Enthusiasm for Barack Obama among liberals has dampened considerably in Colorado. The first sign of the diminished love for Obama was seen in the near total lack of Obama t-shirts yesterday at his first public speech in Colorado since signing the failed stimulus bill in Februrary 2009. A second sign is the apparent lack of Democrats posing for published pictures with the President.
During his trip to Colorado, not a single photo with a Democrat candidate managed to make it to press, as far as we can tell. While AP caught photos of Governor Hickenlooper and Mayor Hancock meeting with Obama at Buckley Air Force Base, they're not on the ballot this cycle. Other than Congressman Ed Perlmutter, every Democrat on the ballot seems to have studiously avoided being caught on tape with the President.
Where were Congressional candidates and state Representatives Sal Pace, Joe Miklosi and Brandon Shaffer? Brandon Shaffer, an Obama lover, was not bashful about attending the campaign speech, telling anyone who would listen about his kids meeting Obama. But, we have to note, not a single photo of Obama and Shaffer can be found publicly. Even the puff piece on Shaffer's kids lacks an Obama/Shaffer photo or a quote from Shaffer on Obama's speech.
Not only have no photos appeared anywhere, but there was a mysterious lack of quotes from the three Congressional candidates. Sal Pace, normally not shy to offer his opinion to the press, wasn't quoted on the record about Obama's speech anywhere, not even the Sal Pace newsletter, aka the Pueblo Chieftain.
Also notable was the fact that standing behind Obama were no Democrat legislators at all. In looking at the Obama campaign photos from 2008, Democrat politicians were none-too-shy to be seen with Obama, but all of the sudden they have mysteriously disappeared.
You might even say this disappearing act was intentional.
Maybe it has something to do with Obama's extreme unpopularity in Colorado, where even a heavily skewed Democrat sample from a Democrat polling firm found Obama had an upside down approval rating of 46% approve to 50% disapproval, including a 56% disapproval rating among Unaffiliated voters.
The Democrat disappearing act is a clear sign that Hickenlooper was right the first time he prognosticated about Obama's chances in Colorado, saying he would "have a hard time" winning. As a Congressional Democrat recently told Politico, Obama "will hurt [Democrats]" by being on the ballot.
Looks like Colorado Democrats realized the danger of being tied to Obama, and hid from their Campaigner-in-Chief.
Are we wrong about this? If Democrats didn't hide from Obama, feel free to shoot photographic evidence to [email protected].
If you doubt us, ask yourself this…if Barack Obama had approval ratings in the 60’s, do you think Sal Pace would have a picture of he and the President making the rounds this morning?