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Obama mailer kerfuffle in Lipinski district

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* Daily Kos yesterday…

Pathetic. Nauseating. Desperate. Pick your favorite, but these all apply to the anti-partisan group No Labels’ effort to prop up conservative Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski as he faces a progressive primary challenger, Marie Newman.

One of No Labels’ super PACs, United for Progress, has sent out the mailer above trying to link Lipinski to former President Barack Obama. Here’s the thing: Lipinski refused to endorse Obama in 2012—when Obama was a sitting president from Lipinski’s party and, indeed, from Lipinski’s home state of Illinois.

United for Progress has spent nearly $750,000 boosting Lipinski, who opposed the Affordable Care Act, marriage equality, and the DREAM Act, is vehemently anti-choice, voted to weaken Wall Street reform, and only came out for a $15 minimum wage when he lost a major union endorsement over it. This while representing a congressional district where Hillary Clinton got 55 percent of the vote in 2016.

* Today…

Team Obama settles score with Lipinski

Congressman Dan Lipinski was no friend to President Barack Obama when his fellow Chicago Democrat occupied the White House.

On Thursday, Lipinski got his comeuppance.

A collection of former Obama aides and supporters banded together to deliver some Chicago-style payback, just days before the embattled congressman faces a tough Democratic primary challenge that could end his career.

And what was that Chicago-style payback? Did they contribute a pile of money to Marie Newman’s campaign? Did they announce they’d recruited dozens of people to walk precincts? Did they say they were setting up a phone bank? Did they at least send some Chicago-style pizzas to Newman’s HQ?

* Nope. They held a press conference in David Axelrod’s office. It did get some TV coverage, though…

“This is about calling out hypocrisy, frankly, and letting voters know what their representative is doing in Congress, and lying about their record and allegiances is not going to be tolerated,” said John Atkinson, former President Obama campaign aide. […]

“President Obama needed Congressman Lipinski when every vote counted to pass the Affordable Care Act, we got it done without him but his district deserves better,” said Jon Carson, Obama 2008 campaign National Field Director.

* And…

Former Obama staffers, like John Carson, gathered Thursday to say Lipinski is stealing the former president’s image.

Oh noooo! Whatever will happen now?! /s

* Related…

* Lipinski, Newman to clash on TV tonight, just days before primary

* The $2 million campaign: Big bucks in race between Lipinski, Newman

* In Illinois Primary, Democrats Take Aim at One of Their Own

* Pro-Life Democrat: ‘It Would Be a Disaster’ for Party to Expel People Like Me

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:12 am

Comments

==said John Atkinson==
==said Jon Carson==

2 quick questions; Who? and Who?

Comment by A guy Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:18 am
It’s not the voters’ job in that district to preserve a conservative Dem for somebody else’s idea of the good of their party. It is their job to pick someone to represent them–and only them–in Congress. Heard the NPR piece on this race this morning, and the reporter clearly didn’t get this.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:20 am
Wow, Chicago-style payback has lost some of its sting.

Comment by Anonish Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:24 am
== and the reporter clearly didn’t get this.==

And yet a poster named Anonymous did. Hmm.

Comment by A guy Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:25 am
I’ve been canvassing for Marie in the district’s more blue collar neighborhoods. He’s got a hold on seniors and vets, for certain. He’s definitely in trouble with women. And his health care record bothers men.

50 vols showed up to canvas last weekend.

Comment by Politix Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:27 am
“Pathetic. Nauseating. Desperate”. I thought that was Daily Kos’s banner.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:28 am
Lipinski’s headshot will appear on all backboards at the Obama library-meets-rec-center.

Comment by City Zen Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:28 am
That approach explains a lot about how Dems lost so many congressional and state legislative seats, as well as statewide offices, during Obama’s tenure. Gerrymandering explains some, too, obviously.

Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:28 am
Does this violate the tax exempt status of Axe’s office?

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:34 am
I support Lipinski (of course, I don’t live in the district) and have financially contributed in the past and I hope he makes it. But some of his politics are a real head-scratcher. How is it that he didn’t endorse Obama’s reelection? That seems pointless. Obama got 56% of the vote and Lipinski 68%. Would endorsing Obama hurt Lipinski at all? It seems like not endorsing him might hurt him now.

Comment by paddyrollingstone Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:49 am
New Headline:

Nobodies Endorse A Nobody.

Comment by Soapbox Derby Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 10:53 am
“Nobodies Endorse A Nobody.”

Dan? Still pretending Marie doesn’t exist.

Comment by Politix Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 11:00 am
==Still pretending Marie doesn’t exist.==

In Dem folklore…you don’t til you do.

Comment by A guy Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 11:24 am
**Does this violate the tax exempt status of Axe’s office?**

Pretty sure it was actually at Strategy Group’s office.

Comment by SaulGoodman Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 11:41 am
I get not supporting Obama in 2008, but 2012? weird. Also weird, spending so much effort working against a sitting Dem member of Congress in a primary. But not much effort from the press conference crowd.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 11:52 am
I have lived in the 3rd District my entire life, and was around when the Big Lipper went mano-e-mano with former Rep. Marty Russo and won. But Little Lipper is sorely mistaken if he thinks I or my fellow voters in the district don’t have long memories on how he was installed as the congressman lo those many years ago. It’s the only thing I hear when Little Lip’s name comes up (to be fair, less and less, until this year).

I know politics “ain’t beanbags” but sheesh, that was one raw deal for the voters.

Comment by Colin O'Scopy Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 12:39 pm
The President that when he was a State Senator that voted present on some of the hard issues. That was for gay marriage then against and then for it to secure the votes at the time he needed them. The President that didn’t know that science proves that a human life begins at conception?

Comment by Stand Tall Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 12:57 pm
Darn, are we starting fetus farms again?

Comment by Ron Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 1:59 pm
“Dan? Still pretending Marie doesn’t exist”
Politix, a little off topic, but if you’re stumping for her, can you explain why Ms. Newman’s mailers been completely devoid of reasons she’s qualified for the job? If the only thing she’s got going for her is, “Lipinski’s a bad guy”, that doesn’t say much for her, does it?
At least he’s a known commodity (that I can live with). Her? Too much potential downside for me. Also, of those 50 volunteers, how many were from within the district?

Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 2:23 pm
I really hope Lipinski goes down.

Comment by Ron Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 2:30 pm
@Stuntman I have volunteered for Marie and all of whom I canvasses with lived in the 3rd. Women in the district are pretty fired up.

Comment by Stacey’s mom Friday, Mar 16, 18 @ 3:17 pm