Despite Obama’s Demand, Outside Groups Will Keep Pounding Dem Senators
President Obama may have issued a private demand that groups allied with the White House stop hammering moderate Democratic Senators with health care ads, but those groups have no intention to listen to him.
In fact, not only do the groups plan to continue their ads, spokespeople for the groups tell me, but one is actually increasing its buy.
Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported that Obama had privately told Congressional Dems he’s concerned about TV and online campaigns hitting moderate Democrats for not getting fully behind the public health care option. “We shouldn’t be focusing resources on each other,” Obama reportedly said.
The response from the groups: That’s nice, but we ain’t stopping.
A spokesperson for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, one of the groups Obama reportedly complained about, confirms to me that the group is upping its buy with a new round of ads attacking moderate Dem Senators like Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu this coming week. “If congressional staffers are complaining to the White House, that shows they are nervous and what we’re doing is working,” PCCC’s Stephanie Taylor says. “So we should just keep doing what we’re doing.”
Meanwhile, a second group, Change Congress, has not dropped plans for a coming campaign of ads attacking the Senators for taking contributions from health care special interests, Change Congress spokesperson Adam Green confirms. He urged the White House to consider a “good cop, bad cop approach,” suggesting Obama could hold positive rallies in the home states of moderate Dem Senators while Change Congress goes ahead with its ads.
Meanwhile, there are no indications MoveOn plans to drop its pressure campaign. If Obama did indeed complain about the efforts by outside groups, it’s unclear why. Obama himself has strongly backed a public option, and it seems obvious that pressure from the left on Dem Senators not to waver on this priority can only help the White House.
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Update: Jane Hamsher reports that a third group, Democracy For America, won’t pull its ads, either.
Update II: It doesn’t look like Americans United for Change will refrain from targeting moderate Dems, either. From AUC spokesperson Jeremy Funk: “We will be encouraging everyone in Congress to support serious health care reform as outlined by the President.”
Update III: Still more: Blue America is forging ahead with ads targeting Senator Blanche Lincoln.
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I don’t see a demand here Greg. Obama wasn’t even talking to the groups in question, he was soothing the egos of the people they were targeting. I would be a lot more concerned if he actually gathered all of the groups up and tried to convince them to back off. But he didn’t and I don’t think he will.
I dunno, SG. Prez reportedly said: “We shouldn’t be focusing resources on each other.” Now, if he did say this, and he has to know his words could likely leak, it seems clear to me.
But is that a demand? He also said “we should have a public option” is that a demand on the Dems in Congress? Its all in the framing. Besides that of course he knew it would leak, its called CYA. But notice even the stuff that leaked wasn’t what you would call strong language. He is “concerned”. He didn’t say anything major to me. I am sure it upset those groups to a certain extent but everybody knows they aren’t going to back off and instead they will probably attack harder now. I think its clear that when Pres Obama really wants something from liberal and progressive groups he actually reaches out to them and tells them directly. Wouldn’t you say that’s a fair statement?
SG, also, WaPo article says this: “Obama also hinted that efforts are under way to discourage allies from future attacks on Democrats…”
I think that both sides are right on what they are doing. It is true that money would be better spent on the opposition party, but many Dem senators are not acting in their constituents best interests so they need their feet held to the fire. Obama is covering his butt and I am sure that he knows that the outside groups don’t need to and most likely won’t listen to him.
Greg
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On that note I will remind you that the column was written by Ceci Connolly. That speculation wasn’t given any kind of grounding like what that supposed hint or hints was/were. Now if you were Landrieu or DiFi might you have embellished what was said in the meeting just a little? Like I said, this is a President who isn’t afraid to bring people in and have a conversation when he really doesn’t approve of something just like with the civil liberties groups he brought in.
No one who has ever had any experience with public healthcare could possibly think it is an option you could fight for with a straight face. It is a ridiculous joke. I’m an american living in denmark–I have public healthcare in denmark. I have private healthcare coverage in denmark and in the US. Guess where I go for treatment? The democrats are going to hang themselves on this public option business. The government does so few things better than the private sector. And healthcare is not one of those things.
