Should Obama Go to Georgia?

10.11.2008

In a story Jason flagged earlier, Saxby Chambliss's Democratic opponent, Jim Martin, is imploring him to come down there for the likely December 2 Senate runoff election:

One of the big question marks in Georgia’s ongoing U.S. Senate campaign is how much President-elect Barack Obama will get involved.
Democrat Jim Martin desperately wants Obama to come here to boost Martin’s campaign against Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who has already secured a promise from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to visit the state on Chambliss’ behalf.
“Our campaign has talked to their campaign,” said Martin spokeswoman Kate Hansen. “And that it as far as it has gone. We would be honored to have him. We know his operation is incredibly busy right now.”

Attempts to reach a spokesman for the Obama-Biden transition team were unsuccessful Sunday.

This is a tough call for Obama. Every Senate seat is quite precious, and if Al Franken really does pull it out, Martin could get Democrats to the magic number of 60 seats. (That number is overrated, of course, because Senate votes are rarely along straight party lines. But it would still be a major psychological prize.) But Obama must be understandably wary of sticking out his neck here and then losing. I suspect he'd want to go in knowing that the odds of success were pretty good.

--Michael Crowley

Posted: Monday, November 10, 2008 7:25 PM with 11 comment(s)

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simon greenwood said:

Even if it's successful, it'd still fly in the face of his post-partisan gimmick and look a little bad.

November 10, 2008 8:40 PM

ACR said:

aside from looking bad in regards to Obama's non-partisan overtures it would also give weight to the argument that Chambliss will serve as a firewall against total Democratic Party take-over of Washington. Its a b.s. argument, but it has legs here....and Obama coming down and stumping for Martin will do nothing to help. The best thing he can do is author and/or authorize a fundraising email or send more staffers down here to help. It would do far, far more than showing up at a rally.

November 10, 2008 8:46 PM

marklmallory said:

Ridiculous. What's to lose? Obama goes to GA and gives his pitch in his ever so measured and even-handed fashion, maybe helps the cause enough to put Martin over the top or maybe not. The benefit of victory far far outweighs the risk to Obama of Martin's defeat. I just don't see how Obama gets saddled with some sort or negative consequence if the gambit doesn't pay off, particularly given the maximum 2 day attention span that the media would ever devote to this election. There are more pressing issues in the world.

November 10, 2008 9:00 PM

timteeter said:

Obama surrogates are already coming. I suspect Obama will come at the last minute if it looks like he will make the difference.

November 10, 2008 9:59 PM

"There are more pressing issues in the world."

exactly the point...for Obama to come down here and campaign would a) not really help all that much b) open him to charges of caring more about partisan issues than getting to work on solving the problems facing the country. The cost/benefit on this one is too heavy towards cost. Stay in Washington/Chicago...unleash staffers and money and see if that can help, otherwise stay put....I'm a Georgian, I'd love to have Saxby Chambliss not be my senator, but not more than I'd love for Obama to get out of the gates without petty partisan charges getting in the way....its just not worth it.

November 10, 2008 11:15 PM

Robert Powell said:

Besides, imagine how much an Obama visit to Georgia would inflame the already tense relations with Moscow...

November 11, 2008 2:40 AM

fougasseu said:

I think at this stage, having a war fought by "outsiders" would backfire. In a national election political leaders roam the country helping their candidates running for office at all levels. Now it should be all about Georgia. I'd forget the mercenaries and and get every Georgian of any repute to stand up for Martin. Sam Nunn can get it done.

November 11, 2008 7:41 AM

propositionjoe said:

If Sam Nunn can't get the job done, Obama can always ask Zell Miller to challenge Chambliss to a duel.

November 11, 2008 9:38 AM

icarusr said:

RP: took the words right out of my mouth ... I thought this was going to Tbilisi and standing beside the McCain-led kleptocrats there. Just call in Sherman and burn Atlanta again if Chambliss is elected; more effective.

November 11, 2008 9:42 AM

boneill said:

There is a bigger issue at stake here: Saxby Chambliss deserves to lose, and all stops must be pulled. After what that prick did to Max Cleland in 2002, he deserves to be humiliated and forcibly frog-marched along a road of bones. I generally don't believe in vengence in politics, or life in general, but as I've gone along I have one ironclad rule in life: fuck Saxby Chambliss. That rule isn't broadly helpful, and indeed into 2002 it was really confusing, but it makes sense now. I have little doubt his parents were jerks and probably owned lawn jockeys. Saxby Chambliss has to lose to fully repudiate the ugly patriot-mongering of the Bush years, and then he should give three of his limbs to Senator Cleland.

November 11, 2008 11:53 AM

cspencef said:

Might the final decision depend on whether Al Franken really "pulls it out" in MInnesota? (Wow, what a depressing thought.)

November 11, 2008 12:15 PM