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Bennet is feeling the pressure at home for bailing on his promise to “save the public option,” and now he’s lashing out. A local TV news outlet in Bennet’s hometown of Denver reported last night that Bennet says he “doesn’t confuse the blogosphere for real people and real voters.” Watch the local news report to the right of this post (our petition delivery starts about 1 minute in; Bennet’s quote is at the very end).
The petition we delivered yesterday included signatures from more than 35,000 people across the country, including about 2,000 Coloradans. But Bennet wants to plug his ears and pretend people who support the public option and want him to follow through aren’t “real people and real voters.”
That’s not the only instance of Bennet feeling the heat. His campaign went as far as to accuse his primary opponent, Andrew Romanoff, of “aligning with the GOP” to “embrace the kill the bill strategy.” Bennet sent out a press release chock full of lies about what Romanoff is asking, and what the Senate is actually debating. Here’s just a snippet:
As final, critical health care reforms are considered in the Senate, Former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff — who has consistently refused to support Democratic health care reform efforts — continues stand with Republicans in Washington in opposition to real health care reforms.
What else to call this but a crock of shit? Romanoff is simply asking Bennet to do what he wanted to from the beginning: include a public option in the reconciliation package. For Bennet to go as far as to accuse his opponent of “aligning with the GOP,” and then to allege his constituents are not “real people,” is beyond the pale.
If you’re in Colorado, please call Senator Bennet and tell him that you are in fact a real person and a real voter, and that you simply want Bennet to do what he said he’d do: save the public option.
If you’re not in Colorado, we’re blanketing the state in online ads ahead of the vote in the Senate later today. We want to engage Coloradans to pressure Bennet in these final hours. Please donate to help us run these ads now.
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per Sirota and our Kelly Canfield, it wasn’t Romanoff standing with the Teabaggers outside his Denver office yesterday . . . it was the SEIU
Shouldn’t he be busy writing his next insincere letter?
silly us . . .
Bennett’s idea of “real people” – and 5 out of 9 Justices agree !
Abbot Labs, Aetna, the American Hospital Association, Amgen, Apria Healthcare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Glaxo Smith Kline, HCR Manor Care, Humana, Johnson & Johnson, Medco, Medtronic, Novartis, Pfizer, United Health Care, Wellpoint and Wyeth have all made generous donations to Bennet’s campaign,
Additionally, Bennet has has also accepted generous donations from the PACS of lobbying firms Akin Gump, Baker Botts, Barnes & Thornburg, Bryan Cave, Murson-Marsteller, DLA Piper, Hogan & Hartson, Holland & Knifht, Husch Blackwell Sanders, Jones Walker Waechter Poitevent, Kirkland & Ellis, Patton Boggs and Williams and Jensen
I guess the blogosphere doesn’t have checkbooks or credit cards to use to make donations to his campaign either.
We do, however, have mail boxes to which he could send the money he’s returning for not following through with his promise re the PO.
Someone let me know where to sign up for the campaign to mail containers full of chicken-shit to every Democrat in Congress. We can follow up the effort by mailing bat-shit to the Republicans.
I think I’m going to incorporate myself and turn off my computer so my vote will count in November. Seems like the best strategy.
I just spit water all over my monitor. Thank you. I need a good laugh this morning.
Heh. Little punk.
LOL
“…the far left pushing Bennett…” This guy wouldn’t know the far left if it put a foot up his ass.
Seems like the only tough decision there is whether to send horse shit or bullshit to Orhama.
Senator Bennet,
I am a real person and a real voter and I also read blogs. (I don’t know what you hope to gain by insulting voters like me.) I have been following your rhetoric on health care reform and particularly the public option. Sadly, I find your actions simply don’t reflect the rhetoric, demonstrating that you are all talk but unwilling to do what you say when it counts. I have watched you lie and dissemble the past few days as you twist and contort to weasel out of your commitment to introducing an amendment for a public option NOW, while it is possible to pass via reconciliation. Your arguments that doing so will “kill the bill” that has in fact already been signed into law are deeply disappointing if not infuriating. I realize that no one in the Democratic leadership really wants a public option because it was already bargained away at the outset. But, that is what leadership is for. And since you have now demonstrated you are unable or unwilling to lead, and to represent your constituency, I am throwing my wholehearted support to your primary challenger. He may be little better, but at least he has not yet sold us out. I had hoped for better from you.
