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by Mark Silva
Breaking Barack Obama.
The mere mention of it makes Obama laugh.
A Republican memo has circulated behind the scenes suggesting that people perceived as a "check and balance'' on Obama will do better in next year's congressional elections than those supporting the president. And if the Republicans can stop the president's push for healthcare reform, Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina has said, "it will be his Waterloo... It will break him.''
Obama, interviewed for the Today show today, laughed at the senator's remark, read back to him by NBC News' Meredith Vieira.
"It's typical,'' Obama explained, suggesting it encapsulates the entire Republican debate on healthcare legislation that the Democratic leadership is promoting. "This is not about, 'do we need a little more time to get this right, to be constructive... This is all about politics... That describes exactly an attitude that we've got to overcome.
"What folks have in their minds is, that somehow this is about me, it's about politics and about the ability to win back the House of Representatives,'' said Obama, reminded that indeed he does have a lot riding, politically, on the success of the reforms he is promoting.
"This is absolutely important to me, but this is not as important to me as it is to the people who don't have health care,'' he said. "Yes, absolutely, I am deeply invested in getting this thing done, but this isn't Washington sport, this isn't about who's up and who's down, this is about solving an enormous problem for the American people.''
Tim Kaine, the Democratic National Committee chairman, circulated an email today warning that "special interests and opponents of health care reform in Washington have made their priority clear: attack President Obama at any cost. On Friday, GOP Sen. Jim DeMint told a special-interest attack group that if they're "able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him...''
"Their plan is simple: oppose health care reform as a political ploy to weaken the president and defeat his entire agenda of change,'' Kaine writes, complaining of some "slash and burn politics'' at work in this debate.
"A private memo distributed by the Republican National Committee calls for like-minded advocates to help defeat President Barack Obama's health care proposals by delaying its consideration,'' the Huffington Post reports today. "Much of the material mirrors the speeches and presentations made by conservatives both inside and out of elected office to date. Obama's plan for health care is deemed an "experiment" and a "risk" that could bankrupt the country and dangerously change the doctor-patient relationship.
"In particular, the 12-page memo makes the case that it is a Republican priority to slow down the consideration of health care reform before it can become codified.''
"The Republican National Committee will engage in every activity we can to slow down this mad rush while promoting sensible alternatives that address health care costs and preserve quality," the memo declares.
It highlights internal polling conducted from June 15 to 17, in which 56 percent of respondents said they would be more likely to vote for a congressional candidate who was a "check and balance" on the president's agenda. Thirty-five percent said they preferred a candidate who would help Obama.
"Every Republican should stand up for health care reform that controls cost, preserves quality and provides the health care that Americans deserve," the memo reads. "This means standing up against President Obama's health care plan. The Obama administration is acting with extreme haste, hoping to push through their health care experiment as fast as they can. Make no mistake -- their timeline is based on what works for them politically, not on what will result in the best health care policy for Americans. The reckless speed with which they are attempting to jam through this experiment is a grave threat to America's health care, and America's health."
In an effort to slow down reform, the RNC advises its advocates to use a whole host of political tools, from organizing town halls, to writing letters to the editor, to booking surrogates on radio and television, to engaging in "Street Theater" protests outside Democratic events. And in a bit of irony, the memo's authors encourage readers to frame the president as the one acting out of political motivations.
"Despite the president's increasingly skeptical reviews, it should also be noted that the Obama administration is fantastic at the PR game," the memo reads. "In some cases, they are even a little too good at it, selling things that are demonstrably untrue."
Comments
Let's see, more and more Americans are alarmed by the policies of Obumbles and his Democrapic cadre of congressional loons. The Obune even printed a guest column from a couple of doctors from the Mayo Clinic basically saying that Obama Care will destroy U.S. health care.
No one denies, even Republicans and conservatives, that changes need to be made to the U.S. health care system. But so far what we've gotten from Obumbles and his cadre of congressional loons is proposals to ration care, tax increases, lower payments to doctors and hospitals, Obumbles suggesting one takes a painkiller pill rather than getting the surgery one needs all the while Obumbles would get the best care possible for his family, and a plan in which we have to prove we have health insurance or the IRS will fine us to the hilt and a plan in which our doctors are chosen for us. Oh and changing 20 percent of the U.S. economy MUST be done by August! And another in which no one has read it. Oh and we need to vote on ASAP because we don't the American people to know what we've done until it's too late and before my poll numbers crash and you're all too afraid to do anythbing. Is that about right?
Meanwhile, Mark Silva spoon feeds us what David Axelrod dishes to him and still hasn't written anything about how the Congressional Budget Office, with a guy appointed to head it by the Democraps, is warning that Obumbles spending and policies are destroying this country. Except for throwaway sentence in another item. Now, I think I got it about right!
Posted by: John D | July 21, 2009 3:53 PM
Ha Ha Ha!
With the numbers the Repuglicans have they couldn't win a game of Bingo, let alone a National Election:
What passes for intellect in todays Repuglican party is hilarious - Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha !!!!
.
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/the-incredible-shrinking-gop-only-one-in-five-self-identify-as-republican/
Posted by: Drunk, Stupid and Republican is no way to go through life, Lil' Johnny D | July 21, 2009 4:35 PM
Might as well run against an individual rather than run on a platform of actual ideas; The GOP has none...
