Subject: Re: DRAFT: NH town hall on Alzheimer's
From: Brian Fallon <[email-masked]>
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]>
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2015 10:27:34 -0500
List-Id: <speechdrafts.hillaryclinton.com>

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
>