SEIU Airing Ad In California Targeting Obama — Gently
A source sends over an advance copy of the script of a new ad the SEIU will air targeting Obama in California tomorrow, when the President arrives for a fundraiser in Los Angeles.
The ad is, in a sense, a swipe at Obama, because it’s timed to greet his visit, it features imagery of Obama, and it gives top billing to Pauline Beck, the homecare worker in whose shoes Obama famously “walked for a day” as a presidential candidate in 2007.
But the script shows that the ad refrains from directly attacking Obama, and doesn’t even urge him to take action to help the California homecare workers. This, despite the fact that the homecare workers’ plight is partly due to the Obama administration’s decision to back off punitive action against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for slashing pay for those workers.
The Obama decision infuriated SEIU, the homecare workers’ union. But the ad reserves its firepower for Schwarzenegger. Here’s the script:
When candidate Barack Obama spent a day with a homecare worker in Oakland, he saw what every politician should see. How for thousands of California’s seniors and people with disabilities, caregivers like Pauline Beck are a lifeline –- allowing people to stay in their homes, while saving taxpayers money.
So when Governor Schwarzenegger proposes slashing homecare, forcing seniors into nursing homes and caregivers into poverty, he’s not just being short-sighted, this governor doesn’t see them at all.
The spot’s existence was first revealed by SEIU chief Andy Stern on Twitter. That this ad still constitutes something of a relative swipe at Obama is yet another testament to the unwillingness of some groups on the left to go after the popular President.
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Greg: California’s Prop 8 upheld. Which interpid reporter (Greg Sargent?) will be the first to ask the admin about this ruling and its impact on the politics of the Supreme Court pick?
how would you frame the question, sbj?
Greg
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I think moreso at least the script of the ad seeks to detach Arnold from President Obama’s coat tails. I know there have been some rumors about him running for Senate so maybe they are trying to draw a contrast between he and President Obama for the future and also at the same time put pressure on him to change his mind about cutting the wages. I really don’t see a swipe at Obama in the script at all. But maybe I am missing something. To me its all like “President Obama understands people’s needs, Arnold doesn’t see them at all”. Also as I said last week its really up to Arnold to change this, there is not much Pres Obama can possibly do legally.
But Obama threatened Arnold over this – what the hell do they want? He threatened to withhold funds if Arnold didn’t do right by these people – what the hell?
Tena
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The administration rescinded the threat.
I think the greater concern that Obama had was that he was okay with having SEIU running ads against him in the short run, versus having headlines saying “Obama to California–DROP DEAD” for denying 8 BILLION in stimulus funds.
Greg: I would ask Sotomayor (spokesperson) what types of cases she might vote to hear once seated. I would ask her if she thinks the California Supreme Court ruling raises any constitutional issues that she would vote to hear (if appealed to her court). I would ask Obama admin if this ‘controversy’ (as it no doubt will be by tonite’s evening news) is a legitimate area of concern (gay marriage) for Senators and whether the admin considers inquiries regarding gay marriage legitimate during her confirmation hearings. And I would ask an Obama admin mouthpiece about their commitment to the gay public in light of the fact that their current budget proposal shortchanges the previous administration’s commitment to the global AIDS fight (not to mention their recent apparent squeamishness regards DOMA and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell).
“The administration rescinded the threat.”:
Thanks. I have been away from all news and the computer for the last 4 days, cleaning about 50 pounds of mice poop out of my house in Taos. I’m so firing the guy I pay to watch my house. I’ve never seen such an appalling mess in my life.