Internal Dem Polling Memo Urges Dems To Empasize American Values, Target Insurance Industry

[jefferson_dem]

Internal Dem Polling Memo Urges Dems To Empasize American Values, Target Insurance Industry

A private polling memo being distributed on Capitol Hill tells Dems that the language about the insurance industry in Obama’s speech resonated in focus groups and urges them to keep targeting the insurance industry by talking about reform as the best way to hold them “accountable.”

It also stresses that Dems should keep emphasizing a connection between health care reform and American values and the “American character,” as Obama did in his speech.

The memo, which was sent over by a source, suggests that Dems are gambling that the president’s speech offers a good rhetorical frame to use to close out the health care debate.

The memo, done by pollster David Binder, says that research showed that the highest-rated message in Obama’s speech was when he said his plan would make it illegal for insurance companies to water down coverage, to price-gouge, or to deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

Also positively rated, the memo says, was when Obama said this: “I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable.”

The memo says that focus group participants also gave a big thumbs-up to the passage where Obama defended the role of government in improving people’s lives, saying that the “concern and regard for the plight of others” is “part of the American character.”

“This language,” the memo concludes, “can be used by Democrats as the debate moves forward.”

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/internal-dem-polling-memo-urges-dems-to-empasize-american-values-target-insurance-industry/

[BlooInBloo]

1. Um, duh?

[uponit7771]

5. +1

[polichick]

2. Translation: keep wearing those liberal duds - they look good on ya! nt

[JTFrog]

6. Just have to put your own special hate spin on everything dontcha.

You betcha.

[polichick]

7. Look in the mirror - I was commenting on the president's "liberal" speech...

...on the part about Kennedy's letter and the character of this country.

The hate you see everywhere is a projection of what you feel.

[JTFrog]

8. The hate I feel hass been rolling off of you and the other haters in massive waves

over the last few months.

Projection my ass.

[polichick]

10. There was nothing "hateful" about my post - I was saying that Obama's liberal...

...rhetoric looked good on him.

Seriously, look up "projection" ~ you do it over and over, always seeing things that aren't there.

[JTFrog]

11. Sure sounds like the celestial choir routine to me.

rhetoric: Language that is elaborate, pretentious, insincere, or intellectually vacuous.

But then why would you find that hateful? :eyes:

[polichick]

12. You're being very silly. I liked the liberal stuff in the speech - period...

Anything else you see is your own projection.

(Look up paranoia while you're at it.)

[Becky72]

3. Obama done the first, not the second n/t

[BeyondGeography]

4. The already-insured was always the most important audience, politically speaking

Every year, someone from HR calls them into a conference room to describe the new way they will be fucked on health insurance.

Great advice from Binder. These are our people.

[WeDidIt]

9. Weren't DUers saying this shit back in April?

:shrug:

[depakid]

13. Just as long as we remember- as Obama said, that they're "good people"

:eyes:

[polichick]

14. He does lie when he says stuff like that - and also when he says that...

...both sides care about people. I know he does it because he's thinking about voters, regular people, on the other side ~ but it drives me crazy.

[depakid]

16. Can't think of many who are "on the other side" supporting these sorts of people or instiututions

Trouble is- Dre Westen's right: Obama's incapable of setting up an obvious boogeyman and marshaling people's anger and resentment.

This may also be why his "Justice" Department is utterly unwilling to hold criminal behavior accountable with respect to the Bush administration- the fraudsters and banksters- or even the guy's from Peanut Corp., who poisoned all those people (even though we have extensive evidence in writing of their repeatedly- and intentionally violating laws).

[polichick]

17. Last night Rachel Maddow replayed an interview she did with Obama in 08...

In it she's frustrated because he won't go after the other side, but he's laughing about it ~ then he says that he's always thinking about independent and Republican voters who also want change and how he doesn't want to alienate them.

It's not the way I'd do it ~ imo straight, truthful talk goes a long way ~ but I see what he's trying to do. I think he believes that some people cannot separate holding their party accountable from hate-talk toward their party. I've learned that there are many here on DU that have trouble with distinctions like that too.

[emulatorloo]

15. interesting article -- thanks n/t