SubscribeDemocrat Front Group Attacks Bush Legacy
From those Bush lovers at the Associated Press:
An earlier example of AUC’s subtle agit-prop.
Liberal Group Plans Yearlong Anti-Bush Campaign With Goal to Deny Positive Legacy
Thursday, January 24, 2008
WASHINGTON — A liberal advocacy group plans to spend $8.5 million in a drive to make sure President Bush’s public approval doesn’t improve as his days in the White House come to an end.
Americans United for Change plans to undertake a yearlong campaign, spending the bulk of the money on advertising, to keep public attention on what the group says are the failures of the Bush administration, including the war in Iraq, the response to Hurricane Katrina, and the current mortgage crisis…
The group is a nonprofit corporation that made a splash by airing ads against Bush’s plans to overhaul Social Security in 2005. The group has conducted polls and focus groups and is now raising money for their anti-Bush effort. It gave a Power Point presentation to representatives of about 30 liberal and labor organizations last week.
It plans to announce the campaign at a press conference Thursday afternoon during a forum featuring liberal critics of the administration. It also aims to air its first ad in advance of Bush’s State of the Union speech on Monday.
Woodhouse said one goal is to make sure Bush does not enjoy a resurgence in public approval toward the end of his presidency that could help Republican congressional candidates and the Republican presidential nominee in this year’s elections.
“Framing his legacy helps us in the ‘08 elections, there is no doubt about that,” Woodhouse said. “But our principal mission would be defining the failures of Bush and the ideology he represents.” …
Looking to test Bush support within the GOP, Americans United is distributing “I am a Bush Republican” buttons to Republican members of Congress before the State of the Union address. Woodhouse also plans to unveil a bus that will travel the country carrying an exhibit that portrays Bush’s tenure in office — mementos from Iraq and flood ravaged New Orleans as well as symbols of the economic downturn…
Americans United is a 501(c)4 organization under Internal Revenue Service regulations. That means it can raise money in unlimited amounts and because its target is Bush, not a candidate for federal office, it is not governed by the Federal Election Commission.
Interestingly, the Associated Press can’t be bothered to tell us that the so–called Americans United For Change is just another front for the Democrat party.
A fact the AP should know very well. For this is how they reported on Americans United For Change exactly two years ago to the day:
Organization to Promote Democratic Agenda
January 24, 2006
An organization with strong backing from the top Democrats in Congress intends to launch a costly election-year campaign to promote issues on the party’s agenda, officials said Tuesday, beginning with a television commercial arguing it’s “time for a change” after a season of political corruption.
Americans United “will use all the campaign-style tactics which characterize political campaigns,” ranging from paid advertising to grassroots organizing, according to a memo describing the group’s plans.
A predecessor group, Americans United to Protect Social Security, was instrumental in defeating legislation President Bush proposed a year ago to remake the program that provides retirement benefits to millions.
A formal announcement was scheduled for Wednesday.Officials said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California met with potential donors in Los Angeles earlier this month, underscoring their personal interest in the group’s efforts.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union has agreed to donate $500,000, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity. In a statement, the union president Gerald McEntee said the new group “will advocate real health care reform, honest government, access to a high-quality education, good jobs and a secure retirement for all.”
“Sen. Reid and Rep. Pelosi are very supportive of efforts to advance progressive issues, much like the Republicans have done for years with conservative causes through such groups as Progress For America,” said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Reid…
Americans United seeks to shape public opinion on issues such as health care, homeland security and education rather than advocate for the election or defeat of specific candidates in the November elections. As a result, it is permitted to accept donations of unlimited size from donors, and is not required to disclose the names of its contributors.
It is headed by Karen Olick, a former chief of staff to Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and will rely on several other Democrats with long experience in political campaigns.
Brad Woodhouse, a spokesman, said the new group hopes to employ the tactics of the predecessor organization that helped block Bush’s Social Security plan…
This time, according to the memo, the renamed group “will take the offense in a number of issue areas.” The first will involve “corruption and honest leadership,” emphasizing that the group plans to dovetail its efforts with those of Reid, Pelosi and other Democrats in Congress seeking to gain a majority in the elections in November.
The ad calls for passage of legislation that the Democratic leadership unveiled with fanfare last week, part of a competition between the parties to claim the mantle of reform since lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to corruption charges.
The Democratic legislation calls for a ban on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers as well as other steps to curtail the influence of special interests in Congress. The ad broadens the attack to the White House, saying Bush has given away “billions (of dollars) to the drug companies,” an apparent reference to Medicare prescription drug legislation.
“Time for a change,” the ad says. “To stop the abuse of power,” adds the announcer as Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney appear on the screen.
Woodhouse said the group hopes to spend $1 million on the ad.
And, lest we forget, Americans United For Change was a major player in the so-called Americans Against Escalation group that George Soros hired to harass “pro-war” Congressmen 24/7 during their summer recess last August.
Again, a detail that the AP didn’t think worthy of mentioning.
Still, this campaign to disparage Mr. Bush’s legacy seems a bit redundant, doesn’t it? What with our watchdog media already on the job.
