Even the headline on the AP story tonight looks like it might be a mistake: “Obama, Dems Press Unified Message On Health Care.” It’s not often we see Dems and “unified message” in the same paragraph, let alone in a headline. But there it is. Of course, before you get too excited, the lede includes the word “scrambled.”
“The White House scrambled to unify Democrats behind a single health care appeal Wednesday — lower costs, plenty of choice — amid concerns Republicans could scare votes away with images of a ghastly system run by bureaucrats.”
But there is hope.
“{President Obama] spoke to reporters after he and other Senate Democrats met with White House political adviser David Axelrod as the White House pressed to get the party behind a unified message on health legislati
on.
Senators emerged with agreement on emphasizing affordability and choice. The issue of coverage for the uninsured would be tied to affordability for all, as when uninsured people drive up costs when they go to emergency rooms for routine care.
‘This is an effort to coordinate our messaging so we present a health care reform effort that the American people trust,’ said Sen. Dick Dirbin, D-Ill., the No. 2 Senate Democrat.”
But wait! Did the Dems really think about coordinating their message all by themselves? Was this a seminal moment when they realized that it helps if you don’t step on each other’s message? Nah, we didn’t think so.
“Last week political strategist Frank Luntz gave Republicans detailed advice on how to attack the Democrats’ health plan, even though it doesn’t yet exist in anything approaching final form.
Luntz’s advice included the use of lines like "a committee of Washington bureaucrats will
establish the standard of care for all Americans."
Luntz’s memo to Republicans served as ‘an interesting catalyst for us,’ [Sen. Dick] Durbin said.” (emphasis added)
Oh well, at least they got the message from Luntz’s message, which is: plan, coordinate, execute.
(We’ll see how well they execute.)