Economy_NN1 leaves_VVZ Democrats_NN2 in_II bad_JJ position_NN1 WASHINGTON_NP1 --_JJ Democrats_NN2 are_VBR entering_VVG the_AT fall_NN1 sprint_NN1 to_II the_AT midterm_NN1 elections_NN2 lacking_VVG a_AT1 unifying_JJ message_NN1 to_TO address_VVI the_AT lackluster_NN1 economy_NN1 ,_, scrambling_VVG to_TO come_VVI up_RP with_IW further_JJR job-creating_NN1 remedies_NN2 and_CC out_II21 of_II22 time_NNT1 to_TO show_VVI substantial_JJ results_NN2 before_II voters_NN2 go_VV0 to_II the_AT polls_NN2 ._. 
The_AT monthly_JJ jobs_NN2 report_VV0 on_II Friday_NPD1 ,_, while_CS better_RRR than_CSN economists_NN2 had_VHD expected_VVN ,_, did_VDD nothing_PN1 to_TO improve_VVI the_AT deteriorating_JJ political_JJ climate_NN1 for_IF Democrats_NN2 a_RR21 little_RR22 more_DAR than_CSN eight_MC weeks_NNT2 before_II Election_NN1 Day_NNT1 ._. 
President_NNB Obama_NP1 ,_, after_CS a_AT1 week_NNT1 consumed_VVN by_II foreign_JJ policy_NN1 issues_NN2 ,_, will_VM begin_VVI focusing_VVG publicly_RR on_II the_AT economy_NN1 next_MD week_NNT1 and_CC on_II Wednesday_NPD1 plans_VVZ to_TO propose_VVI modest_JJ additional_JJ tax_NN1 breaks_NN2 ,_, temporary_JJ and_CC aimed_VVN at_II small_JJ business_NN1 to_TO promote_VVI hiring_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB it_PPH1 is_VBZ not_XX clear_JJ that_CST he_PPHS1 has_VHZ the_AT votes_NN2 or_CC the_AT time_NNT1 in_II Congress_NN1 to_TO pass_VVI them_PPHO2 ,_, with_IW Republicans_NN2 eager_JJ to_TO deny_VVI Democrats_NN2 any_DD victories_NN2 and_CC endangered_JJ Democrats_NN2 eager_JJ to_TO get_VVI home_RL within_II three_MC to_II four_MC weeks_NNT2 to_TO campaign_VVI ._. 
Democrats_NN2 '_GE sense_NN1 of_IO vulnerability_NN1 has_VHZ increased_VVN since_II Congress_NN1 broke_VVD for_IF August_NPM1 ,_, after_CS a_AT1 month_NNT1 of_IO reports_NN2 tracking_JJ weakness_NN1 in_II both_DB2 the_AT economy_NN1 and_CC their_APPGE polls_NN2 ._. 
One_MC1 result_NN1 is_VBZ that_CST they_PPHS2 now_RT split_VVD more_RGR deeply_RR than_CSN ever_RR on_II the_AT issue_NN1 that_CST in_II recent_JJ elections_NN2 had_VHD been_VBN a_AT1 rallying_NN1 cry_NN1 :_: ending_VVG the_AT Bush_NP1 tax_NN1 cuts_VVZ for_IF the_AT wealthiest_JJT 2_MC percent_NNU of_IO taxpayers_NN2 ._. 
Democratic_JJ leaders_NN2 are_VBR imploring_VVG Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 to_TO come_VVI off_II the_AT sidelines_NN2 and_CC lead_VVI the_AT fight_NN1 ._. 
On_II the_AT campaign_NN1 trail_NN1 ,_, many_DA2 Democrats_NN2 are_VBR going_VVG their_APPGE own_DA ways_NN2 as_CSA they_PPHS2 face_VV0 the_AT prospect_NN1 that_CST persistently_RR high_JJ unemployment_NN1 could_VM cost_VVI them_PPHO2 control_NN1 of_IO the_AT House_NN1 and_CC perhaps_RR the_AT Senate_NN1 ._. 
Many_DA2 are_VBR embracing_VVG the_AT stimulus_NN1 package_NN1 enacted_VVD soon_RR after_CS Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 took_VVD office_NN1 ;_; others_NN2 run_VVN away_II21 from_II22 it_PPH1 ._. 
Some_DD distance_NN1 themselves_PPX2 from_II Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 and_CC his_APPGE economic_JJ team_NN1 ;_; most_DAT blame_VV0 Republicans_NN2 ._. 