But apparently the DNC and their dues-rich labor stooges have money to burn.
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13 Responses to “Democrat Front Group Attacks Bush Legacy”
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January 24th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
What a waste of time. A legacy cannot be tarnished nor burnished…Time will out…..
January 24th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Priorities revealed. $8.5 million could do quite a bit of good in peoples lives if applied correctly. If they truly believed in the garbage about a mortgage crisis then why not use the money to help those “suffering families” out. If they had concern for Katrina victims then throw the 8.5 mill into that sink hole. Instead $8.5 million to air T.V. ads that will do little to change opinions at best and more likely just increase bitterness and anger in people who foolishly follow such things. Not one cent of this money will improve anybodies life except for the power hungry who seize control according to the votes of simple minded people.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Ah, yes, the first address that the new Democratic President of the United States of America will make to the new all-Democratic Congress will be retitled “Hate of the Union: those other guys lied about everything including the need for us good Democratic plutocrats to give up our slaves!”
But first, everything else must go down the memory hole. Get unnamed ‘journalistic research organizations’ to pull Tail-Gunner Joe McCarthy on Bush with his 57–no wait, that was 999–uh, that number again was three billion gazillion lies and distortions about the reasons we needed to invade Israel and that horrible hurricane that devastated Chicago last week…
January 24th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
“A liberal advocacy group plans to spend $8.5 million”
Why doesn’t this group/Soros put all of this energy, time and money into a more positive endeavor than a 8.5 million dollar smear campaign about President Bush’s legacy? I hope and pray that someone, someday, will write a great book about the Battle of the Two George’s. Maybe Rush or Tony Snow will do it. ( I guess another angle for a book theme could be, How to Purchase Propaganda for your Socialistic Cause for Dummies.)
I agree with SG on his comment: “What with our watchdog media already on the job ” What a waste, this is ridiculous and once again, insulting!
David, it looks as though we were thinking along the same lines only I type slower. Woops! :-)
January 24th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
The leftists have been known to ride hobby horses in the past so why is this is so surprising? These nit-wits have far too much time on their hands. Can you spell redundant?
Personally, I give GWB an A for his first term due to his commitment to the war on Terror and a C on his second due to the fact he abandoned the few actual conservative priciples he posessed and behaved like a Democreep.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Bang! Bang!
What was that?
Someone shooting at a lame duck!
January 25th, 2008 at 1:07 am
“Look for the union libel
when you are reading that paper or blog.
Remember somewhere our union’s stewing,
our wages going to keep MoveOn high on the hog.
Bush works hard, and we’re complaining.
Thanks to our dues for paying our way!
So always look for the union libel,
it says we’re trying to screw the U.S.A.!”
January 25th, 2008 at 2:06 am
–Why doesn’t this group/Soros put all of this energy, time and money into a more positive endeavor than a 8.5 million dollar smear campaign about President Bush’s legacy?–
Got to remember, Soros made his fortune by betting against America. By trying to get Democrats elected, he’s looking out for his financial interests.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:26 am
Why is the bashing of President Bush considered “news”? They’ve been bitching about him ever since he won the primaries in 2000. The same broken record for 8 years and the same results, nothing. Isn’t the definiton of insanity when you try the same thing over and over and over hoping for a different outcome?
January 25th, 2008 at 4:40 am
Kinda reminds me of the stanza from an old song…
Kick him when he’s up,
Kick him when he’s down,
Kick him when he’s a lame duck,
Kick him all around.
$8.5 mil to bash a lame duck president? Well, at least that’s money that Hitlary and Obamama won’t be using to bash the Repubs.
If I was an evil demoncrap working for Soros, I could think of a whole lot better evil uses for that money.
They could use it to fund and control Pres Bush’s museum and try to make him look like a complete Chimpybushhaliburtonhitler.
They could offer the top 8 conservative bloggers a little over a million each to stop blogging.
They could give it to Mikey Moore and the Sheehan Devil to whine some more.
Or, 8.5 mil could do a lot for some poor kids with cancer, AIDs victims, wounded soldiers, etc…but then, that would be doing something helpful and positive for our nation. Soros can’t have that.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:42 am
What they fail to show is the true intentions of the wonderful picketers “Bring ‘em home now……so we can spit on them and make sure they don’t get jobs, etc.” These are the same suckwads that made Vietnam Vets lives so freaking miserable when they came home. Those folks offend the hell out of me.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
“Americans United is a 501(c)4 organization under Internal Revenue Service regulations. That means it can raise money in unlimited amounts and because its target is Bush, not a candidate for federal office, it is not governed by the Federal Election Commission.”
So if some right wing group wants to raise untold millions to target Bill Clinton, would that be considered the same since he is not a candidate for federal office?
January 25th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
RW,
If a right wing group did this the press would have a field day reviving the whole “Vast right-wing conspiracy” thing. Of course there really is a VAST LEFT-WING CONSPIRACY and the press is an integral part of it so they don’t spin it as an unacceptable, even sinister conspiracy as they would the equivalent right-wing add campaign against BJB.