DC Mayor Asks White House for Endorsement

Trailing in polls five days from his Democratic primary, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty is pulling out all the stops, even asking President Obama for an endorsement.

The one-term mayor told CBS News radio affiliate WTOP Wednesday he personally called the White House to make the request.

"Why wouldn't any mayor in the country ask a great president for his support?" Fenty said on Thursday's Washington Unplugged. "But we're not naive. The president has a lot of things on his plate and he's doing a fantastic job. He doesn't have time to go around supporting mayors."

Fenty was one of the first mayors to endorse Mr. Obama's presidential campaign and has a relationship with the president, making appearances with Mr. Obama in Washington.

The White House has not commented on the endorsement request.

In the most recent Clarus poll, Fenty trails his chief opponent -- and colleague -- DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray by seven points among likely voters.

The poll also indicates a disconnect between Fenty and DC's African American community, a significant demographic in the District. Gray leads by a wide 62 percent to 17 percent margin with black voters.

"When you move this fast, you miss a couple steps of including people, making people feel a part of the government, communicating with people," Fenty told "Washington Unplugged."

"When you make those kind of tough decisions, you get some political pushback, and that's why we've had an uphill battle."

Fenty touts education reform as one of his biggest mayoral successes, with Chancellor of Public Schools Michelle Rhee intricately involved.

"Four years ago it would have been unheard of for Washington, DC to apply for, let alone win, a national competition among states and cities for the Race to the Top," he said, referring to the Obama administration's educational grant program.

"Washington Unplugged" interviewed the mayor at an education event with Rhee and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Regarding whether Rhee would stay in her position in a new administration, Fenty said, "She said it'd be very, very tough to work under an administration besides ours."

CBS News Congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes, senior political producer Jill Jackson and "Washingtonian" magazine editor Garrett Graff also appeared on Thursday's "Washington Unplugged."

"Washington Unplugged," CBSNews.com's exclusive daily politics Webshow, appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 2 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.