Is the Obama administration’s handling of AIG hurting Murphy?

Politics are never fair.

Barack Obama’s team didn’t craft the contracts that allowed AIG executives to plunder taxpayer money. And Scott Murphy didn’t endorse that plundering.

(The Albany Times-Union fact-checked Republican Jim Tedisco’s efforts to tie Murphy to l’affaire AIG and called it “a stretch.”)

But the Democratic President is clearly struggling to lock down the scandal; and as public anger grows, Murphy, the House candidate from Glens Falls, is suddenly facing a headwind.

In the days before this story broke, Murphy had all the momentum. Republicans were starting to say ugly things about Tedisco’s management of his campaign.

But now Murphy’s team is on the defensive. (Yes, I’d give a free NCPR coffee mug to anyone willing to do a quick-shot poll on how this is actually playing with 20 district voters.)

One thing I still don’t understand: Why isn’t Tedisco begging to get into tonight’s debate?
He has a chance to take the AIG issue right to Murphy on live TV.

It could be a campaign-defining moment.

Instead, he’s staying home. And Murphy will get a big chunk of airtime tonight to make his case. Mountain Lake PBS 9pm.