Anger

August 6, 2009

MANUFACTURED ANGER It’s Democrats Vs. Democrats That Really Worries Obama And DNC ________________________________________________________________________

CNN: “White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that he thinks the anger some of the congressmen have experienced is manufactured.” (Kristi Keck, Mark Preston and Paul Steinhauser, “Democrats Say Republicans Staging Town Hall Protests Story Highlights,” CNN, 8/5/09)

AS CANDIDATE, OBAMA ENCOURAGED ANGER AND AGGRESSION AMONG HIS SUPPORTERS During Campaign, Obama Encouraged Supporters To Be Aggressive With Republicans. “I need you to go out and talk to your friends and talk to your neighbors. I want you to talk to them whether they are independent or whether they are Republican. I want you to argue with them and get in their face.” (Senator Barack Obama, Campaign Remarks in Elko, Nevada, 9/17/08)

AS PRESIDENT, OBAMA DIDN’T MIND WHEN HIS SUPPORTERS WERE PACKING TOWN HALLS In Recent Obama Town Hall, In-Person Questioners Were Plants From Pro-Obama Groups And Video Questions Were Hand Selected By Obama Staffers. “The questions posed from social media networks were selected by White House staffers, and the three people he called on from the audience all were affiliated with advocacy groups that support Obama. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs defended the event beforehand, saying the questions posed reflected ‘a representative sample of the issues.’ Smith said the White House invited her to attend after she had spoken at events for Organizing for America, an Obama grass-roots operation at the Democratic National Committee. Another questioner said he worked for Health Care for America Now, and the third identified herself as a member of the Service Employees International Union." (Susan Page, “Obama Takes Health Care Pitch To Virginia,” USA Today, 7/2/09)

ONLY ANGER BEING MANUFACTURED ARE DEMS RUNNING ADS AGAINST OTHER DEMS MoveOn.org Attacking Blue Dogs. “MoveOn.org is on the radio, airing ads in the districts of three other conservative Blue Dogs who voted against the Energy and Commerce reform measure -- Reps. John Barrow (Ga.), Jim Matheson (Utah) and Charlie Melancon (La.).” (Ben Pershing, “Groups Take Health-Reform Debate To Airwaves,” The Washington Post, 8/5/09) Obama Campaign Operation Targeting Dem Senators With TV Ads. "A wing of the DNC announced this week that it would launch a new television ad to press Democratic senators from Arkansas, Indiana, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, Nebraska and Ohio. The ad, funded by ... a wing of the DNC that was formed from the grass-roots operation of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, urges senators to back an overhaul of the nation's healthcare system." (Alexander Bolton, "Reid Calls DNC Healthcare Ads 'Waste Of Money,'" The Hill, 7/16/09)

Democratic Strategist’s Group Smearing Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE). “When Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) called the public plan a deal breaker, a progressive group co-founded by Joe Trippi launched a campaign in Nebraska accusing the senator of being a 'sellout' for special interests ..." (Carrie Budoff Brown, "Dems Vs. Dems On Health Bill," Politico, 6/11/09) Group Founded By Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean Also Attacking Nelson As “Corrupt.”. “Liberal activists have significantly ratcheted up their brewing fight with centrist Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who will be a pivotal vote in the Senate’s healthcare reform debate. A liberal activist working with an advocacy group founded by former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean has attacked Nelson as ‘bought and paid for by health and insurance interests’ and suggested he is ‘corrupt’ and ‘out of touch.’” (Alexander Bolton, “Nelson, Liberals Escalate Feud,” The Hill, 8/3/09) Paid for by the Republican National Committee. 310 First Street SE - Washington, D.C. 20003 - (202) 863-8500 - www.gop.com Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Howard Dean’s Political Group Teams With Left-Wing Organization To Target Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT). “[A]n ad will begin airing in Montana charging Baucus with choosing monied interests over average voters who want the public insurance option … Charles Chamberlain, political director of Democracy for America … [said,] ‘We consider the public option the core of any real reform here. We are going to make sure voters in Montana know Baucus is standing with insurance companies, rather than with Barack Obama.’ The push by Democracy for America and PCCC is the latest escalation in the Democrat versus Democrat ad wars over health care reform.” (Carrie Budoff Brown, “Left Targets Baucus On Public Option,” Politico, 7/21/09) Liberal Organizations Joins Unions In Running Ads Pressuring Blue Dog Democrats. “Healthy Economy Now is an ‘odd bedfellows’ coalition -- increasingly common on the health care scene. Its members … [include] Families USA and the Service Employees International Union. This is the third ad the coalition has released in an ad buy that has totaled more than $12 million… The goal of the ads is to press the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, who have been snarling about the cost of a health care overhaul and other issues, to support the House bill. The ad urges people to call congressmen who have expressed reservations to ask them to support the legislation.” (Andrew Villegas, “Ad Audit: If,” Kaiser Health News, 7/21/09)

2 Paid for by the Republican National Committee. 310 First Street SE - Washington, D.C. 20003 - (202) 863-8500 - www.gop.com Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.