Claire McCaskill: "Whoever Thinks That I’m Going to Avoid Being Seen With the President Doesn’t Know Me Very Well" [JWF]

Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill is one of 23 incumbent Senate Democrats who have the misfortune of trying to defend their seats in 2012 with the SCOAMF at the top of the ticket. The GOP only needs to pick up four seats--a near certainty--but with the rapidly deteriorating approval of Obama, McCaskill and others will be looking to be anywhere but near him when he shows up in their states.

Last Friday, an indignant McCaskill scoffed at the notion that she would avoid Obama when he shows in Missouri for some of his 867 fundraisers scheduled for this week. Today she suddenly realized she's got other plans.

Pointing to other obligations, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D., said she will be in Washington, D.C., while the president is in Missouri on Tuesday raising money for his reelection campaign.

McCaskill, up for reelection herself next year and a top target of Republicans hungry for video footage of her and the president, said she isn’t trying to avoid Obama.

“He’s the President of the United States. Of course I’ll be seen with him,” McCaskill said on Friday. “Whoever thinks that I’m going to avoid being seen with the president doesn’t know me very well.”

But McCaskill won’t be seen with Obama on this trip. McCaskill said she will be in DC for senate votes, as well as a previously planned fundraiser for her own campaign.

“It’s no surprise that Senator McCaskill doesn’t want to be seen with President Obama, but Missourians aren’t going to just forget that she provided the deciding 60th vote for ObamaCare, that she continues to make excuses for his failed $787 billion stimulus, or that she wants Washington to drive our national debt even higher with more reckless spending,” said Chris Bond, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in a statement Monday previewing her visit.

Democrats are chafing at Obama's boorish behavior and the sooner they realize he doesn't give a rat's ass about them they may realize sticking with him means almost certain defeat in 2012. Then they'll be making that 3 am call to The Pantsuit.

One Democratic aide, whose boss is facing reelection in a swing state, said of Obama: “There are no coattails.”

A poll from a few weeks ago also had Obama with a 43% approval rating. His tying up traffic around the same time the Cardinals are playing the Phillies today should really endear him to the locals.

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posted by Guest Blogger at 09:45 AM

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