 David Plouffe, architect of the Obama victory in 2008, has signed on
with the Alexi Giannoulias campaign. Plouffe says he's helping
Democrats and the White House "where I can" and hosted a Tuesday
conference call to talk up Giannoulias' bid for U.S. Senate.But
he had to first answer questions about how Giannoulias can overcome
a large fundraising gap. The one-term state treasurer trails
Republican Mark Kirk, R-Ill., by almost 4 to 1 in their campaign war
chests.
Plouffe said he thinks the race is a "dead heat" and will be
decided in the final push toward Election Day.
"Who's got the best pathway to (victory) based on the undecideds,
based on who can improve turnout? I think Alexi has a better pathway
there. But it's going to require an enormous amount of effort. We're
going to have to close the enthusiasm gap which exists around the
country. It exists in Illinois as well."
Plouffe said Giannoulias will have to make his case to Illinois
voters. The Giannoulias campaign added that keeping the race focused
on Illinois issues can only help them.
But the Kirk campaign is less certain. In a short statement, a
Kirk spokesman dismissed the idea that Giannoulias can lure back
Obama voters this November.
""Not many people want to support someone who loaned millions to
the mob and lost children's college savings, so it is no wonder
there's a lack of enthusiasm for Alexi Giannoulias' campaign in
Illinois," said Kirk spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski.
Plouffe said Giannoulias has the organization and support that
could mirror the operation that swept the president into office two
years ago.
"A lot of these voters who came for the first time in '08, who
aren't saying they're definite to vote, their support of the
president is very, very high. That's important, but for people to
take that step of voting ... they have to some affection for,
knowledge of, belief in the candidate," Plouffe said.
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Kukowski, with the Kirk camp, said they're enjoying a boom in
both voter support and fundraising support.
But Plouffe dismisses some of that support by portraying Kirk as
a candidate owned by Washington, D.C., insiders. And he shifted the
focus to an upcoming visit from Obama and the help that's sure to
provide Giannoulias.
"Alexi's campaign is going to have to be funded from folks in
Illinois. And the president's visit can help excite people," Plouffe
said.
Kirk's campaign said relying on the president says something
about Giannoulias' bid. They've also been blasting Giannoulias as a
"mob banker" who ran a now-shuttered Chicago bank.
That tone is only expected to continue and get worse as Election
Day approaches.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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