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McCain Robocalls Against Bennet

by: Colorado Pols

Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 16:08:37 PM MST

(Bumped into Friday, audio now available thanks to a Pols reader - promoted by Colorado Pols)

UPDATE: Thank you, dear reader:

Can't see the audio player? Click here.

From National Journal's Hotline:

Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) voice will be piped in to voters' homes over the next several days in key states as GOPers pressure centrist Dems to oppose health care legislation.
The NRSC will pay for automated calls to independent voters in CO, AR and NE, and for live calls into ND, urging listeners to go to a committee website.

Colorado Pols :: McCain Robocalls Against Bennet

The Senate GOP is currently pushing a McCain motion to commit, which would send the health care bill back to the Senate Finance Committee with instructions to remove language cutting funds from Medicare. The robocalls are aimed at Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and the two Dems from ND.
"On Monday I introduced the first Republican amendment to the massive health care bill, which would send the bill back to the Senate Finance Committee and stop the Democrats from cutting vital Medicare coverage for our seniors. I need Sen. Blanche Lincoln to join me in this effort," says the call going to AR homes.
"If you agree with me, please go to our website at www.healthcaretaskforce.org and sign a petition to Sen. Lincoln urging her to join my effort to fight a Washington DC government takeover of your health care."

Sen. Michael Bennet is probably the least likely to peel off from support for heath care reform on this list--obviously, the NRSC isn't so much into 'pressuring' Bennet as it is disparaging him with well-targeted voters. Like you? We'd love a copy if you find McCain on your voicemail, email us.

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McCain Robocalls Against Bennet | 34 comments

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?

by: MADCO @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 23:19:32 PM UTC

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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?

by: RedGreen @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 03:15:07 AM UTC

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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?

by: MADCO @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 13:36:20 PM UTC

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"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?)

"Have a Bobby bar! My dad made them." --Jon Huntsman Jr.

by: sxp151 @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 23:35:26 PM UTC

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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.

by: redstateblues @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 00:40:28 AM UTC

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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.

"I wouldn't characterize caloric intake as "professional development." c rork

by: Middle of the Road @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 00:21:35 AM UTC

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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?

by: BlueCat @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 01:42:03 AM UTC

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Supposedly they are targeting Independents

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

"I wouldn't characterize caloric intake as "professional development." c rork

by: Middle of the Road @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 01:46:19 AM UTC

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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.

by: BlueCat @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 17:47:44 PM UTC

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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.

by: Gilpin Guy @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:32:27 PM UTC

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Robocalls are relatively cheap

n/t

This is serious, you commie dolt --davidbarnes, 2012.

by: Ralphie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:36:44 PM UTC

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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.

"I wouldn't characterize caloric intake as "professional development." c rork

by: Middle of the Road @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 17:54:41 PM UTC

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There is also an implicit assumption

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

by: Gilpin Guy @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 20:49:21 PM UTC

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Yeah, you noticed that too, huh?

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

"I wouldn't characterize caloric intake as "professional development." c rork

by: Middle of the Road @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 21:42:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Do robocalls work?

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

by: redstateblues @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 01:24:02 AM UTC

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I've always wondered that, too.

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

"I wouldn't characterize caloric intake as "professional development." c rork

by: Middle of the Road @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 01:46:51 AM UTC

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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.

If you're not upset, you haven't been paying attention. Mike Littwin

by: Ellie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 13:48:24 PM UTC

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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.

In a democracy, the majority of the citizens is capable of exercising the most cruel oppressions upon the minority. Edmund Burke

10/26/11 Colorado Ex-Pat; S/V Sisu Catalina 30

by: Pam Bennett @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 14:28:58 PM UTC

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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.

by: The realist @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 14:32:03 PM UTC

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I haven't gotten the McCain robocall

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

This is serious, you commie dolt --davidbarnes, 2012.

by: Ralphie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 01:38:39 AM UTC

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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.

This is serious, you commie dolt --davidbarnes, 2012.

by: Ralphie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 17:44:07 PM UTC

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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.

History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme. (Mark Twain)

by: PERA hopeful @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 02:32:09 AM UTC

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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.

"These are the values inspiring those brave workers in Poland ... They remind us that where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost." - Ronald Reagan

by: Rainidog @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 03:08:29 AM UTC

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Then it appears AARP age targeted rather than indie

by: BlueCat @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:54:42 PM UTC

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Right

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

This is serious, you commie dolt --davidbarnes, 2012.

by: Ralphie @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 20:57:19 PM UTC

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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.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

by: DavidThi808 @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 04:21:25 AM UTC

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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.

by: libgirl @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 17:33:37 PM UTC

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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.

by: divad @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 18:38:50 PM UTC

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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.

In a democracy, the majority of the citizens is capable of exercising the most cruel oppressions upon the minority. Edmund Burke

10/26/11 Colorado Ex-Pat; S/V Sisu Catalina 30

by: Pam Bennett @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 01:20:09 AM UTC

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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?

by: divad @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:30:33 PM UTC

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my topik

dollhouse miniatures
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celebrity dolls
plastic dolls
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by: wamygayel @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 10:44:41 AM UTC

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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.

judge elected officials by their actions, not by their rhetoric

by: Ray Springfield @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 17:22:26 PM UTC

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Guess LB's getting his free dinner.

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

"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."

12/15/11 - RIP squeaky duck. You were plush, loved and finally ripped apart after over a year.

by: droll @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 17:43:30 PM UTC

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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?

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by: dofollowblog @ Fri Apr 16, 2010 at 16:39:40 PM UTC

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McCain Robocalls Against Bennet | 34 comments