Politics

Jon Karl To Earnest: President Obama ‘Politically Toxic’ To Dem Senate Candidates? [VIDEO]

Al Weaver Reporter
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During the White House briefing Monday afternoon, ABC’s Jon Karl grilled press secretary Josh Earnest, asking him why the president has been largely off the campaign trail, even going so far to ask him if the president was “politically toxic” to Democratic Senate candidates.

“We are eight days out from midterm elections that could be highly consequential for this president,” Karl started. “Why is he here without any public schedule at the White House? Why did he spend the entire weekend completely outside of public view? How come he is not out campaigning with and for Democratic candidates in these races?”

Earnest responded by rattling off the president’s stops over the next week, including Maine, Rhode Island, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, most of which are stops to aid gubernatorial candidates and not candidates in the hotly-contested senate races, with the exception of Gary Peters in Michigan.

“You’re not going to stand there and tell me the president’s been actively campaigning in these midterm elections, are you?” Karl said, challenging the White House flack.

“I think any examination of the president’s schedule…would indicate a serious commitment to supporting democratic candidates on the ballot,” Earnest responded.

“What you’ve seen the president do is dedicate his time to doing what he can to support Democratic candidates,” Earnest said. “And he’s spent a lot of time raising money and that reflects, I think, a significant commitment of this president’s time and energy to supporting democratic candidates.”

“How many democratic senate candidates has he campaigned with this midterm election?” responded Karl, asking a question Debbie Wasserman Schultz struggled to answer from Bloomberg’s Mark Halperin and John Heilemann last week. (RELATED: DNC Chair Unable To Name A Single Senate Race President Obama Is Campaigning In)

Earnest answered, telling Karl he’s looking forward to his event with Michigan’s Peters, and he’s helped fundraise for candidates. The White House spokesman added that Obama has also been appearing in support of them both on and off the campaign trail.

“You don’t agree the president’s been considered politically toxic to many of those Democrats running?”

“I do not agree with that assessment,” Earnest replied.

“Stop the presses,” he added sarcastically.