MyDD :: Republicans against the AARP

Republicans against the AARP

by Jerome Armstrong, Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 10:51:08 PM EST

Republican groups are attacking the AARP with online ads, accusing the AARP of being against the military groups and for gay marriage. The ad comes from a right-wing group called USA-Next, here are the details by Citizen.org Shown here on the rightwing American Spectator's web site, the ad ought to be thrust into the face of every congressional Republican, making them denounce the smear.

Click to enlarge:

2006 is likely to be a low-turnout election and one thing the Democrats need, is the Republicans pissing off those most likely to vote.

But lets think for a moment. Given that the same group hired by USA-Next, did the SwiftBoat crap, how do we want to approach this? Reading through the NYT's article, I get the same sense from the AARP that I got from the Kerry campaign in the early days of the SwiftBoat attacks-- writing it off:

Officials at AARP say that their organization has weathered attacks and allegations of partisanship over the years and that they were not overly concerned about the current barrage.

"I don't ever want to see someone attack us, but we haven't found they had a significant impact in the past," said David Certner, the group's director of federal affairs.

One USA Next official predicted that this time around, the campaign would be so aggressive that the White House might not to want to associate with it. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the White House doesn't want anything to do with a group that is attacking the AARP," the official said, adding, "We are not going to drag them into this mess."

Mr. Jarvis said the group's goal is to peel off one million members from AARP, by presenting itself as a conservative, free-market alternative. He says USA Next surveys show that more than 37 percent of AARP members call themselves Republicans.

"We are going to take them on in hand-to-hand combat," said Mr. Jarvis, who is biting in his remarks about AARP, calling the group "stodgy, overweight, bureaucratic and out of touch."

The stodgy-looking and overweight Jarvis just joined USA-Next in 2001, but it's got a sorid past that needs to be outed:

Formerly known as the United Seniors Association, USA Next was founded in 1991 by Richard Viguerie, a Republican pioneer and mastermind of direct mailings, who raised millions of dollars from older Americans using solicitations that sent alarming messages about Social Security. In 1992, there were allegations that the group was used as a device to enrich other companies owned by Mr. Vigueri...

We'll see if the AARP knows what it's doing over the next few months.

Tags: Republicans (all tags)

Permalink :: 31 Comments :: Post a Comment

whaaa? (none / 0)

From the Times article:

One USA Next official predicted that this time around, the campaign would be so aggressive that the White House might not to want to associate with it.

What does he mean, "this time around"? What was the last time?

by punishinglemur on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 11:00:01 PM EST

Let's keep our fingers crossed (none / 0)

AARP has the advantage over Kerry of having an identity. They've been around so long and have such an established presence that this could be the attack that boomerangs.

On the other hand, this may be an experiment to discover just how gullible the American people really are. Are 59 million Americans really as dumb as a rock? We shall see.

The real story may be how the media reacts. Will Russert and Matthews invite these clowns on to their show to investigate why AARP opposes the military and supports gay marriage? I have no doubt that Faux News and Scarborough will be all over this story. We will get to see some new instant conservative celebs in the making.

Will cable and the MSM bite on this apple the same way they did on the swify attack?

by Gary Boatwright on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 11:03:42 PM EST

Re: Let's keep our fingers crossed (none / 0)

Neil Cavuto already had Art Linkletter on to talk all about USA Next and why AARP were nothing but a bunch of filthy liberals.

AARP already has the addresses, phone numbers, and means to get out its position to it's members. On the other hand, USA Next does not have that basis to work with, so hence they are using these TV ads to reach out to their target audience.

The bigger concern I have is this: say some Democrats approve private accounts and the Republican run challengers against them in 2006 attacking them for that? I worry that someone like Tom Carper is not aware how perfidious people like Rove can be about loyalty to their legislative agenda.

by risenmessiah on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 11:26:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Let's keep our fingers crossed (none / 0)

Tom Carper is not being duped. You can't be that naive and get elected to national office. Carper has an agenda, we just don't know what it is.

I can understand a conservative like Linkletter going on Cavuto to discuss AARP's left wing slant. That's no biggy, it's true, by current political standards anyway. Will Art Linkletter stand behind an ad campaign that accuses AARP of being anti-military and pro-gay? We're going to find out if there are any principled conservatives left in America.

Any Republican who fails to denounce this attack is unprincipled.

by Gary Boatwright on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 12:53:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Let them do it (none / 0)

We need to pound what a bunch of psycho fucks the GOP is for shitting on the AARP.

Fuck 'em. Obviously Old People hate freedom.

by jcjcjc on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 11:32:07 PM EST

Hannula (3.00 / 1)

This has got to be the most riddiculous thing I've heard from the right since the Clinton years.

by Hannula on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 12:24:51 AM EST

Ah. (none / 0)

So this isn't necessarily an effort to promote Social Security privatization - it's an effort to establish a conservative alternative to AARP.

In that context, the ad makes more sense. It's an effrot to lure conservative seniors from AARP by associating the organization with liberal causes.

by Drew on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 12:25:40 AM EST

OH NO tell me it aint so Nanna, tell me (none / 0)

I've just found out that my Grandma was arrested for protesting our troops in Iraq. Her sign proclaimed "All G.I.s are GRANDMA KILLERS!". Then I found out my Grandfather ran off with my Grandfather and Married in Vegas!
Oh No!! Its all the fault of that old folks group they joined to get The Presidents discount drug cards.
Damn those Liberals! Somehow it's all their doings!

by eddieb on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 12:25:46 AM EST

Yeah --- (none / 0)

And this is the thanks that AARP gets for supporting Bush's Senior Drug program.

I tell ya, these folks have no shame....

by Trammell on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 02:00:12 AM EST

Re: Yeah --- (none / 0)

Then again, the AARP could use that support to shore up dissensions with their members.

