Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Steve Israel’s message is clear to an increasing number of Democrat candidates who want to win in November: stay away from the Democrat’s national convention.
Joe Manchin, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and Rep. Nick Rahall of W.Va. are staying away, as well as Pennsylvania’s Mark Critz, New York’s Kathy Hochul and Bill Owens. It’s as if Barack Obama is throwing a party and key Democrats are saying, no thanks, I’ll pass.
“A trip to Charlotte may be interesting,” Israel said, “but why leave your districts?”
Reuters pronounces it a “gathering to fete Obama,” then goes on to call it “a particularly sensitive issue for Democratic candidates….” That may be the first time anyone has ever said a Democrat in a tight race was being “sensitive.”
(F)our days of mingling with Democratic leaders could turn off independent voters before the November 6 election … Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, one of the Democratic Party’s most vulnerable candidates, will not attend, an aide said.
Democrats Senator John Tester will also not be attending. Democrats lost 63 seats to Republicans empowered by the Tea Party movement in 2010. Scott Walker recently won a recount by a larger margin than he initially won the election. If Democrats hope to turn that momentum around in November, the sitting President, Barack Obama, is most likely not going to be part of the equation.