Isn’t it likely that this leak from that meeting came from the Dems who are being targeted, to try to use the President’s supposed words to get the health care groups off their backs. Since I don’t believe Obama’s been on record saying that he would like these groups to stop.
katmantwo
Sorry but the days of people buying your argument are over. There WILL be a public option so just deal with it.
There is also an obvious upside for both Pres Obama and these liberal and progressive groups. Pres Obama gets to say he isn’t beholden to special interest lefty groups, the liberal and progressive groups get to say they aren’t cowed by a Democratic President. Win all the way around if you ask me.
The country is far more progressive than than this congress or White House. A single payer system is what we really need. I can’t understand why business wouldn’t be for it and why they don’t lobby heavily to pass it. It would take a big nut off their books. So, now that the Senate Dems say that they won’t even entertain talk of that proposal, and they are so damn lukewarm to “public option”, are Congress and the White House REALLY our allies? Can we finally, after 30 years, have some legislation that actually serves the interests of ordinary Americans and NOT multi-national corporate interests? After all, those corporate interests are not congruous with those of us in this country. They don’t care about our long term economy or jobs outlook. They want cheap labor, wherever, privatized profits, and socialized losses. It seems Congress is more than happy to accomodate them, for instance they caved to dropping the “Buy American” only option in the stimulus plan. The “free traders” claiming we’d violate agreements, while at the same time China passes their stimulus package and put in their “China company only” plan, which gave money only to domestically owned companies employing Chinese materials and labor, and even excluding Chinese companies which manufactured in China, but were foreign owned.
So where the hell are our allies in the Democratic Congress and the White House? Be it health care, banking, or trade policy, I have yet to see one damn bill pass that isn’t watered to down to placate the whiny *** GOP or big business. So, I recommend people donate even more money to OUR “allies”, so we can get the message out their. A message which swims slowly upstream against the current of the 90% GOP, right wing nut tilt of all talk radio and media.
Who knows the most about how to raise funding for ads? Obama does. WHo knows best that if you tell a bunch of people NOT to do something they feel strongly about, THEY DO THE OPPOSITE>President Obama does…..He has managed once again to help our movement raise larger donations by saying “back off the moderates” ..
Our President is a very smart man indeed! Thank you Sir!
This is GREAT… It is about time. Change we can deal with and that we need.
Thanks…. where can I contribute?
This quote from Obama, “We shouldn’t be focusing resources on each other”, to be honest, worries me. It gives the impression that the health care debate is really an “us vs. them” battle between Republicans and Democrats. As a progressive, I honestly don’t see it that way. It should be a battle between the old, broken healthcare system we have now, and a better, more comprehensive healthcare system that everyone wants, and almost all first-world countries have. With all the lobbying by health care companies in Congress right now, it seems that that battle blurs political lines, and Dems and Repubs can both fall on either side. With the Republicans essentially marginalized in Congress right now, the only thing holding us back from a solid public health care option are the moderate dems, and IMO, they need to be called out for stifling progress, regardless of what letter is written after their name. The fact that Obama turns this into a simple partisan issue is disturbing, to say the least.
I have read a lot of blogs and seen many programs denigrating single payer national health care systems. They seem to come from people that have no personal experience with such systems or a vested interest in the current system. Numerous studies have established that single payer national health care systems cost about half of our system while providing better health care as measured by outcome such as infant mortality, longevity, hospital mistakes etc. My family has personal experience with health care systems in England, Germany, Norway and USA from living in those countries. I would not hesitate one moment to choose any of their systems over ours (USA). It is difficult to understand why systems demonstrated to be better than ours, no matter which criteria you use to compare them, are not seriously considered here in the USA. Are we that misinformed, brainwashed, uneducated, dogmatically tied to capitalist philosophy (that in this case is failing), not as smart as citizens in other countries, or is it that it was not invented by the self-proclaimed greatest nation on earth. Most likely it is that our politicians are bought off by the corporate beneficiaries of the current system.
