Subject: Re: DRAFT: NH town hall on Alzheimer's
From: "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]>
To: Megan Rooney <[email-masked]>
Cc: Mandy Grunwald <[email-masked]>, Mike Vlacich <[email-masked]>, Speech Drafts <[email-masked]>, Vasishth Srivastava <[email-masked]>, Emily Aden <[email-masked]>, Jesse Ferguson <[email-masked]>, Harrell Kirstein <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 2015 22:29:26 -0800
List-Id: <speechdrafts.hillaryclinton.com>

Great work, Megan.  Just two points here:

(1) We cannot say that Rs in Congress are continuing to cut NIH funding -
they just raised it by the most in 10 years - and Alzheimer's funding went
up significantly. So I'd give them kudos for that and say that the problem
is that no one running for President on R side willing to step up.  Need to
fix this section and replace it with the good news on increases:

And Republicans in Congress aren’t doing anything to reverse the so-called
“sequester” in critical areas like this.  The sequester has taken *billions*
of dollars away from the National Institute of Health.  That’s money that
was being used to find treatments and cures for diseases like Alzheimer’s –
gone

(2) Here is an idea - that might make the advocates happy - how about we
lean into bipartisan Congressional support and call out support from Newt
Gingrich, and then challenge the R candidates to match her on investing in
a cure by 2025.  That's what the advocates said all last week - that
everyone should have such a plan.

Vivek and I can reach out to advocates in the morning, but think this
approach might help. Still keep in all the great stuff on hitting them on
cuts and then pivoting to a challenge.

Thanks!

On Sun, Dec 27, 2015 at 5:57 PM, Megan Rooney <[email-masked]>
wrote:

> Jeb's mother-in-law has it.  I can add:
>
> Of course, they all believe that Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease.  *Some
> have seen parents and other loved ones struggle with it.*  And of course
> they all feel deep sympathy for families dealing with it – I truly believe
> that.  But their sympathy doesn’t translate into action.  And that’s what
> really matters.
>
> On Sun, Dec 27, 2015 at 8:50 PM, Mandy Grunwald <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
>>
>> Be careful of all the personal connections.  Trump's father had
>> Alzheimer's.  It's probably touched other GOP candidates as well.
>>
>> Mandy Grunwald
>> Grunwald Communications
>> 202 973-9400
>>
>>
>> On Dec 27, 2015, at 8:32 PM, Megan Rooney <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Dan just suggested adding that in.  Something like:  "I was pleased to
>> hear several Republicans endorse my plan.  I really believe there's room
>> for bipartisan progress here. But the Republican candidates for President
>> have a different approach."
>>
>> It actually makes the hit on the candidates stronger while appearing
>> somehow less partisan.  Magic.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 27, 2015 at 8:30 PM, Mike Vlacich <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>>> Will Alzheimers advocacy groups back us up if we make this partisan?
>>> Last week we received praise from Gingrich on this?
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> On Dec 27, 2015, at 8:17 PM, Megan Rooney <[email-masked]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all --
>>>
>>> Here's a draft of her remarks at the town hall in Portsmouth on
>>> Tuesday.  This will be another Alzheimer's-focused event, same as Iowa last
>>> Thursday.  The difference is this event will include a Republican
>>> contrast.  It's in the draft and pasted below.
>>>
>>> If you could please send me edits by 2pm tomorrow, I'd appreciate it.
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> **
>>>
>>> I wish I could say everyone agreed with me on that.  But the truth is,
>>> there’s a very different attitude on the other side of the aisle.  Just
>>> look at the Republican candidates for President.  Of course, they all
>>> believe that Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease.  And of course they all
>>> feel deep sympathy for families dealing with it – I truly believe that.
>>> But their sympathy doesn’t translate into action.  And that’s what really
>>> matters.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Senator Cruz and Senator Paul voted to *cut* research dollars by
>>> hundreds of millions of dollars.  Senator Rubio did the same for an
>>> Alzheimer’s research center in Florida – he voted to cut its funding, and
>>> not just by a little, by more than *half*.  Jeb Bush vetoed money for
>>> Alzheimer’s research when he was Governor.  Ben Carson – a doctor who
>>> should know better – says he would cut health research dollars if he were
>>> President.  And Republicans in Congress aren’t doing anything to reverse
>>> the so-called “sequester” in critical areas like this.  The sequester has
>>> taken *billions* of dollars away from the National Institute of
>>> Health.  That’s money that was being used to find treatments and cures for
>>> diseases like Alzheimer’s – gone.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> All these politicians say that they support Alzheimer’s research… that
>>> they want to see this disease get more attention… that we need to do more
>>> to help patients and families.  But when it’s time to actually *do* it
>>> – when it’s time to actually make the commitment – they say no.  To me,
>>> ultimately, that’s what counts.  Families need more than pretty words.
>>> They need *action*.  They need real help.  And I wish we could count on
>>> Republicans to deliver it – but we just can’t.  Because when it’s a choice
>>> between investing in things that would help families like yours, or giving
>>> the rich another tax cut – they choose the tax cut every time.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I’d make a different choice.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> If we’re the kind of nation that cares for its citizens and supports
>>> families – if we’re the kind of people who respect our elders and love our
>>> neighbors – then we’ve got to do better.  We’ve got to do better on
>>> diseases like Alzheimer’s.  We’ve got to do better for families in crisis.
>>> This is about our health and our economy, but it’s also about our values
>>> and our character.  And there’s nothing more important than that.
>>>
>>> <2015-12-27 NH town hall alzheimers 815pm.docx>
>>>
>>>
>>
>

-- 
Ann O'Leary
Senior Policy Advisor
Hillary for America
Cell: 510-717-5518