Obama heading to Wisconsin -- but Feingold won't be there

Obama heading to Wisconsin -- but Feingold won't be there; Washington Post

Barack Obama is heading to Wisconsin as part of a major campaign swing through important battleground states -- but Senator Russ Feingold won't be there to campaign alongside the president because he has votes scheduled for that day, Feingold's spokesman confirms to me.

Feingold's spokesman told me about the Senator's schedule in order to preempt criticism from foes who are likely to argue that Feingold is keeping the President at arm's length. Feingold, who is locked in a much tougher reelection campaign than expected, came under similar criticism when he didn't appear alongside Obama during the president's visit to Wisconsin on Labor Day.

"The Senate is scheduled to be in session, and there are going to be votes," the spokesman, John Kraus, told me. The date of Obama's visit to the state is set for September 28th.

"Obama is coming here when we're going to be at work," Kraus continued. "Senator Feingold doesn't miss votes to do politicking. He never has and he won't." Feingold has missed zero votes during the current Congress.

Feingold took some flak when he didn't appear alongside Obama in Wisconsin on Labor Day, but he insisted to reporters he was honoring previous commitments to march in local Labor Day parades.

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