FOXNews.com
The president, whose political muscle has weakened amid the still struggling economy and his push for a controversial health care package, will see much of his legislative agenda threatened if Democrat Martha Coakley loses the Massachusetts Senate race to Republican Scott Brown.
President Obama is headed to Massachusetts Sunday to campaign for Democrat Martha Coakley, whose race against Republican Scott Brown has narrowed to a toss-up as voters zero in on the cost of a massive health insurance bill in Congress.
"Regardless of who wins we have here in effect a referendum on this national health care bill," Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told "Fox News Sunday." "The American people are saying please don't pass it."
Obama and Coakley planned to appear together at a Sunday afternoon rally at Northeastern University in Boston. Democrats are hoping the president's popularity with young people will reinvigorate the case for Coakley, whose lost her edge to Brown in recent polling.
Coakley has been criticized for not engaging enough in retail politics and not buying enough advertising as Brown has moved from riding around the state in an old pickup truck to a tour bus where he continues his stops at pancake breakfasts and diners.
With polling -- and momentum -- seemingly breaking toward Brown, he has become the target of a scathing attack ad that accuses him of wanting to turn rape victims away from hospitals because as a state senator he supported a conscience clause that would have allowed medical workers to refuse to give "day-after" pills to end pregnancies.
The last time a Republican won a Senate seat in the state was in 1972. Special elections are generally lower-turnout races and Democrats are doing what they can to stimulate reliable voters in a state that is about 50 percent unaffiliated.
Obama is personally popular in the state, but his job approval rating is 48 percent. Only 36 percent of Massachusetts voters approve of the health care bill wending its way through Congress.
Campaigning Saturday, Coakley, the state's attorney general, called Obama's visit "pretty cool" but said it didn't indicate her candidacy was in trouble.
"I don't think he has to come, I think he wanted to come. He was excited to come," Coakley told reporters. "Who wouldn't want the president of the United States campaigning for her in a historic race?"
If Brown becomes the 41st Republican in the U.S. Senate, that means Congress will have only a few days to pass a bill that he could effectively stop as the key vote in the filibuster process. However, Republicans have expressed concern that the state's Democratic leadership could hold up the certification process that would seat Brown in the Senate post held by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy for 47 years.
"The first step is to see what the people of Massachusetts say on Tuesday and then look at the process for seating," McConnell said. "Whoever it is should be sworn in promptly."
Coakley campaigned Saturday with Kennedy's widow, Vicky, who has also appeared in a television ad for Coakley. On Friday thousands attended a rally for Coakley headlined by former President Bill Clinton and the state's senior senator, John Kerry.
Since taking office a year ago, Obama's track record for helping other Democrats hasn't been stellar. He campaigned hard for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine who ran for re-election last year and in Virginia for Creigh Deeds, the Democratic nominee to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine. Both lost.
The president was also rebuffed after making a high profile pitch for his home city of Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics. After traveling to Copenhagen last fall to personally make the city's case, the International Olympic Committee rejected Chicago's bid on the first ballot.
Nonetheless, the joint appearance by Obama and Coakley is in many ways marriage of a necessity.
Coakley is depending on his star power to boost Democratic turnout, particularly among blue collar and minority voters who might not be motivated to vote. And Obama, whose political muscle has weakened amid the still struggling economy and his push for a controversial health care package, will see much of his legislative agenda threatened if Coakley loses.
Campaigning Saturday, Brown appeared unconcerned about Obama's visit.
"I hope he has a safe trip and enjoys himself and has a good trip looking around a great state," Brown said.
During Obama's appearance, Brown planned to campaign in Worcester, a blue collar city in central Massachusetts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
