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October 11, 2009, 1:21 pm
Democrats Heed Dole’s Objection and Kill TV Ad
By Katharine Q. Seelye
At the request of former Senator Bob Dole, Democrats are scrapping plans to broadcast a new commercial that touted Republicans like Mr. Dole speaking in support of overhauling the health-care system.
Mr. Dole lodged a complaint with the White House Saturday night, saying that the new commercial, set to run on national and Washington broadcast stations on Monday but available online on Saturday, was deceptive.
“He believes it is deceptive, it was not authorized, and he asked that it be pulled,” Michael Marshall, a spokesman for Mr. Dole, said Sunday morning. “He was told late last night by the White House that it would not run.”
On Sunday morning, the Democratic National Committee, which produced the advertisement, confirmed that it would not be broadcast.
“We have great respect for Senator Dole and his commitment to reform,” a spokesman said. “As soon as Senator Dole’s concerns were communicated to us, we immediately agreed to pull the ad.”
Mr. Dole’s complaint and the quick compliance by the Democrats reflect the intense and delicate politics swirling around the health-care debate as the Senate Finance Committee prepares to vote on its version of the overhaul early this week.
Mr. Dole said last week that top Republicans in Congress, including Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, had asked him not to endorse an overhaul but he ignored that request. Then the commercial pushed him too far.
The Democrats’ quick response suggests that the administration is eager not to offend Mr. Dole and perhaps wants his help in securing the support of some Republicans in Congress. Mr. Dole, the former majority leader as well as chairman of the Finance Committee, told The New York Times last month that Senator Max Baucus, the Democratic chairman of the committee now, had asked him to talk with various Congressional Republicans and urge them to stay at the table.
The Democrats went to town last week extracting and publicizing statements from several prominent Republicans who are not in Congress, including Mr. Dole, that they supported a health-care overhaul. They used these statements to try to isolate the Republicans in Congress, almost all of whom oppose an overhaul. The commercial was part of that attempt to divide the party and make Congressional Republicans look cranky and out of touch.
Mr. Dole, the 1996 Republican presidential nominee, had said last week, and on many prior occasions, that he wanted the Republicans to stay in the game on the health-care debate and work for a bipartisan solution and he also thought the Democrats should pare back their proposals in order to gain Republican support.
But he found the commercial misleading and destructive to those efforts.
“The ad makes it appear Senator Dole is supporting the Democratic version of health-care reform,” Mr. Marshall said. “That is patently false. He is not supporting any bill out there. He has been pushing for bipartisanship and for leaders on both sides to come together to pass sound reform.”
He added that Mr. Dole had “only restated what he has been saying for months: He believes there is an opportunity to reform the system.” Mr. Marshall said that Mr. Dole understands from his 35 years in Congress that all important legislation has bipartisan support.
Other prominent Republicans endorsing the idea of an overhaul included Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, former Senate leader Bill Frist and Tommy Thompson, the former secretary of Health and Human Services.
Here is our item from Saturday about the commercial and how Democrats were using it in combination with President Obama’s weekly address to create a aura of “consensus” about an overhaul and inevitability that it would pass.
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Dear Ameritianity:
We knew this day was coming and now it's here.
Today, the Health Care Takeover bill formally begins markup in the Senate Finance Committee.
For months now, you and I and literally hundreds of thousands of grassroots activists have been working non-stop to protect our health care from an over-reaching, Big-Brother government.
Now, we're entering the decisive final phase with crucial votes and hearings in Senate Finance. I have two action item requests for you:
1. National Tele-Town Hall Meeting Tonight. Tonight at 8:00PM Eastern Time we're holding a special National Tele-Town Hall meeting to brief you on the first day of the Finance Committee's markup and to detail key provisions still in the health care legislation. Our special guests for this call will be Congressman John Shadegg and Nina Owcharenko, Senior Policy Analyst for health care at The Heritage Foundation's Center for Health Policy Studies.
To join us, call 888-356-3090 at 8:00 pm ET and enter the extension 13383.
You'll have the opportunity to ask questions and give us your thoughts on where we stand.
2. National Summit on Oct. 2 & 3. In less than two weeks on October 2 and 3, AFP will be co-sponsoring the 3rd Annual Defending the American Dream™ Summit and AFP Foundation just added national radio host and FOX News contributor Laura Ingraham. As you may know, Laura is a breast cancer survivor with a powerful message on the health care issue. I'm thrilled that she can join us for the October 2nd "Tribute to Reagan" Dinner.
On Friday, October 2 at 2:00pm ET, Americans for Prosperity will be hosting a National "Hands Off My Health Care" Town Hall meeting at the U.S. Capitol. We're urging folks attending the National Summit to come in early for this National Town Hall meeting.
Congress will actually be in session and most likely debating the health care legislation on October 2 during our National "Hands Off My Health Care" Town Hall meeting at the U.S. Capitol. That's why I'm urging you to consider attending our Summit. CLICK HERE for more information.
After our National Town Hall meeting, we will break up into state groups and go into the Senate office buildings to visit your Senators' offices. By the time we get to October 2, these Senators will have heard day after day from lobbyists, Obama Administration officials, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid and all the liberal special interest groups. On October 2, they need to here from folks like you and me. And, that's what we're going to do.
This past weekend, President Obama went on five network talk shows. He followed up with David Letterman last night. The president believes he's having trouble "getting his message through to Americans."
Respectfully, I disagree with him. Based on my travels across our nation since July, our fellow citizens are hearing the president loud and clear -- and Americans don't trust the president when he says a government takeover of health care will save money, not increase taxes and still let them keep their own health coverage.
That's why polls show more than half of Americans OPPOSING the health care takeover.
Our job is to finish strong and with your continued determination that's exactly what we're going to do!
Tim Phillips
PS: Please join us tonight for the Tele-Town Hall Meeting! To join us call 888-356-3090 at 8:00 pm ET, and enter the extension 13383 when prompted at 8:00 pm ET.
For all the information about the Defending the American Dream™ Summit and to register, visit www.defendingthedream.org!
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Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation's premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 700,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 25 state chapters.
For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org
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