By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN,Politico
David Axelrod and Jim Messina direct new Obama offensive
Top White House aides gave Senate Democrats a recess battle plan on Thursday,arming the lawmakers with tips for avoiding disastrous town hall meetings while showing them polling on popular aspects of the reform effort.
Senior White House adviser David Axelrod and deputy chief of staff Jim Messina told senators to focus on the insured and how they would benefit from “consumer protections"in the overhaul,such as ending the practice of denying insurance based on preexisting conditions and ensuring the continuity of coverage between jobs.
They showed video clips of the confrontational town halls that have dominated the media coverage,and told senators to do more prep work than usual for their public meetings by making sure their own supporters turn out,senators and aides said.
And they screened TV ads and reviewed the various campaigns by critics of the Democratic plan.
“If you get hit,we will punch back twice as hard,” Messina said,according to an official who attended the meeting.