"Bush was right then, and we supported him -- but he's wrong now, and we won't."

Hmmmmm.....

by Trammell on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 02:01:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

More like: (none / 0)

"Fool us once, shame on Bush. Fool us twice, deepened poverty and desperation for our members."

Besides, AARP stood to profit from the MediCare deform. That's apparently not the case this time.

Yeah, I'm cynical.

by catastrophile on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 06:38:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

So if the AARP is against supporting the troops... (none / 0)

Then I suppose my Dad, longtime Republican and retired Army Colonel, is against supporting the troops? And my Mom, who had two sons and a husband in the military, hates the troop?

Yea, I suppose that makes sense, on FUCKING MARS...

by jexter on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 03:08:30 AM EST

Presumably we will see (none / 0)

an IRS audit of the AARP announced soon.

by Bob H on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 07:17:18 AM EST

Until this gets beaten (none / 0)

Every major Bush initiative and republican election campaign will go down this traCK UNTIL IT LOSES. It's the modern American mcCarthyism.

Remember, first the AWOl draft-dodger-in-chief runs against a Vietnam vet, but wraps himse;f up in patriotism. Poor Gore had no chance.

Then we send out a decorated Vietnam vet. Even one who lost 3 limbs in combat. Goodbye Clelland and Kerry. Mere records won't work against these turds. You have to fight em head on. Fortunately, this is one generation that did. After facing down Hitler and Goebbels, they won't back down to W and Rove.

by David Kowalski on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 09:16:27 AM EST

Republicans are assholes (none / 0)

They really don't care who or what they're voting for, as long as they're voting against us.

by jcjcjc on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 09:55:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Everyone criticized Kerry (none / 0)

for not responding, but I'm not sure what AARP can do? The swifties were liars, but they were attacking Kerry's record. He could have said, "Look, my military record is public....." But this! What the fuck is this??? I cant see AARP saying, "um, we dont hate the troops and dont support gay marriage." I mean, this is such a stupid ad, I dont know how you respond to it. They dont even give evidence of those charges.

by jj32 on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 09:24:05 AM EST

Re: Everyone criticized Kerry (none / 0)

It's easy send out a push poll to all of their members asking them what they think of a president who calls them Traitors and Un-American because they belong to the AARP.

by eddieb on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 10:09:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Here's what the AARP can do: (none / 0)

"This is the goddamned stupidest thing I've ever seen. It's hysterical. Next week they'll have a picture of an 85 year old man stepping on a puppy, right?"

by The Jim Dandy on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 09:49:00 AM EST

Re: Here's what the AARP can do: (none / 0)

Sean Hannity should hide his dog !

by eddieb on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 10:10:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

If It Is To Be, Then It Is Up To Me (none / 0)

Time to start writing our own letters and recruiting supporters from the AARP forums.

(By the way, the AARP forums posters are REALLY PISSED OFF about this. I suspect that we could get a number of them together to call themselves "The AARP Member Base" or some such name (I know y'all can come up with a better one than I can) and spam this to the media AND our elected Reps.

by Phoenix Woman on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 11:54:49 AM EST

Another thing: (none / 0)

This ad ran in a conservative mag's website. That means that the dweebs behind it knew that they couldn't run it in the mainstream press -- they had to stick to a "safe" place, albeit one that doesn't get the number of eyeballs they'll like.

This was a mistake on their part. (Well, so would have been trying to place this ad in the NYT, but then again this is a lose-lose sitch for them, as we'll soon see.) Less than 24 hours later, dozens of parody ads, most of them featuring Bush, Jeff Gannon, and dead US soldiers -- the REAL Bush Agenda, in other words -- are all over the Net. And the AARP membership knows all about it.

We'll be able to shoot this down hard, before they have a chance to refine it.

by Phoenix Woman on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 11:59:08 AM EST

I wonder if (none / 0)

the idea behind running such a virulent spot on a conservative site was to draw in the people most likely to side with them early as funders/footsoldiers.

You know: first draw in the wingnuts with out-there vitriol, then get them to click the "Tell Your Friends" link and invite their more moderate friends to check it out.

Yeah, I'm cynical.

by catastrophile on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 06:29:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Organize (none / 0)

Ideally, someone other than AARP needs to attack these guys. Could MoveOn or Media Matters or some other organization take action against this group attacking the AARP. With the Swift Boat deal, I thought Kerry faced a huge problem in responding. If Kerry had gone out directly against the Swift Boat attacks it would have been a few weeks of John Kerry vs. John O'Neil for favorite Vietnam Vet while George Bush ran for president unopposed. In that case what was needed was the Democratic Party, and spokes people for the same, to come out hard against John O'Neil leaving Kerry to run against Bush. In other words we need to provide covering fire for each other. Another way to look at this is that we did well providing cover for Kerry against Sinclair.

So, any other suggestions on what organization might help in taking down USA-next?

by 8051FSW on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 12:16:16 PM EST

Two Things (none / 0)

First, the NY Times article has a snippet from USANext's guy that says the AARP doesn't represent mainstream Republican values - as if they support Social Security having a party affiliation requirement for eligibility. A position I'm sure they would take, but not one they would like to be known for.

Second, Josh Marshall at www.talkingpointsmemo.com (I know, everyone already knows the web address) has a good run down of USANext's ties to United Seniors Assoc. (USA), and the causes USA takes up based on its donors. That leads me to wonder who is funding USANext's efforts in the War on Social Security? We can all speculate, and will most likely come up with the usual suspects, but wouldn't it be nice to have some names to point to?

Wall Street has backed off its support of privatization (such that it was) - so who is left to bankroll privatization lobbyists?

by Kentucky Blogger on Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 02:27:43 PM EST