Obama Allies Launch New Ad Directly Attacking GOP Leaders — White House Told In Advance
President Obama’s allies on the left, AFSCME and the labor-backed Americans United for Change, are ramping up with a massive advertising blitz containing the most direct and hard-hitting attack yet on specific GOP leaders, demanding that they get behind the recovery package and stop saying “No.”
White House aides were told in advance what the concept of the ads would be, though they were briefed while the ad was in production, according to a Democrat familiar with the discussions. The ad, which is running nationally on cable, goes considerably farther than Obama and the White House has in directly calling out Republican leaders, flashing images of GOP Reps John Boehner and Eric Cantor, and Senator Mitch McConnell.
The ad — which is accompanied by a big targeted radio ad blitz hitting 18 GOP House members and three Senators opposing the plan — is a sign that Obama and his advisers won’t try to get in the way as allied groups play hardball with the Republicans in the final stretch of the stimulus fight, even as the Obama administration hits GOPers blocking the plan somewhat less directly or aggressively.
The TV spot — which will run at least from today to Friday — hits the Republican leadership three times.
“Republican leaders? They’re just saying No. No to changing the failed economic policies of the past eight years,” the ad intones. “We’re in an economic crisis, and Republican leaders are playing politics instead of doing what’s right. Call the Republican leadership. Tell them no is not an option.”
Update: The GOP leadership’s response? A video depicting AFSCME union members as goons.
Update II: AFSCME chief Gerald McEntee is now calling on Eric Cantor’s office to apologize for sending out the labor goon vid.
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I’m still processing this post—barely due to a lack of coffee. Going back to the office kitchenette.
I think one of the questions is whether or not anybody will call. I love the idea of the ads and even the ads themselves but like I said in another thread, Dems are just horrible at using switchboard polling to our advantage. We see an ad like that one and pump our fist but never take the time out to actually pick up the phone and follow through. When we start doing that we will blunt the Republican’s most effective tactic
This should be an ad in its own right:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/218486/february-10-2009/the-word—loyal-opposition
I’m still amazed that a comment by the NRCC chairman comparing GOP tactics to those of the Taliban did not get more press scrutiny. Aren’t these the same people who claimed Obama was palling around with terrorists?
I just called to voice my opposition to the Republican stranglehold and received “we’re sorry, all circuits are busy now”… so perhaps many of us are trying to get this message to them. I happen to be in John Boehner’s district and have already sent him my opinion via email.
I called both Cornyn and Hutchinson’s office yesterday and expressed my outrage at the games they are playing. Turns out both were not even in Washington on monday to vote, Cornyn had more important business in New York where he was meeting with GOP Wall Street Bankers…go figure…oh and Cornyn is the chairman to National Rep. Senatorial committee. His job is to make sure Dems gain no more seats. I get how his vote was not really needed on monday. But I also see who he finds more important. His number is 202-224-2934. Call him and let him know that you hope he fails…..
I TRUST OUR PRESIDENT —- HE IS A JUST MAN
BUT HE CAN NOT DO THIS BIG JOB ALONE WITHOUT US
WAKE UP MY FELLOW AMERICANS
By Dwight Baker
317 words
The use of the Internet is not going to save our nation. Just because we can air our wishes and desires to bring coalitions together to discuss between ourselves the needs of others and us is far from a FIX for our GOVERNMENT.
The Internet is not the fix it is just one step along the way to bring saneness back as a core of thought between us.
But WAKE UP WE HAVE NO POWER for our thoughts and desires to be pushed along inside of our corrupt affairs of our GOVERNMENT.
Petitions and Pleas and all our blogging trying to tell each of our stories best as we can will never bring the kind of POWER to bring about the needed changes.
The economic stimulus bill being discussed has had the LOBBYIST in Washington DC in a feeding frenzy adding the things that their clients WANT ADDED to the bill and some call that PORK.
I call it GREED. The give and take and chit chat and back slaps and ballyhoo are just a repulsion to me how about you?
We have the number of folks to start our own LOBBY in Washington DC. When done we would have power to affect the changes needed to bring a halt to our run a way GOVERNMENT for a time.
