A White House official said the administration is still in the process of making plans for the recess, but labor leaders and other administration allies told POLITICO that they’re gearing up to spend millions on television advertisements and grass roots organizing. And, judging by spending already reported by some of these groups, they are off to an impressive start.
“We’re going to fight the fight,” said Gerald McEntee, the president of AFSCME, the public sector workers union. McEntee said his union would send television advertisements and organizers into the districts of more than 40 wavering legislators with the goal of getting their constituents “literally incensed about the fact that they’re standing in the way of health care reform.”…
Begala predicted an unprecedented wave of spending on all sides. “August recess is going to be the greatest stimulus package for local television and radio affiliates in the last 10 years,” he said.“Everybody on every side of this is going to be advertising in the local media trying to move those members.”
Conversations with leaders on both sides, and a measure of the early activity, however, suggest that the White House will maintain its advantage in money and organization.
That spending has already begun, and its level is unprecedented, experts say, both in sheer volume and balance. According to data from the Campaign Media and Analysis Group, most of the ad spending this year has been to support initiatives pushed by Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Registration is currently closed. That means if you're not already registered, you can't comment. We will let you know if and when registration re-opens. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Let them spend their money. I say conservatives, and freedom loving people in general, hold massive protests everywhere these representatives go. Make sure the rallies are big, and get the local news there.
BPD on July 26, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Well , it’s doing better than the porkulus.
the_nile on July 26, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Good let them resources throw away on a losing battle.
The GOP doesnt have to pay a dime to defend this. Businesses will have to spend the money.
I say let it roll. This will get business out of backing the democratic party and back into the fold.
William Amos on July 26, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Yea
cause if a huge pressed didn’t do the trick
this will
blatantblue on July 26, 2009 at 3:37 PM
Kill ObammyCare before it kills Grandma.
Blake on July 26, 2009 at 3:38 PM
The left already brought out their biggest gun, Obama, and his disastrous press conference. Support for the plan went down. I don’t think they’re going to change a lot of minds at this point. On the other hand, the dems is Congress will vote something through called “Health Care Reform,” so it would be nice if the GOP actually tried to tell people what that is.
Rational Thought on July 26, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Yesterday an Obamabot was on the street passing out “talking points” and other propaganda about ObamaCare. I took one and it really said that ObamaCare will help small business the most! No sh*t!
JAM on July 26, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Somebody start making some TV ads just mentioning some of the hideous things in the Obamacare bill — the incentives for hospitals to withhold care, the fact that you can no longer choose your own doctor, the clause that grants the government access to all your individual banking accounts, and the rest of it. This is one scary freaking bill and if it passes, it might be a good idea to start taking cash out of your banking accounts and stashing it or investing it.
Aitch748 on July 26, 2009 at 3:44 PM
JAM on July 26, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Too late they failed
William Amos on July 26, 2009 at 3:44 PM
How about the government first fix the health care systems they already run? If they could demonstrate that they could run the VA or Indian Health Service with care or quality surpassing private insurers, then we can trust them with more.
The Congressional health plan doesn’t count, money is no object there. Medicare isn’t a good comparison either because so many people who use Medicare rely equally on Medigap insurance that will become illegal under the current bill.
theCork on July 26, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Consider that Mitt Romney’s healthcare is breaking down already. think of how bad it will get.
William Amos on July 26, 2009 at 3:51 PM
What happened to that Reforma ad? That was probably the most effective ad around.
fourdeucer on July 26, 2009 at 3:53 PM
The Republicans need to start hollering that any plan they will consider MUST ADDRESS TORT REFORM and LOWERING ATTORNEY COMPENSATION IN MED MAL LAWSUITS.
The public will climb on any band wagon that hits attorneys as they are universally hated. It just might shut the liberals up.
stenwin77 on July 26, 2009 at 3:53 PM
WTF?
Aren’t the American people entitled to a vacation from this crap, too?
