Research Briefing

As Obama Departs On His Midwest Barnstorming Tour,

His Relations With Several High Profile Dem Candidates In Those States Remain Decidedly Chilly

PRESIDENT OBAMA: “I Know It’s An Election Year.  …[I]t’s Clear That Campaign Fever Has Come Even Earlier Than Usual.  But We Still Need To Govern.” (President Barack Obama, State Of The Union Address, Washington, DC, 1/27/10)

OBAMA KICKS OFF HIS TOUR IN IOWA,

WHERE GOV. CHET CULVER IS STILL WAITING FOR THE OBAMA BUMP

Today Obama Visits Iowa With Stops In Fort Madison, Mount Pleasant And Ottumwa. “Aides to President Obama have confirmed his stops next week as part of a tour of rural America designed as economic listening events. Times have not been released. Obama will stop Tuesday in the early afternoon to tour Siemens Energy Facility in Fort Madison. He will share ideas with workers for continuing to grow the economy and to put Americans back to work, according to White House Aides.   He will then make a stop in Mount Pleasant. Later in the afternoon Obama will hold a town hall meeting in Ottumwa at Indian Hills Community College.” (Jason Clayworth, “Obama Stops: Fort Madison, Mt. Pleasant And Ottumwa,” Des Moines Register, 4/23/10)

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver Had Hoped The Passage Of Health Care Would Boost Obama’s Approval Rating, Bolstering His Own Chance Of Re-Election. “Culver, a Democrat who is seeking a second term this year, says he ‘absolutely’ wants Obama back to Iowa later this year to help him campaign for reelection. ‘I think President Obama has just achieved an historic accomplishment, something that presidents for generations have tried to do, and that’s health care reform,’ Culver says.  ‘I think when Iowans, when Americans hear the real story about what this means to hard-working families in this state and this country, he’s going to become even more popular.’” (O. Kay Henderson, “Culver Predicts Obama Popularity To Soar With Health Care Reform Accomplished,” Radio Iowa, 3/25/10)

But Obama’s Approval Rating In Iowa Is Just 42 Percent, With 50 Percent Disapproving. (Magellan Data Poll, 1,353 LV, MoE +/- 2.7%, 3/30/10)

•  While Culver’s Own Approval Rating Is Stuck At 30 Percent, With 56 Percent Disapproving. (Magellan Data Poll, 1,353 LV, MoE +/- 2.7%, 3/30/10)

THEN HE’S OFF TO MISSOURI,

AND THIS TIME ROBIN CARNAHAN WILL ACTUALLY ATTEND

Obama Will Tour Poet Biorefining In Macon, Missouri On Wednesday. “In the early afternoon, the President will tour Poet Biorefining in Macon, Mo. and talk to workers about what they are experiencing during the tough economic times and discuss rebuilding the economy in the long term. Poet Biorefining operates 26 plants in seven states, producing more than 1 billion gallons of ethanol each year, the company says on its Web site.” (“Obama In Missouri And Illinois This Week,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 4/25/10)

And At The Last Minute, Carnahan Announced She’d Actually Attend This Time. “‘Robin will be with President Obama this week when he visits Missouri so the April 28th dinner at the home of ------ and -------- ---------- has been postponed.’” (“Carnahan Makes Last Second Decision To Vist Obama In Macon,” 24^Th State, 4/26/10)

Perhaps She Feels Bad After Ducking Obama’s Last Visit For A DC Fundraiser.  But today, as President Barack Obama visits the St. Louis area for a speech on health care reform, Carnahan will be 800 miles away in, of all places, Washington. After an East Coast fundraising swing, Carnahan — who, as Missouri’s Secretary of State, is also the state’s chief securities regulator — will meet with leaders from the North American Securities Administrators Association to discuss financial reform. … On Tuesday, Carnahan was at the Washington home of another Senator, Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu, who threw Carnahan a fundraiser. Earlier in the week, Carnahan was in Manhattan for a fundraising event in the Big Apple.” (Jake Wagman, “Trading Places: Robin Carnahan In D.C. As Obama Visits St. Louis,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch Political Fix Blog, 3/10/10)

AND OBAMA CAPS TOUR WITH ILLINOIS HOMECOMING,

WHERE HE’LL CHECK IN ON THE GIANNOULIAS CAMPAIGN DEATH WATCH

The Last Stop On Obama’s Tour Is A Rally In Quincy, IL. “Following his visit to Poet Biorefining, the President will tour a local farm and visit with the family who operates the farm.   Later, he will deliver remarks in Quincy, IL at the Oakley Lindsay Civic Center. The president’s remarks in Quincy, IL will be open to the public.” (“Tickets Available Tuesday For Obama's Wednesday Visit At OLC,” Quincy News, 4/25/10)

But Obama’s Basketball Buddy Alexi Giannoulias Wasn’t Even Told He Was Coming, And At First Said He Wouldn’t Be Attending ... “The lukewarm reaction from Washington is a blow to Giannoulias, a one-time basketball playing buddy of the president who was aided in his first bid for office with a commercial featuring a testimonial from Obama. … The Giannoulias camp didn't get a heads up about Obama's next scheduled visit to his home state, in downstate Quincy next week, and has been seeking a much warmer endorsement from the White House since winning the Feb. 2 primary. Giannoulias said he would not go to Quincy but offered no reason other than ‘it was not on our schedule.’” (“Giannoulias Won't Make Quincy Trip To See Obama,” Quincy News, 4/25/10)

… Until He Decided He Would. “Setting the record straight: Democratic Illinois Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias--the Illinois treasurer was invited--in his official role as a statewide elected official--to join President Obama at his Wednesday afternoon event in Quincy. …The invitations to all the Illinois statewide elected officials, from Gov. Quinn on down, came from the White House on Monday morning, sent by Chelsea Kammerer, Special Assistant to the Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs ( a shop that at the top is overseen by White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.)” (Lynn Sweet, “Giannoulias, Other Illinois Officials Invited To Obama Quincy Event,” Chicago Sun-Times, 4/26/10)

Now Giannoulias Is Struggling “To Convince Leading Democrats That His Candidacy Is Still Viable” And Is Only Getting “Tepid” Backing From White House. “His first fight may be to convince leading Democrats that his candidacy is still viable. Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Giannoulias' campaign chairman, expressed concerns over a lack of White House commitment to the candidate to Washington-based Politico after a recent meeting with President Barack Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. Durbin quickly tempered his comments, and the White House offered a tepid statement that ‘the president intends to help Democratic candidates in Illinois up and down the ballot.’” (Rick Pearson & John Chase, “Bank Failure A Nail In Giannoulias’ Campaign,” Chicago Tribune, 4/25/10)