If you're a Democrat strategist, you've had a tough year. Your President is unpopular, his international policies are an inept, disastrous, mess and his signature legislation is a train wreck that the American people despise. You know that, if the midterm election becomes a referendum on the job the President has done, your congressional candidate is doomed. So you've spent months helping them walk a knife edge. They have to appeal to a diminished but still-faithful base, but they also have to put as many miles between themselves and the current administration as possible.
You're knee deep in the game plan when the President says the following:
I'm not on the ballot this fall. Michelle's pretty happy about that. These policies are on the ballot, every single one of them.
...And you see all your work falling apart. In one sentence, Barack Obama made sure that the American people know that the midterm is - with 100% certainty - a debate about his policies and his presidency. EvenDavid Axelrod acknowledgedthat the comment was a mistake.
Hemay not be running, but you'd better vote for the Democrat becausehispolicies are on the line. Ouch.You're well aware that the President's remark is essentially a script for your opponents' ads. ...So you're not surprised when they start showing up:
Thank you, President Obama, for making sure people know exactly what this election is about. If your policies are as popular as you seem to believe, you'll have no problem. If they're not, well, you'll have to find someone to blame because - as we all know - it's not your fault.