Our LOBBY would represent us. They would snoop too —- to give all of us the day by day LOW DOWN what and who were pushing for what to be added to a bill to get a FREE RIDE in our DEMOCRACY.
Our LOBBY would be seen on CSPAN each night for the nightly NEWS not VIEWS from the elites and EAST COAST BLUE BLOODS needs to have their agendas pushed down our throats.
WAKE UP MY FELLOW AMERICANS
Contact dbaker007@stx.rr.com on how you can help push the concept of
WE THE PEOPLES LOBBY along.
I just tried to call the phone number in the ad and it rang an infinite number of times with no one answering. It seems to be a metaphor for the republican party. No leadership!!
You don’t need Republican votes damm it!
REMEMBER THIS WHEN IT’S TIME TO VOTE. REMEMBER HOW THEY PUT PARTY BEFORE THEIR COUNTRY. GET THESE PARTISON NUTCASES OUT OF OFFICE. BRING IN SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO HELP AMERICA… NOT THEIR PARTY OR THEIR BANK ACCOUNT.
Actually you DO need Republican votes. With any bill affecting the deficit you have to have 60 votes in the Senate. Filabuster or not we need at least two Republicans
The astroturfing president…
I don’t get it. Obama doesn’t even NEED Republican votes. What’s the issue here? That they refuse to take the fall on this failure of a package? Good for them. I’d label them as HEROES!
This is going to backfire on the Democrats. This ’stimulus’ package is being opposed by not only Republicans but independents, based on the cost and uncertainty about its effectiveness. On top of that, Geithner’s bank bailout was (literally) laughed at when presented to a group of congressmen from both parties.
It’s not clear at all that Obama’s plan is the best one, and running these ads is going to look coercive. Like I say, the ads won’t work, and I think Obama’s popularity will take a hit because of them.
Republicans, a strangle hold??? Democrats do not need Republicans to get this bill passed! Why do you want Republicans to vote on it, when you don’t need their votes?
LOL I want everyone on this comment board to remember what they typed in 2 years after this is all done. You CANNOT fix an over-borrowed currency by borrowing more. You guys cant be serious. Think about it: If you borrow a million dollars to finance your business and you cannot meet your interest rate on the loan what happens? You cannot apply any other formula to this borrowing but basic economic formulas. Almost everything being passed in this stimulus is for if you lose your job. Think about that. If it is suppose to stimulate the economy why have they allotted money to social programs that primarily benefit those who dont work. You have all been conned and within 2 years you will realize it!!!
It’s a good thing that we now have it on the record that the White House is coordinating partisan attack ads. Eventually someone at the west wing will go to jail for this blatant violation of law.
It’s amazing how those left-wing goons can claim that the GOP is blocking the pork package when the Dems have a huge majority in Congress. They can easily pass the bill in the House and only need one GOP senator to vote for it.
Obama and the rest of his Democratic buddies never cease to amaze me! They talk about working with Republicans, but Pelosi & Co. won’t include many Republicans in these negotiations! What a bunch of two-faced hypocrites! And that goes for the mainstream media, because they totally support the Democrats. Only objectivity for them is backing the Democrats 100% on everything, 100% of the time.
Most Americans DO NOT want this “stimulus” bill, because any common sense proves borrowing money to get out of debt NEVER works! This kind of “stimulus” didn’t work during the ’30s, and it didn’t work for Japan in the 90s. And it will not work now!
Millions of Americans are fed up with Obama & his fellow Democrats strong-arm tactics against any and all discent. Obama & his cronies want a totalitarian society where they run everything/decide everything. Well, unfortunately, we’re almost there! But these totalitarian wannabees are going to be in for the fight of their lives!
BTW…great posts liz k, John Shadows, BobC and Joseph Brewer.
Wasn’t it the Republican that was attacked by the Democrats for its “attack ads”… but it is fine when Obama wants to do it…
The only stranglehold going on here is the one Obama, Pelosi, and Reid are putting on responsible Americans.
So the Democrats don’t allow the Republicans to participate in the discussions and negotiations on the bill and now they’re mad that the Republicans voted against it?
I just wanted to say that I love this site