With a week to go until Election Day, and trailing in the polls, Creigh Deeds is counting on some help from the President.

Several thousand people gathered Tuesday afternoon to see President Obama speaking on the Old Dominion University campus in a rally for the gubernatorial candidate. The arena was packed an hour and a half before the President got there.

The question now is can Obama's appearance spark a come-from-behind victory for Creigh Deeds?

The latest numbers from Public Policy Polling shows Bob McDonnell leading by 15 percentage points. One area expert says the lead is too big, even with Obama's help.

"Creigh Deeds has been there for the people of Virginia. Now he needs you to be there for him," President Obama said Tuesday.

He came to Virginia to help the Democratic candidate for governor. Most believe he will.

"The president coming back into the state will rally people, will get them enthusiastic again," Sen. Mark Warner said.

Rev. James Coleman with the Lynchburg Democratic Party said, "He can do absolutely nothing but help any candidate, Democrat, Republican or Independent."

But Sweet Briar (web) College Professor Stephen Bragaw says the entrance of the president could be good news for the Republicans.

"It plays into part of McDonnell's strategy, which is trying to nationalize the race and run against the unpopularity of some national Democrats," Bragaw said.

"We have just begun to deliver on the change you voted for, and we need a partner like Creigh Deeds to help us finish what we started," Obama said.

The speech itself is also being overshadowed by reports that a senior Obama staffer told a reporter Deeds has no chance to win.

"So here it is a week before and what are we talking about, whether Deeds' own party believes he can win," Bragaw said.

Bragaw says in the end the words of Obama probably won't help much.

"It's looking pretty solid towards McDonnell, if you are a betting man."

Now Bragaw tells us he has been wrong before. Last year at this time, he believed Virgil Goode (web) would beat Tom Periello.

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