Obama Eyes Midterm Elections

Never too soon to start: The Wall Street Journal reports that “Just four months in office, President Barack Obama and his White House are taking steps to shore up Democratic Congressional majorities in next year's midterm elections.” Obama has tried (and failed) to recruit a candidate to the North Carolina Senate race; promised to support Senator Arlen Specter if a Democratic challenger emerges; intervened to dissuade a primary challenger to New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand; and is going to Vegas to raise money for Harry Reid. Obama seems to be working hard to avoid a repeat of the Republican sweep in 1994 that tied Bill Clinton’s hands. With the Democratic Party still going strong—the only endangered Senate seat so far is Chris Dodd’s in Connecticut—and political operators like Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod on his staff, Obama is a good bet to do so.