Obama 'Surprised and Frustrated' by Massachusetts Senate Race
Patricia Murphy
Capitol Hill Bureau Chief
Posted:
01/19/10
President Obama is not happy with the turn of events in the Bay State that have led to the possibility the Democrats could lose the Senate seat held by the late Ted Kennedy for more than 47 years, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs acknowledged Tuesday.
"He was surprised and frustrated," Mr. Gibbs said in response to a reporter's question about the president's reaction to pre-Election Day polls showing the Democrat, state Attorney General Martha Coakley, trailing Republican state Sen. Scott Brown.
Another reporter asked if the president is angry, to which Gibbs said, "Not pleased."
Gibbs would not say whom the president blames for his party's turn of fortunes in Massachusetts, but he did address the future of the Obama agenda, which he said will be the same whether there are 59 Democrats in the Senate or 60.
"I think the president understands that regardless of what happens in Massachusetts, we face a set of circumstances that have to be dealt with," he said. "We still have to work hard to get our economy back...I don't believe there's an entirely new agenda behind some door based on the result of tonight."
Finally, Gibbs acknowledged a sentiment of "upset and anger" in the country over the economy. And, he argued that the president had done his part to help win the race in Massachusetts.
"I think the president laid out exactly what was at stake," he said. "Are you going to elect somebody who has consistently fought for middle-class, working-class interests, as you heard the president say, or somebody who campaigns as an independent and has voted 96 percent of the time with Republicans in the state Senate. That's -- I think he laid it out quite clearly."
"He was surprised and frustrated," Mr. Gibbs said in response to a reporter's question about the president's reaction to pre-Election Day polls showing the Democrat, state Attorney General Martha Coakley, trailing Republican state Sen. Scott Brown.
Another reporter asked if the president is angry, to which Gibbs said, "Not pleased."
Gibbs would not say whom the president blames for his party's turn of fortunes in Massachusetts, but he did address the future of the Obama agenda, which he said will be the same whether there are 59 Democrats in the Senate or 60.
"I think the president understands that regardless of what happens in Massachusetts, we face a set of circumstances that have to be dealt with," he said. "We still have to work hard to get our economy back...I don't believe there's an entirely new agenda behind some door based on the result of tonight."
Finally, Gibbs acknowledged a sentiment of "upset and anger" in the country over the economy. And, he argued that the president had done his part to help win the race in Massachusetts.
"I think the president laid out exactly what was at stake," he said. "Are you going to elect somebody who has consistently fought for middle-class, working-class interests, as you heard the president say, or somebody who campaigns as an independent and has voted 96 percent of the time with Republicans in the state Senate. That's -- I think he laid it out quite clearly."