Dianne Feinstein’s Office Gripes To White House About OFA-Inspired Constituent Visits
A rare bit of friction between Dems and Obama’s political operation, Organizing for America:
Aides to Senator Dianne Feinstein have complained to the White House about a deluge of visits to her offices by constituents who thought they had an appointment after OFA called on supporters to visit members of Congress, Feinstein’s office confirms to me.
OFA recently blasted out an email to its list asking supporters to “visit” the office of their representatives. OFA asked supporters to sign up in shifts to avoid overwhelming the offices, whereupon supporters received follow-up emails reminding them of the “scheduled visit” they’d chosen. OFA advised them to “call ahead” before visiting.
But some constituents took the follow-up email to mean that they had a hard-and-fast scheduled meeting with their members of Congress, and around 100 such people showed up at Feinstein’s offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Feinstein spokesperson Gil Duran says. The visitors got upset when they learned they didn’t have a scheduled meeting, Duran says, adding that Feinstein’s office “expressed their concerns” to the White House.
Roll Call reported today that GOP Rep Eric Cantor’s office is charging that OFA is “misleading” constituents into believing they have an appointment. But the OFA email merely calls for “office visits” and says that there’s “no need to schedule an appointment unless you’d like to have a longer conversation with staff.”
Feinstein’s office is the first Dem office to complain about the program.
“We asked people to visit their representatives to let them know that they had the support of their constituents in supporting insurance reform this year,” DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan told me. “In an effort to serve their constituents, we’ve had a few offices call to clarify that these were visits and not meetings. Of the tens of thousands of people who signed up, it wouldn’t be surprising if a few may have mistakenly thought they had an appointment. ”
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Update: Edited to clarify that Cantor is the Republican hitting OFA.
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Hey Greg, ever heard that there’s a difference between “plum” and “plumb”? DYODD WBMA, it makes you look pretty stupid.
And you think your comment makes you look how, Mark?
Senator Feinstein can put a sock in it.
Mark, “plum line” is meant as a cross between “plumb line” and “plum book,” the legendary insiders guide to DC
Mark, run and hide, the FEMA bus is coming to pick you up and you will be put before their newly established death panel. ACORN will be manning the detention facility and big government bureaucracy will determine how many meals you get a day.
mike from Arlington – LOL! Just you wait til I run Trig Palin for president. You’ll all be sorry!
“Mark, “plum line” is meant as a cross between “plumb line” and “plum book,” the legendary insiders guide to DC”
I think that one will leave a scar, Greg. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!
I wondered if some of the Dems. who weren’t really on board were going to complain about the visits.
Isn’t this about the time when some nut comments with ”
LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL?”
Here’s what Greg wrote: “I asked OFA officials what kind of response they’ve received, and they said that in less than 24 hours, “tens of thousands” have registered for specific visits.”
I think that word “specific” probably lead to some confusion. Here’s what some of The Plum Line’s readers wrote:
“I received my email and will be speaking with both Senators Schumer and Gillibrand in the days to come.”
“I signed up to visit my senator, the truly hypocritical Kay Bailey Hutchison.”
“I just signed up for a visit to my Rep Gonzalez here in San Antonio, TX.”
“I’m going to see my Rep on Wednesday.”
Looks to me as if plenty of innocent people were misled into believing they would actually be visiting with their elected reps rather than just dropping by the office to chit chat with a secretary and drop off a preprinted flyer with someone else’s thoughts.
And sbj LEAPS that chasm of logic based on one senator.
And Tena makes a snarky remark before reading the Roll Call article:
“The difference between a “visit” and a “meeting” has created confusion in several Congressional districts where district staff has had to field calls and visits from constituents.”
ROTFLMAO?
Actually sbj, my e-mail was clear – to call and make an appointment before I go – which i did, and that appointment is for today. I’m not sure I will see my Rep or a staff member, but I have written my health care story down, why reform is so important to me, and important to this country, and I’ll tell that this afternoon.
I’m going to see my Rep on Wednesday.
sbj
Uhmm I was one of those who said I was visiting my Senator’s office. Sorry buddy but the email was pretty clear. It asked people to go by the office, not that they had an “appointment”.
And when its all said and done, YOU were the one who said nobody was going to show up. Now so many people are showing up that people are complaining. So who is the joke really on?
BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Greg, you’re a cool customer. Mark, why didn’t you type FIRST while you were at it?
Thank you, Angela.
I’m always thrilled by how the trolls turn a little confusion into a major issue.
