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Obama Can't Save Democrats

NJ, Va. votes show that president's popularity isn't catching

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 4, 2009 4:17 AM CST

(Newser) – The message to Democratic candidates from yesterday's GOP wins in New Jersey and Virginia should be loud and clear: they're on their own, writes Dan McLaughlin. Jon Corzine and Creigh Deeds tied themselves as closely to possible to President Obama and lost, demonstrating that the president's continued personal popularity isn't rubbing off on his fellow Democrats, McLaughlin writes at RedState.

Obama's popularity hasn't even crossed over to his policies, McLaughlin notes, and the youth and minority voters that made the difference for him personally last year failed to turn out in force yesterday. "The revelation that Obama cannot help other Democrats get elected" is certain to affect his ability to govern, McLaughlin argues, since Blue Dog Democrats will no longer be swayed by the president's promises to help them campaign next year.

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Gov. Jon Corzine listens to President Obama at a campaign rally early this month in Camden, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., last month. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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Obama tried to help Deeds and Corzine, and was unable to do so. He can help nobody but himself. And that fact alone is hugely significant. - Dan McLaughlin

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Obama Can't Save Democrats