Communications

MEMO

FROM: Sean Spicer, RNC Communications Director (@SeanSpicer)

TO: Interested Parties

RE: Weekend/Sunday Show Memo

With the president’s much over-hyped speech in Osawatomie, Kansas, this week, the Democrats unveiled their 2012 election strategy: run away from their record. Run far, far away.

Like the speech itself, their strategy for re-election will be a sloppy amalgamation of raw populism, negative campaigning, misleading attacks, and—as always—a healthy dose of empty slogans.

As such, they’ve tacitly admitted their failure. An incumbent only turns to such tactics when his record is an embarrassment. And no modern president has had to face re-election with a record as embarrassing as Barack Obama’s.

Thus, our mission at the RNC is simple: hold President Obama accountable for his record. 

Week in Review

This past week alone provided plenty for which to hold them accountable:

Top administration officials made more disparaging comments about Israel.

Attorney General Eric ... more

MEMO

FROM: Sean Spicer, RNC Communications Director

TO: Interested Parties

RE: Weekend Messaging

This weekend RNC Chairman Reince Priebus will address the Republican Party of Virginia’s 28^th Annual Advance. This gathering of grassroots activists and state leaders will focus on how the party will advance the cause of economic prosperity in Virginia and across America.

It’s no secret that Democrats and President Obama have failed Americans the last three years, and Chairman Priebus will outline the Republican way forward—how we articulate our message of pro-growth policies and get that message to voters as we head to November 2012.

As part of that message, it’s critical we hold President Obama accountable for his record. Here’s an excerpt from the Chairman’s remarks:

Do you know what President Obama said to a group of big money donors in Manhattan just this Wednesday?  He said, quote, “Over the last three years we have made enormous progress.”  

Enormous progress? What was the ... more

Posted by Melanie Roussell, DNC national press secretary on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 3:46 p.m. ET (Later Removed from DNC Website)

Dear Jake,

Regarding the DNC’s recent ad, you wrote the following about our claim that Mitt Romney previously supported the stimulus: “In other words: he didn’t. Romney saying he supports the concept of stimulus is not the same thing as saying he supports President Obama’s stimulus bill. The DNC got greedy here. The use of that Romney quote is deceptive and false.” If only you had dug a little deeper, scratched beyond the surface—or just opened your eyes—you would have noticed that Mitt Romney is, in fact, such a serial flip-flopper that it is often hard to pin him down on any issue—but on this one, we did, and you are wrong.

If you had only done your due diligence, you might have learned that Mitt Romney expressed his support for the Recovery Act on more than the one occasion. In fact, one week after the President-elect released his plan, Mitt ... more

Good morning, there are a lot of polls out today about the president’s job approval and the Republican primary but the most important numbers for an incumbent president are 35 – the percentage of Americans who approve of how Obama is doing on the economy and 12 – the percentage of Americans who are satisfied with the direction of our country.

See the takeaways:

Politico/George Washington University Battleground Poll: Economy drags on Obama

• Only 35 percent approved of how Obama is doing on the economy — down 3 points since September;
• 62 percent disapproved of Obama’s job on the economy;
• Just 33 percent approved of his handling of the budget, including spending and deficits;
• The president’s job approval rating is at 44 percent, with a dangerously high 51 percent disapproval. Of those who disapprove, 41 percent say they feel strongly;
• In a sample of the 19 states that could swing to either party next year, Obama’s job approval fell to 40 percent and his disapproval increased to 57 ... more
  
  

Memorandum

To: Interested Parties

From: Sean Spicer

Re: The Debt Message

Date: November 13, 2011

In the coming days, the country will cross an unthinkable threshold.  Our nation’s debt will pass the $15 trillion mark. In less than 3 years, President Obama has racked up $4.4 trillion of debt—increasing our debt over 40 percent.

What’s the GOP message on this troubling milestone?  To quote the President himself: “That’s irresponsible.” 

Between now and next November, the debt piled up by Obama will be a major theme of the RNC’s messaging strategy.  We will create messages and build events around this theme. Our goal will be to constantly remind the American people of the President’s failure and hypocrisy on reducing the country’s debt.

