McCain Robocalls Against Bennet

What?!?!

An energized NRSC and R campaign for voters in CO for 2010?  How could that be?  Don't they realize we're bluer than blue and are righty focused on D purity tests for our D's?

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by: MADCO @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 17:19:32 PM CST

Speaking of Democratic purity tests

Democrats, sensitive to the charges, rallied behind an alternative proposal by Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., saying the bill would cause no reduction in guaranteed Medicare benefits

.

-- today's AP story on the flap at http://www.9news.com/news/worl...

Does this mean Bennet passes the test, or is this yet more damning evidence he would have sat on the sidelines unless he faced a primary?

Should we be glad Bennet is bringing his finance background to bear on behalf of Democratic interests, or do we go into a blind rage at the word "finance" and start muttering "cramdown" under our breath?

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by: RedGreen @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 21:15:07 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well,

I usually have to have a few drinks before I start muttering under my breath, but when it's this stupid cold outside, anything can happen.

Who is that guy anyway - some kind of leader?

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by: MADCO @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 07:36:20 AM CST

[ Parent ]

"Government takeover of your health care"

Keep your government hands off my Medicare!

This could only ever work on the dumbest and least-informed people in the country. Let's hope there just aren't that many of them. (Although considering McCain got 47% of the vote in the last election, who can say?)

Bring back S[redacted]e H[redacted]y!

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by: sxp151 @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 17:35:26 PM CST

What's worse

Is that what McCain is defending is Medicare Advantage, which is a multi-billion dollar government subsidy for health insurance companies.

But who needs facts when you've got things that sound good.

"I'll take incompetence over a business model incentivised to kill me any day." -- DtR(H)

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 18:40:28 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I don't have McCain's voicemail but I DO have the Dem's pushback

on this.

From an AP article and as par for the course, the Republicans are only telling half the truth. Shame on McCain for exploiting senior citizens to stall on this bill, particularly when Republicans keep preaching about cutting waste and inefficiency and then turn around and pull shit like this:

AP - AARP backs Democrats in Senate health care fight

By DAVID ESPO (AP)

WASHINGTON - With a Senate showdown looming, the politically potent AARP rode to the rescue of Democrats on Wednesday, supporting $460 billion in Medicare cuts to help pay for landmark health insurance legislation.

As Republicans pressed to restore the cuts, AARP said Democrats merely were recommending elimination of waste and inefficiency within the giant health care program for seniors.

"Most importantly, the legislation does not reduce any guaranteed Medicare benefits," A. Barry Rand, the AARP's CEO, said in a letter to senators.

Republicans, led by Sen. John McCain, said seniors would lose some of their add-on benefits that are part of coverage under private insurance Medicare. "Above all, we must not use Medicare as a piggy bank" to pay for other programs, the Arizona Republican said.

Democrats, sensitive to the charges, rallied behind an alternative proposal by Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., saying the bill would cause no reduction in guaranteed Medicare benefits.

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 18:21:35 PM CST

I got the robo-call

but deleted it without listening to the whole thing.  We are a two D, one U (who always has voted D) household.  Two of us aren't officially seniors but are AARP age.  Is this targeting indies and seniors?

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by: BlueCat @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 19:42:03 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Supposedly they are targeting Independents

which based on your household makes no sense. Good deal. I love seeing these guys waste money.

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 19:46:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Agree

While they can't know my U votes D, a U in a two D household is generally not in the first wave of likely targets for Rs.  At least when we canvass for D candidates we generally don't start with Us in R households. My U hasn't changed registration because Us mainly only get nagged at election time while Ds and Rs get nagged for money year round.  

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by: BlueCat @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 11:47:44 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I punched the delete button

as soon as the crotchety old gas bag identified himself.

The impressive thing is that the Republicans have the money to start attacking Bennet this far out.  The money they spent trying to brand Udall as an uberliberal is going to be chump change compared to what they'll spend this cycle and then they complain that we don't have the funds to finance health care reform.  Go figure.

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by: Gilpin Guy @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 10:32:27 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Robocalls are relatively cheap

n/t

Best to kill them early instead of letting them possibly need food stamps.
--marilou, 2010

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by: Ralphie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 10:36:44 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Ralphie has a point--robocalls are super cheap

which is why most campaigns use them even though they hate them.

But, I have to say that I, too, am surprised at how early they are going after Bennet. They want this seat back so bad they can taste it. It's going to be one expensive race for the Senate.

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 11:54:41 AM CST

[ Parent ]

There is also an implicit assumption

that the Romanoff bid will fail.  The Repubs have already written off Andrew.

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by: Gilpin Guy @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 14:49:21 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yeah, you noticed that too, huh?

I was thinking the same thing--they have their guns already trained on Bennet--full speed ahead.

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 15:42:42 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Do robocalls work?

Don't people hate getting these kinds of calls, or am I totally off the mark?

"I'll take incompetence over a business model incentivised to kill me any day." -- DtR(H)

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 19:24:02 PM CST

I've always wondered that, too.

I don't even listen all the way through to the ones from people I like.  

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 19:46:51 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Not scientific....

I don't have a study but several years ago I used the robocalls to get supporters of my candidate to their precinct caucuses.  The negative feedback was overwhelming and I have  not recommended it since - no matter the size of the geographic area.  