The bottom line, born out by facts and not emotions or dogma, is that single payer national health care systems work better for more people at lower cost than our for profit system.
http://www.healthcare-now.org/docs/july30.pdf
moveon-help@list.moveon.org
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What’s the best way to convince leaders that we need health reform?
Meet with them face-to-face.
AARP wants to send you to Health Action Now Day on the Hill on
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Click here to apply before Wednesday’s deadline!
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Please sign here: http://www.pnhp.org/obama/letter.php#form
If you are not a physician, please forward this email to your physician colleagues.
Thank you!
This quote from Obama, “We shouldn’t be focusing resources on each other”, to be honest, worries me.
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Eh, it’s meaningless without proper context. As sgwhiteinfla suggested, Obama could just be soothing the ruffled feathers of moderate Dems. If Obama publicly came out and started criticizing these third-party groups, then I’ll start worrying.
Bushbama knows that he will need every penny to min any more seats, or to pay lobbyists so he doesn’t want the money wasted…
Yngve you are right. This is a moral issue. We are living in a for profit system that lets a corporation determine whether you or your kid can have a doctor take care of what ails you. So, a wing nut is more comfortable letting a company man, whose sole bottom line upping function is to figure out how to deny you care, rather than a public servant who is accountable to the taxpaper? All in the name of a worn out failed predatory economic ideology which serves the few?
Calling all Progressive groups: KEEP IT UP!!!!!!
I can’t wait until there’s a public option! If the GOP is against it, you know it must be good for the people. I’m glad to hear the “moderate democrats” are feeling pressure. How stupid can they be to drag their feet on something that was key to the Obama victory? For a change, they need to listen to the people they serve & not their lobbyist friends. Power to the People! And Power to all the groups hammering the wimpy members of Congress.
Keep in mind it is hear say that President Obama does not want liberal groups pressuring dems in congress over health care. This supposedly came out of a meeting President Obama had at the White House with some democratic members of congress. Hear say.
Some people are taking their repsonse to something he supposedly said, without knowing for sure he said it, or hearing the words come from his own mouth.
Who knows the most about how to raise funding for ads? Obama does. WHo knows best that if you tell a bunch of people NOT to do something they feel strongly about, THEY DO THE OPPOSITE>President Obama does…..He has managed once again to help our movement raise larger donations by saying “back off the moderates” .. Our President is a very smart man indeed! Thank you Sir!
By the Way,
Are you advertising? It is VERY EASY to put up your own signs on your own property. SINGLE PAYER NOW ! Make extra signs for you neighbors and put another sign up that says “FREE SIGNS FOR HEALTHCARE NOW”
We have to do OUR part too!
I bought a tarp from Home Depot for 8 bucks and spray painted SINGLE PAYER NOW on it. It is the first thing that every person that lives in my town HAS to see because my house is the first house on the corner as you enter my town…I did this tw odays ago. I have since seen THREE other signs in neghbors yards saying CHANGE HEALTHCARE NOW.
I WANT OTHERS HEALTHY/ SINGLE PAYER NOW!
My last sentence should include some people are taking their repsonses to far, or getting angry to something he supposedly said, without knowing for sure he said it, or hearing the words come from his own mouth.
Characterizing Blanche Lincoln, Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson as “moderates” is stretching even poetic license.
What demand? This whole idea is mis-leading and needs to stop. Democratcs get your act together and stop over-reacting to comments you THINK President Obama said. It is HEARSAY. If you did not hear him say it, than stop reacting to this. It’s getting ridiculous.
What happened to the “Go out and make me do it?”
I heard this story with dismay. I’m reading stories about the footprint of industry lobbyists on the legislation and I want a voice in the lobby, too. I am deeply shocked that President Obama is telling me to shut up! MoveOn and DFA and Blue America are speaking for me, because I’m damned sure that the calls I make to Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez and Cliff Stearns are flushed down the toilet.
