Texan
Well-known member
She must be. She's trying to distance herself from Obama. LOL
I think we'll see more and more of the moderate Dems doing this before the election. They don't want to be associated with a far-left liberal like Obama because their constituents are finally starting to see Obama for what he really is.
In fact, with Obama at the top of the ticket, I'm starting to feel better all the time about the Republicans actually picking up some seats.
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Analysis: Obama candidacy tricky for Landrieu re-election
01:40 PM CDT on Saturday, August 2, 2008
Melinda Deslatte / Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Barack Obama's name on the fall ballot creates a politically tricky position for Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu as she tries to hold the delicate mix of support she needs to win a third term representing Louisiana.
Obama's Democratic candidacy is expected to boost the turnout of black voters, a pillar of support for Landrieu, in the November election.
Landrieu also must attract support from moderate white voters, especially Democrats who often vote Republican in federal elections. So she must avoid appearing tied to Obama, political analysts said.
"It's kind of a high wire act," said Kirby Goidel, a Louisiana State University political science professor.
A recent poll conducted by Southern Media & Opinion Research lays out Landrieu's dilemma.
Of 600 Louisiana voters surveyed in June, 61 percent gave favorable marks to Landrieu. Meanwhile, 53 percent stated an unfavorable view of Obama -- 41 percent called their impression "very unfavorable." That finding might suggest to Landrieu the need to put at least some distance between herself and the presidential contender.
In the same poll, nearly 92 percent of black voters gave Obama very favorable marks. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The dilemma isn't new for Landrieu, who's courted disparate groups to win two terms in the Senate, said political analyst Elliott Stonecipher.
"If anybody can pull it off, the dance, dancing that line, Mary Landrieu can," said Stonecipher.
Landrieu has never won the job in an easy election. Despite working to bring home billions of dollars in aid since Hurricane Katrina and a moderate voting record, the senator from New Orleans is considered one of the country's most vulnerable Democrats up for election this year.
Landrieu endorsed Obama only when it was clear he would be the Democratic Party's nominee for president. She hasn't touted that endorsement widely in public appearances. When questioned, Landrieu said she's proud to be on the same ballot as Obama, but added she's proud of her record and intends to run on it.
Political analysts said voters don't necessarily pay much attention to endorsements and will expect a Democratic senator to endorse her party's presidential candidate. The question, they said, is whether Landrieu is linked too closely with Obama's record and becomes viewed as a left-leaning candidate in a right-leaning state.
Her opponent, Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy, mentions Landrieu and Obama in the same breath regularly and describes Obama as a liberal, Washington insider. On Thursday, Kennedy's campaign distributed an e-mail noting Landrieu's co-sponsorship of an upcoming fundraiser for Obama in Washington.
Kennedy also repeatedly talks of his support for GOP presidential candidate John McCain, who Kennedy calls "my kind of guy."
To beat Landrieu, Kennedy must persuade voters that she is one of the most liberal members of the Senate, and tying her to Obama would help solidify that idea in voters' minds, Stonecipher said.
"That's the question: Can John Kennedy turn her into a liberal Northeasterner? And that's where it gets more dangerous for her," Goidel said.
During her years in office, Landrieu repeatedly has been tagged by opponents and critics as too liberal for Louisiana, but her voting record is a moderate one. A recent review of senators' votes by Congressional Quarterly's Weekly magazine showed Landrieu voting with President Bush 64 percent of the time on 560 roll call votes where Bush had a clear position.
Stonecipher argues much of Landrieu's re-election fate is beyond her control.
He said that while Obama should draw many more black voters to the polls, McCain could also increase white voter turnout and Republican voter turnout if he successfully casts Obama as a fierce liberal. A high, pro-McCain turnout could upend Landrieu's re-election changes, Stonecipher said.
