Remember that news story about the cat who could tell which nursing home patient was going to die soon? The animal would jump onto the patient's bed and stay there, alerting employees who would then call the family so they could come say one last good-bye. It's just been announced that President Obama will be going to Las Vegas next month to appear with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) at a campaign event. (source) This has me thinking about that cat and, in light of the recent Deeds, Corzine and Coakley losses, wondering if a joint campaign appearance with the president signals the imminent political death of a candidate.

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We've known since the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections in November that Mr. Obama's personal popularity is not politically transferable to other candidates. Rather than being able to rally his base to vote for a fellow Democrat, his presence seems to rally voters against the Obama agenda and remind them of any connection the Democratic candidate has to it.

Senator Reid has a much stronger connection to the Obama agenda than most as one of the president’s chief allies on health care reform. That certainly could explain why he gets just 36% of the vote against either of his two top Republican challengers in a recent poll of likely voters. (source)

Meanwhile Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pennsylvania), who switched from Republican to Democrat in order to jump onto the Obama bandwagon, is getting an awfully shaky ride as the wheels seem about to fall off. Republican Pat Toomey now leads Mr. Specter 49% to 40% in the race for the US Senate seat Specter currently holds. That's up from a 4% lead just last month. (source) Sounds like President Obama might stop by to "help" Senator Specter next.