"No August Repeats: How The Dems Are Approaching Recess With HCR Victory Behind Them"

[Clio the Leo]

No August Repeats: How The Dems Are Approaching Recess With HCR Victory Behind Them
Christina Bellantoni | March 29, 2010, 9:08AM

Play offense and "don't run away" from health care reform.

That's the advice Democratic leadership is giving rank-and-file members as they fan out across the country to their home districts with a health care victory in their pocket. For all the celebrating, there are real concerns about the next two weeks of Congressional recess spiraling out of control.

Democrats tell us they are confident the rowdy town halls from August won't be duplicated, and are peppering members with data and facts about the health care bill to make sure they are armed with information. Last summer, members were caught unprepared and were faced with angry voters, loud protests and televised meetings that portrayed them in many cases as fumbling and unsure of how to talk about a bill that didn't actually exist yet.

But the tables have turned, and they are heading home with a spring in their step. Democrats think the changing political landscape thanks to passage of the sweeping measure will help the majority party reclaim popularity and, they hope, the message.

After passing the final piece of health care reform Thursday night, members of the House adjourned and headed home. They aren't scheduled to return until April 12. It's a "critical time to go on offense," the speaker's office told members in a memo obtained by TPMDC.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/no-august-repeats-how-the-dems-are-approaching-recess-with-hcr-victory-behind-them.php

[Jennicut]

1. Offense is always better then defense.

I see no repeat of August 2009.