Will Obama Go To Georgia?

With John McCain set to hit the trail for Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss' runoff election campaign, the question on the minds of Democrats in the state is when or if Barack Obama will follow suit.

Jim Martin, the Democratic challenger in Georgia, was able to keep Chambliss under the 50 percent mark during the first round of voting. Since then, however, the GOP has redoubled its efforts, sending or promising to send party luminaries like Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin and McCain to campaign on Chambliss' behalf.

And while the Obama team already has a strong infrastructure in the state and is dispatching more volunteers, Democratic operatives in Georgia are concerned that the president-elect won't be coming himself.

"Why isn't Obama coming to Georgia?" one source asked. "He could possibly come right up until election day -- but McCain's actually here today."

Asked if the president-elect would make the trip, the Obama team did not immediately return a request for comment.

There are, clearly, areas where he could help and hurt himself by jumping into the Georgia runoff ring.

Alan Abramowitz, a political science professor at Emory University, notes that, with the presidential election over, Obama is now trying "to broaden his appeal and act presidential. So he is not in campaign mode anymore, whereas for McCain it doesn't matter." Moreover, if Obama were to show up and Martin lost, it could send a poor message.

"This is a group that has never been comfortable with hard-hitting politics," said a Democrat helping the Martin campaign, "and I would bet they don't want to risk political capital on seat #58."

On the flip side, Obama could earn even more veneration among Democrats if he were to help pull Martin across the finish line. In the process he would demonstrate a dedication to, or sense of, party.

Certainly, Abramowitz says, Obama could make a difference. Nearly four million people voted in Georgia on November 4. That number is expected to drop to approximately 1.5 million when the runoff occurs on December 2. The campaign best equipped at getting people to the polls, consequently, stands the best shot of winning.

"I still think it is possible that he may end up coming down," said Abramowitz. "And from a strategic standpoint it makes sense for him to come down, if he does, at the end. It would help stimulate and increase Democratic turnout."

As such, a few sources said they wouldn't be surprised if Obama ultimately came to Georgia -- just closer to the actual runoff date.

Comments

[Livius]

There are a lot of weary people still making calls for Jim Martin on behalf of Obama.
If the Obama team wants to keep the team of volunteers together for future campaigns, it would certainly help for him to throw in some effort as well.

[Zhonni]

I don't recommend that Obama personally campaign, he is a little busy anyways, but an ad or two would do just fine. Now other senators and big names from around the country should certainly go campaign for him.

[Indie2008]

The Republicans would like nothing more than to drag Obama back into the frey.

[Teritt]

Remember: WE are the change we need - WE need to help - it isn't all on Obama's shoulders. Everyone that posts he should go should consider going to GA over Thanksgiving weekend and knocking on doors reminding people to vote Tuesday Dec 2. If you can't go - donate!

http://www.martinforsenate.com/home.html

[concernvoter]

He can send the Democratic Senate crew.

[leeman79]

Send Bill Clinton and/or Jim Webb. The president elect doesn't need to be there. He's a capable leader who will power down responsibility to likewise capable leaders. That's what the democratic party is all about, as opposed to the buddy system used by the republicans.

[pupbayer]

Hmmmm...pe­rhaps he should have done a little down ticket campaigning earlier like presidential candidates did in the past.

[riafern]

will someone pls start a petition for Bill & Hillary ,Jim webb ,Wesley clark etc to campaign in Ga
not Obama ...just big dems will do ,will some of you guys pls contact local offices & see if they need help ,we do not need to burden our president elect evertime there is a crisis ...try to work as one team ..Pls doante ,volunteer and help ....that is the true change of our time ...
P.S Michael Obama would be great to get the black voters closer to election day too .

[smoo]

Exactly!!!! It the DNC want this seat then the party should come out blazing for it. Obama team can provide the infrastructure and some resources. He can get on the phone encourage African-American leaders to get their people out to vote. But as for OBAMA, He has done his job and some. If he goes to GA, that will only create a backlash amoung southern voters. How is this guy coming in here trying to take over the GA. If he would have campaigned in GA more during the general then maybe it would not have been so bad. IMO he will begin to look greedy if he goes in now.

[riafern]

After making calls for 2 months @ 100 calls a day I found talking to people slightly better so I started doing both in South Ga ...So all the donations & phone banking will not help if we do not have staff & volunteers on the ground ,knocking on doors and if we do not have some big name dems here getting people interested again ...no we do not need Obama ...but we need him to get the same smart team to help us out in Ga ....need the ministers & community organisers to start taking action soon ...
Pls help by phone banking so local people can then go door to door ...
Pls help ...turning a racist place into a blue state is priceless !!!
Axlerod & Plouffe need to come up with a good winnable strategy once again ...every race is worth winning...­.

[tantrictim]

i find it hard to believe that racism in georgia is still so strong after all that has happened in the country, maybe this is the litmus test as mississippi was in the civil rights movement, and crackers like chambliss need to be put in their place once and for all

[jmundstuk]

Needn't. Shouldn't.

[harriscrl3]

Obama needs to get ready to fix this country that Bush has destroyed. He is going to need all the time to ready himself. I think other surrogates can go. HE has too much on his plate right now.

Carol

[Pdubya]

Why the F is would he go to Georgia? Oil. Or we can pretend again we're enemy with Russia based on our respecitve monetary subservien­ce...

[Archivist1000]

DUH!

[riafern]

Send the Clintons ,Jim webb ,Biden ,etc .....not Obama ,there is too much hate ,cannot go to a grocery store without looking at frowing faces ....do not give such racist people a stupid win ...send someone who speaks there lang like Clintons ...
But we need help ...need poll watchers and volunteers ...
Obama is not safe here .I am a Georgian and I am not offended by any comment about Georgians ...
People are too scared to put bumper stickers & Yard signs ...it is a stupid scary place ...
But sooner or later someone will have to pay attention about how the elections are held here it is very fishy !!!
Pls volunteer ...this is part of USA too .....do it for us peace loving Georgians ...

[riafern]

Potus2008 ,
I worked hard in this red state ,I do not think he should come now ,but he needs to send a lot of surrogates ...but I do not like your idea that he is only in office to fix your economy ,it is places like Ga that offer a refuge for the likes of Sarah Palin ,etc
This whole mess is b'coz everyone was focussed on battle grd states and paid staff was pulled out of ga ...yet we have a run off in a state that got little attention .
The problem is that no one pays attention ,the elections are a sham here ,the voting machines have no paper trail .I would be happy no matter what happens with the run off ,If President Obama gets new machines & pay more attention next time so we do not end up like this again ..
Need Bill Clinton ,Jim Webb ,Wesley Clark in a place like Ga ....Obama may just bring out the nut cases like KKK .Get more conservative dems here and tons of help ,we should do better..