St. Paul is Exhibit A of the damage the president's weak political standing is having on his allies. The only difference is one has a George W. mask on and the other one doesn't.

If you put yourself in the shoes of Minnesota workers who are facing layoffs, or have seen their wages stagnate, the idea of the immigrant as the scapegoat, there's a certain resonance to that.

Clearly, they're reaching out to the voters who are tired of the same old thing, who are disaffected. They cast a pretty powerful persona as truth-seekers.

He started asking questions and being who he is.

If they can get into a debate with the major party candidates, then they've got an opportunity.

He's not going to go to the mat for this.