White House Set To Unleash Post-Rush Message Blitz

Politico:

Beginning Sunday, the White House will harness every part of the Democratic Party's machinery to defend President Obama's budget and portray Republicans as reflexively political, according to party strategists.

A participant in the planning meetings described the push as a successor to Democrats' message that Rush Limbaugh is the Republican Party leader. "We have exhausted the use of Rush as an attention-getter," the official said.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[mtdem4ever]

What I want to know is what Boehner is talking about, "unpopular, earmark-laden bill...". If it was so unpopular, why did they craft it last year under Bush? So laden with ear-marks when so many of them belong to him and his neo-con, retalibanican buddies. They are the party of no, unless the question is tax cuts for the wealthy.

[Eyeswideopen1]

By my grade school math, less than 1% is not what I would consider "earmark-laden". I guess they teach some other math in the red states. Do they even teach math in the red states?

[movecenter]

I'm so glad to hear the Dems are finally developing a collective voice to promote the President's agenda. The majority of the people voted for Obama's agenda, and yet the GOP has dominated MSM with incessant fearmongering for political purposes. I've been wondering why the Dems have not been selling their agenda.

Sounds like the Dem publicity strategy is just to tell the truth....t­he GOP has no ideas or solutions beyond lowering taxes. They are against all plans aimed at helping average citizens.

[HFR]

This is all about disinformation, being peddled to confuse, go after the people funding Limbaugh and Fox News, the religious right is the enemy of the people?

[RJII]

Newt and company propped up Rush to be the mouthpiece of the party decades ago. Why is everyone so sensitive now that Rush is the GOP leader. Its a party redefining itself and its loudest, most popular voice is at the lead.

Why now are Rushlicans acting offended or embarassed. Rush defines the core values of the "real' american for the GOP base. Who cares?

[MPeter]

Here is the GOP: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/15/dnc-blasts-boehner-for-cl_n_175083.html

[OldManJack2]

So this is news? That the Democratic party is going to use the drive-by media to write propaganda pieces pushing the Democratic socialist agenda and make it sound like news stories. That's what they've been doing for the past forty years.

[ktal]

Uh, right. The Democrats have been so successful at controlling the media that Republican talking heads outnumber them almost two to one, and strong progressive viewpoints are outnumbered by strong conservative viewpoints at 30 to 1. Another Republican myth of victimology shattered.­.. As Che once said, "It's not my fault that reality is Marxist." The problem is that the news media don't report reality.

[amdezurik]

thanks for that idi.ocdy Spongrush Fartpants

[mesmerised]

To Renee27

Frank Schaeffer has lost his way between religion and politics. He's correct in abandoning fundamentalist religion (if only radical Muslims would do the same) but wrong headed in his choice of political persuasion. He's making the mistake of all the newly converted, i.e. throwing the baby out with the bathwater regarding the old, and blindly embracing EVERYTHING of the new, without thoughtful consideration. He's being a fool.

[Collielady]

This is great! The Rethugs will have to get up very early in the morning if they want to outsmart this administration. Like 1:00 am, last week!

[vesaversa1]

Who care who started what the democrat machine ishard hitting BRILLIANT.

[wdw505]

wow, do you read your posts before posting them

[Hannah King]

The ad with the crickets? It was "stolen" from the Lionel Show on Air America. His show starts at 9am and runs until noon eastern time. He always uses the "crickets" when he has a caller who is completely off the wall about an issue or doesn't know what the heck he or she is opining on.

[jmsent]

Oh please. Stephanie Miller's been using that forever.

[ivegotblisteronmefingers]

and steffie is smarter AND funnier

[Collielady]

"Stolen" was in quotes. I don't think the comment was intended to criticize O. It was just letting everyone know the Lionel also uses it, and very humorously, in case anyone wants to tune in. That's my take on the comment.

[Collielady]

I'm sure he doesn't mind O's team using it!

;-)

[RedBlue7]

VOTE: 2 things which made America a prosperous nation until 2001...

http://www.e-paperview.com/epaper-poll-1.html/

[katielady]

I agree with Daniel D and other blogger who realize playing tit for tat with the gop isn't going to do much but create damage to the agenda..

love Gibb's ties...

If anyone out there remembers JFK and his witty banter and asides.. that is what Obama needs to learn.. maybe Michelle can help him with this..

[bygollymissmolly]

So you think that they should just sit back and allow the Republican'ts catapult the propaganda? I don't think so. That is what has hurt the Democrats for too many years. They tried to take the high road and not fight back. We can't afford to do that any longer, especially when 80% of our MSM is owned by conservative corporations who control the message.

[partyofone]

What are the Democrats going to accomplish by fighting with the Republicans now? Democrats have control of the House, the Senate and the White House. Now is the time to ACT. Squabbling with Republicans out of power is pointless, a distraction, an excuse not to move forward. We don't need partisan revenge, just action to implement Obama's agenda.

[wdw505]

now that's funny.....­....most are slanted to the liberal side of things

[Metome]

Um. why shouldn't this administration fight back against the lies that the Republicans are promoting all over the media? I think they should decry any lies and twists the Republicans put out.

[partyofone]

Because the American people already know who is lying. Why spend time and energy squabbling with Republicans when the nation is falling apart? Calling the Republicans bad names will do nothing to implement Obama's agenda. The Clintonistas in the White House, led by Rahm Emanuel, don't know anything to do but fight with Republicans. Its like Karl Rove all over again. Divisive partisansh­ip... by Republicans or Democrats is not the answer. We need people who can GOVERN, lead a nation, not produce more division, finger pointing and name calling.

