Obama Praises Shaheen, Takes Dig at Scott Brown

In the past week, everyone from Gov. Maggie Hassan to U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has taken a shot at soon-to-be New Hampshire Senate candidate Scott Brown.

Hassan, Ayotte and Jindal all razzed Brown at last week's Wild Irish Breakfast in Nashua, and Hassan zinged him again at Monday's Ganley Luncheon in Salem.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama got in on the action, telling NECN-TV's Alison King in an exclusive White House interview that New Hampshire doesn't need Brown, because it already has a "great senator" in Jeanne Shaheen. Instead, he suggested that maybe Brown could move to a different state and run there.

"I'd be happy if Scott Brown wants to move down to Texas," Obama said. "You know, we could always use some moderate Republicans in other parts of the country."

In response, Brown issued a statement inviting Obama to campaign for Shaheen in New Hampshire.

"President Obama and Jeanne Shaheen are joined at the hip," he said. "If it wasn't for Jeanne Shaheen, Obamacare would not have become the law of the land."

New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Jennifer Horn also released a statement concerning Obama's comments.

"Jeanne Shaheen votes with President Obama 99 percent of the time and cast the deciding vote for his failed health care law. So its not surprising that the president is desperate to keep a loyal lackey like Jeanne Shaheen in the Senate to rubber stamp his disastrous agenda," Horn said. "If President Obama is really interested in promoting Senator Shaheen's candidacy, we strongly urge him to come to New Hampshire and personally campaign with her. Please – be our guest."