint.