Hi -- this is Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
Today, the PCCC announced that we are expanding our new TV ad pressuring President Obama to fight the Republicans on tax cuts from DC...to Iowa.
Iowa, of course, being where Obama made the promise that was at the core of his campaign: "We will also allow the temporary Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire." (See it here.)
I was in Iowa for Caucus Night in 2008 with my buddy Matt Stoller -- and that year, I spent most waking moments of my life working to get Barack Obama elected president. So did many of you.
And you know what? Even for those of us who wore Obama slogans on our bodies and cars, it's ok to say: This statement from White House spokesman Robert Gibbs today following the House tax cut vote (where Democrats DEFEATED Republicans) is absolutely disgusting:
"The President continues to believe that extending middle class tax cuts is the most important thing we can do for our economy right now and he applauds the House for passing a permanent extension. But, because Republicans have made it clear that they won't pass a middle class extension without also extending tax cuts for the wealthy, the President has asked Director Lew and Secretary Geithner to work with Congress to find a way forward. Those discussions started just yesterday and are continuing this afternoon. The talks are ongoing and productive, but any reports that we are near a deal in the tax cuts negotiations are inaccurate and premature."
In response, the PCCC issued this statement -- which was quickly reported by Huffington Post and The Hill newspaper:
"At a moment when they could have celebrated victory, this White House incredibly chose to wave the white flag -- signaling to Republicans that they will take any deal, no matter how bad, including borrowing billions to extend tax cuts for the richest Americans. This is a direct betrayal of a core Obama campaign promise, and the essence of political malpractice and negotiating incompetence. This White House clearly needs more grassroots pressure to do the obvious thing -- so tomorrow, we'll be increasing our ad buy in Iowa telling Obama to keep his promise and fight the Republicans on this issue."
If you agree, you can do something about it -- click here to chip in $4 and help us expand our ad buy in Iowa tomorrow morning.
This is a people-powered ad -- we can run it so long as regular folks keep helping us fuel it.
This ad's caused big buzz -- with coverage by the New York Times, Washington Post, Politico, National Journal, ABC, Time, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and MSNBC's Ed Schultz and Lawrence O'Donnell. (And Rachel Maddow showed it just now!) That's not always easy for a progressive message in the mass media, but together we're making an impact.
Please help us push President Obama to fight -- skip one trip to Starbucks and chip in $4 to help us expand our buy ad in Iowa in the morning.
Thanks for being a bold progressive.