OBAMA'S MISSING CLOUT – AT 7:55 P.M. ET:  One of the things commentators are noting about yesterday's voting is that President Obama didn't seem able to influence much of it.  From Fox News:

WASHINGTON -- The role of endorser in chief isn't working so well for President Barack Obama.

Sen. Arlen Specter, a five-term incumbent who switched from Republican to Democrat last year in hopes of keeping his Pennsylvania seat, became the fourth Democrat in seven months to lose a high-profile race despite the president's active involvement, raising doubts about Obama's ability to help fellow Democrats in this November's elections.

The first three candidates fell to Republicans. But Specter's loss Tuesday to Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania's Democratic senatorial primary cast doubts on Obama's influence and popularity even within his own party -- and in a battleground state, closely divided between Democrats and Republicans, no less.

Of course, it's possible that Democrats will fare better than expected this fall. And there's only so much that any president can do to help other candidates, especially in a non-presidential election year.

Still, Obama's poor record thus far could hurt his legislative agenda if Democratic lawmakers decide they need some distance from him as they seek re-election in what is shaping up as a pro-Republican year. Conversely, it might embolden Republican lawmakers and candidates who oppose him.

COMMENT:  Endorsements, even from presidents, are generally overrated.  And newspaper and celebrity endorsements are definitely overrated.  But this president seems uncommonly weak as a persuader in races other than his own.  Does this mean anything for 2012?  I don't think anyone knows yet.  Obama, polls show, is clearly vulnerable, but you can't beat somebody with nobody, and right now the Republican presidential field is nobody.  Squared.

May 19, 2010