Subject: Re: DRAFT: NH town hall on Alzheimer's
From: "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]>
To: Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>
Cc: Joel Benenson <[email-masked]>, Brian Fallon <[email-masked]>, Megan Rooney <[email-masked]>, 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: Mon, 28 Dec 2015 08:35:04 -0800
List-Id: <speechdrafts.hillaryclinton.com>

Yes, I still like that angle - and the advocates have been saying it - a
call to action - we should all be in this together to find a way to prevent
and treat Alzheimer's by 2025

On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 8:33 AM, Amanda Renteria <
[email-masked]> wrote:

> What about the angle of asking others to match her vision?  Shows she is
> leading on the issue and it can lay the foundation for the differences btwn
> us and Republicans down the road. She has solutions, while others just talk.
>
> On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 10:30 AM, Joel Benenson <[email-masked]>
> wrote:
>
>> Agree with Brian.  We will get big blowback both on the personal side and
>> she will get no slack on that.
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* [email-masked] [mailto:
>> [email-masked]] *On Behalf Of *Brian Fallon
>> *Sent:* Monday, December 28, 2015 8:28 AM
>> *To:* Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>
>> *Cc:* Megan Rooney <[email-masked]>; 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]>
>> *Subject:* Re: DRAFT: NH town hall on Alzheimer's
>>
>>
>>
>> In light of Ann's point noting how Republicans in Congress just recently
>> did vote to authorize more funding for Alzheimer's, and separately noting
>> the hornet's nest we may be stepping into by calling out Republican
>> presidential candidates who may have personal connections to the disease,
>> should we let discretion be the better part of valor here and give up the
>> contrast? I think this issue works best as something nonpartisan anyway,
>> like opioid abuse, where we get credit for talking about something because
>> it affects people's lives, not because there is a political angle to it. I
>> think it makes it small to try to turn it into a wedge.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 1:29 AM, Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Amanda Renteria
> National Political Director
> Hillary for America #Hillary2016
> 650-868-1188 (c)
> Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/renteriaforcongress> or Twitter
> <https://twitter.com/AmandaRenteria>
>

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