With just two weeks left until congressional elections, President Obama's presence is light in states with tight Senatorial races. In a CBS Evening News report, Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett said, "President Obama is not on the ballot this December, but, to the dismay of some Democrats, he's talking like he is."
President Obama recently said of Democratic candidates in tight races, "These are all folks who vote with me, they have supported my agenda in Congress."
These comments come as multiple Democratic candidates try to distance themselves from the president, most notably Alison Lundergan Grimes of Kentucky and Anthony Brown of Maryland.
Rather than attaching their names to the current President, these candidates emphasize their ties to former President Bill Clinton.
The appeal of President Obama, referred to as the "Obama phenomenon", no longer draws the same "adoring crowds and Democratic candidates" from past election cycles.
President Obama will continue to attend Democratic rallies before the election, but as Garrett says "none involve tight Senate races. Privately White House officials believe a visit from Mr. Obama could boost Democratic turnout perhaps decisively in Senate races in North Carolina and Georgia." But so far, "no one has called."