Who Runs Gov

As you may recall, “centrist” Senator Ben Nelson was rather piqued by the fact that lefty groups are running an ad targeting him for slow-walking health care reform. “If this is an indication of the politics going into August,” Nelson said in a statement, “then health care reform may be dead by the end of August.”

Well, those lefty groups have now responded: They’re tripling their ad buy against him. The groups, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy For America, just blasted out an email to supporters:

Well, we’re not playing that game, Senator. That’s not how a democracy works. And bold progressives don’t cave to intimidation from corporate Democrats.

So today, with our partners at Democracy for America, we’re tripling our ad buy in Nebraska and doubling it in DC.

Relatedly, a question: How aggressively will the White House’s outside allies target Democrats, as opposed to Republicans, to get them into line behind Obama’s health care plan? Some Dems, such as the Blue Dogs and certain “centrist” Senators, are arguably as much of a threat to Obama’s health care agenda as Republicans are.

Yet the DCCC is raising money off the health care fight, but is only targeting Republicans, which is understandable, since the DCCC needs to protect incumbents. Americans United for Change is up with a new ad targeting Republicans, and there are no indications AUC will target Dems. What about Organizing for America, Obama’s outside political operation? Unclear so far what their plans are.

MoveOn, by contrast, is targeting Democrats aggressively, as are the above liberal groups slamming Nelson. But clearly, the full weight of the left-liberal establishment is not being brought to bear on Dems who are resisting Obama’s health care plan. And that could create real problems for the White House.

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