Barack Obama supposedly had nothing on his schedule but closed-door meetings, according to ABC News this morning, but those meetings must have included deejays in Nevada. Obama has been burning the phone lines to radio stations across the country, including an attempt to salvage Harry Reid’s Senate seat. Reid might have done better if Obama hadn’t bothered:
On the line to radio station KVEG in Las Vegas, Obama said, “I know things are still tough out there, but we finally have job growth again … It is all at risk if people don’t turn out and vote today.”
That call to the state with the nation’s highest jobless rate aimed to boost turnout for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, locked in a tight contest with Republican tea party-backed candidate Sharron Angle.
“Harry Reid has been my partner,” Obama said. “Every poll shows the race between Harry Reid and his opponent neck and neck. We know that if people who voted in 2008 turn out to vote in 2010, Harry will win. if they don’t turn out, he will lose.”
Obama said losing lawmakers like Reid would make it hard for him to “keep making improvements in the economy.”
Obama is focusing on radio stations with primarily African-American audiences in an attempt to bolster turnout among a constituency that supposedly has lost interest in the elections. Perhaps they have, but this demo usually outperforms the general population in percentage turnout.
There are dangers in this kind of effort. In order to make that sale, Obama has to tie Reid directly to his agenda, when Reid has to try making the case that he’s more of an independent voice. Obama has a job approval rating of 44/56 in Nevada, where voters support repeal of ObamaCare by over 20 points, 59/38. Having Obama publicly insist that Reid was his partner in passing the bill — which he undoubtedly was — is not going to endear Reid to the independent voters he desperately needs to woo today.
Speaking of Obama, he’s planning on holding a press conference tomorrow. What do you think the main message will be? Take the poll:
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