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Progressive Group Tells Emanuel He Has to Pay to Play

By Brian O'Connell on 12.15.09 @ 1:11PM

Progressive Change Campaign Committee released an advertisement on Tuesday in Chicago attacking Rahm Emanuel for his reported efforts to compromise single-payer. The video itself is a couple months old, but it has been reported recently that Emanuel has pressured Senator Reid to "cut a deal" with Joe Lieberman and abandon the expansion of Medicare that would cover those ages 55-64.

The advertisement concludes "if he sides with insurance companies and undermines the public option, well, he won't have many fans in Chicago." Emanuel is widely believed to want to return to Congress after eventually retiring as Chief of Staff.

In running ads against Emanuel in Chicago, the progressives are also reaching Senator Roland Burris's constituents. Phil pointed out last night that Burris, also a Chicago resident, made ambiguous comments regarding the public option on Monday. Two months ago, Burris stated "unequivocally" that he would not vote for a bill that did not contain a public option.

Here's the video:

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JP| 12.15.09 @ 2:34PM

IMHO I don't think Rahm Emmanuel cares what the Left thinks of him anymore than HR Halderman (Nixon's famed Chief of Staff) worried about the GOP. His job is to protect the President and to get things done.

Where Emmanel failed was believing the press clippings. The warning signs were all over the place last summer during both the ObamaCare and Cap and Trade debates in the House. The Tea-Party Movement was like a siren going off. Instead of looking at things from a realistic point of view, the Obama WH and Pelosi hunkered down and attempted to ram an even more radical plan through the House.

Emmanuel's over-all legislative strategy has become a political disaster. All 3 landmark laws or bills this year were essientially written by Pelosi and Steny Hoyer. This was no accident. Emmanuel was correct in believing that Pelosi would concoct an even more radical agenda than President Obama. Where he was wrong in the belief that his President would be shielded from the political fall-out. The electorate rightly has associated Pelosi and Reid to Obama. And they are dragging him down.

What the Far Left ignores is the simple fact that if Obama's approval ratings contnue to slide his administration is finished. If his approval rating go below 40%, the President has lost all clout, and health care will be the least of his worries.