Obama rallies Democratic volunteers in California

Some Democratic candidates are doing everything they can to distance themselves from President Obama.

Not in California.

Ted Lieu, a state senator running for Congress, welcomed the campaigner-in-chief to his Los Angeles campaign office Thursday. "State senators make outstanding members of Congress," said Obama, who held that office in Illinois just a decade ago.

The district is an open seat because Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman is retiring after 40 years in Congress. Lieu faces Republican Elan Carr in a district that Obama won with 61% in 2012.

The visit was not announced in advance but was obviously planned -- Rep. Steve Israel, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, just happened to be at Lieu's office at the same time. Volunteers were also making calls to California's early voters for Democratic congressional candidates Pete Aguilar, Raul Ruiz and Julia Brownley.

"California is right at the heart of the battle for control of the House," Obama told the volunteers. "Because of just the day-to-day work you're doing, making phone calls, making sure our voters turn out, answering people's questions about what the issues are, it makes a difference -- that's how I was able to get elected. Ted I'm sure had an excellent ground game in order to emerge from a hard-fought primary."

Obama then told the volunteers to get back to work. "If I'm not directly shaking your hand, you should be on the phone," he said.

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