Obama Campaign Arm Doubles Down, Targets House Dems On Health Care

Ignoring criticism - namely from Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid - that intra-party targeting was ineffective, Barack Obama's campaign arm is expanding its health care ad buy into the districts of key conservative House Democrats.

Late Friday night Organizing for America and the Democratic National Committee announced the expansion of the "It's Time" ad purchase, which uses personal stories of health care struggles to drive home the need for reform. The initial purchase was on national cable and in eight states with critical Democratic and moderate Republican Senators.

Now the scope of the campaign is expanding. The ad will appear in the media markets that overlap with the congressional districts of 15 members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Eleven of those districts belong to Democrats, including Rep. Zack Space (Ohio), Rep. John Barrow (Georgia), Rep. Jay Inslee (Washington), Rep. Mike Ross (Arkansas), Rep. Bart Gordon (Tennessee), Rep. Baron Hill (Indiana), Rep. Charlie Melancon (Louisiana), Rep. Mike Doyle (Pennsylvania), Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah), Rep. Bart Stupak (Michigan), Rep. Jerry McNerney (California).

The four Republican districts belong to Rep. Fred Upton (Michigan), Rep. Mary Bono Mack (California), and Rep. Greg Walden (Oregon), Rep. Sue Myrick (North Carolina)

For reform advocates, the Energy and Commerce Committee remains the toughest venue of the three committees handling health care in the House of Representatives, in large part because of the Blue Dog and moderate Democrats that make up its ranks. In making this purchase, Organizing for America either is worried about the committee's progress or -- much more likely -- sending a message that it has no problem applying pressure on fellow party members.

No representative is named in the ad. But every one of the aforementioned members will know that the spots are airing in their districts. The markets where the ad will run, according to the OFA/DNC press release, are: Savannah, Palm Springs, Seattle, Nashville, Bloomington, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Little Rock, Columbus, Marquette, Grand Rapids and Medford.

Comments

[Clayton139]

If we can get a Good Quality Progressive Health Care Bill ! - I am for it !

I am on Disability and Medicare, Medicaid and it takes care of all my Doctor Bills as good or better than any AETNA, and/or Blue Cross Blue Shield, I have ever had !
In fact Aetna and Blue Cross would DENY me on lots of claims !

If President Obama can get this Health care Bill right then, it will be the BEST thing for our Country !
Who knows maybe we will become No # 1 in the World on Health care instead of No # 37th, !
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

Universal health care is health care coverage for all eligible residents of a political region and often covers medical, dental and mental health care.
Universal health care is implemented in all but one of the wealthy, industrialized countries, with the exception being the United States.
It is also provided in many developing countries and is the trend worldwide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care

[britethere]

Obama better get his agenda passed before his numbers get any lower. As of today he is lower than Carter at the same time. Another very well liked President but only only served 1 term: USA Today Poll:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/presidential-approval-tracker.htm

[bymyinitials]

I have state paid insurance, but am willing to pay part if it will help any family get insurance. I was in the hosptial with a heart attack in 2004 and the bill was $135,000.00 and that was for 10 days. My insurance paid all but $3,000.00, how lucky was I, but think of the people who will not go to the hospital untill its too late. As far as cost goes, this example should wake some people up....last year I had a TIA (mini stroke) my 3 day stay at the local hospital was $14,300.00, when I requested an itemized statement, you wouldn't believe how many charges were taken off (clerical errors I was told) I ended up paying nothing, but my insurance company paid over $12,000.00 even after I reported the billing problems they didn't investigate, because it wasn't an amount to fight about......well, to me cheating is cheating wether it's a dollar or $12,000.00, this is in part what is wrong in our American health system.

[darker]

Health insurance PROFITEERS will never have ANY competition unless we have gov't sponsored health insurance coverage!

With private healthcare profiteers as the "only option", we will be paying over 1/3 of our income for healthcare. Bankruptcies due to INCREASING outrageous healthcare costs will increase.

