Posted on 10/04/2012 2:18:02 PM PDT by markomalley
AARP has a message for President Obama: Stop using us to score political points.
Obama cited the nonpartisan senior lobby twice in Wednesday's debate when arguing against Mitt Romney's Medicare proposals.
The remarks prompted a polite statement from AARP Senior Vice President John Hishta asking candidates to refrain from mentioning the group.
"AARP has never consented to the use of its name by any candidate or political campaign," Hishta said.
"AARP is a nonpartisan organization, and we do not endorse political candidates nor coordinate with any candidate or political party."
Hishta sent a similar dispatch in August, when the Obama campaign released an ad using AARP quotes to attack Paul Ryan's Medicare policy.
"The next president and Congress will decide the future of Medicare, and the candidates owe voters straight talk — not just 30-second ads — about what their plans will mean for today's seniors and future retirees," Hishta said in August.
On Wednesday, Obama cited AARP estimates to argue that savings from the healthcare law will extend Medicare's lifetime. He also told Romney that "AARP has said that your plan would weaken Medicare substantially."
AARP supported Obama's signature healthcare law, prompting criticism from conservatives who believe the group is more political and left-leaning than it says.
On Thursday, Reps. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) and Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La.) aired these complaints after AARP moved to distance itself from Obama.
"In reality, senior AARP leadership and key White House officials worked closely together on the passage of President Obama's healthcare reform," Gingrey and Boustany wrote in a press memo.
"AARP leadership consistently ignored the deluge of calls from members, the majority of which opposed ObamaCare, and instead continued working in conjunction with the White House to perfect their 'messaging' to seniors," the memo stated.
Too funny! They pimp for the guy for 4 years, now they can’t run away fast enough.
My husband and I have also reached that golden age that we have started getting that AARP stuff in the mail. I have been tearing it up and throwing it away. I never thought of sending it back and wasting their own money to do it. I just cannot wait until next week when we get another round of their junk. I will cut it up and send it back to them. Oh what fun!!!
I wonder though, does the AARP recieve subsidies from the Fed for “outreach”? Wouldn’t surprise me.
Oh, yeah. For six months, we saved every piece of junk mail and crammed as much into the AARP envelope that would be crammed. Back it went to AARP. Mind you, this was after begging them for a year that we were NOT interested. Now we receive nothing from the commies.
How do you get hold of someone there who speaka da engleeeesh? Humana just dropped SNP coverage on us SNP standing for special needs patient usually due to disability. I tried calling United Health Care twice yesterday and got the same exact so called licensed agent on their toll free number who no speaka da engleeeesh...
“Welcome to the underside of the bus Mr. President. I believe you already know everyone here.”
Thanks markomalley.
Getting crowded under there...
Too late AA**-holes. Everyone’s already well aware of what socialist pro-Demoncrat garbage your excuse of an organization is.
AARP must be getting a kickback from Costco from the sale of shredders that can chew up plastic cards.
They are Obamanauts
Yep - AMAC.
Been members for a few years now.
AARP practically slept with Obama over Obamacare for the billions they stand to make. GFYAARP!
“Non-partisan my a**. They are Obama kissers from the word go!”
Yup, that they are. Whenever I receive anything from them in the mail, I burn it in the fireplace. Ripping it up is not enough! :)
Just cut all their crap up, put it in the postage paid return envelope, and send it back to the bastards. Fun with mail! :-)
Haha, I take their return envelopws, stuff ti with paper and mail it back with a note about my being a conservative. I joined AMAC, simply because they are a conservative alternative. Not that I need the benefits yet you understand...
By Phone
Toll-Free Nationwide: 888-OUR-AARP (888-687-2277)
Hours: Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. through 11 p.m. ET
General Questions
member@aarp.org
Thanks to just-released emails from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, we now know that AARP worked through 2009-10 as an extension of a Democratic White House, toiling daily to pass a health bill that slashes $716 billion from Medicare, strips seniors of choice, and sets the stage for rationing. We know that despite AARP’s awareness that its seniors overwhelmingly opposed the bill, the “nonpartisan membership organization” chose to serve the president’s agenda.
The 71 pages of emails show an AARP management taking orders from the White House, scripting the president’s talking points, working to keep its board “in line,” and pledging fealty to “the cause.” Seniors deserve to know all this, as AARP seeks to present itself as neutral in this presidential election.
Martin Kozlowski
The emails overall show an AARP leadership—Policy Chief John Rother, Health Policy Director Nora Super, Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond, Senior Vice President David Sloane—that from the start worked to pass ObamaCare, before crucial details pertaining to seniors had been addressed. This crew was in constant contact with Mr. Obama’s top aides, in particular Nancy-Ann DeParle and Jim Messina.
As early as July 2009, Mr. Sloane was sending the administration—”as promised”—his “message points” on Medicare. Ms. DeParle assured him “I think you will hear some of your lines tomorrow” in President Obama’s speech—which he did. Mr. Rother advised the White House on its outreach, discouraging Mr. Obama from addressing seniors since “he may not be the most effective messinger [sic] . . . at least to the McCain constituency.” Better to manage these folks, he counsels, through the “authoritative voices of doctors and nurses.”
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