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | July 21, 2009 4:36 PM
Axelrod and Tim Kaine send out the DNC marching orders, and The Swamp rejurgitates the approved Party Line.
Posted by: Change in 2012 | July 21, 2009 4:44 PM
These Republican goons are revealing in the hope that the president will fail at a critical time in our history. This encapsulates the Republican/Conservative/Teabagger movement that began right out of the gate. It's kind of saddening to watch the Republican party meltdown like this, maybe if I drop a man sized safe on my head I'll be able to better understand the way these Repug apes think? - or maybe not.
Posted by: former Republican | July 21, 2009 4:48 PM
Mark Silva spoon feeds us what David Axelrod dishes to him and still hasn't written anything about how the Congressional Budget Office, with a guy appointed to head it by the Democraps, is warning that Obumbles spending and policies are destroying this country. Except for throwaway sentence in another item. Now, I think I got it about right!
Posted by: John D | July 21, 2009 3:53 PM
-------------------------------------------
.
Because it isn't really happening anywhere other than that fantasy world of Faux News/Druggy Rush Wingnut propaganda-land that you live in, Lil Johnny Candyarse.
Posted by: janet | July 21, 2009 4:57 PM
We always said "no" any way.
"...ncapsulates the entire Republican ..." is the good idea to me.
Posted by: keith | July 21, 2009 5:01 PM
Who In Their Right Mind Is Gonna' Care About A Memo From RNC Comedian Michael Steele?
The moronic GOP had the last DECADE to do something about healthcare and spending etc and they merely did what they ALWAYS do ; help out the big insurance companies/big oil, line their own pockets with lobbyist dollars and give tax cuts to the rich...........
SHUT UP, GOPer's!
Posted by: Lithium | July 21, 2009 5:11 PM
Does the Republican party remind anyone else of elementary school recess? The kids are picking teams and all the smart, cool kids have already been picked by the Dems while these GOPer bozos try and cobble together a team from the leftovers.
Screw these morons. Compromise my butt. Bi-partisanship my butt! It's time to Freight train these GOPer idiots. Pass everything around them. It is beneath Pres Obama, Democrats and American's dignity to waste time trying to appease these psychotic GOPer whackjobs anymore.
Posted by: K | July 21, 2009 6:29 PM
I'm 64; I've had a heart attack and now 4 stints and I've got no insurance. Whatever Obama can do for health care, I'm for. How many more like me are there out there? Do I want to hear repub political jargon??? They got us here. Let's let Obama get a chance to get us out.
Posted by: irene | July 21, 2009 7:00 PM
As usual this is what passes as original thought from the demented, deranged Loony Left:
Because it isn't really happening anywhere other than that fantasy world of Faux News/Druggy Rush Wingnut propaganda-land that you live in, Lil Johnny Candyarse.
Posted by: janet | July 21, 2009 4:57 PM
Dumb Dumb Janet, er the basemented and shackled John E., please try operating in a world of thought for a change. Oooops, excuse me, I've never come across a card-carrying member of the Loony Left that could think rationally. My bad. Carry on with your deranged hysteria. You make mumsy and dadsy so proud!
Posted by: John D | July 21, 2009 7:11 PM
Obama qualifications to reform health care:
No birth certificate
Cannot stop smoking
Difficulty telling the truth.
Therefore, I Igor produce Obama Birth Certificate at www.igormaro.org
Compare Obama Care vs Igor Care at Obama vs Igor Care
Posted by: Igor Marxomarxovichi | July 21, 2009 7:49 PM
Igore the Stupid,
Quit sitting on your head.
Posted by: pluto | July 21, 2009 8:33 PM
"GOP Generational Theft By Deception Evil Doers Speak" Just do nothing, let him fail! Just do nothing, let America fail! Too much "Chicken and Change in America" Too much Two tacos Rice and Beans in America. Just do nothing, and they will all get sick! Just do nothing and they all will just die! It's the Payback! It's the GETBACK for selling us out for "Chicken and Change." No Healthcare for you! Just death. No Jobs for you just Hecho in China, Pakistan, India! No "Media" for you. Just Info on the Info on the Info! Just do nothing! Just say nothing! Just fail! Just fail! No job creation for you! Just do nothing! No Healthcare for you! Just do nothing! No "Public Option" for you Just us! Just the GOP Generational Theft by Deception Evil doers! It's not TARP it's OBAMA! Just do nothing, Just say nothing. Just fail! Just fail America! The deal or no deal! The GOP Reconciliation deal or no deal! Just do nothing!
Posted by: Roger Morris | July 22, 2009 2:44 PM
Barack Obama will never -I repeat NEVER- say to your face what he actually plans to do or achieve with these huge new government programs.... like bankrupt the private health insurance industry. Good-faith disclosure is simply not how Obama operates-
Rather, you get some calculating and specious auditory with styrofoam props to wow the plebes, like the tacky Greek columns in Denver.
To him, the revolutionary ends justify the Alinskyite means- so the Dear Leader just tells you whatever he needs to, he knows what’s best for you anyway.
And the truth is that Obama is out to nationalize health care.. they’ll be no private insurance industry left after five years of Obamacare… but of course he’s lying about it.
As for the American public, the reality that Obama is dishonest and out-of-control seems to finally be setting-in; the poll numbers are now headed steadily south- is he already facing his Waterloo on this legislation?
Looks like it from where I'm standing...
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com
Posted by: Reaganite Republican | July 22, 2009 5:13 PM