[wdw505]

they try

[lena22]

Okay "bo-hoo" and "cry me a river" Republicans. Wake up and smell the madness, pull yourselves up from your "fell sorry for me" boot straps and find a message that resignate with the majority of Americans. Don't forget Rush is just the Democrats version on Michael Moore:)

[Windchime]

When will the dems start taking responsiblity for what is happening under Obama's watch?

[Eoin45]

After you take responsiblity for what happened on yours and this economic mess is yours.

[montecarlo408]

Your screen name suits you. You blow a lot of wind. Anywho, Obama has to be given the same chance Bush had to let his plans take shape. People gave Bush the benefit of the doubt (I didn't, but he was my President, too, so I had to go along), and he dragged us into the ditch. Obama has already said that if his plans don't work, then vote him out in 2012. So, if it doesn't work, you, along with everyone else, will have an opportunity in 2012 to put someone else in his place. You can bet, though, that it won't be any of YOUR idols.

[Kalamama]

We are watching. Under Obama's watch, he is trying to undue the damage done under Bush's watch and he's doing it responsively.

[proudloudlib]

When will the repubs take responsibility for what happened under Bush?

[Collielady]

They are, because it's all good!

[hippie chucker]

I think the whole point of this message blitz is to prevent an alternative message from getting out, isn't it?
What American thinks doubling our deficit is good for the country?

[Fabienne]

All the Americans who are unemployed, losing their homes, deeply in debt, without healthcare (wait, this describes the majority of Americans these days) probably believe that the stimulus package is a good thing whether our not the deficit is doubled. I would guess that most of these people do not applaud the huge tax cuts for the wealthy and for corporations and the massive war budget that caused the huge deficit in the first place.

[bygollymissmolly]

I disagree with your equating Michael Moore to Rush Limbaugh. You might not like Moore but he is no comparison to Limbaugh. He doesn't lie and obfuscate to get his point across, whereas that's all that Limbaugh does.

[Daniel D 68]

I am not sure how my point is going to come across, But here is the deal, Arguing with the Repubs at this point is giving them power when they don’t really have it. Engaging them needlessly is giving them the ability to say “I told you so” when the inevitable mistake happens, and that is going to give them even more power. IT is like arguing with a Toddler at this point, They have no control, and right now YES from the President is YES! Our President was elected for a reason, to change what was happening, his whole platform was Bush and Co. had it wrong, we know that, so to continually hear the Dems say it is getting old, Just fix it! Rush Limbo and Co, were not in the news until we put them there, and one of these days, they are going to get something correct, you think they are howling now, wait for that to happen.

[bygollymissmolly]

So you advocate that they just sit back and shut up, allowing the Republican't noise machine free rein? I.DON'T.TH­INK.SO. The Democrats have gotten themselves in trouble for years by not fighting back. Until the Republicant's sit back and allow President Obama breathing room to do his job, the Democrats need to keep up their assaults on the Republicant's.

[partyofone]

Noise machines are noise machines, and the Democrats in Congress are a big noise machine too. What exactly did they do with majorities in both houses since 2006 to protect the Constitution and hold Bush accountable. They made noise and took NO ACTION. Now they pass another HUGE omnibus pork ladden budget. Nothing in Congress will change unless President Obama is a tough leader who makes the Democrats work to accomplish his agenda, while the Republicans continue the endless noise of divisive partisanship.

[JimBozo]

Your fallacy becomes obvious when you consider that huge numbers of people actually think that the EFCA bill does away with the secret ballot on voting for unionization. People didn't come up with that on their own, it was fed to them, and it stuck. Propaganda is a very cheap way of gaining mind control, and if it isn't squelched as soon as it appears, it takes hold and becomes perceived fact.

Ask John Kerry if he's had second thoughts about responses to his "swift-boating".

[partyofone]

Well said Daniel D 68. Limbaugh is a cult figure. The Republicans are a defeated, leaderless party. Why spend any time publicly arguing with them?

[bygollymissmolly]

I think it is really sad that the Democrats need to play games like this, but it is an unfortunate reality of today's political climate. They have learned that if they try to take the high road and remain silent while being assaulted by Republican't propaganda and lies, they end up losing in the long run. They can't let the Republicant's "catapult the propaganda" any longer.

[hippie chucker]

"...becaus­e bitter, partisan fights and outworn ideas of the left and the right won't solve the problems we face today. But a new spirit of unity and shared responsibility will. "
Barack Obama, Sept 17, 2008.

I guess we can chuck that out the window. Unless a "spirit of unity" means partisan attacks coming from the White House, maybe?

[MountainPenelope]

I agree that Rush is old news and it's time to end that little scuffle. However, chucker, just how much is President Obama supposed to take of lying and distorting before answering? He is in a d@mned if you do, d@mned if you don't situation. We do know that RL's ratings have dropped to 15% since this little tete-a-tete began, so it was pretty effective.

President Obama has continually reached out to these people, but that hand gets bitten every time. So, he says enough is enough. I'm proud of him for that.

Now, it's back to work.

[jubei]

You're spot on with your post I agree,President Obama needs to be above the fray because the hateful GOP's and democrats are gonna attack over his policies or his family,his skin color etc,let David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel be the political henchmens and counterattack the GOP's and their talkin points like David Gregory from MTP and John King of CNN.

[nomobull]

games are what the gop are doing the dems are informing us as to what is going on.forcing some of us to face hard truths about how bad it is and how we got here, removing the scales from our eyes about the gop while they whine about being exposed.