Post-Rush: Obama's message war (starting Sun., will use all power to show Pubs are purely political)

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

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.

new video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5_Wur3JFcg

David Plouffe, manager of Obama’s presidential race, helped design the strategy, which includes the most extensive activation since November of the campaign’s grassroots network. The database—which includes information for at least 10 million donors, supporters and volunteers—will now be used as a unique tool for governing, with former canvassers now being enlisted to mobilize support for the president’s legislative agenda.

Others involved in the planning included White House senior adviser David Axelrod; the DNC chairman, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine; and DNC Executive Director Jennifer O'Malley Dillon.

The plan follows the private complaints of some Democrats that Obama let the GOP get the better of him during the debate over pork in the budget bill he just signed, and growing concerns among some Democrats that charges of big spending could stick to the president.

Starting this week, President Obama will be “engaging directly with Congress more, and speaking more forcefully on behalf of his budget,” a top adviser said.

On Sunday morning, three top White House officials will appear on network interview shows to describe brighter days ahead for the nation’s economy, and make the case that the budget is an important part of the president’s overall recovery plan.

And officials throughout the party plan to hammer the idea that Republicans are just saying “no” to the president’s budget plans without offering their own alternative.

House Republicans, who released an alternative to the stimulus bill, say they’ll issue their own budget proposal in the next few weeks. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in January in his opening remarks to this legislative session: “During the 111th Congress, Republicans will strive not to be the party of ‘opposition,’ but the party of better solutions.”

The Obama grassroots network—now known as Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee—has launched an e-mail pledge drive on MyBarackObama.com in which supporters sign their e-mail address to the statement: “I support President Obama's bold approach for renewing America's economy.”

The pledge drive was announced with a video called “Ready for the Fight.” Plouffe e-mailed supporters over the weekend with a challenge labeled “The next few weeks”: “In the next few weeks we'll be asking you to do some of the same things we asked of you during the campaign—talking directly to people in your communities about the President's ideas for long-term prosperity.”

This is not an easy message war for Democrats. Obama's budget calls for the largest deficit in U.S. history and a doubling of the national debt to $23 trillion in 2019. That is a big, juicy target for the GOP, which plans to hit this theme relentlessly all spring.

Republicans were successful in making earmarks, which accounted for only a sliver of total spending, the centerpiece of debate over the omnibus spending bill. The GOP sees sky-high deficits as similarly easy to explain to the public.

So the Democratic allies—the administration, congressional leaders, outside groups and the DNC—are uniting for the new push.

Democratic strategists explain that the message is designed to accomplish three things:

—First, it could deflect attention from the size of Obama’s budget and blunt attacks on the ambition of his agenda.

“It helps change the conversation from their criticism of the president’s plan,” a top Democratic official said. “If they want to say he’s going to raise taxes in the middle of a recession or he’s got socialist tendencies—none of which we agree with—one of the easy things for us to come back with is: We have tough choices to make right now, and you have nothing to offer.”

—Second, by painting Republicans as politically motivated, the conservative House Democrats known as Blue Dogs may be less likely to side with the GOP.

“As long as they’re seen as reflexively political—saying ‘no’ to everything—the Blue Dog Democrats can say, ‘I don’t agree with everything the president proposes, but at least he has a plan, an outline of what we should be working on,’” the official said.

—Third, Republicans could look like they’re playing politics in a time of crisis, rather than disagreeing based on substance.

The DNC on Saturday issued a “Party of ‘No’ Update” accusing House Republican leaders of “obstructionist rhetoric.”

In a new Web ad called “No Responsibility,” the DNC argues: “America is facing tough times. Our economy is in need of repair. Millions of Americans are out of work Fortunately, President Obama has offered a plan to get our economy moving again. A responsible plan to create jobs by investing in health care, energy independence and schools. What are the Republicans offering? Nothing. No plan and no ideas.”

In an ad called “Crickets” that begins Sunday, Americans United for Change, a labor-funded ally of the White House, says: “President Obama has proposed a budget plan to turn the page on the failed economic policies of the past – creating jobs and changing the way things are done in Washington. The Republican response?”

Then the viewer sees Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) each saying, “No!”

“So what kind of budget have the Republicans proposed to get us out of the mess they created? Here are the details,” the ad continues. The viewer sees a blank screen and hears the sound of crickets.

Jeremy J. Funk, communications director of Americans United for Change, said: “Building upon our previous ‘Party of No’ ad theme, the new spot calls out Republican leaders for also being the party devoid of ideas for getting us out of the mess they made.”

The ad will run Sunday through Tuesday on national cable and a mix of cable and broadcast in Washington, the group said.

Kevin Smith, Boehner’s communications director, replied: “If I had to defend the president’s budget—which is being eviscerated by both parties because it spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much—I’d probably waste time on fictitious claims like this, too."

Smith said both Boehner and the No. 2 House Republican—Whip Eric Cantor (Va.)—“presented alternative economic stimulus ideas at the White House directly to the President on the third day of his presidency.”

“We will continue to roll out our alternative solutions when we disagree with their plans,” Smith added. “House Republicans will have our alternative budget forthcoming in the next couple weeks.”

A Republican Senate leadership aide responded: “It really is a silly campaign. What are we saying ‘no’ to? Trillions in new spending? An unpopular, earmark-laden bill that the President himself was embarrassed to sign? A new national energy tax? Releasing Gitmo terrorists into the U.S.? We’d like to thank them for reminding the American people that we are saying ‘no’ to those things.”

source

[FrenchieCat]

1. The WH doesn't have to portray the Repugs that way......

that is how they are.

Who gave Politico the fucking plan, anyways? :eyes:

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

2. The WH is just exposing the truth.

I just hope the people who signed up with Obama haven't gotten apathetic and not write to their congressman/senators...

[rvablue]

13. From the look of it, looks like the White House did. n/t

[MarjorieG]

3. Media went to earmark fixation without GOP help.

[Clio the Leo]

4. RELEASE THE HOUNDS!!!!!

.... AGAIN!!!!

[Hekate]

5. As far as the corporate media is concerned the default party is Republican & everything revolves...

... around what the Republicans must do to get back into power, and how the Republicans are responding to this or that Obama or Democratic policy. It's getting damned annoying.

As a consequence, President Obama and the Democratic Party have to maintain a "permanent campaign" of their own.

And I am so glad they are doing it.

Hekate

[PM Martin]

7. As you said.

[Jennicut]

8. Yup. hence Cheney on CNN this weekend. The media loves Republicans

and never give equal time to the Dems.

[old mark]

9. Because the media is OWNED by Republicans.....nt

[Jennicut]

10. Yes indeed. And they wonder why less people the ever before

won't watch the news on tv or read newspapers.

[old mark]

11. There is very little real "news" to watch, mostly opinions of people

I don't like or respect.
I haven't read a newspaper regularly for nearly 30 years.

mark

[WinkyDink]

6. Go get'em! And Boehner: Where WERE all your "better solutions", hmmmmm?

[northernlights]

12. If Summers was part of the plan

(he was on two shows this am) than it's a disaster.

Sorry, but his "outrage" was so insincere, I ended up hating the guy. I've had mixed feelings up until now, but he just pissed me off every time he opened his lying mouth, bigtime.

So the government can't stop AIG from giving its executives bonuses with taxpayer money because "we're a nation of laws" and there are "contracts" in place?

Bulleffingshit. Seriously. Exactly how stupid and gullible does that scumbag think we are?

I've trusted Obama on all his cabinet picks, whether I liked them or not, but have been very uncomfortable with Geithner and Summers right from the get-go. Now I feel scammed. Just plain scammed. :mad: