DNC's "Extreme Aims" Campaign

EMAIL from DNC Press Secretary Melanie Roussell
Subject: On the way to Ames, the GOP's Extreme Aims

August 8, 2011

Good morning!

Today, the Democratic National Committee announced that in the lead up to Thursday’s Republican debate in Iowa and the Ames straw poll on Saturday, the Democratic National Committee is launching a campaign to further define the 2012 Republican candidates called “Extreme Aims: Wrong for Seniors. Wrong for the Middle Class.” (wordplay intended).  When it comes to the GOP presidential candidates and what America will hear from them in Ames this week, they have extreme aims to please the far-right, Tea Party wing of their party and they are following the extreme agenda of Congressional Republicans instead of leading.  All this while our country’s future hangs in the balance.

For example, all of the major Republican presidential candidates:

-- Support the House Republican budget that would end Medicare as we know it and gives more tax giveaways to millionaires, billionaires, and the special interests.

-- Supported the goals of the Tea Party-backed Cut, Cap and Balance plan – which we like to call Duck, Dodge and Dismantle because they are ducking their obligation to the Middle Class; dodging their obligation to our nation’s seniors; and, they want to dismantle critical education and job creation programs while protecting tax breaks for the wealthy, big oil and corporate jet owners.

The DNC’s campaign launches on Monday with this web video, entitled “The GOP's Extreme Aims."  See links to the video and the script below.

Additional facets of the campaign will be unveiled throughout the week including a website profiling the records and extreme aims of each Republican candidate, a new and innovative Twitter campaign and numerous events on the ground throughout the week with the State Party and everyday Americans.

The DNC will have a presence on the ground in Iowa beginning on Thursday which will include DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (arriving Friday) as well as other surrogates. 

Wasserman Schultz will participate in a round table discussion with Iowans on Friday morning in Des Moines, will speak from the Iowa States Fair's famous 'soapbox' and will visit with Democratic activists and supporters of the President at the Iowa Democratic Party's booth at the fair.  Rumor has it she will also eat something fried on a stick.

Wasserman Schultz will then decamp to Ames where she will do national and local media.

DNC VIDEO: "EXTREME AIMS"
PUBLIC YOUTUBE LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgK5nl2Hzjw

SCRIPT:

VO: Attention seniors and middle class families
CHYRON: Attention seniors and middle class families

VO: Like Washington Republicans and the Tea-Party, Republican Presidential candidates are planning to duck their responsibilities to the middle-class
CHYRON: Duck their responsibilities to the middle-class

VO: dodge their obligations to seniors
CHYRON: Dodge their obligations to seniors

VO: and dismantle critical education and job creation programs.
CHYRON: Dismantle critical education and job creation programs

VO: Like Washington Republicans and the Tea-Party, Republican Presidential candidates are offering no new ideas.
CHYRON: Like Washington Republicans and the Tea-Party, Republican Presidential candidates are offering no new ideas.

NEWT GINGRICH: "I want to replace, not reform, EPA."

MICHELLE BACHMANN: "Tax cutting."

JON HUNTSMAN: "Corporate tax cuts."

TIM PAWLENTY: "We should repeal Obamacare!"

VO: Republican Presidential candidates are providing no new leadership - they're just following the Tea Party and Republicans in Congress.
CHYRON: Republican Presidential Candidates are providing no new leadership - they're just following the Tea Party and Congressional Republicans.

HUNTSMAN: "The Ryan budget plan."

ANCHOR: "Call it the Mittness Protection Program."

MITT ROMNEY: "Cut federal spending, cap federal spending and have a balanced budget amendment."

FOX ANCHOR: "That was Newt Gingrich last night here on Fox with Greta, just hours after he called Congressman Paul Ryan to apologize and say he was sorry."

VO: And just like Washington Republicans and the Tea-Party, Republican Presidential Candidates want to end Medicare as we know it
CHYRON: End Medicare as we know it

VO: Slash funding for education and job creation
CHYRON: Slash funding for education and job creation

VO: Protect the wealthy, corporate CEOs and big oil
CHYRON: Protect the wealthy, corporate CEOs and big oil

VO: The Republican Field: Wrong for seniors. Wrong for the middle class.
CHYRON: The Republican Field: Wrong for seniors. Wrong for the middle class.

VO: To the extreme

[DNC Disclaimer]

###
from DNC Rapid Response
August 9, 2011

NEW DNC CAMPAIGN –“EXTREME AIMS” CAMPAIGN – The Democratic National Committee is rolling out phase two of its pre-Ames campaign by unveiling a Twitter account called @GOPsayWhat. The explanation: “A take on the popular Twitter handle @Sh*tMyDadSays, @GOPsayWhat will have a little fun at the expense of verbally challenged Republican candidates, members of Congress, and pundits by highlighting the extreme, often outrageous, or just plain ridiculous things GOPers say as they continue to follow the far-right wing of the Republican Party.” Three sample tweets: @GOPsayWhat: “I’m also unemployed.” #Romney, a multimillionaire speaking to actual unemployed Americans #outoftouch #greatesthits // @GOPsayWhat: "That is not a real debt. It’s a fictitious debt. It’s a dishonest debt, and we’re not obligated.” #Paul #lalaland // @GOPsayWhat: “Absolutely [Iowans] relate to me, because I eat a lot of pork and a lot of beef." #Cain #notavegetarian. Here is the Twitter page: http://bit.ly/phf5hu.

DNC email to supporters
August 11, 2011

Friend --

The 2012 Republicans are in for a real test this week. They're gathering in Iowa for a debate on Thursday and an important straw poll on Saturday where conservative activists will select the person they think ought to be the GOP nominee.

Whoever fares the best in these two contests will come out of the weekend with a burst of momentum. And with so much at stake, you can be sure that these Republicans will reach new lows in their attacks on the President and new extremes in their plans to gut programs that America's seniors and middle class families rely on.

That means we need to be ready to beat back their misstatements with fact-checks, showcase good analysis from other debate watchers, and respond to their attacks in real time.

We want you there with us. Sign up to watch the debate with us on Thursday, and we'll send you a reminder so you don't miss a minute.

Even though this election is just getting started, for some Republicans Thursday might be their last chance for their campaigns to catch fire.

For the current frontrunners, a bad showing might prove to be a disaster.

Both types of candidates deserve a thorough look and an aggressive response from those of us who are committed to debunking their misstatements, defeating their extreme agenda, and reelecting President Obama and other Democrats.

Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, and the rest of the GOP bunch are daydreaming right now about the successes they'll enjoy after this week -- great headlines, new donors, and a wave of volunteer support.

We can make sure that what they wake up to instead are stories about the facts they got wrong and the voters they alienated. But it will take all of us to keep the record straight.

Sign up for a reminder to join us on Thursday:

http://my.democrats.org/Ames-Debate

Thanks,

Brad

Brad Woodhouse
Communications Director
Democratic National Committee