Seems Dems aren’t the only targets of the crazies out there:
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/25/house-gop-no-2-someone-shot-at-my-office/
“real people and real voters” ? Bennet sounds like Sarah Palin.
If that doesn’t get his attention, I don’t know what will. Well said.
He’s another paid whore.
Hopefully, Colorado voters realize that and throw him out soon.
very, very well said. thank you.
Indeed! His campaign reported they got 20,000 email addresses from his savethepublicoption.com website. Traditional metrics assume 1 email address = $1. I’m sure those 20,000 people would love to hear what happened with his promise.
Reading that post I can’t help but feel Cantor is full of it. Immediately using the act of vandalism and the messages as a political tool against Dems by keeping them private? It seems really convenient.
This is not too surprising since the baggers and their ilk have very unfocused anger. They have no idea what to do with it so anyone is a possible target. The Rs need not think it’s only Dems who will be harassed – or worse.
Just contributed, go get him!
AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Michael Whitney and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
Good work, Brother Michael, Bennet is toast and the pressure is too much for ‘im. If he caves in an offers the public option amendment, he gets kneecapped by the White House who put ‘im in the seat and if he doesn’t he’s retired in the primary. He’s joining what might be a long list of victims of ObamaRhama’s healthcare boondogle: Blanched Lincoln, Harry One Hung Reid, Scott Brown and every Blue Dog in a Blue or “purple” district.
I think this is a breach in Obama’s lines so now’s the time to pressure someone like Al Franken who has 4+years left in his term, to offer the amendment and I think we’ll find that Rahm has run outta ammo. If Franken or another Democrat who is not up this fall offers the amendment, I bet there will be 52-54 votes for it before the White House wakes up. (Time for the “great chess player” in the White House to pivot and leverage off the Republican obstruction and send this bill back to the House with the Grayson bill or at least a Medicare buy-in)
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THIS FIGHT IS NOT OVER UNLESS WE QUIT!!
Sigh, I know it was SEIU and also ProgressNOW colorado. trying to get out a post on their anti-public option demonstrations.
Jane. I just contributed, but only because I love your passion & think what Obama & team is doing to you is the lowest, dirtiest, most shameful form of politics and it must be stopped. For me, the Democratic party is dead, but you and your passionate team are alive and deserve much support and thanks.
Perhaps the intertubes are actually populated by page viewing automatons. Might explain Politico.
Of course in his own special way we can assume he really meant that he knows the difference between those out of state Internet people that want him to keep his promise and those out of state DC beltway folks that have promised to squash liberal dissent on this issue like bug. There’s probably a broad class of politicians that talk lefty talk who see getting paid to pretend to fix the HIR in general and the PO in specific as a potential cash cow. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. A good pragmatist doesn’t kill the golden goose.
(I’m starting to run out of contextual aphorisms to respond to the “real people” toss away.)
btw, it appears Adam Green and PCCC were going to give him a pass (at least temporarily) on this – wonder if they’ve changed their tune in light of Senate actions – guess I’ll head on over
Thank you, thank you thank you. I can’t express how much every donation helps Firedoglake, not just for this campaign for the public option, but to continue to provide the kind of quality news and activism that we’re known for.
Thank you, bailey2739.
highly doubt it. they’re already focused on primaries for 2010 in the House and have moved on from public option.
a much needed laugh! thank you.
are we need more evidence that they’re all SCUM ?
“Aligning with the GOP!?” The whole Democratic party is aligning with the GOP! It’ll be a long time before I believe anything any of them say again.
I don’t think so. But they just keep providing it.
hey kids –
head on over to his ‘unreal’ Facebook Group – Join, (you can unjoin later) and ask him what’s up
if nothing else, it will ruin Craig Hughes quail wings lunch :D
Very Good Point!
Provided me another smile today, Thanks !
Thanks, Mike. There are over 20 million bloggers in the United States. You just pissed off a whole lot of people.
Could someone explain to me WHY they’re opposed to the public option?
Seems to me the Public Option is much more palatable to the conservatives than the POS that was passed …
You certainly seem to be in rare form today.
