CAMPAIGNER IN CHIEF
By A.B. Stoddard

The Hill
inistration/94501-campaigner-in-chief
April 27 2010
DC

I don’t know about you, but I am surprised to see President Obama
wade into the midterm elections in such a direct way, and such
accountability will no doubt hamper him should things go badly for
Democrats this fall.

Obama taped a video message for supporters, urging them all to
help turn those 2008 voters out — Obama surge voters, as they are
known — on Nov. 2. We all know young voters, first-time voters
and African-American voters aren’t likely to show up in force for
a midterm election where an older, mostly white electorate usually
decides the outcome. But Obama is making a personal appeal, claiming
he can deliver on the promise of change if they come to the polls.

Here it is: "Hello, everyone. Today, I’d like to talk with you about
the important role each of us will play in 2010 — a role that began
more than three years ago, when we set out on an incredible journey
to change this country for the better.

"A few months ago, we asked you to help us set our priorities for 2010,
and let us know how you thought we could win elections at all levels
of government. You told us your first priority was to make sure the
same people who were inspired to vote for the first time in 2008 go
back to the polls in 2010. So that’s what we’re going to do.

"It will be up to each of you to make sure that the young people,
African-Americans, Latinos and women who powered our victory in 2008
stand together once again. … If you help us do that — if you help
us make sure that first-time voters in 2008 make their voices heard
again in November — then together we will deliver on the promise of
change, hope and prosperity for generations to come."

So with Obama’s numbers dangerously low in the swing districts that
will decide control of Congress, it will take quite a number of surge
voters to turn the tide against Democrats this fall.

One thing is for certain: Obama won’t be turning out the Armenians,
after remarks he made this weekend. According to The New York Times,
Obama’s refusal to use the term "genocide" to describe the killings
of 1.5 million Armenians at the turn of the 20th century is a change
since his presidential campaign, when he sponsored legislation using
the term and said "as president I will recognize Armenian genocide."

Though back then it was "not an opinion, or a point of view, but
rather a widely documented fact," and he added that "an official
policy that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an
untenable policy."

Untenable no more. Obama’s policy of trying not to alienate Turkey
prompted the Armenians to condemn him. The Armenian National Committee
of America said this weekend that Obama’s "euphemisms and evasive
terminology" were "yet another capitulation to Turkey’s threats."

Obama’s broken promise to Armenians could count in pockets of
California, where Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) is in the fight of her
career. We certainly know Republicans everywhere are mad and energized
to vote. Will Obama help get those surge voters fired up and ready
to go?

Can he?