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Dems Plan Rallies to Counteract Ugly Town Halls

Health care reform advocates look to Obama '08 playbook

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 31, 2009 6:08 AM CDT

(Newser) – Obama supporters will try to recapture the energy of his presidential campaign with a two-week health care reform push featuring a bus tour, rallies, and more than 2,000 house parties. Organizing for America, the network of Obama supporters now run by the Democratic National Committee, aims to show lawmakers that the raucous town halls of previous weeks don't represent the majority of Americans who, want to see health care expanded.

One recent rally even featured the sunrise logo and placards from Obama's campaign. "There were a lot of successful town halls and meetings over the recess, but the ones that got the most attention were those where angry people got up and yelled," the head of one health care reform group told the Washington Post. "But the majority of the public stands behind the need for reform, and they need to get it done now."

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Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., takes questions at a health care town hall meeting Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Opponents of the health care reform bill shout at former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean at a town hall style meeting last week. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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The grass-roots anger over the spending and the size of the health-care grab by Obama is real. I think it's an acknowledgment that they're in trouble. - Matt Kibbe, president of conservative group FreedomWorks

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Dems Plan Rallies to Counteract Ugly Town Halls