Sen. Mark Begich (D., Alaska) would not say if he wants President Obama to campaign for him in his 2014 Senate race Thursday on CNN.
The incumbent Democrat struck a somewhat hostile tone, telling host John Berman if the president does come to Alaska he would take him up to ANWR, "bang him over the head a few times" and explain why the federal government should open up the land for drilling:
JOHN BERMAN: If the president offered to come do Alaska to campaign for you, would you accept the offer?
MARK BEGICH: He's been to Alaska a couple times as he passed through to Asia. People at the end of the day will elect me based on what I have been doing. I was born and raised in Alaska. People know me, no matter where I go, they want to know what Mark Begich is doing to focus on the tough issues.
BERMAN: Is he helpful to your re-election and would his presence be helpful to you?
BEGICH: Anyone who banks on a politician coming to the state is not focused on what they need to do. They're looking at what I'm doing. If the president wants to come up, that's his decision, but I'm going to take him to the arctic, tell him why we need to drill in ANWR. Change his mind on that if I can. Bang him over the heads a few times with it. If he wants to come and see what I want to show him to change his position on, I'm happy to do it.
BERMAN: Seems like a dream trip to the president. Not sure it's going to happen.