Progressives Target ‘Dude, Where’s My Health Care’ GOPer (AUDIO)

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

A progressive group is launching a multi-pronged attack on Rep.-elect Andy Harris, the freshly-elected Republican physician from Maryland who made headlines last week when he, essentially, asked Congressional staffers why he has to wait 28 days for his government health care.

Harris, who like many Republicans this year ran on repealing the landmark health care law signed by President Obama, is the subject of ridicule in a new radio ad being broadcast across his Maryland district by the progressive group Americans United for Change.

“What was the first thing Andy Harris did when he got to Washington?,” the ad’s narrator says. “Harris complained that he wasn’t getting HIS new government-provided health care fast enough.”

“Say what?” the narrator adds.

Americans United played a role in pushing the health care law through Congress as part of the Health Care For America Now coalition that included labor and other progressive groups. And though Harris claims his criticisms of the three weeks it takes federally-funded health care for new members of Congress and their families to kick in were taken out of context, Americans United clearly sees Harris’ desire to get his government health care as soon as possible as a delicious irony.

The ad calls on Harris to “stop whining about his health care — and start fighting for ours.”

“If he wants to deny Maryland families quality, affordable healthcare, tell him to start with his own,” the narrator says.

Team Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TPM.

The radio spot, which Americans United spokesperson Jeremy Funk told TPM will run today and tomorrow with the possibility of more dates in the future, is just one part of the progressive attack on Harris for his Congressional health care plan criticisms. The group is also launching “geo-targeted” Facebook ads that will appear for users of the social network from Harris’ district.

Listen to the radio ad here:

Latest DC
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: