Over the past few weeks, polls in Massachusetts for the Senate special election have tightened. There are various reasons for the tightening. Most say it is because the Republican contender Gabriel Gomez is becoming more well-known. Others say that the scandals in Washington are weighing down Democrat Rep. Ed Markey, who has been portrayed by Gomez as a Washington insider. In order to help his numbers and turn up turnout, Rep. Markey’s campaign has brought in President Obama. Now, usually President Obama is a great help, especially in a Democratic state like Massachusetts. However, President Obama could be a double-edged sword in the sense that he is a living embodiment of said Washington scandals. Scandals are called that for a reason and it is not always good for a candidate to be seen with the person involved as the scandal is still fresh. The President Obama-Ed Markey photo-op could be great for Gomez, as he can tie Markey to the scandals and continue painting him as exactly what is wrong about Washington. Also, President Obama’s NSA programs contrast the policy of Ed Markey, who has called himself a leader in preserving privacy. However, when it comes to the NSA, Markey has said he has concerns about the program, but he feels that leaker Edward Snowden should be prosecuted.