I mean, it’s not like many of us can afford to escape our own backyards this Summer of 2009. A holiday from the propaganda would be nice.
misslizzi on July 26, 2009 at 4:11 PM
You are correct. There was a slight blip from one of the Dem’s who tried to re-brand this debacle “Health Insurance Reform”. Well, someone must have woken up that ding bat, because you can’t have Insurance Reform without Tort Reform. And because Tort Reform makes sense, the dems aren’t having any of that.
Key West Reader on July 26, 2009 at 4:13 PM
This astroturf thing is a good idea. The Tea Party and Tax Reform movements don’t have much going on until 9/12 so this will be great practice.
Key West Reader on July 26, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Ads work a lot better when the product is unknown and people don’t have an opinion formed yet. Obama in the past six months has lost support among the swing voters, to the point that they’re not going to just take the word of some liberal health care ad, because the person pushing it is no longer a blank slate in their minds.
Combine that with the fact that Obama’s actions have served to eliminate the apathy on the right that was apparent for the previous 2 1/2 years and chances are the Democrats’ TV ads are going to be nullified by the anger real voters show their representatives during the August recess. But it will be a nice stimulus boost for TV stations from George Soros & Co. next month.
jon1979 on July 26, 2009 at 4:18 PM
This article is a warning shot. These folks invented astroturfing (hey, it beats a real job). Conservatives cannot take a vacation. Liberalism is the easy way and statism is for the lazy. Freedom is hard work.
clorensen on July 26, 2009 at 4:18 PM
Here’s why it won’t work. Health Insurance is BORING. NOBODY WANTS TO THINK ABOUT IT. These guys think they are going to get massive crowds in a frenzy over government controlled health care insurance?
Seriously?
If you can make health insurance sexy to get eyeballs for advertising, you can make anything interesting and sexy.
Bottom line: No matter how sexy they make it, it’s still going to add untold Trillions to a federal government mandate to be passed down for generations to come.
ThackerAgency on July 26, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Anyone read this chilling expose of the evil subhuman neofascist agenda these left wing bastards have in store for us? Spread this article around to every man, woman and child you know. It’s on.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07242009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/deadly_doctors_180941.htm?page=0
Sharke on July 26, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Too late. Unless the Dems are trying to scare people in nursing homes (again) they are wasting their breath.
The word is out on what a turkey that plan is. People can be somewhat lazy on tax issues sometimes as the pain can trickle in slowly. Healthcare is different.
People understand that this just doesn’t affect the quality of their life it affects their health directly.
They ain’t taking any chances.
It’s going down.
NeoKong on July 26, 2009 at 4:43 PM
too late but not to be ignored, the better question is how much of that money will be spent on democrats. In other words is a circular firing squad forming.
rob verdi on July 26, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Astroturfing, and a full court press on behalf of Obama.
Unless NBC, CBS, and the rest of the MSM go up in flames right quick this is gonna be a long 3 years.
Chaz706 on July 26, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Let them spend all the money they want. It’s not going to help get this turkey passed. The more people find out about it, the more outraged they’re going to be. And it’s not like the blogs or talk radio are going to shut up about it over the recess.
AZCoyote on July 26, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Thank you. Everyone needs to read this.
True_King on July 26, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Exactly. Like some old sitcom line: “You don’t follow Einstein with Mortimer Schnertz.”
Marcus on July 26, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Even if this fiasco did pass it’s only a matter of time before the public becomes so dis-illusioned that no Dem will be elected for 15 years or more. This health care plan is pure poison–it just may be the slow acting kind.
jeanie on July 26, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Begala? Is he unable to find useful employment or something. Having withdrawal symptoms from the Clinton years? I’m sure he can get rewarding work as a gnome for Keebler with no trouble.
jeanie on July 26, 2009 at 5:42 PM
“…vaunted high tech political machine”?
You mean the one that brought out, what, five people for his last grassroots health care effort?
BRING IT ON!
PattyJ on July 26, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Huh? Preparing, after you lose the first battle? Horsehockey.
In this corner, the big bad Dem machine ready to crush the opposition with their cunning and intellectual prowess.
And in the other corner, the flailing GOP hanging on by their fingernails.