Democrats_NN2 '_GE campaign_NN1 message_NN1 mostly_RR is_VBZ a_AT1 Babel_NN1 of_IO individual_JJ voices_NN2 ._. 
With_IW the_AT national_JJ winds_NN2 blowing_VVG ever_RR stronger_JJR against_II the_AT party_NN1 in_II power_NN1 ,_, threatened_VVD Democrats_NN2 are_VBR tailoring_VVG their_APPGE message_NN1 to_II their_APPGE particular_JJ district_NN1 or_CC state_VV0 --_NN1 with_IW party_NN1 leaders_NN2 '_GE encouragement_NN1 ._. 
Representative_JJ Tom_NP1 Perriello_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 underdog_NN1 for_IF re-election_NN1 in_II Virginia_NP1 ,_, campaigned_VVD this_DD1 week_NNT1 in_II a_AT1 county_NN1 where_RRQ he_PPHS1 pointed_VVD to_II new_JJ water_NN1 lines_NN2 and_CC broadband_JJ service_NN1 as_II the_AT benefits_NN2 of_IO the_AT stimulus_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ helped_VVD attract_VVI Microsoft_NP1 to_TO invest_VVI in_II the_AT tobacco_NN1 region_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB he_PPHS1 also_RR has_VHZ called_VVN for_IF Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 's_GE Treasury_NN1 secretary_NN1 ,_, Timothy_NP1 F._NP1 Geithner_NP1 ,_, to_TO go_VVI ._. 
"_" If_CS it_PPH1 's_VBZ Perriello_NP1 versus_II Hurt_JJ ,_, I_PPIS1 'll_VM win_VVI ,_, "_" Mr._NNB Perriello_NP1 said_VVD ,_, referring_VVG to_II his_APPGE Republican_NN1 challenger_NN1 ,_, State_VV0 Senator_NNB Robert_NP1 Hurt_VVD ._. 
"_" If_CS it_PPH1 's_VBZ a_AT1 referendum_NN1 on_II the_AT president_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ a_AT1 tougher_JJR race_NN1 ._. "_" 
Mr._NNB Perriello_NP1 could_VM not_XX immediately_RR answer_VVI when_RRQ asked_VVD what_DDQ the_AT national_JJ Democratic_JJ message_NN1 is_VBZ ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 suppose_VV0 the_AT pause_NN1 there_EX may_VM be_VBI telling_VVG ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" But_CCB if_CS there_EX is_VBZ one_MC1 theme_NN1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 added_VVD ,_, echoing_VVG a_AT1 metaphor_NN1 Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 likes_VVZ to_TO use_VVI ,_, "_" it_PPH1 's_VBZ that_CST the_AT other_JJ side_NN1 drove_VVD the_AT economy_NN1 into_II the_AT ditch_NN1 and_CC they_PPHS2 have_VH0 n't_XX changed_VVN their_APPGE driving_JJ habits_NN2 at_RR21 all_RR22 ._. 
And_CC we_PPIS2 've_VH0 worked_VVN really_RR hard_JJ to_TO get_VVI us_PPIO2 out_II21 of_II22 the_AT ditch_NN1 ._. "_" 
In_II Arizona_NP1 ,_, Representative_JJ Gabrielle_NP1 Giffords_NP2 emphasizes_VVZ her_APPGE work_NN1 for_IF tougher_JJR border_NN1 controls_NN2 and_CC support_VV0 for_IF the_AT stimulus_NN1 money_NN1 that_CST saved_VVD the_AT jobs_NN2 of_IO local_JJ teachers_NN2 and_CC public-safety_JJ workers_NN2 ._. 
Like_II many_DA2 Democrats_NN2 ,_, her_APPGE campaign_NN1 depicts_VVZ her_APPGE Republican_NN1 opponent_NN1 ,_, Jesse_NP1 Kelly_NP1 ,_, as_CSA an_AT1 extremist_JJ conservative_NN1 for_IF his_APPGE views_NN2 on_II Medicare_NP1 ,_, taxes_NN2 and_CC other_JJ issues_NN2 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 're_VBR running_VVG our_APPGE own_DA race_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Rodd_NP1 McLeod_NP1 ,_, the_AT campaign_NN1 manager_NN1 for_IF Ms._NNB Giffords_NP1 ._. 
Representative_JJ Walt_NP1 Minnick_NP1 ,_, Democrat_NN1 of_IO Idaho_NP1 ,_, boasts_VVZ at_II home_NN1 that_CST he_PPHS1 opposed_VVD the_AT stimulus_NN1 package_NN1 and_CC Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 's_GE health_NN1 care_NN1 overhaul_NN1 ._. 
