[Cheerio]

Sen. Mary Landrieu pushed back Friday at Republicans who criticized her assessment of President Obama’s unpopularity in her home state of Louisiana.

The Democrat, who is in a tough reelection race, took heat from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and others for suggesting in an NBC News interview that part of Obama’s problems are due to racism.

“I’ll be very, very honest with you. The South has not always been the friendliest place for African Americans,” Landrieu told NBC’s Chuck Todd on Thursday. “It’s been a difficult time for the president to present himself in a very positive light as a leader.”

[goldstategop]

Actually Landrieu has pumped her endorsement from Obama to gin up turnout in heavily black parishes. He’s well liked there.

In the rest of the state she has avoided mention of him because he’s not all that popular with white voters.

Her brother Moon can be counted on to crank up the Democratic stronghold in Orleans Parish.