President Obama has asked progressive groups to stop targeting so-called “moderate” Dems and instead focus on supporting the legislation.
I wrote to him yesterday, and respectfully informed him that the two are one in the same. As long as we have Democrats, Republicans or anybody standing in the way of the public option, then supporting the legislation means targeting the people impeding it.
We shouldn’t fear our representatives, our representatives should fear us, and until they fear us more than they fear the insurance companies who are swaying them, we have no choice but to target them.
I don’t think we need all the parsing that’s going on here. Obama is clearly sending signals to Big Insurance that he will not be an advocate for the people against their interests. It doesn’t matter if we call it a “demand” or not – what matters is that Obama is showing his willingness, if not eagerness, to support the (untenable) status quo, not just in health care but in the banking disaster, gay rights, transparency, and just about everything else of any importance. And please, let’s deep-six the phrase “moderate Democrats” when applied to people like Landrieu, Lincoln, the loathsome Feinstein, etc. They are not moderate but corporatists who couldn’t give a damn about the working class, or even the middle class.
katmantwo, your experience is simply that – your experience. i can match you with an italian professor friend who loves the US but would never think of coming to live here because he has a heart condition. the idea that the private sector does *anything* better than the public is easily disproven by looking at almost any industry that’s been delivered to the profiteers. simple truth: the basis of the private sector is profit, wealth-building. that is ALL they care about, ultimately. not true with govt., despite individual evil miscreants like Feinstein.
We’ll get the change we can believe in only if we demand it. Both congressional dems and Obama seem to be wavering on some very basic promises made during the campaign.
I applaud these groups for holding the dems feet to the fire. I fear without them, the dems will “compromise” themselves into another losing party, and oblivion.
Republican moles, not moderate Democrats is, in fact, the nature of the Blue Dogs. And, Obama’s contact with us is not going to sway progressives one bit if Corporate gets special treatment. We don’t trust any politician who puts Corporate first. Obama should know that.
In times of misrepresentation and flat out non-representation, someone has to carry the torch. The People will, and gladly. Our nation needs a high colonic with whatever agents we can use to remove Corporate from America’s bowels. If Obama doesn’t want to participate it’s entirely up to him. But lets be clear:
Do not ever attempt to handle progressives like tools. Obama’s been told before and things have not changed.
Why has the President changed his tune, dance, and script to better fit Corporate, anyway? Why? Where’s that Constitutionalist we voted for?
The President should stand down and pay attention to the next scene from our play. Do not cajole, mollify, or placate us and expect change according to his specs. This is our country- not the Executive’s.
We demand results and if the President we elected refuses to satisfy the People-and currently he’s not- then we will act independently.
That’s what the Founders did. That’s what to expect from us. No more games.
mamazboy…are you flippin’ serious? Anyway, a necessary condition for a reduction in costs associated with health care is a parallel reduction in services. The cost of medical services will remain stable whether paid directly or indirectly through taxes. With a public option, I will subsidize the 65% of over-weight, diabetic, pill-popping, sedentary Americans who feel no sense of personal responsibility. I have yet to read 1 article or comment of an individual blaming oneself for too many needless visits to the doctor’s office. The cause of this crisis is the same as the cause of the AIG meltdown – lazy citizens who feel entitled to the fruits of others’ hard work while forgoing an sense of individual accountability.
lhuedk, you are exactly correct, this is OUR country. I will remind you of famous words by an individual whom I believe you to be fond of, “Ask not what your country can do for you…” Capiche? You want progress? Then stand up, take charge and lead. Quit whining for a government to provide for you and accept some semblence of personal responsibility.
Obama is a very good chess player! I’m loving this.
“I will subsidize the 65% of over-weight, diabetic, pill-popping, sedentary Americans who feel no sense of personal responsibility.” Funny, I’ve seen this same line word for word in other forums, almost as if someone in the for-profit health care trust distributed it to the troops. As for the follow who buys his own health care in Denmark, I’ve about had it with the “I like my Lexus better than my Ford,” argument. Sorry, Pal, can’t afford the Lexus, and maybe not the Ford, but still need to get somewhere. Nothing in the plan stops your option to buy anything you can afford.
