In the wake of Hillary Clinton’s visit to the early primary state of Iowa, the folks at CNN had some surprisingly harsh words for Democrats running for reelection in 2014.
During an appearance on Sunday’s Inside Politics, Washington Post reporter Nia Malika Henderson conceded that Democrats have no desire to campaign with the president and instead “want him out behind closed doors.” Henderson went on to admit that “he’s starting to be a drag..in terms of women, that core constituency.”
Henderson’s comments came in response to host John King expressing shock that President Obama’s approval ratings in Iowa are under water:
Look at his approval rating in that CNN poll we talked to you about. 37% approval in Iowa, 56% disapprove. That tells you about the president's struggles in this midterm election year and changes the calculation for every Democrat.
Julie Pace of the Associated Press continued to throw cold water on Democrats by acknowledging that the Iowa poll is devastating for Obama:
If you are David Axelrod or David Plouffe this is just a shot to the heart, because they love this state, they have such nostalgia for Iowa. But, you know, we see numbers like that all across the country. Obviously Iowa has a special connection with Obama so it’s more noticeable. But that’s what it looks like in a lot of places for Obama.
With Democrats constantly beating the “war on women” drum to attack Republicans, Henderson and Pace’s admission that Obama is a drag on Democrats is even more of a shock for the left as the 2014 election draws closer. Few have openly admitted that among Obama’s supporters, women are jumping ship at an alarming rate.
Despite liberals’ best efforts to claim that GOP policies hurt women, two prominent members of the liberal media have just offered up a somber dose of reality as Democrats try and maintain control of the Senate.
See relevant transcript below.
CNN
Inside Politics
September 14, 2014
JOHN KING: It’s fascinating to me what she [Hillary Clinton] says. We will look if she runs for times when she needs to have distance from President Obama. I'm suspecting this will not be the event where she decides that’s the point to make. But look at this, as she takes the stage in Iowa, remember this is the state that made Barack Obama in national politics. Look at his approval rating in that CNN poll we talked to you about. 37% approval in Iowa, 56% disapprove. That tells you about the president's struggles in this midterm election year and changes the calculation for every Democrat.
JULE PACE: And if you are David Axelrod or David Plouffe that is just a shot to the heart, because they love this state, they have such nostalgia for Iowa. But, you know, we see numbers like that all across the country. Obviously Iowa has a special connection with Obama so it’s more noticeable. But that’s what it looks like in a lot of places for Obama.
NIA MALIKA HENDERSON: Yeah they want him not on the campaign trail, they want him out behind closed doors in many ways fund-raising. Nobody wants to really be seen with him because he’s such a drag. And he’s starting to be a drag, as you said, in terms of women, that core constituency.
