Newsweek: Political First Responders
Newsweek is out today with a must read profile of American Bridge, describing Bridge's beginnings and featuring some of our best successes from our first two cycles thus far. In 2012, American Bridge was quick to point out Mitt Romney's missteps and hypocrisy:
When GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said illegal immigrants come to the U.S. for a “free deal,” Bridge recorded the comment and gave it to super PACs and unions, which used it in Spanish-language ads across the country.When Romney said “I get speaker’s fees from time to time, but not very much,” Bridge quickly circulated a video showing “not very much” was actually $374,327.62, sparking a media firestorm.This cycle, American Bridge is holding House, Senate and Gubernatorial candidates accountable for their words and actions.
Inside the war room: Meet the Democrats who are watching every move the GOP makes
Take a peek inside American Bridge's war room on the first day of CPAC 2014 with American Bridge President Brad Woodhouse and ABC's Jeff Zeleny. Watch the video here.
Inside the war room: Meet the Democrats who are watching every move the GOP makes By Jeff Zeleny and Jordyn Phelps With one of the biggest Republican gatherings of the year in full swing at the Conservative Political Action Conference, a group of Democratic operatives in Washington is fighting back -- waging a full-out public relations war to counter CPAC. “We are kind of the central apparatus for tracking and research, really, on the progressive side. And so at an event like CPAC, we put our resources to work,” said American Bridge PAC president Brad Woodhouse, speaking to “The Fine Print” during a rare tour of the Democratic group’s so-called war room. The room is filled with rows of desks equipped with double-monitor computer screens, which a group of about 40 Democratic operatives are using to monitor and fact-check speeches at CPAC as they happen, issue rapid responses, and monitor the media and social networking sites.
TPM: "GA GOPers Meet Unemployment Debate Question With Awkward Pause (VIDEO)"
Via TPM:
When a moderator for a recent Georgia Republican primary debate asked candidates by a show of hands whether they would vote to extend benefits for the thousands of American workers who have been stuck with long-term unemployment, the question was met with an awkward pause. At the Mayor's Day Senate Forum in Atlanta earlier in the week, none of the six candidates raised their hands in favor of extending benefits, but when the opposite question was asked -- who would vote against such a proposal -- all six candidates raised their hands. Rep. Paul Broun's (R-GA) arm shot up the fastest. The candidates' reaction could indicate that the extension of unemployment benefits could become an issue in Republican primaries.
American Bridge Wins Reed Awards For Best Direct Mail Piece, IE Campaign
Arlington, VA – Campaigns & Elections announced that American Bridge 21st Century has been awarded multiple 2013 Reed Awards for excellence in the categories of Best Direct Mail Piece of 2012 and Independent Expenditure Campaign. The awards recognized American Bridge’s groundbreaking “talking” mailer titled “Todd Akin: We’ve Heard Enough.” After first discovering and disseminating Akin’s infamous “legitimate rape” comments, American Bridge utilized the talking mailer to educate Missouri voters about Todd Akin’s extreme positions on many issues. In addition to his views on rape, the mailer showed Akin’s out-of-the-mainstream stances on Medicare, Social Security and student loans.
Op-Ed: How Democratic Groups Beat The Republican Super PACs In 2012
American Bridge President Rodell Mollineau penned an op-ed featured in The Daily Beast today. Below is an excerpt.
Much has already been written about the influence of outside spending on this election cycle. One could make a compelling argument that in 2010 super PACs were undervalued, especially by Democrats. Conversely, one could argue that in 2012 the impact of these groups was overestimated, this time to the detriment of Republicans. So how much impact do they have? The truth is somewhere in the middle. Like it or not, these groups have an important role, but campaigns still begin and end with the candidate’s ability to communicate a compelling vision to voters. Over the last 18 months, I think super PACs did what should be expected of them. They played a supporting role, pushed narratives, gave cover to candidates, and in some cases nudged the needle a point or two in select states and races. It just so happened that Democratic groups did a better job of this than Republicans. Here’s why.Read the piece in its entirety here.
The Maddow Blog: The 'Romneycare' Anniversary
On April 12, 2012, The Maddow Blog reported:
Exactly six years ago today, then-Gov. Mitt Romney put his signature on his most notably political accomplishment: an overhaul of Massachusetts' health care system, which brought coverage to all of the state's residents, thanks in part to a government mandate. To mark the occasion, American Bridge 21st Century released this video, showing Romney's remarks at the time, many of which sound, with the benefit of hindsight, like a defense of President Obama's Affordable Care Act.
TPM: GOP Congressman: We Can’t Impeach Obama Because We Don’t Have The Votes Yet
On April 11, 2012, Talking Points Memo reported:
Why hasn’t Congress impeached President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder? Rep. Todd Akin says it’s simply a lack of votes. But he says that may change eventually.
ThinkProgress: Romney Campaign Enlists GOP Women Who Opposed Equal Pay Bills To Attack Obama
On April 11, 2012, ThinkProgress reported:
Romney’s campaign followed these two releases with a statement from his former Massachusetts Lt. Governor, Kerry Healey (R). Though she too takes the curious tact of blaming her party’s “war on women” on President Obama, American Bridge 21st Century notes that while in office, Healey “publicly condemned Romney for vetoing spending for women’s health, including breast and cervical cancer screenings and treatment, calling the move: ‘penny-wise, pound-foolish.’”
TPM: The General Election, Day One: What Romney And Obama Need To Do
On April 11, 2012, Talking Points Memo reported:
Run The GOP Primary Race On Continuous Loop Republican pundits like to comfort themselves after a long and acrimonious primary by likening the whole thing to the 2008 Obama/Clinton showdown that ended with a Democratic blowout in the general election. But the poll numbers show that comparison’s a sham: Romney has suffered major damage to his favorability numbers and the Republican brand is as weak as ever. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom suggested the general election have an Etch-a-Sketch-like effect and reset the race. Team Obama is looking to make sure that no one forgets the primary’s greatest hits. In his first major general election speech last week, Obama name-checked an array of golden oldies from the primary, from Gingrich’s denunciation of the House GOP budget Romney supports as “right-wing social engineering” to the early debate where the whole Republican field refused to consider any kind of compromise on the deficit, no matter how stacked in their favor. And Democrats are ready to roll with a host of clips of Romney tossing red meat rhetoric on issues like immigration the second they see him trying to tack to the center. “We are going to have video archive that proves these Republicans are talking out of both sides of their mouth,” Rodell Mollineau, head of American Bridge, told TPM last week.
POLITICO: Steve King Flags Concern On Romney Federal Court Picks
On April 5, 2012, POLITICO reported:
Iowa Congressman Steve King, one of the staunchest conservatives in the House and a member whose endorsement was sought by almost all the presidential hopefuls ahead of the caucuses, said he will be an "enthusiastic" supporter of the eventual nominee of the party - but raised concerns about Mitt Romney's potential judicial picks as opposed to those who Rick Santorum would tap at a town hall in his home state last night. He also expressed being "uneasy" about Romney and how he will address the health care law as well during the forum, which was captured by the Democratic outside group American Bridge.