I prefer to think of it as “pressuring” some dems and not “pounding.” The fact is huge portions of constituents of these so-called moderates want meaningful healthcare reform, which includes a strong public option, if not single-payer. There is nothing wrong with people letting them know that there are consequences for sitting on the fence or caving to the interests of insurance companies and big pharma when it comes to legislation.
Obama has his strategy, but it has not been clear at all that he will not give away the farm just to get something passed. I for one will not be following Obama just because he says so. I want to see real results.
I BELIEVE personally that every org prevail by the way the build or destroy. we are dealing with senators or congressmen no matter the party are simply captive of corporates shortchanging our votes, our choices, putting our health in peril and mocking our democracy. let me know how to contribute today. There is a need to clean the sold souls of corporates who are clogging the whole congress,and every proud American has to stand up up for the modern fight.
Count me in on the liberal end who supports all pressure being put on “moderate Democrats, (read Conservative, blue dog and boll weevil Democrats) They are really Republicans at heart and unreliable allies.
Let me see here, if i am not mistaken these groups are in violation of the IRS Code 501 (3)(c) hammering Congress with their demands. The Humane Society of the United States and PETA do the same thing and get away with it, so why not these groups. These groups threaten Congress and State Reps and nothing is done. If this was a church the IRS would be done on the church like a lightning bolt…..We need to vote folks in and out of congress based on their voting.
If only Obama made the same demand to lobbyists… As it is, only non-profit groups have been told not to call. Insurance companies, however, are welcome to call, come, bring, give, etc.
I’m sory to remind every body that our president depends more on us than these so called moderateshe think he was just echoing them as a souther. There is no sweet fight. remeber H.Clinton and B.Obama during the primaries. I think this is a noble fight; they opted to ignore millions of Americans, they want to preserve their seats, they embraced the big money.Each of them know that they are abusing the american people, by using big money to shut us down. We need to have a assertive way or the corporates gonna soon shut us down!I’m ready to give my modest contribution for the right fight. It’s do or die!
Either we will have real public health care, that is, single-payer, or we will have some worthless hybrid which of course will not work, which is what the enemies of public health insurance want…they know that a frontal attack is impossible in the current political climate, so what they will try to do is gut any health insurance reform to the point where it is ineffectual, then tell us that it “won’t work in America”, despite the fact that it works everywhere else in the developed world.
As far as I am concerned, this is THE issue which will determine whether there is any hope for this congress, drunk on special-interest dollars as it is. Sadly, I don’t have much hope really. OK, congress, prove me wrong. All right, Mr. President, fight for what is right, stop compromising with evil!
HM sounds like more of the same, whimpy Obamacrats wanting to stick their heads up his behind, to stupid to know what he is doing to this country till the curtain falls around their dumb heads, GO GOP and Demoo,s leaning towards whats right for Ameica, not the welfare crowd
will one of you brilliant people explain to me why it is my responsibility to pay for someone else’s healthcare and what i can expect in return from that person
if this healthcare is so good, why has congress and the president exempted themselves and their family from the plan? If government run programs are so great, why don’t the president and members of the congress send their children to the great public school system they created for the rest of us? If government rub programs are so great, why is Social Security bankrupt? If you want to see government programs in action, look at California they are bankrupt and paying people with IOU’s. HOORAY FOR SOCIALISM!
nice virgil, the bottom line with the argument for this new healthcare system IS very much socialist. Its a nice idea, but it doesnt actually work well.
with moderates like Landrieu, who needs conservatives! get rid of all Blue Dogs one at a time. no one talks about how we already have socialized medicine/ medicaid/medicaire/VA.