Health insurance executives will be laughing all the way to their Swiss bank accounts WHILE YOU GO BROKE!

[expired]

Health Care: The Public Plan Option

These Democratic Senators have NOT agreed to support it:
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)

Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)

Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN)

Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR)

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)

These names are reported by The Hill here and here

Update: Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) says she supports a public option.
Update: Senator Jeff Binghaman (D-NM) says he supports a public option.

You can also contact the White House and voice your opinion
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414

[andip]

Good for them for standing up to this bully!

[britethere]

They must have read the polls and the report from the non-partisan CBO. Before you all get too worked up over the reluctance to PUSH THIS THROUGH unread and unstudied read the CBO report. In the meantime thanks for the list, I will call and tell them "Bravo and hold strong"

[maxfax]

Their jobs should all be on the line.

[Labsaregreat]

Not once did he mention trial lawyer and frivolous lawsuits. Or the gold plated government union benefits. He will pander to his interest

[Garybot]

Of course he will. When has he done and differently. You libs have got to get over the assumption that he wants to help you. He has so much going on that you don't even know about or understand. He is determined to take this country down, and then he will have the power to do whatever he wants. And what he wants will not be what you want.

You might want to think about the fact that you're going to have to actually live in this country; and for those of you who remember, think Russia 1960's and on...

[siepmann]

!. Please cite hard, verifiable evidence that Obama intends to "take this country down," with verifiable sources who can answer on the record from personal contact with someone in the Obama administration. Alternatively, look up the legal definition of the term "libel."

2. It's "liberals," not "libs." "Liberal" comes from the Latin word "liberalis," meaning "of, or pertaining to, a free man." Please explain to us why Republicans, Libertarians, Objectivists, and other conservatives hate freedom.

3. "...think Russia 1960's (sic) and on..." Inappropriate comparison, as you are no doubt aware. Russia, with the exception of a very brief period under the Provisional Government after the abdication of the Tsar, had no history or tradition of any form of government other than an autocratic government. This facilitated the Bolshevik Revolution. The United States, on the other hand, threw off one semi-autocratic government (Great Britain), and had no tradition or history of autocratic government until 2001-2009 -- the period of the Bush II administration. In fact, during the War of 1812, President James Madison saw no need to declare martial law, suspend the Constitution, or institute any form of autocratic government. The elections of 1812 were held _despite_ the presence of British troops on American soil. Different histories, different cultures, different governments, inappropriate comparison. But you might at least explain the conservative love affair with autocracy to us.

[Khrish]

If we could get the Republicans to stay out of the tanning beds and the botex offices, maybe they could learn to care about the American people instead of how much money they can cough up for themselves and their friends. Or maybe if their healhcare plans were suspended until the American people could get them to pass a healthcare plan for us, we could get something done.

[andip]

Don't get old or sick, they won't treat you. Maybe you should go research government run health care before you jump on this band wagon. This is not for American's!

[siepmann]

Funny. I've asked people in countries with single-payer or socialized medicine about these very issues and have gotten one universal response:

"You're not describing the country I'm living in!"

Maybe you should research government-run health care before you make blanket declarations about "This is not for American's (sic)!"

[TruthnPolitics]

Obama's Natl Health Care program will not be any better than all the other government run health care systems in other countries. Rationed medical services, long waiting lists (months to years), and high taxes to pay for this so called Free medical care. Only fools would want a government bureaucracy running health care.
Best site on the internet: http://www.stop-obama.info.

[sugarfree]

We know that this site is a Republicans base site. I am to say this to you the Republicans is scared
that if President Obama Healthcare plan is passed, this would make the Republicans look worst than
they all ready do. Plus to the Republicans this happing under a Black President would send this county into a WORLD SPIN, and they would look foolish.

[andip]

No, we're tired of worker bees footing the bill for slackers!