I’m going to visit my GOP representative tomorrow night at his town hall, but unlike the angry miscreants and rabble (”transference,” anyone? Lives of quiet desperation?) being sent forth by Dick Armey and Big PHarma (maybe I should combine the two and call it “Big PHArmey”), I will be respectful, informed, calm, rational and coherent.
Kathleen Hussein – LOL!
that really cracked my **** up.
“And Tena makes a snarky remark ”
Well duh.
I have the same birthday as Groucho Marx.
Can’t help laugh about the physics lesson that represents the first comment. Entropy does strange things to the language. It has expanded ours by several factors over the ensuing centuries.
But poor DIFI. She just won’t meet with anyone that doesn’t have a check ready for her. She can’t remember anything now about her job description. Maybe Aarnoll can run for senate. He is doing such a good job as Guber, that he is a natural to want to get to the senate. They have really big cigars there.
@sg and tena: I’m glad to see that you are going to visit your rep’s office – that’s democracy and I love it.
My point was that some readers of The Plum Line obviously misunderstood the difference between visits and meetings. As evidence of this FACT, I provided quotes from commentors here indicating they thought they were going to see their rep. There’s really no way for you to counter what I have shown. I’m glad that you two understood the difference; it’s obvious that others did not. There’s no arguing that, sorry. The proof of the pudding is in the eating – read the quotes taken from this site’s readers.
@sg specifically: Please, dude, for the umpteenth time, no words in my mouth! I never wrote that “nobody was going to show up.” What on earth are you talking about?
Well then, Tena, sharing a birthday with Groucho as you do, perhaps you’ll enjoy following YouTube. It’s the GOP theme song!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtMV44yoXZ0&feature=related
This is no surprise. I used to work across the street from DiFi’s San Francisco office and can tell you that her staff makes every effort to limit her Ladyship’s contact with the great unwashed masses that she represents. In contrast to other local members of congress who have offices in malls where people can easily access their elected representative’s staff, DiFi’s SF office is in a downtown hi-rise where you can’t even get upstairs to cast your eyes on the nameplate on her office door without first going through a security desk next to the elevators. Constituents wishing to see her or her staff without a prior appointment get to stand in the downstairs lobby and maybe, if they’re lucky, speak to a staffer by intercom to request a proper appointment. And no, these were not scary-looking street kids – just some scary-looking young corporate lawyer types sporting suits and pearls.
And yet, DiFi’s Constiuent, with all due respect, one can’t help but wonder what ax you may (or may not) have to grind in so vigorously portraying the dismissive haughtiness of “Her Ladyship” with your “first-hand” account.
Not saying you’re fibbing necessarily. But then, who knows for certain, other than you?
I share a birthday with Gwyneth Paltrow, which is why I’m so tall, slim, blonde, talented and smug.
OFA should go canvassing around the taxpayers’ neighborhoods. Tell those rich a-holes that they need to pay up for OFA members’ healthcare. It is probably best not to mention how Obama also promised to pay their mortgages and car payments though, keep the message focused on healthcare.
“I share a birthday with Gwyneth Paltrow, which is why I’m so tall, slim, blonde, talented and smug”
I left out: Ghandi, (ROFLMAO!) Wallace Stevens, and Sting – same day same year, which is why I’m a balding blonde rock star.
I think Arnold has been exposed, and would have a hard time getting elected for dog catcher.
Notice how Republicans love to attack Democrats for their Hollywood connections, but the record shows that it is the Republicans who actually nominate and elect showbiz types.
Senator George Murphy(R) Song and Dance performer.
Ronald Reagan(R) B Movie Actor
Arnold Schwarz ever the hell way you spell it.(R) Actor, after Steroid freek career.
Sony Bono(R) Cher’s Showbiz, Remora.
Gopher from Love Boat(R)
Jim Bunning(Base Ball pitcher)
Steve Largent(Football NFL)
Jack Kemp.(Football NFL)
J.C. Watts, Oklahoma College, and Candian League Football Player)
Conservative African American Congressman from Oklahoma, who after he left congress started appearing in TV infomercial pitching a service to people in how they could get more grants and money from the Federal government. Exactly the programs he rallied against, when he was in office.
I am sure that they are more, but you get the idea. The Republicans are the ones who are actually electing most of the people from the entertainment arena, and in fact you could place their Alaskan Harridan also in that arena.
Liam – the projection is so complete that it’s almost not worth pointing out anymore.
the GOP simply could not exist without us to project onto, while doing nothing else at all but letting entropy take its course in our institutions.