Hey CBL.
‘zup Scooter Boy !
fyi firedogs – KrisAinCA is our son
Sly
Yay for the son ! He’s funny this morning.
Michael Whitney linked this post on Bennett’s FB group. Suh-weet!
Replying to canadianbeaver @ 13
Cantor learned at the knee of Karl Rove. This simply reeks of the hand of the Master! Consider the classic; “Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, I have just found this here object clearly labeled; “Illicit listening device. Installed as a courtesy by Anne Richards, Democratic Candidate for Governor” right here in the wall of my Office in the George Bush For Texas Governor World Campaign Head Quarters. Care for a better look?”
Very busy today.
Don’t have time to bust Bennets chops right now but will do so later.
What’s so strange is that I believe him that he fully intended bring the PO to a vote, just like so many Senators. The WH quashed the drug reimportation and they are trying their hardest to spread the blame for the death of the PO. They must have made a secret deal with someone for them to be so against something that would actually pass. Why are they making this so hard not only on the country but on their own party politically?
I’m emulating my old man. It’s all his fault.
The only thing I agree with about the statement … confuse the blogosphere for real people and real voters. is that in my lower income neighborhood of mixed ethnicity I do not think anyone would react to the term public option. However: They would react positively to the words medicaid or medicare!
Since the people I interact with have jobs, I suspect they are above 133% of the poverty level, They are also under 50 years of age, and I have no doubt that their reaction to the mandate will be fear and hate.
Does anyone think such a fear would be justified, or do you think that anyone ( if I remember correctly ) up to 4 X the poverty level, and who has the facts explained to them, will rejoice?
What’s wrong with you people? Demanding that he KEEP HIS PROMISES?!? How un-American. Leave Michael Alooooooooooooooooooone!
Simple truth: a PO would inconvenience the corporate masters of both parties.
Obama promised those masters that there would be no PO and he keeps his promises… to the corporations. As he’s kept this one.
The Repubs are angry because the Dems got away with a massive sellout of the American people on a scale that the Repubs have only dreamed about and they are scared that this Dem success means that the masters will continue to favor the Dems with the Repubs held in reserve as a threat… and of course they don’t like being second fiddle.
*giggle*
I think the mandate, without a repeal of the anti-trust exemption that allows these companies to price gouge, is going to scare the crap out of people. This bill forces citizens to enter a private market that’s mostly unregulated and exempt from the same laws that keep all other markets competitive. If AHIP, in say 2014, decides on a universal rate hike of 27%, we have no recourse. I just wish mass media would tell people this instead of the “Great moment in history, oh what a huge democratic victory” bullshit.
Seems shot at Cantor was on Monday – and Thursday he tells us about it – claiming prior hate the Jew comments being received (about which I believe Cantor having lived in Virginia – especially outside the area around DC).
Cantor still refuses to accept any responsibility for the words he tolerated from his political friends – and claims it is the Dems that are at fault given the “justified anger” and the Dems “politicizing the moment”.
Almost every Jewish person I know is a very moral person – a higher percentage – much higher percentage – than in other creeds including atheists – but Cantor may be the exception.
I’m offended
I find that a very strange thing to say. Do you have statistics on that?
You should have been with me at a demonstration for Palestine last year. A Jewish contingent was across the street and it was evident they had little, if any, respect for others.
I am too. Especially as it is stated as fact without citation.
The Grassley/Dodd 1994 bill on health reform coverage expansion with its individual mandate and no public option has been adopted – the bill rejected as a compromise at the time by Hillary as not having any cost controls – This GOP bill is passed by that “progressive” Obama that saved us from that “DLCer” Hillary – and the left applauds – and the promised public option is dead even after the excuse for not passing it – “don’t send the budget recon back to the House” – is dead.
Funny, sad, world.
Chris Matthews thinks Congress is the real world. But the outside world of the net roots is not the real world. Chris does not say so, but Lobbyists I think are also part of the real world.
No shit, huge majorities in the House and Senate. The President running AGAINST mandates (hillary) and excise taxes (McCain) and won with a landslide (re: mandate) and we get a right of center bill that we could have gotten with a generic Republican Congress. I fail to see the victory here.