[4inline]

Oh, get over the black president thing. I don't care what color he is, I don't like this health care plan...didn't like it under Hillary either, and last I checked she's not black.

[Garybot]

Thanks so much - that is an amazing site. I'll be sure to spend a lot of time checking it out tonight.

And you're fanned!

Thanks again.

[siepmann]

Please explain how this differs from insurance company bureaucracies who routinely deny needed care or treatments, routinely second-guess doctors in the name of profits, and routinely throw up as many obstacles as possible to resolving these problems.

[Writeloudly]

So Obama ...it's really about you.

[Writeloudly]

So Obama ....it's really about you.

My mistake I thought it was about us.

[LeLoup]

If this ad sets the tone for what is coming, the lobbyists job is already done. OTOH, if it is just a gentle reminder tha much worse could come their way, then, I'm OK with it. Time will tell.

The truth is Obama can't go halfway here. Consider the deep discontent about Wall Street handling, (everything for them, nothing for us) A defeat in health care would crush his presidency, and he's coming to this realization. That is why hardball politics won't do; back alley, brass knuckle Chicago badass politics would be more appropriate here.

By the way, a defeat would also crush Congress as a whole, if only because a majority of people:

1) would finally have the undeniable proof that it is bought-and-paid-for by special interests.
2) would come to realize that they truly do not matter in DC.
3) by virtue of item 1 and 2, people would rightly conclude that change will only come from them, by way of revolt...peaceful or not.

[nikto]

This is not political hardball--This is political deathmatch-cage-fighting.
The stakes could not be higher for the average American.

No beating around the bush here ----This is Korporate America in direct confrontation AGAINST
the average working person in this country.

1 side will win;The other will lose.
It's that simple.

In actuality, ther is no real middle ground.

"Middle ground" means DEFEAT for average Americans and victory for the Korps.

[mjtaylor22]

The long term political effects of a successful Clinton health care bill will be even worse—much worse. It will relegitimize middle-class dependency for ‘security’ on government spending and regulation. It will revive the reputation of the party that spends and regulates, the Democrats, as the generous protector of middle-class interests. And it will at the same time strike a punishing blow against Republican claims to defend the middle class by restraining government.… Its rejection by Congress and the public would be a monumental setback for the president, and an incontestable piece of evidence that Democratic welfare-state liberalism remains firmly in retreat.”

http://www.historycommons.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=us_health_care_tmln&hlthcr_scandals
guess who said this and when?
scroll down


can u say Mr Krystol
and the year was 1993.........so much is the same in 2009 isn't it.

[Pristine16]

Striking! They can be tripped up by their own words so easily. Check out an article on Care 2 called Hey Republicans, take your own advice and take some self-responsiblity. There's a way to reform health care without raising taxes or adding to the deficit. Check out The 5 Dollar Revolution.com. It's affordable, can grow to include anyone unhappy with their current policy and sets up a single-payer type system.

[Sean 6399]

Everybody needs cell phones! That's why we need a single payer system to make sure every american has access to quality cell phone coverage.

Oh wait, everybody does have access to quality cell phone coverage at a reasonable price? And there's no government single payer paying for it? Inconceivable!

[freelyb]

Not relevant

[Barrelhse]

Apples and oranges. fool.

[jhalvers]

You call the current cell phone contract system "affordable"? Ha!

BTW, I believe the government IS subsidizing people to get cell phones. Try googling it.

[bighat]

you have a point. How many are injured and do not receive immediate medical care . How many miss out on job opportunities. How many take up restaurant space that could be used by others because of canceled plans or someone is running late. All because cell phones are not a right for everyone over 5 yrs old

[mjtaylor22]

nope u wrong again just saw the cell phone providers up on capitol hill being asked why they all had set their rates so similar and they had little difference in package prices for their minutes if they were in competition.
and they keep merging anyway, they are in cahoots as well

[nikto]

Nice try, but...
No comparison.