Research Briefing

Obama Touches Down In St. Louis To Sell Health Care And Fundraise, But Missouri’s Dem Senate Candidate Is Conspicuously Absent

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’S CAMPAIGN FEVER SWINGS THROUGH MIZZOU TODAY TO PITCH HEALTH CARE …

President Obama Appears In St. Louis This Afternoon To Push Health Care Experiment. “President Barack Obama plans to continue his push for healthcare reform in a speech Wednesday at St. Charles High School. The address is scheduled for 3:50 p.m. and is invitation-only, according to the White House. … This will be Obama’s third trip to St. Louis as president.” (“Obama to push health care in St. Louis,” St. Louis Business Journal, 3/8/10)

• White House Has Said Obama Will Do “Whatever It Takes” To Push Bill Through. “White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama will push hard. ‘Whatever it takes to get healthcare done,’ he said. Obama is due to travel to Philadelphia and St. Louis next week to make his case for the overhaul.” (Patricia Zengerle, “Obama seeks to push healthcare to final vote,” Reuters, 3/3/10)

… OH, AND RAISE SOME CASH FOR CLAIRE MCCASKILL AND SENATE DEMS

After Health Care Speech Obama Will Appear At Pair Of Fundraising Events For Sen. Claire McCaskill And The DSCC. “Presumably, his address here will be prior to his appearance at Wednesday evening's U.S. Senate fund-raising event at the downtown Renaissance Grand hotel , where organizers say hundreds of tickets are being sold at every price level -- from $25 to $50,000. … Next Wednesday's event is a joint fund-raiser for McCaskill and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Officially, the money will go into the Show Me State Victory Fund.” (Jo Mannies, “Obama to pitch for health care before pitching for campaign cash for McCaskill,” St. Louis Beacon, 2/15/10)

WHY ISN’T THIS YEAR’S DEM SENATE CANDIDATE ROBIN CARNAHAN GETTING ANY MONEY?

Democrat Robin Carnahan’s Senate Campaign Is Not Listed As Recipient Of The Fundraisers. “The first $4,800 of each donation will go to the campaign of Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, who is up for election in 2012, said event organizer Matt Teter. The rest of the money will go to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Teter said.” (“$50,000 Could Get You Into Obama Fundraiser,” The Associated Press, 3/2/10)

Fundraisers Will Benefit Sen. McCaskill, Even Though She Isn’t Up For Re-Election Until 2012. “Democratic sources are confirming today that President Barack Obama (pictured here during last April's visit to Arnold) will visit St. Louis in March for a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who isn't up for re-election until 2012 -- but may want to fatten her campaign bank account in the wake of the parade of retiring Democratic colleagues.” (Jo Mannies, “Obama To Headline Money-Raising Event Here For McCaskill,” St. Louis Beacon, 2/15/10)

DOES CARNAHAN REALIZE THAT HER RUBBER STAMP OF OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE EXPERIMENT IS SINKING HER CAMPAIGN?

Carnahan Endorsed The Obama-Reid Government-Run Health Care Bill. “U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan released the following statement today regarding health care reform passing the U.S. Senate early this morning: ‘While more needs to be done to get tough on insurance companies by creating more competition to drive down costs for all consumers, this legislation takes important steps to stop insurance companies from denying people insurance due to preexisting conditions, and to insure nearly 800,000 more Missourians.’” (Robin Carnahan For Senate, “Robin Carnahan Statement On Health Care Reform,” Press Release, 12/24/09)

Obama’s Approval Rating In Missouri Is Just 40 Percent, While His Disapproval Rating Is 59 Percent. (Rasmussen Reports Poll, 500 LV, MoE +/- 4.5%, 2/10/10)

• That’s A 17 Percent Decline Since Last March When Obama Started Focusing On His Health Care Experiment: 57 Percent Approve, 39 Percent Disapprove.

And 62 Percent Of Missourians Oppose Obama’s Health Care Bill, With 50 Percent “Strongly Opposing.” (Rasmussen Reports Poll, 500 LV, MoE +/- 4.5%, 1/19/10)

Now Carnahan Trails Potential GOP Senate Opponent Rep. Roy Blunt By 7 Points: 49% - 42%. (Rasmussen Reports Poll, 500 LV, MoE +/- 4.5%, 2/10/10)

• That’s A 9 Point Swing Since Last December When Carnahan Announced Her Support For The Senate’s Health Care Bill. (Rasmussen Reports Poll, 500 LV, MoE +/- 4.5%, 12/15/09)

Recognizing The Problem, Carnahan Is Now Trying To Distance Herself From Obama’s Binge Spending, Saying She Was “Disappointed” In His Budget. “From where I stand here in Missouri, I’m disappointed in the President’s budget recommendation. Budgets are about setting priorities and it’s time Washington started making fiscal discipline and tackling the long-term budget deficit higher priorities.” (“Robin Carnahan Statement on White House Budget Proposal,” Press Release, 2/1/10)