Good News: CT Senate Race Now a Toss Up; Better News: Obama Campaigns for Lying Dick Blumenthal

First the good news. Considering she wasn't even expected to contend, Linda McMahon is now withing shouting distance of serial fabricator Richard Blumenthal in the Connecticut Senate race to replace Chris Dodd.

So what's a lying sack like Blumenthal to do? Why bring in the golfer-in-chief to do his bidding.

Barack Obama carried Connecticut by an overwhelming majority two years ago when he ran for president. But President Obama's campaign appearances in Connecticut Thursday night holds both risks and rewards for Democrat Richard Blumenthal, who seeks to help Democrats keep retiring Sen. Chris Dodd's Senate seat.

The risks? Obama's popularity has fallen in this reliably Democratic state. It could be a risk for the four-year veteran of Connecticut politics and the state's attorney general to appear side-by-side with the president. Thursday night Obama will hold a fundraising event with Blumenthal in Stamford, and then has a DNC event at a private home in Greenwich.

"President Barack Obama appears to be a drag on Blumenthal, even in Connecticut, where the president's job approval rating is a negative 45 - 52 percent, " said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, PhD. "For attorney General Blumenthal, an elected official with a 70 percent rating, this race is surprisingly close. "

The Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday shows Blumenthal with a 51 percent to 45 percent lead against Republican former pro-wrestling executive Linda McMahon. Blumenthal is holding on to a lead but the new number is a significant slide for the Democrat, who enjoyed a 17-point lead in July's poll.

For all the Democrat cackling over a potential GOP loss in Delaware (no lock), what does it say when they've also now got to defend another Northeast stronghold that shouldn't even be a concern?

Update: Support my man, Blumenthal, despite his bad lawyering:

"Vote for my friend, Richard Blumenthal! He's wrong on the law, and my Administration is fighting him in the Supreme Court, but otherwise, he's OK by me."

Ouch.