Chris Matthews is a loud red-faced moron. MSNBC is chocked full of Democratic apologists just like Fox was to the Dubs and the rest of the GOP. What’s wrong with holding your party accountable from the left?
Nicely said KrisinCA.
I just want to scream and foam each and every time a talking head on mainstream media remarks ‘and all the uninsured in our country are now covered’ …
Even after providing them with information that corrects their inaccuracies, the mis-information continues …
Yeah, they’ll certainly have a gun to our head, and they’re now firmly in the camp of Too Big Too Fail, because if we let them fail, they’ll put a proverbial bullet in us.
Offended? So many folks??
Sorry – my life experience appears different than yours – and my logic appears to me to be not biased by hate of Israel. The testimony to the UN on the Israeli Gaza war is instructive (Goldstone report) – Goldstone says he found no evidence of Palestinians using citizens as human shields – but Hamas admits that they did so, Goldstone says no effort to protect civilian population – the British Officer testified to the UN that there was more effort to protect the population than he had seen in any other conflict (the IDF drop thousands of warning leaflets, make over 200,000 telephone warnings to Palestinian civilians, aborted missile strikes to prevent civilian casualties, open a field clinic for Palestinians on the Gaza border, and transfered tons of humanitarian aid during the conflict).
Take your “offended” …….. no I will not play
No – I will not play. And I stand by my life experiences with many cultures and creeds.
Hello?
Ditto. Whoa!
Your remark has nothing to do with Israel or the Palestinians. I would have found it just as offensive if you had said Catholics, or Baptists, etc. were more moral. What makes you an expert on the morality of any religion?
The New York Times had a story last August about one of the deals Obama made with industry lobbyists (emphasis added):
Also, the insurance lobby AHIP put out its own proposal for HCR in 2008 and got exactly what they wanted. Even guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing conditions is something the insurance industry proposed – after all, they can sign people up, collect their premiums, and still deny their claims.
Thanks for that, I had heard about the whole hospital lobby deal. I don’t think I have any reason to be optimistic, but one could reason that the reform effort was designed to be slow in order to move, one by one, each of the stakeholders under the tent of reform. Meaning now that insurance is at least partially caged, go after the drug lobby and so on. I doubt that is the intent, but hey I need a little hope at this point.
I received this response from Michael Bennet if February, after I added my signature to a letter for him to deliver to Harry Reid re: a vote on the Public Option…
Apparently, he didn’t object then to my being only a “virtual” person, rather than one made of actual flesh and blood.
Mr. Bennet – I’m one of those REAL, registered Colorado voters that signed that petition… and you just lost my vote. Your two-step ain’t working.
This is Obama/Rahm’s way of establishing complete control over the Democratic party: they force folks like Bennet, Sanders, Kucinich et al. into actions that will discredit them with their “base,” thus weakening these folks who might someday be a threat from the left.
OTOH, they strengthen the right wing of the party [Blue Dogs] by using party [DCCC, DNC & DSCC] money to support them against liberal challengers, allowing them to vote against things like the HCR that are unpopular in their districts and thus might make them vulnerable, and supporting them in every way possible. You note they did not allow any “liberals” to vote against HCR.
Before I get flamed for the first paragraph, let me acknowledge that I know Bennet, Grayson, Kucinich, Edwards, Sanders et al. willingly cast their votes for HCR, and refused to stand up on principle, like, say Bart Stupak. I won’t be shedding whole lot of tears for them, but I think we all should acknowledge that the WH set them up to discredit them with their natural allies — well, those natural allies other than the lefty Kool-aid drinkers.
The teabaggers hate the R’s as much as the D’s. The R’s are delusional if they think their going out to speak to the crowds and egg them on has made them safely “one of them.” All incumbents are in trouble.
quail wings? I’m surprised Craigh Hughes is able to process any “food” other than bugs…
It’s more palatable to conservative voters, but not to the industries they made deals with. These days, politics is about getting corporate money to hoodwink the stupid voters, not about actually doing something to honestly earn votes.
Awww! My 12 year old daughter checks FDL to see what her mom is writing and read the comments if I have a post up. She gets really upset over corporatism and told her teacher that it was a “false equivalency” when he told the class that some scientists believe global warming is caused by humans and some do not.
Having a bad day?