Obama tries to gin up turnout for health care events (updated)

By Thomas Lifson

Fresh after denouncing the grass roots turnout to health care town halls as "Astroturf", the Obama administration desperately pleads with supporters to attend these events. Mike Allen reports on Politico:

In an unusual e-mail appeal, President Barack Obama is asking millions of his campaign supporters to commit to attending at least one community event on health care this month.

Obama writes that opponents of his health care plan are "filling the airwaves and the Internet with outrageous falsehoods to scare people into opposing change."

"And some people, not surprisingly, are getting pretty nervous," he warns. "So we've got to get out there, fight lies with truth and set the record straight."

The e-mail shows up as being from "President Barack Obama," with the subject line: "This is the moment."

This smells of flop sweat. However, I see some danger here. The president's attorney general declined to prosecute members of the New Black Panther Party who stood outside polling places with weapons (clubs). Emboldened by the wink and nod from the administration, could we see similar thuggish Obama troops turning out to intimidate the "well-dressed" (typically Dockers and golf shirts) town hall attendees who need no presidential pleas in order to mobilize their attendance?

Hat tip: Ed Lasky

Update from Ed Lasky:

The Weekly Standard discovers an email from the Dems engaging in actual astroturfing. They note that they are making signs for the demonstrators:

From: Tim Arsenault, NH.BarackObama.com

To: xxxxxx

Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 11:44 PM

Subject: Thursday: Show your support in Grafton

Organizing for America

Friend --

I wanted to send you an urgent invitation to an important Town Hall with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen on Thursday morning. She'll be talking to constituents and gathering feedback -- this is an ideal opportunity to make sure your support of health insurance reform is seen and heard at exactly the right time to make a huge difference.

Our congressional representatives are back home this month, and they're facing more and more pressure from special interests on health insurance reform. It's critical that we get out there and show them where we stand.

I hope you can join us.

What: Health Care Town Hall with
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

Where: Grafton Town Hall
E Grafton Rd.
Grafton, NH 03240

When: Thursday, August 6th
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

RSVP