GOP Tuesday Target Ads

Ericka Andersen | February 02, 2009 7:40 PM

Liberal interest groups spent nearly $600,000 to convince Republican senators that they should back the Democrats' $900 billion economic stimulus package. The way numbers are flying around these days, this half a mil (and then some) probably sounds like chump change. Sens. Kit Bond (Mo.) and Richard Lugar (Ind.) , Sens. Jim Bunning (Ky.), Richard Burr (N.C.), and Mel Martinez (Fla.) are targets for the ads.

Groups involved include Americans United for Change, Moveon.org, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union. Yahoo reports this is actually part of a $5 million effort by the Campaign for Jobs and Economic Recovery, which seems a bit rash.

The TV ad reportedly features President Obama discussing the creation of jobs and economic recovery in the making if the stimulus passes. Fox News reports specific targets Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine; Olympia Snowe, R-Maine; Judd Gregg, R-N.H.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

After the stimulus bill passed the House, with zero Republican support, speculation is heavy on whether or not Senate Republicans will follow suite. Reports indicate it will not pass without significant changes.

Only two Republican votes are needed to "clear possible procedural roadblocks" at this point in the Senate and its unclear whether or not this massive ad campaign will sway GOP leaders who don’t wish to be alienated from the Party. With items like $75 million toward smoking prevention programs and $50 million to promote the arts, how are almost all the Democrats in favor of this irresponsible piece of legislation?

Senior White House advisers are quietly beginning to put a system in place to ensure coordination between the White House and outside liberal groups and unions that are ramping up to push the Obama administration’s agenda and target its foes, a senior Dem operative who regularly advises the White House and is involved in these discussions tells me.

The operation, which is in its early stages, is expected to be overseen by senior Obama hand Valerie Jarrett, the senior Dem says, and Jarrett is playing a key role in assembling it, though other senior Obama advisers will also play a role.