Traveling the length of a vigorously divided land — seemingly once every hour for the past month — President Obama, wearing a broad scowl, repeatedly has condemned his perceived opponents, conservatives, talk radio and Fox News, separately and by name, for “deceitfully” hiring and organizing one-note protestors to fill up Town Hall meetings on healthcare debates.
Perhaps because his waking hours increasingly have been monopolized by a creative, daily-changing itinerary, Mr. Obama probably forgot to mention that at the same moment, thousands of drifting young minions, who developed a deathly loyalty to him and him alone last year, were and are busily organizing counter-forces.
Whatever it takes, is the message.
In some cases, liberal groups are offering “paid volunteers” up to $15 an hour to show up at the Town Halls and over-shout those they disagree with.
“Organizing for America” is one of those left wing groups that has been standing just a shade out of public view.
They are in the shadows, presumably, so that the President, a former community organizer, won’t look bad for merely blistering his opponents for organizing protests while adroitly ignoring the furious organizing that his minions are engineering.
The following note, written by one Jeremy Bird, deputy director of Organizing for America, and reprinted in part, has been obtained by a well-positioned Westside source.
Last Thursday, Mr. Bird writes, “an astounding 280,000 Organizing for America supporters gathered online to huddle with the President at our National Health Care Forum. With Congress about to return to Washington to make historic decisions on health insurance reform, the President chose this critical moment to speak directly to the O.F.A. community. He reminded us of how far we've come and what we can accomplish together:
“Remember one thing: Nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change. That's how we won this election. You know this, and that's why since O.F.A. launched its health reform campaign in June you've hosted 11,000 events in more than 2,500 towns in every single state and every single congressional district…I am absolutely confident that we can get this done, but I want everybody to remember, this has never been easy….We are not going to give up now. We are going to get this done.
“Now it's up to us to take the next step. This week, we need to make sure every member of Congress heads back to Washington hearing overwhelming support for change. Lies and fear must not have the last word about the health reform America so desperately needs.”
Mr. Bird encouraged fellow liberals to check the following address for a nearby healthcare forum http://my.barackobama.com/GetItDone
For liberals, here are 11 pro-reform healthcare forums around Los Angeles during the coming month.
It is not known whether conservatives knowingly will be admitted to any of these programs.
Wednesday, Aug. 26
10 a.m. to 12 noon — Santa Monica Farmers Market, 231 Arizona Ave. Host: David Card.
6:30 to 9 p.m. — 30Barack O.F.A. Phone Bank for Health Insurance Reform, Hollywood Field Office, 6615 Melrose Ave., Loft 2, just west of Highland, Los Angeles 90038. Host: Stacy Cohen.
Saturday, Aug. 29
12 noon — Zombie Pirate Rally for Healthcare Reform at the Federal Building in Westwood, 11000 Wilshire Blvd. Host: Faith Cheltenham. (323.638.7863).
Wednesday, Sept. 2
6:30 p.m. — Facts, Fiction Strategy, Let’s Get It Done, Health Insurance Reform Now Event, at the home of Ellin Lieberman, M.D., 1944 Milan Ave., South Pasadena, 2 blocks east of Marengo, 1 block west of Fletcher, half-block south of Huntington Drive.
Thursday, Sept. 3
12 noon — Congressional Sendoff Rally, downtown Long Beach, near the office of U.S. Rep.Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach), 100 W. Broadway, West Tower, Suite 600, at Pine Avenue.
12 noon – Sendoff Event for U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Valley), 4000 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 420, Sherman Oaks. Host: Rebecca Beatty. (818.981.7397).
2 p.m. — Sendoff Event for U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), corner of Century and Broadway, Hawthorne. (310.710.1287). Host: Victoria Mojarro.
5 p.m. — Congressional Sendoff Rally, West Los Angeles. Near the office of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feiunstein, 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., at Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles 90012.
6 p.m. — Health Insurance Informational Forum. In Pacoima, address to be determined. (818.272.0227). Host: Victoria Mojarro.
Friday, Sept. 4
4 p.m. — Sendoff Event for U.S. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice), 2321 E. Rosecrans Ave., El Segundo. Host: Jeffrey Gabriel.
Saturday, Sept. 5
12 noon — Sendoff Event for U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Pasadena), at the home of Ellin Lieberman, M.D., 1944 Milan Ave., South Pasadena, 2 blocks east of Marengo, 1 block west of Fletcher, half-block south of Huntington Drive. Host: John Dannibale.
Saturday, Sept. 19
12 noon — Health Care Phone Booth/Information, Pavillions Parking Lot, Point Dume, Heathercliff Drive, Malibu. Host: Susan Kelly.
