• Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2009-12-22

    • POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.

      According to two senior GOP aides familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place this afternoon in Griffith's district in northern Alabama.

      Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.

      The switch represents a coup for the House Republican leadership, which had been courting Griffith since he publicly criticized the Democratic leadership in the wake of raucous town halls during the summer.

    • At their luncheon today, Senate Dems will get tips on selling health care that include focusing on immediate benefits, and the historic nature of the achievement. In a memo to be presented to senators, Democratic pollster Mark Mellman argues: “[T]he public continues to trust Democrats and the President over Republicans to deal with the issue. The news media has recently highlighted polls showing double-digit margins in opposition to the current healthcare plan. But these cursory stories … often ignore the fact that a chunk of opposition to the current plan comes from those who support reform, but would like to see Congress go further."

      In a telephone interview, Mellman tells us: "There's still an education job that needs to be done. … Democrats can’t just move on from health care. They’ve got to spend the next 10 months, the next year — maybe the next four years — explaining what’s involved in this legislation, and why it’s to people’s benefit.”

      (tags: Obamacare)
    • A CAMPAIGN consultant to Republican 11th Congressional District candidate Brad Goehring, who anonymously bashed three challengers on a conservative blog, has issued a mea culpa.

      David Creager, under the screen name "GOP Campaigner" on the fledgling ConservativeNewMedia.com, had slapped the carpetbagger tag on Tony Amador and Larry Pegram, and called Robert Beadles the equivalent of a radical wing nut.

      "My thanks to those who pointed this (conflict) out to me because I didn't mean to get involved in anything other than to just write about some things that occurred to me personally," Creager posted midweek.

      Goehring's campaign has paid Creager $14,000 for consulting services through September.

      There is no evidence that Goehring's campaign paid Creager to launch blog bombs, and he has admirably admitted and corrected his error in judgment.

      But the use of anonymity online is far more common in campaigns than folks realize.
      ++++++++
      You need to disclose……

      (tags: blogs)
  • Ben Nelson,  Obamacare

    Obamacare: American Voters “Mostly Disapprove” By 17 Points

    Nebraska Democrat Senator Ben Nelson as the Joker (Graphic Courtesy of Michelle Malkin)

    The joke is on the Democrats as American voters overwhelmingly oppose Obamacare health reforms.

    As the Senate prepares to vote on health care reform, American voters “mostly disapprove” of the plan 53 – 36 percent and disapprove 56 – 38 percent of President Barack Obama’s handling of the health care issue, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

    Voters also oppose 72 – 23 percent using any public money in the health care overhaul to pay for abortions, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.

    And, Senator Ben Nelson,a Democrat in red state Nebraska who provided the swing vote to invoke cloture and push the Senate health care reform bill forward is particularly feeling the heat.

    Joker indeed and one who will be soon feel the wrath of Nebraska voters.


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  • Barack Obama,  Polling

    Poll Watch: Obama Sinks to 46 Per Cent Strongly Disapprove

    Warnings on the horizon for President Obama and the Congressional Democrats.

    The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 25% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-three percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21 That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President (see trends).

    If the economy doesn’t improve soon, watch the GOP start to talk about retaking majority control of the House.


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  • Barack Obama,  Day By Day,  Obamacare

    Day By Day December 22, 2009 – What They Can Understand



    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    Chris, President Obama and the Congressional Democrats have quite the record to run on in the 2010 Congressional midterm elections. And, George W. Bush will NOT be there to kick around anymore.

    The American economy has NOT faired well under Obama. Voters continue to worry if their job is the next to be lost. They are NOT worried about redistributing health care to someone else while watching their taxes go up.

    As @lesliecarbone said recently on Twitter: The Democrats ramming Obamacare though the Congress is a Christmas present for the GOP.

    Indeed it is and the Democrats will be punished next November. The Obamacare votes and machinations of the past few weeks will ALL be reversed.

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    The Day By Day Archive


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    @Flap Twitter Updates for 2009-12-22

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