Obama has no plans to campaign for Coakley

Presidential press secretary Robert Gibbs said today in response to a question at a briefing in the White House that the "president doesn't have any travel plans to campaign in Massachusetts," because "it's not on our schedule to go to next week."

Coakley represents the critical 60th vote that Democrats need to pass the president's health care overhaul. Coakley's opponents -- Republican Scott Brown and independent Joseph L. Kennedy -- have both said they would vote to block the health care bill.

The president did, however, send an email to supporters today imporing them to help push Coakley over the top.

"We all need Ted Kennedy's seat to be filled by a champion for change -- and Martha Coakley is that champion," Obama wrote in the message.

"The stakes are high. Time is short," he added. "And your role is essential."

Obama highlighted health care, the economy, and financial services reform as reasons to support the attorney general in next week's election.

"We're so close to passing health reform -- finally realizing Senator Kennedy's life's work," Obama wrote. "But we cannot get the job done without Martha Coakley in the Senate. And that means it may well all come down to you."

The entire exchange with Gibbs at the White House briefing follows below:

QUESTION: On politics, there are indications that Massachusetts Senate race is tightening up. The DNC sent a top staffer there today. Does the president have any intention of going up to Massachusetts to campaign on behalf of Martha Coakley?

 

GIBBS: The president doesn't have any travel plans to campaign in
Massachusetts.

QUESTION: Robert, why isn't the president going to campaign for Martha Coakley? It's a tight race, very important to (inaudible) essentially?

GIBBS: It's not on our schedule to go to next week.

QUESTION: And why is it not on the schedule?

GIBBS: It's just not on the schedule.

QUESTION: Has he been asked by the Coakley campaign to come?

GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of.

QUESTION: Has he been asked to stay away?

GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of.

(LAUGHTER)

QUESTION: Is he -- is he concerned -- is there concern that his popularity -- I mean, it just doesn't make any sense that he wouldn't go up there. Is he concerned that his popularity ratings...

GIBBS: Not that I'm aware of.

QUESTION: ... if he goes up there, that he might hurt her campaign?

GIBBS: No. No. No.

QUESTION: So just -- just not on the schedule. It seems the scheduler actually who has decided not to send him.

GIBBS: All I can say was, you didn't ask me that. We just -- it's not on the schedule as a trip the president's going to make.