Obama's Backing: A Help or Hindrance

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - With Congressman Steve Cohen's endorsement from the President, the question is: will it help the incumbent during a time when President Obama is seeing his lowest approval rating since taking office.

Politics may make for some strange bedfellows but, sometimes it can create powerful allegiances. For Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen it certainly doesn't hurt when your most notable allegiance is with the President of the United States.

The incumbent was expectedly ecstatic.

"He's the John Kennedy of this generation. And John Kennedy's the one who got me inspired to go into politics. And to receive the endorsement of the President of the United States is deeply and personally gratifying," said Congressman Cohen.

The challenger was expectedly defiant.

"I clearly understand that the endorsement that really matters is the endorsements of the voters," said Former Mayor Willie Herenton.

What would prompt President Barak Obama to take the unusual step this week of issuing a personal endorsement of one candidate over another in a local party primary? Was it friendship, political payback, race relations or a timely gesture toward shoring up a potential international rift with an ally?

Maybe all of the above? Rhodes history professor, Dr. Tim Huebner, believes the endorsement is a shrewd move that benefits two friends in Cohen and the President.

"The President's still very, very popular here. Congressman Cohen understands that. He knows that in the 9th district having the President on his side here is worth quite a bit," said Huebner. "The President has weighed in on a couple of the Senate primary races over the last several months. Hasn't always been successful in those. This is I think a relatively safe bet for the President."

However, University of Memphis Professor and political analyst, Dr. Larry Moore, asserts the President Obama's open support of Cohen could also be serving as a message with a geo-political theme as an extended "olive branch" given recent strained relations between the President and Israeli government officials.

"He's trying to establish his credibility in the Jewish community," said Moore. "Sent an important message to the Jewish community that I really support you and I will support a Jewish candidate over a black. That's a statement in itself."

But, is the Presidential seal of approval for Cohen the final straw for the apparently sputtering Willie Herenton congressional campaign?

"When the Mayor's made such an issue about needing representation for African Americans...at worst that will demolish the Mayor's position," said political columnist Jackson Baker.

"Dr. Herenton was quite wise to say, hey, we're just going to say that's another indication that Washington is out of touch," said Moore. "The big effect is what it's doing in the international political arena. Locally, I think it's not going to have a big effect at all."

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