Obama May Throw His Old Senate Seat Under the Bus

President Obama is refusing to go to bat to try save his old Senate seat from falling into Republican hands. In spite of the fact the Democrat in the race, Alexi Giannoulias, is an old Obama basketball buddy, President Obama is unwilling to lay his prestige on the line. The Giannoulias family bank was seized last week; leaving a cloud hanging over the candidate. The Republican in the race is Rep. Mark Kirk. Kirk is leading in recent polling. (see above image from RealClearPolitics)

The Politico reported:

At the moment, the White House seems open to the idea of losing Obama’s old seat rather than putting the president’s prestige on the line for Giannoulias, the brash and boyish Illinois state treasurer — and onetime Obama basketball buddy — whose campaign has been rocked by the financial meltdown of his family’s bank.

Durbin said Emanuel was sympathetic to his pleas but ultimately noncommittal...

Emanuel, a former congressman from Chicago, tried but failed last year to get Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan into the race. Now, he told Durbin, it’s up to Giannoulias to prove his campaign has enough “viability and strength” to warrant Obama’s involvement.