It's going to be a long, ugly campaign

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President Obama is barnstorming the Midwest this week on a tax-paid but transparently political bus tour. He’s shaking hands, bashing Republicans at every turn in his speeches, meeting with Democratic officials and activists who support his re-election, and otherwise acting just like any other candidate pressing the flesh for votes. All presidents do this during election season, of course, and in our view they are justly criticized for using public resources to, at the very least, complement their campaign efforts.