To put $15 trillion in perspective:

• $15 trillion is more than America’s GDP – the value of all goods and services produced in a year
• Paying back $15 trillion in debt would require every dollar of government revenue for 6.5 years
• Each citizen’s share ... more
  
  

There were some pretty high profile visits in Georgia over the past few months, including DNC boss Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  Paired with Barack Obama’s campaign team, they continually claim that Georgia will be in play.  Well, Tuesday, Dems in Georgia only got 8.5% of the vote.  Now might be a good time for Barack Obama and his campaign team to re-think the map, especially since he is down big in all of the traditional battleground states.

 SHOT:  Barack Obama’s Campaign Manager Says Georgia’s In Play

SHOT:  DNC Boss Says Democrats Will Make Georgia Blue

More Solyndra emails reveal someone isn’t being truthful about the White House and Kaiser’s role in Solyndra.

Obama donor discussed solar loan with White House. Associated Press: Emails released by a House committee appear to show that a major donor to President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign discussed with White House officials a federal loan to a failed California solar company. That's despite repeated assurances by Obama administration officials that the donor, George Kaiser, didn't discuss the loan with the White House. http://bit.ly/rpeOwe

BREAKING -- POLITICO Pro reports: "Advisers to Obama fundraiser George Kaiser discussed Solyndra and other government contracts during their White House visits, according to emails released today by House Republicans. The 2010 emails between Kaiser and two of his top business associations indicate the California solar company came up during visits with aides to Vice President Joe Biden. Republicans said this contradicts earlier claims from ... more

I wanted to make sure you caught this interesting note from Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, on Barack Obama and his role in the Ohio Senate race.  We have seen Democrats running scared from Obama and his extreme policies across the nation, now the question is, will America’s most liberal senator?

Brown Has To Put A Little Distance Between Himself And The President

But it is Brown who will truly have his fate tied to that of another politician, and that politician is the president of the United States.  "He's going to rise or fall with Obama,'' Sabato said. "He's supported his policies, but he has to put a little distance between himself and the president." (Howard Wilkinson, “Ohio Senate race could cost $200 million,” Cincinnati Enquirer, 11/4/2011)

With Poor Polling Numbers – It’s No Surprise

51 Percent Of Ohio Voters Disapprove Of Obama’s Handling Of The Presidency. (Quinnipiac University Poll, 1,668 RV, MoE 2.4%, 10/17-23/11)

• Only 43 ... more
  
  

Another day, another contradicting statement from the White House and Democratic National Committee.  I wanted to make sure you caught this one where President Obama said that the economy is “always my responsibility” when his top campaign spokeswoman is trying to distance herself and Obama from the poor economy saying “voters don’t elect leaders to create jobs.”  Watch below:

RIGHT HAND:  Obama Says The Economy "Is Always My Responsibility" 

LEFT HAND:  DNC Chair Says Voters Do Not Elect Leaders To Create Jobs 

###

Text "RECLAIM" To 91919 To Join The GOP Mobile Army

I wanted to make sure you caught this double standard from Debbie Wasserman Schultz today in Pittsburgh.  So while Obama goes around pointing fingers at Republicans, looks like you have the Democrats’ message in a nutshell here... “Say one thing and do another.”

DWS On GOP Opposition To Stimulus 2.0:  You Should Be Ashamed

Wasserman Schultz, a congresswoman from Florida, said Republicans should be "ashamed of themselves" for blocking President Obama's jobs bill. (Mike Wereschagin, “Democrats plug for jobs bill in Pittsburgh,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 11/1/2011)

DWS On Dem Opposition To Stimulus 2.0: We’re A Party That Doesn’t Require Unanimity – I Respect His Opinion

But fellow Democrats who also opposed Obama's jobs bill, such as McCandless Rep. Jason Altmire, got a pass from Wasserman Schultz.  "We're a party that doesn't require unanimity," she said. "Jason Altmire is a friend of mine. I respect his opinion."  (Mike Wereschagin, “Democrats plug for jobs bill in Pittsburgh,” ... more