US News

Obama: I got your back

Tom Perriello. (AP)

Robert Hurt. (AP)

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Fighting to the end, President Obama yesterday devoted shrinking campaign time for one endangered Virginia Democrat, calling his bid a national test case of whether a person of integrity can win.

The president, bracing for an election beatdown in a prime electoral atmosphere for Republicans, plunged into a final weekend of campaigning undeterred by the somber news of a new terrorist threat.

He implored a young, raucous crowd in this college town to rally behind first-term Rep. Tom Perriello, who has loyally backed key parts of the president’s agenda.

“The reason I am here is because in this day and age, let’s face it, political courage is hard to come by,” Obama said to thousands gathered outside on a crisp autumn night.

“When you’re a first-term congressman, the easiest thing to do is make your decisions based on the polls . . . That’s not who Tom is.”

The stop was meant as more than a boost for Perriello, who’s in a fierce election fight against Republican state Sen. Robert Hurt.

The president also wanted to send a message to fellow Democrats and ambivalent supporters that he would stand with those who took tough votes on health care and stimulus spending — and his party should not run away from them.

Shadowing it all: fresh news of a weak economy still struggling to create jobs.

Predictions of a Republican blowout dogged the president and his party, as voters looked to take it out on incumbents over joblessness, bailouts and the toxic state of politics.

Republicans were looking to recover from recent electoral lashings by claiming the House and making big gains in the Senate, governors’ mansions and state legislatures.

The tone of the day, meanwhile, had changed considerably before Obama arrived.

From Washington, he declared that officials had uncovered a “credible terrorist threat” of US- bound packages containing explosives aboard cargo jets.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president’s weekend political travels would not be altered as the terror probe continues..

Midterm madness

The latest news from the campaigns:

Control of Congress

House GOP Leader John Boehner of Ohio will take the upper hand over Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky if Republicans take control of the lower chamber but not the Senate — putting Senate Democrats in a bind fighting against conservative legislation that comes from the House GOP.

What to watch for

A host of final polls will be released today on races in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Washington state and Wisconsin that will likely reveal whether Democrats will be able to hold on to control of the Senate.

Best Ad

One of Nevada Republicans’ final ads of the campaign, “Change,” a harsh indictment of the rosy promises made by President Obama two years ago, blames Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (left) for his part. “They promised change,” the announcer says. “But they delivered unprecedented spending, overwhelming debt, heartbreaking job loss, astounding foreclosures, skyrocketing bankruptcies. They promised change.

Now it’s our turn.”

Line of the day

“Charlie Crist has been such a disappointment, because he will shift his position . . . for his own personal ambition. It’s not that he’s serving anybody; it’s serving himself. He’s the most ambitious man I’ve ever met in politics.” — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on current Gov. Charlie Crist, who’s running for Senate as an independent.