Will Target Dems Cave for Obama's Campaign Cash?
FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: John Adler (NJ-03); Jason Altmire (PA-04); Michael Arcuri (NY-24); John Barrow (GA-12); Tim Bishop (NY-01); John Boccieri (OH-16);Rick Boucher (VA-09); Allen Boyd (FL-02); Dennis Cardoza (CA-18); Chris Carney (PA-10); Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-03); Lincoln Davis (TN-04); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Gabby Giffords (AZ-08); Martin Heinrich (NM-01); Baron Hill (IN-09); Paul Kanjorski (PA-11); Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01); Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24); Betsy Markey (CO-04); Jim Matheson (UT-02); Mike McIntyre (NC-07); Michael McMahon (NY-13); Harry Mitchell (AZ-05); Scott Murphy (NY-20); Glenn Nye (VA-02); Bill Owens (NY-23); Tom Perriello (VA-05); Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL); Nick Rahall (WV-03); Kurt Schrader (OR-05); Zack Space (OH-18); John Spratt (SC-05); Betty Sutton (OH-13); Harry Teague (NM-02); Dina Titus (NV-03); and Charlie Wilson (OH-06).
Will Michael Arcuri Cave for Obama’s Campaign Cash?
President Offers to Line War Chests for ‘Yes’ Votes; Will Arcuri Fall For It?
Washington- As President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi make their last-ditch effort to force an unpopular healthcare bill through Congress, they’re leaning hard on Michael Arcuri to deliver a ‘yes’ vote – even though he knows better. In exchange for a potentially career-ending vote in favor of the Democrats’ healthcare debacle, the White House is promising to fill Arcuri’s campaign account.
“At the same time, Obama intends to lobby wavering House Democrats to vote for a Senate version of the legislation and to support the subsequent reconciliation process… Among the rewards Obama is ready to offer, White House officials said, are election-year visits to competitive congressional districts, where a presidential appearance can bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds.” (Scott Wilson, “In St. Louis Area, Obama Pounds Drum for Health-Care Initiative,” Washington Post, 3/11/10)
Will Arcuri take the bait? Not if he knows what’s good for him. According to recent polling from swing Democrat districts, Americans have already rejected the Democrats’ healthcare agenda – and they’re ready to send a message to Arcuri on Election Day. In fact, 53 percent of voters in Arcuri’s district oppose the Democrat healthcare bill and 88 percent of voters say that the issue will affect the way they vote:
“The polls, which were paid for by StartOver!, a group aimed at urging the Administration to, um, start over on health care, were conducted by Dave Sackett of the Tarrance Group in Arizona’s 8th, Colorado’s 4th, Indiana’s 9th, New Jersey’s 3rd, Ohio’s 1st, Ohio’s 16th, Nevada’s 3rd, New York’s 13th, New York’s 24th, Pennsylvania’s 4th and Pennsylvania’s 10th.”
“The polling also suggested that the coming vote on health care could be critical to each of the members’ reelection prospects; in seven of the 11 districts, more than four in ten voters said that how their member voted would be ‘extremely important’ in determining their vote this fall.” (Chris Cillizza, Washington Post, 3/10/2010)
“If Michael Arcuri is fooled by the President’s empty promises, he might as well pack up his office and start looking for a new job now,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Americans have repeatedly rejected the Democrats’ runaway healthcare agenda, but Arcuri has repeatedly sent the signal to voters that he’s simply not listening. If Arcuri takes the bait and helps Democrats sneak this bill through Congress, he should brace himself for impact on Election Day.”
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