At Politico, "House Dems Under Pressure to Deliver":
Aides to conservative Democratic lawmakers describe intense pressure tactics, including one who said his office has received calls from donors. Those calls are taken as a thinly veiled threat to withhold future financial support if the member doesn’t vote as the donor wishes.All thuggery, all the time. God, this administration is the freakin' worst!
“We’re having donors, even donors outside of our district, that are being called and asked to urge support” for the bill, said a senior aide to one conservative Democrat, who indicated the tactics could backfire on the health care bill. “If you want to play Chicago-style politics, and that’s what this is, then we will come out firmly against it.”
The aide also targeted the Democratic National Committee, where Vice Chairwoman Donna Brazile used her Twitter account to encourage primary challenges to Democrats who vote against the bill.
“If a handful of Democrats decide to defeat this bill, they deserve to get a primary challenge to defend the status quo and insurance industry,” Brazile tweeted.
The White House said no one there is telling donors to call members, and Brazile later clarified that she wasn’t speaking for the DNC.
Nonetheless, the comments fueled frustration among moderate Democrats who believe their party is working against them.
Rep. Chet Edwards, a Texas Democrat who remains a firm “no,” said he’s getting calls spurred by Organizing for America, the president’s unofficial outreach arm. He said he’s fine with constituents expressing their opinions — and even with the right of OFA to engage — but noted of the Obama organization, “It’s clear to me they could care less about my political future.”
REALTED: At London's Telegraph, "Barack Obama threatens to withdraw support from wavering Democrats'" (via Memeorandum). But see Allahpundit, "Oh my: Dems ask Obama to delay trip for O-Care again."
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