DiFi should be complaining about prison food. How does her developer husband get so many lush federal contracts anyways?
The Plum Book. The fact that you “progressives” have made a fetish of the book that lists government jobs is very telling. This really is the site for people who love Big Brother and his minions. No wonder you have to go to your cocoons when you here taxpayers revolting: it does not compute that anyone wouldn’t want more and more government and government jobs.
Greg -
Nice try, but we know you are clueless.
I wondered where the entertainment had gone.
You guys are late.
Baby Huey, your comments are inane and utterly without basis, merit or meaning, factual or otherwise.
But thanks for stopping by.
Now say the secret woid and win an extra fifty dollars! It’s a common item — something you see around the house every day….
I made one of those visits today – to another senator. The email I received back from OFA clearly stipulated that the meeting was not “officially scheduled.” Here’s the second paragraph:
“Please note that this is not an official scheduled meeting with your representative or your representative’s staff. Rather, your visit will be part of a steady stream of supporters dropping by all day — so please stop by at the time you are scheduled, drop off materials, share the reasons you support reform, and thank those who are working hard.”
Hmmm. There is more to the house bill than just making HC available to those who can’t get it and can’t pay out of pocket.
http://www.classicalideals.com/HR3200.htm
Meanwhile in Sikeston, MO Sen. McCaskel waived a piece of paper around saying it was a bill that contained none of the things most of her audience objected to. Unfortunately no such “bill” has been completed.
Then we have the cute 11 year old girl “planted” in Obama’s town hall to ask a question in a manner to denigrate people who question the appropriateness of his HC proposals. He’s just another political hack trying to get his way.
What on earth is DYODD WBMA?
Shouldn’t it be:
Feinstein’s office is the first “Dem” office to complain about the program.
I visited Dianne Feinstein’s San Francisco office today, knowing fully that we were not making officially scheduled visits. As Kevin noted at 2:22pm, I was informed by Organizing for America:
“Please note that this is not an official scheduled meeting with your representative or your representative’s staff. Rather, you will be part of a steady stream of supporters dropping by all day. So please stop in on the day you signed up for, drop off materials, share the reasons you support reform — and most importantly, thank those representatives who are working hard for reform.”
The way I took it is that, as a constituent, I am in full rights to visit my senator. We simply organized our flow of visits.
We remained calm and presentable. We didn’t bring loaded pistols or Swastikas. We presented our letters to one of Senator Feinstein’s aids, who met us in the building’s lobby. No screaming, no frothing at the mouth, no outrageous claims. We remained reality based, and presented our wish that Senator Feinstein support a public option for health insurance in America for all Americans.
Simple as that. Democracy doesn’t have to be about watering trees with blood.
Kevin’s right up there. A follow-up email was pretty clear that it would not be a meeting with the representative. The first email wasn’t explicit about this, but it was pretty easy to read between the lines. Especially since they were asking you to pick a time out of a 40-hour block.
So: I was hoping to try to do an office visit and talk to someone from Feinstein’s office this month. I’m fine talking to a staffer as long as I actually get to talk to someone– I just want to make a little more impact than I can with a phone call. Then I got those OFA emails. Now I am not sure if I should continue with my original plan or do whatever OFA was asking me to do.
Do I understand this right?: It would be possible to schedule an appointment and have a slightly longer discussion with someone in Feinstein’s office sharing views on the health care debate. It is also possible to just walk by the office and drop off a flyer, which is what OFA is urging people to do (I assume if you do this they just tally you as a health care supporter like they would with a phone call). It seems like one could make a larger impact by actually taking the time to schedule an appointment and prepare some sort of argument?
Assuming one goes with an actual staffer appointment, does it make more sense to go alone or try to organize a group?
Sooooo, let me get this straight, it’s perfectly fine for OFA to get members organized to go visit their elected officials office? But not for those who are opposed to this rushed health insurance reform proposal?
OT: “A “Death To Obama” Sign At Cardin’s Town-Hall”
http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/08/recess_watch_a_death_to_obama_sign_at_cardins_town-hall.php
Greg, I think you need a “report offensive” button. See Diane at 3:04. Then remove her, please.
In my letter to Senator Feinstein (who has been abysmal in our health insurance crisis) I reminded her that:
“elections have consequences. The platform that Barack Obama ran on and won with included, at a minimum, a public option for health insurance for all Americans. Even Senator McCain’s platform had provisions for strong government-backing for health insurance in America for all Americans. At the very least, we should not be seeing the final outcome of the healthcare insurance legislation coming in weaker than even the losing candidate was advocating.”
