The Democratic leadership has more to worry about than simply trying to get their guy re-elected. I think many of them are "showing" their support but secretly hoping he will lose.

But win or lose, the overarching hope will be that the controversy surrounding Obama's presidency will eventually fade away... because this time it's not just about an election. It's also about the credibility of the Democratic party, and whether they can ever be trusted to run a legitimate and clean election. I believe the fate of the party itself may be on the line... but there are ways to fix it, like renaming the party. Wouldn't really change anything except in the mind of some voters, but let's face it, it's the voters they are the most concerned about. It's all about keeping as many of the voters as they can on their side.