Unfortunately it seems it must work to some degree or we wouldn't suffer the irritation of the informed to reach the ill informed.

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by: Ellie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 07:48:24 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Depends

I use them but only at the end as a reminder to vote, mail the ballot in or I will pick it up.
Many people do hang up, but many listen to the full message, 30 seconds for mine.
The problem is when you get several each day from push polls, candidates, issues and anti-candidates.  I had that happen to me in 2004 to the point that we turned our phone and voicemail off completely.  
Yes they can work if used judiciously, and turnoff if not.
They are very important to respond to attacks by the RNC and their 527's.  

This movie has been rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and destruction
@pambennettauror

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by: Pam Bennett @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 08:28:58 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I've been told, and experienced this on a campaign,

that people are okay with robocalls that provide brief information about a specific candidate event.  But I doubt they have much value for any other purpose, and are often counterproductive.

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by: The realist @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 08:32:03 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I haven't gotten the McCain robocall

But it would take more than a walking dead man to get me motivated to do shit.

Best to kill them early instead of letting them possibly need food stamps.
--marilou, 2010

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by: Ralphie @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 19:38:39 PM CST

I finally found the call on my answering machine

(I need to check that more often)

We are a D (wife)-U (me) household.

And both AARP members.

Best to kill them early instead of letting them possibly need food stamps.
--marilou, 2010

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by: Ralphie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 11:44:07 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I got the call

I have no idea why, since I'm a Dem and my husband is a RABID Dem.  We are of the old-enough-for-AARP, too-young-for-Medicare demographic.  And McCain did indeed urge us to sign the petition to fight government takeover of health care, because government health care would somehow cut vital Medicare coverage.  

Believe me, there's nothing like hearing John McCain coming out of your phone to get you running to the liquor store, no matter how crappy the roads are.

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by: PERA hopeful @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 20:32:09 PM CST

Love your

last sentence!  LOL!

I'm a D, and a senior.  I picked up my messages after getting my teeth cleaned this afternoon, and there was that #!^#!@&! McCain telling lies in my ear.  Of course, I deleted it (wish it would be as easy to delete him from public life).

I received an e-mail with the countering facts and sent it on to my fairly large list, who will each send it on.  What a piece of crap, to try to scare low-knowledge older people with outright lies.

 "Tea patriots -- you can have their ignorance when you pry it from their cold, dead minds."

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by: Rainidog @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 21:08:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Then it appears AARP age targeted rather than indie

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by: BlueCat @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 13:54:42 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Right

Why else use a repudiated living fossil like McCain to deliver the message?

Best to kill them early instead of letting them possibly need food stamps.
--marilou, 2010

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by: Ralphie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 14:57:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Didn't get that call

But got a call from a live person 3 weeks ago asking me to donate to the NRCC. I lost it laughing when they guy told me who he was with.

He said they would take my name off their list and I told him he was welcome to leave it on because it was the funniest thing I heard all week. I don't think he appreciated my sense of humor.

Tom Tancredo Interview

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by: DavidThi808 @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 22:21:25 PM CST

I got the robocall on my voicemail last night

And I in no way can be characterized as a conservative Dem - I am way leftier than that. Good to know their lists are so lousy.  

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by: libgirl @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 11:33:37 AM CST

I feel left out.

All I got was a "tax" survey in the mail from the TeaBaggers at the Heritage Foundation.  

Promptly completed with an impolite response and returned in the postage paid envelope with some other junk mail.

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by: divad @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 12:38:50 PM CST

Junk Mail

Would you like a bag or two of Repub begging for money mail?

They all like to send me requests for money. I hope they enjoy supporting the USPS even though they want to privatize it. I get requests to send lots of money, and more money. It is like all those multi-millionaires won't spend a dime - but they think a Progressive Democratic Party member will give money to them.

But, they attack everything I believe in and support.  I do not understand why they think I will send them money, and more money. And join the RNC.  Strange people.

This movie has been rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and destruction
@pambennettauror

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by: Pam Bennett @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:20:09 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm good, thanks!

I've got plenty of junk mail of my own.  Mostly credit card crap and charities asking for money.  I guess because I'm a registered Independent, I don't get much in the way of political stuff?  

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by: divad @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 12:30:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

my topik

dollhouse miniatures  
cultural dolls
celebrity dolls
plastic dolls  
nesting  dolls

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by: wamygayel @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 04:44:41 AM CST

the Republicans have either decided

that Sen Bennet is the presumptive nominee,
or that Speaker Romanoff will make an easier opponent to beat (due to Money) and want to weaken Sen. Bennt's campaign.

Ken Buck: a man of Mr. Rove and Dick Cheney. The road forward does not use reverse.

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by: Ray Springfield @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 11:22:26 AM CST

Guess LB's getting his free dinner.

By your logic, nothing is getting done with HCR until next year.

"I'm all naked and wet!" - Homer Simpson

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by: droll @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 11:43:30 AM CST

[ Parent ]

How far we have come

It's amazing how far we have come with this issue now that is passed under obama the question is where do we go from here in 2 years?

sports handicapping blog

unit betting system

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by: dofollowblog @ Fri Apr 16, 2010 at 11:39:40 AM CDT