We cannot allow armed protester to intimidate the 70 million American voters who helped pile up a 365-173 electoral vote landslide for candidate Obama and substantial majorities for Democrats in Congress. The seething losers who are shutting down town hall meetings simply need to garner more votes at the ballot box, not throw tantrums after the election.
Feinstein’s disloyalty to the Democratic party is starting to rival that of Liebermans’. She should just quit and run for Governor, so Gavin Newsome can clean her clock!
Sunday RSVP’ed an OFA email and signed up for the 11 am Wednesday slot to visit DiFi’s SF Office. Not knowing exactly what to expect, I filled out my personal story on the OFA’s flyer and off I went.
I was quite pleased to see 20+ others with their fliers too. Feinstein aides have apparently set up shop in the Lobby of One Post St because of the crowds the OFA initiative has generated – every hour on the hour every day this week
I delighted to learn that Feinstein now supports the public option. This was not at all clear from her prior statements and constituent email replies
astroturf!
The OFA emails made it CRYSTAL clear that no one would be expecting visitors and that there were no appointments.
In fact, a follow up OFA email even stated that volunteer visits could be made at convenience any time during the day
Her staff did look a bit harried though
That’s why they make the big bucks
She has no townhalls currently schedulred anywhere in the state
Learned this from VISITING MY SENATOR’s OFFICE
Thankfully there were no shout downs..though many were skeptical of DiFi’s public option commitment given her now infamous two step on Iraq
People actually raised hands and waited their turn to be called on
Too bad Diannne. You are an elected Democrat from California. No democrat should be against health insurance reform…period. Her arguments to me in response to an email I sent was that she was concerned about the rising defict? What….she has voted, yay, on every war funding bill. Wars that cost billions of dollars a day. It is a bogus argument. She or her husband are in the pocket of the Health Insurance companies.
When Senators are running for office they always encourage involvement from their constituents and brag that their door is open. Apparently, DiFi has been around soooo long she forgets that she works for the people and not the big corporatations that fill her coffers.
Yeah, it’s a big mistake. Except it isn’t. Amazingly, Obama just happened to send his supporters to Blue Dog offices and Southern Senate offices 100 at a time. Every fifteen minutes. At least one chief of staff I know took the message to be, “I can turn people out during your primary, so you better deliver.”
There was no mistake here.
Some political guy doesn’t know what he is talking about.
I know because I signed up and I went.
OFA specifically and TWICE emailed me saying first that i could go at any time I wanted
That’s a fact.
You don’t know what you are talking about and about that I am not mistaken
Thank you for signing up to make an Office Visit for Health Reform. Below you will find the details about the office and the time you scheduled:
Sen. Dianne Feinstein
San Francisco Office
One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104 (Map)
Phone: (415) 393-0707
Your scheduled visit –
Date: Wed Aug 12 2009
Time: 11:00 a.m.
… we need everyone who’s signed up to stop by their Representative’s office during the time they agreed to go. It’s critical that they hear from as many people in their district as possible. If for some reason you can’t make your shift, let us know, but make sure you drop by sometime during office hours this week.
Thank you for standing up once again to fight for the change our country needs.
Organizing for America
Both my emails said that I needed to call. Sounds like emails regarding different reps are saying different things.
“# yippie | August 12th, 2009 at 04:31 pm
astroturf!”
More like revenge.
lol marching orders get too confusing for ya’ll?
revenge?
so you feel the need for revenge towards those who express their first admendment rights without an email ordering them where to go and what to say. oh and equipped with a flyer from their leaders.
oh please keep it up this is priceless!
I did obey the orders and ensured my representatives know I am opposed to the government take over of healthcare! Even cooler all my friends let their reps know.
so enact your revenge now don’t let this chance slip away.
Feinstein’s San Francisco Office! It’s gotta be like ‘night of the living dead’ in there.
Oh, in the early 1990s it was Senator Feinstein who sabotaged the Clinton health care plan. Feinstein was one of the original co sponsors of the bill when it was first introduced one September. Eight months later, Feinstein voted AGAINST reporting the bill out of the Senate Finance Committee, and her vote effectively killed the reform by keeping it from even getting to a vote on the Senate floor. Eight months after CO SPONSORING the legislation, Feinstein justified her sabotaging it by saying she was not sure what the legislation would really do! Oh, in the interim, she took something like eight or nine hundred thousand dollars in contributions from the private health care industry. If ever there was a snake in the grass among so called “moderate” democrats, it’s Feinstein.
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