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A tale of two Ryan’s

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* The DCCC has a new negative ad blasting Republican Rodney Davis and connecting him to two Ryan’s, George and Paul. Rate it

I accidentally lost access to my YouTube account and created a new one, and now I can’t seem to figure out how to reclaim the “real” one. So, for now, we’ll just have to use direct embedding. Make sure to tell me if this is working on your end. Thanks. [Finally figured it out. Whew.]

* The National Republican Congressional Committee issued this response to reporters…

So it looks like David Gill and his Washington Democrats are even more delusional than one would think. Today, a new TV ad hit the airwaves paid for by Nancy Pelosi’s campaign arm the DCCC. Yeah, so you are thinking is this the type of outside, Wall Street funded group that David Gill said he would never take money from. Bingo! But that’s another story of hypocrisy that we can get into later.

The biggest gaffe of this latest ad from Gill’s Washington attack dogs is the part of the commercial where they start talking Medicare. You would think since they begrudgingly have David Gill as their candidate, who said he supports a plan which makes Medicare no longer exist, they would steer clear of this topic. But in true Washington Democrat style they decide to look past the details.

If you decide to cover the latest false ad from David Gill’s Wall Street and Nancy Pelosi funded attack group, please consider the following quote.

NRCC Statement: “Illinois families need to know that David Gill supports a plan in which Medicare would no longer exist, Americans would be forced into government run healthcare and taxes would be raised to pay for it all. David Gill is looking out for his own radical interests over Illinois families.” – NRCC Spokeswoman Katie Prill

* The NRCC also pointed to this Bernie column about Davis and Medicare

While Davis has told me in the past that he likes “a lot of things that have been proposed in Washington, the Ryan budget included,” he’s also made it clear he wasn’t talking about all specifics of that plan.

In a meeting I had with Davis last week, I asked about the Medicare part of the proposal, which seems to be a political flashpoint. After the GOP-dominated House passed the plan in March, a New York Times article reported that in Ryan’s budget, Medicare would be turned into a subsidized set of private insurance plans, with the option of buying into the existing fee-for-service program.

“The annual growth of those subsidies would be capped just above economic growth, well below the current health-care inflation rate,” the story says.

“I have never said that I support the Ryan budget in its entirety at all,” Davis said, adding that it has “some laudable goals that I hope … when I’m elected to be able to address.”

“Medicare right now is going to go broke, so what we have to do is find some ways to ensure that our overall health-care delivery system is more cost-effective for all Americans.”

When asked if he liked the Medicare part of the Ryan plan, Davis said, “I’m not committing to any part of any plan that’s out there. I’m not going to box myself into a corner and get lumped into what my opponent’s trying to do, which is to demonize me by associating me with somebody who they think is going to be a political issue.”

He added, “I can’t wait to work with Paul Ryan and I can’t wait to work with NANCY PELOSI and all the others who are going to have a say in how we actually preserve and protect Medicare as we know it, because right now, those that have been there haven’t done a good job of that.”

* Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan is being used by Democrats all over the country. The DCCC recently called Ryan a “down-ballot disaster” for the GOP

“The reason for the momentum is very simple,” said Israel at a Thursday morning briefing with reporters in Washington. “Paul Ryan has become a down-ballot disaster for Republicans across the country.”

He argued that the Ryan pick, as well as Missouri GOP Senate nominee Todd Akin’s controversial comments about “legitimate” rape and the GOP congressmen swimming in the Sea of Galilee, had put a breeze at the Democrats’ backs. He cited several generic ballot polls that were close at the start of August in which the Democrats have now opened up leads.

Israel said the Ryan pick “gave us the debate we wanted. We’ve been spending most of the cycle talking about Medicare versus millionaires, and Mitt Romney gave us a bullhorn.”

“Our candidates across the country grabbed hold of that nationalized debate and have vocalized that debate in their own districts,” he added.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:23 am

Comments

  1. That is one wordy, godawful ad. It is literally my job to know what the Ryan budget does to Medicare and even I don’t understand this.

    And with the usual disclaimer that I am open to being corrected by polling to the contrary, who gives a crap about George Ryan? He was in office a decade ago and his malfeasance has long since been eclipsed.

    Comment by Will Caskey Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:33 am

  2. Unfair and ineffective.

    Ryan — who cares?

    Over the-top-claims by either side — the undecideds are already becoming deaf to them.

    Comment by walkinfool Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:40 am

  3. So, let me get this straight. The retort to potential misstatements and making mountains out of a molehill by the NRCC is to do just the same thing. Despite the fact that David Gill’s plan is Medicare for all, it’s more puzzling that the NRCC apparently doesn’t count Medicare as “government run healthcare” in any shape, form, or fashion. How deluded can one be?

    Furthermore, the rest of their response is to point to an article saying Rodney Davis won’t commit to anything specific from anyone, anywhere on anything despite being devoid of plans or ideas of his own outside of a flag burning amendment that would restrict 1st amendment rights.

    Comment by Aaron Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:42 am

  4. Definitely an A. Very effective ad, especially so when one need not even twist the facts where Davis is concerned. Rock solid.

    Comment by just sayin' Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:49 am

  5. Does George Ryan still have legs in a negative ad? I wonder.

    It’s fascinating to see House Republicans backpedal furiously and position themselves as the great defenders of Medicare (been reading the polls?).

    Good luck with that. You’ve been howling about “socialized medicine” since 1965.

    Maybe after this election we can get real about the $750 billion or so in medical expenditures that are wasted every year.

    http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/09/how-the-us-health-care-system-wastes-750-billion-annually/262106/

    Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:51 am

  6. Republicans really haven’t learned any lessons from 2006. The lesson from 2006 and 2008 was that if you blindly follow dc and confuse support for a program at the heritage foundation for support for a program or bill in your district you are likely going to be out of a job.

    Comment by Shore Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:54 am

  7. “Dear DCCC,

    There are more ‘Ryan’s, especially in Illinois. The fact you went after George and Paul (from Wisconsin no less!) tells us all we need to know about your connection to Illinois. Quit being so lazy and check out the facts before you pick 2 ‘Ryan’s to saddle Rodney Davis.

    Your Pals,

    ‘Jack!’ Ryan, and Jim Ryan.

    p.s. - We tried to contact ‘Dan Ryan’, but a ‘Ryan’ can speak from a jail, or congress, or even in private life, a ‘Ryan’ just can’t speak from the grave.”

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 10:56 am

  8. Can’t believe how clueless the gop is in this state. Erika Harold would be coasting 10 points ahead in that race and lifting other Republican candidates across the state. But oh no, have to try and force a Shimkus/George Ryan/Pat Brady guy into a spot he doesn’t deserve.

    Guess Mike Madigan stole some brains too.

    Comment by too obvious Friday, Sep 14, 12 @ 11:55 am

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