Clyburn blames messaging for Dems’ woes

Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Monday that Republicans have made the midterm elections a referendum on President Obama, and he blamed poor Democratic messaging on the president’s policies.

{mosads}”They have successfully made this campaign a referendum on President Obama,” the No. 3 House Democrat said in an interview on MSNBC.

Clyburn, who is expected to be reelected easily on Tuesday, said Democrats should have “done a better job at messaging exactly what the president has done,” such as focusing on the healthcare law’s benefits. He did not say why Democrats did not do so this cycle.

Republicans have made efforts to tie Democratic candidates running in this year’s elections to Obama, whose approval rating has fallen steadily. Democratic candidates and officials in recent weeks have repeatedly dodged questions about the president and his policies.

“There are so many people who are afraid of being too closely identified with President Obama,” Clyburn said, adding that there has been a “demonization” of the president’s programs, such as ObamaCare and a push for college affordability.

“I think the president has a great record that was deserving of all of us running on in many states,” he said.

Clyburn predicted last year that Democrats would run, and win, on ObamaCare in 2014.