While some Democratic senatorial candidates are distancing themselves from President Barack Obama, worried that his support on the campaign trail will do them more harm than good, the president is mobilizing his base, especially among African-Americans.
Obama sees the midterm elections as a referendum on his populist economic line, from the Affordable Care Act to raising the minimum wage.
"I am not on the ballot this fall. But make no mistake: These policies are on the ballot. Every single one of them,"
The Washington Post reported him saying this month at one stop.
Obama has been making appearances on African-American media outlets. He told Al Sharpton that even Democrats who are avoiding him now are all "folks who vote with me. They have supported my agenda in Congress."
The message was not well-received by Democrats, who worry such a statement by the unpopular leader of their party will be used by Republicans against them.
"I bet there are a whole bunch of folks listening," Obama said on "The Rickey Smiley Morning Show," "who might not even know there's a midterm election going on. I need everybody to go vote," the Post reported.
Among candidates seeking to avoid association with Obama are Kentucky's Alison Lundergan Grimes and Colorado Sen. Mark Udall.
Obama said he is telling politicians who've backed him but want him to now stay away, "I tell them — I said, you do what you need to do to win. I will be responsible for making sure that our voters turn out," the Post reported.
Behind the scenes Obama has raised hefty sums of campaign cash and lent logistical support to Democratic candidates.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said, "I am confident that if Democrats are able to hold onto the majority in the United States Senate, that there will be plenty of credit to go around."
He added, "I'm also confident that if things don't turn out the way that we hope and expect, that the president will get at least his share of the blame," the Post reported.
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