it’s all in the scare tactics
Yes, we need everyone to think the same. we only need one party in this country. How dare anyone oppose us who do they think they are Americans. Party before country. If this so called plan is so great why won’t your great and powerful savior put his own family on it? He was asked point blank but wouldn’t commit, I wonder why. As a matter of fact how many of the punk congressscum from either party would put their families on it? Very few because usually what is good for the masses isn’t usually good for them. The most ignorantly humerous thing of all is you people actually think you are the only ones in this country who vote and that there won’t be consequences. Consequences do work both ways whether you believe it or not. But I know I’m just speaking into an intolerant echo chamber that thinks they they are the best thing since sliced bread but are going to find out in 2010 that isn’t necessarily so. Enjoy your sad hateful little lives.
how will it be paid for and who will pay for it? that is the big question that no one wants to answer. Bernard can you explain to me how the VA Medical System works? Have any of you ever been denied needed medical attention? I am not talking about physical enhancements such as gastric bypass or breast augmentation, but genuine health issues.
THINK has big gov. ever done anything better? It just costs tax payers more. Control spending an stop waste. Remimber $600.00 ******* seats!
to paraphrase Pres, Lincoln’s comment on redistrubution of wealth. If a man builds a home for himself, it is not the right of his neighbor to demand through the government the his neighbor to build one for him also, but that he needs to get off his butt and build it himself. Bottom line you are not entitled to the fruits of my labor. You need to try working and take responsibility for yourself. I am not your mama or daddy. The federal Government is not your mama or daddy get a job and provide for yourself.
So Virgil, if somebody finds you bleeding in the street, you don’t have any problem with hospitals refusing to treat you because they can’t find your insurance card, right?
Right now, if somebody is bleeding on the street, the hospital treats him, and YOU end up with the bill if they’re uninsured.
With single-payer, if somebody is bleeding on the street, the hospital treats him, and if he’s employed he’s guaranteed to have health insurance, so HE ends up paying the bill. You only end up paying for people who are unemployed, not people who choose not to have insurance.
Which of these sounds socialist to you?
Seriously, Virgil, why don’t you activate your brain and leave the talk show radios turned off for a minute? About half your ambulance bill is to cover people who don’t have health insurance. Call any ambulance company- they can confirm it for you. Part of single payer is mandating insurance- it’s taken out of your paycheck just like Social Security. It should be obvious that your medical costs will go down with any form of mandated health care.
The Change that you can believe in starts with the man in the mirror. Get on the horn and call your Senators for the Public Option. It’s no longer President Obama’s call. Our goal needs to be getting that legislation on his desk, without worrying so much about the “egos” of Senators who are squeamish. Our message to them: We will strongly support you for reelection IF you support our legislative efforts.
don’t underestimate Obama. he calls for everyone to back off and by doing so gains the appreciation of the so called ” moderate democrats ” . Meanwhile everyone continues to hammer them -good cop/bad cop
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I live in North Carolina, and our Senator Kay Hagan was on the fence and waffling, and would not commit to supporting a public option. Then, MoveOn targeted her,and we, her constituents, bombarded her with e-mails and phone calls and letters, telling her she’d be a one-termer if she didn’t get on board. Next thing you know, lo and behold, she came out in favor of a public option. I hope all the independent groups keep up the pressure on all the conservadems. We put them in office and we can take them out.
Wow the level of ignorance on here is overwhelming.Yngve You are a liar.I have lived half my life in Liverpool and in Denmark.Shame on you for your lies.If you actually ive here anywhere you would know that Everyone that can Buys private insurance.If you even get the chance to seea Doctgor in Denmark which is supposedly guaranteed for emergencies you will never go back.Denmark even Advises peope to get Private insurance also.You are by far some of the most ignorant and intolerable people I have read on the Internet. Can’t you people get along?Your President is not really as Popuar in Engalnd as your Press makes him out to be(or our Guardian for that matter).STOP Being So Hateful!!
These Blue Dogs are NOT centrists, moderates or what have you. They are right wing reactionaries, some of them leaning to fascism. Please, do not give them credit for being something that they are not.