"Like it or not, right or wrong, get the evidence or no, Mary Landrieu's election is going to be tied directly to what happens to Barack Obama," he said.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl080208mlobama.9e4d880.html
I think we'll see more and more of the moderate Dems doing this before the election. They don't want to be associated with a far-left liberal like Obama because their constituents are finally starting to see Obama for what he really is.
In fact, with Obama at the top of the ticket, I'm starting to feel better all the time about the Republicans actually picking up some seats.
===============================================
Analysis: Obama candidacy tricky for Landrieu re-election
01:40 PM CDT on Saturday, August 2, 2008
Melinda Deslatte / Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Barack Obama's name on the fall ballot creates a politically tricky position for Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu as she tries to hold the delicate mix of support she needs to win a third term representing Louisiana.
Obama's Democratic candidacy is expected to boost the turnout of black voters, a pillar of support for Landrieu, in the November election.
Landrieu also must attract support from moderate white voters, especially Democrats who often vote Republican in federal elections. So she must avoid appearing tied to Obama, political analysts said.
"It's kind of a high wire act," said Kirby Goidel, a Louisiana State University political science professor.
A recent poll conducted by Southern Media & Opinion Research lays out Landrieu's dilemma.
Of 600 Louisiana voters surveyed in June, 61 percent gave favorable marks to Landrieu. Meanwhile, 53 percent stated an unfavorable view of Obama -- 41 percent called their impression "very unfavorable." That finding might suggest to Landrieu the need to put at least some distance between herself and the presidential contender.
In the same poll, nearly 92 percent of black voters gave Obama very favorable marks. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The dilemma isn't new for Landrieu, who's courted disparate groups to win two terms in the Senate, said political analyst Elliott Stonecipher.
"If anybody can pull it off, the dance, dancing that line, Mary Landrieu can," said Stonecipher.
Landrieu has never won the job in an easy election. Despite working to bring home billions of dollars in aid since Hurricane Katrina and a moderate voting record, the senator from New Orleans is considered one of the country's most vulnerable Democrats up for election this year.
Landrieu endorsed Obama only when it was clear he would be the Democratic Party's nominee for president. She hasn't touted that endorsement widely in public appearances. When questioned, Landrieu said she's proud to be on the same ballot as Obama, but added she's proud of her record and intends to run on it.
Political analysts said voters don't necessarily pay much attention to endorsements and will expect a Democratic senator to endorse her party's presidential candidate. The question, they said, is whether Landrieu is linked too closely with Obama's record and becomes viewed as a left-leaning candidate in a right-leaning state.
Her opponent, Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy, mentions Landrieu and Obama in the same breath regularly and describes Obama as a liberal, Washington insider. On Thursday, Kennedy's campaign distributed an e-mail noting Landrieu's co-sponsorship of an upcoming fundraiser for Obama in Washington.
Kennedy also repeatedly talks of his support for GOP presidential candidate John McCain, who Kennedy calls "my kind of guy."
To beat Landrieu, Kennedy must persuade voters that she is one of the most liberal members of the Senate, and tying her to Obama would help solidify that idea in voters' minds, Stonecipher said.
"That's the question: Can John Kennedy turn her into a liberal Northeasterner? And that's where it gets more dangerous for her," Goidel said.
During her years in office, Landrieu repeatedly has been tagged by opponents and critics as too liberal for Louisiana, but her voting record is a moderate one. A recent review of senators' votes by Congressional Quarterly's Weekly magazine showed Landrieu voting with President Bush 64 percent of the time on 560 roll call votes where Bush had a clear position.
Stonecipher argues much of Landrieu's re-election fate is beyond her control.
He said that while Obama should draw many more black voters to the polls, McCain could also increase white voter turnout and Republican voter turnout if he successfully casts Obama as a fierce liberal. A high, pro-McCain turnout could upend Landrieu's re-election changes, Stonecipher said.
"Like it or not, right or wrong, get the evidence or no, Mary Landrieu's election is going to be tied directly to what happens to Barack Obama," he said.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl080208mlobama.9e4d880.html