Bruce who? Michelle Obama flubs Iowa Senate candidate鈥檚 name
Rep. Bruce Braley has had a tough US Senate campaign.
Once expected to make a strong showing as a sitting congressman against a lesser-known candidate, he is instead viewed as having lost that edge through a听number of mistakes.
But the latest was not his fault. First lady Michelle Obama, who flew in Friday to help sway undecided voters in the moderate state, repeatedly called the candidate 鈥淏ruce Bailey鈥� during her speech.听
鈥淵ou need to elect Bruce Bailey to the US Senate,鈥� she said during her speech at Drake University in Des Moines, before directing listeners to the website, 鈥渧otebrucebailey.com.鈥�
"When we stay home, they win. They're assuming that we won't care. They're hoping that we're not organized and energized and only we can prove them wrong," Mrs. Obama said of Democrats, who tend to turn out in fewer numbers during midterm elections.
The Iowa Senate race 鈥� one of a handful on which control of the Senate could hinge 鈥� is incredibly tight. The latest polling average gives Braley鈥檚 opponent, Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst, a 1.5-point advantage.
Both Twitter and those watching in the crowd, who corrected her midway through her speech, noticed Obama鈥檚 flub. By the Daily Caller's count, she called Braley Bailey seven times.
鈥淲hat did I say? I鈥檓 losing it 鈥� I鈥檝e been traveling too much,鈥� the first lady said jokingly, after being told of her mistake in a video 听
Indeed, Iowa was Obama鈥檚 second campaign appearance of the day.听
Earlier Friday, she campaigned for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer and Democratic Rep. Gary Peters in Michigan. Mr. Schauer is locked in a tight race with Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who has a slight edge, according to recent polls. Representative Peters is running against former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land (R) for retiring Sen. Carl Levin鈥檚 seat.
Next week, Obama will be in Florida, fundraising for former Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running as a Democrat against Gov. Rick Scott.听
The first lady remains a popular standard bearer for Democrats, even though her husband鈥檚 approval ratings have sunk into the low 40s. According to the Pew Research Center, she is viewed positively by 62 percent of the public.
Unfortunately, the name wasn鈥檛 Obama鈥檚 only mistake of the evening: She also said Braley was a Marine Corps veteran. He isn鈥檛, although his father was. The late Byard Braley fought in the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
Ms. Ernst, on the other hand, is a member of the Iowa National Guard.
Obama isn鈥檛 the first Democratic star to call Braley, 鈥淏ailey.鈥� Last month, former President Clinton did the same thing, the Des Moines Register reports.听
An enterprising GOP operative already locked up the website , The Washington Post . It redirects viewers to Ernst鈥檚 campaign.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