Do those guys at Politico ever turn on the news? Uh, I’m pretty sure David has been kicking Goliath’s ass for the last month. In fact some of Goliath’s buddies have kicking too.
fogw on July 26, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Sounds like it will be professional protestors on the left vs. tea party patriots on the right. It’s on and we’d better show up! And keep those cards and letters (e-mails and faxes) coming to Congress. BTW, went to Americans for Prosperity’s website, but couldn’t find much on health care events. They seem more concerned about cap and trade. But we need to be vocal about that too!
Christian Conservative on July 26, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Well, they may be in for a surprise. My 93 yr young Democrat neighbor (still drives and sharp as a tack) said: “Tell me about this S*@! Obama is trying to do to our health system.”
I said: “Pop, you would be toast under it since you are 93. The best you could hope for is an aspirin.” We continue the discussion tomorrow.
Dingbat63 on July 26, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Not so fast. Big business wants this so that they don’t have to pay for the health insurance for their employees directly out of their pocket. It makes their books look better, and ups their stock value. They are in collusion. Don’t bet against this thing being passed.
Socialism, the juggernaut it is, has never been stymied
in the western world. It goes from strength to strength from decade to decade. I’ll will eat my hat if Obama leaves office in 2012 with no socialized plan in place of some sort. Freebies play to the frailties of human nature, and America is full of humans.
keep the change on July 26, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Good luck with that!
Buy Danish on July 26, 2009 at 6:38 PM
those of us against this will have to participate like never before.
O has coopted Pharma (they are running ads w/Families USA), big business and the AMA
It is shocking how far we’ve ocme. In order to solve the large deficits in medicare cut benes and let people die.
O and his club and hardly even denying this
Cost reduction and expand coverage. Has the US come this far…at least in the hayday of Truman and FDR, they thought these systems could actually work. Now, just shut up and let’s get to the business of rationing care.
(Oh, and coach people on end-of-life)…we’ve come a long way baby
r keller on July 26, 2009 at 7:08 PM
and it is also shocking that a staple of the press/Left’s approach to Conservatives is that we are going to starve the elderly…now, just let them die of infections…no problem
r keller on July 26, 2009 at 7:10 PM
keep the change:
I am not so sure about that. Insurance companies are big business and they invest in a lot of other big businesses. In this plan these businesses have to provide insurance or pay a fine. My guess is that they think some sort of plan will pass and they want to get the best deal they can. That does not mean they all this thing. After all, if they did I would think it would have happened by now.
Terrye on July 26, 2009 at 7:16 PM
I am sorry, that last comment made no sense. My point is that most big businesses are not so much crazy about health care reform, as they are crazy about getting the best deal they can for themselves. If it all falls through they will not suffer.
Terrye on July 26, 2009 at 7:17 PM
Maybe we’re getting ready for a full court press of our own.
Arrogant bastards.
crosspatch on July 26, 2009 at 7:22 PM
But where are the opposition ads? Why am I utterly certain that 99% of Americans don’t know who Rahm Emanuel’s brother is or that he’s an evil modern Mengele in charge of Obama’s health care reform. Why not do an ad juxtaposing some of Mengele’s words with some of Emanuel’s? That’ll get some attention. These people are handing the GOP every argument they need on a silver platter, from killing old people to withholding care from what the House bill terms “retarded” people to forcing nuns who also happen to be nurses into performing abortions. WHERE ARE THE ADS? WHERE IS THE FIERCE URGENCY? Hello? Hello? chirp, chirp
Rational Thought on July 26, 2009 at 7:37 PM
I think the insurance companies love this idea since it mandates everyone to buy their product, kind of like car insurance. The businesses like it because it relieves them of having to pay for medical coverage for their employees and puts the cost onto taxpayers. All these businesses are thinking short term of course. In the end, socialism kills everything, but businesses don’t think long term, they think what is good for stock value today. The stock market has just broke 9000 because investors, like businesses, are idiots who don’t see the big picture. Obama will sell this as candy to the bigwigs who will take it as a freebie. Then it is all over. The trojan horse is in.
“The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of ‘liberalism’ they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.”
Norman Thomas
U.S. Presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America – 1948
keep the change on July 26, 2009 at 8:32 PM