Stretching Obama's coattails
Posted: Thursday, June 19, 2008 2:42 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Obama has cut a radio ad for centrist Rep. John Barrow, Talking Points Memo reports. Barrow's Georgia seat has been one of the most hotly contested in the country.
TPM writes, "Barrow is loathed by the Netroots, and not without cause: During his 2006 reelection campaign he ran an ad saying that 'we can't cut and run' from Iraq. And he was one of the House Dems who sent a letter to Nancy Pelosi demanding that they be permitted to vote for the recent Senate bill giving amnesty to the telecoms. ... the Netroots are backing a primary challenger to Barrow, State Senator Regina Thomas, and Obama's ad is a blow to their efforts." (TPM also posts audio of the ad.)
It's an example of the tenuous balance Obama has to strike as he tries to expand alliances. As he tries to appeal to those swing voters -- centrists and independents -- he runs the risk of alienating the liberal base in the process. What's also interesting about running the ad for Barrow is that some Democrats in swing districts have tried to actually distance themselves from Obama, including Reps. Dan Boren and Tim Mahoney (who took over for page Instant Message flirter Mark Foley).
Rep. Jim Marshall, also in a perennially contested seat in Georgia, said he may not attend the Democratic National Convention, since he wouldn't be needed to decide the nominee. He has not publicly endorsed Obama.