CNN.com is reporting that the RNC has been getting phone calls from alot of folks who, for some sane reason, don't care for the disruptive mobs being incited by the corporate healthcare lobby and explicitly encouraged by the GOP.
Now, after the DNC has pointed out the GOP's role in this sad mob effort, people are calling the Republican's National HQ to tell the GOP to stop this anti-American, anti-democratic nonsense. And the RNC's response- behave like a spoiled 12 year old child and......
Callers who dial the RNC's main number to voice their concern about the DNC's charges are told to press 1, which sends them to the DNC's main switchboard.
[BTW- The RNC's number is 202-863-8500 if you wish to call. And you should.]
Every day it seems that I proclaim that there is nothing the modern GOP can do to surprise me. And then every other day, I have to admit that I was wrong.
DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse framed it well, stating
"Republicans don't want to have a discussion about the future of health care reform – they want to shout out – and now completely ignore – anyone who disagrees with them."
And the GOP response?
RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho dismissed the DNC's charge and accused Democrats of "trying to divert attention from the widespread opposition to President Obama's government-run health care experiment.
Of course- Blame the Democrats for the GOP's bad acts. Like any child would do.
There never seems to be a bottom when it comes to the party of Rove.
Someone really needs a time-out.
UPDATE H/T to teaharper below for pointing me to this comment from PSax in a related diary:
I did what I normally never do, and called the RNC number. They're pretty tricky at the RNC - there's an option to respond to the DNC ad, which routes you back to the DNC. Very slick. So I got in touch with the DNC, and they said to make sure I press OPTION 2 (this goes for you too, if you plan to call). So, I called the RNC back, pressed option 2, and actually got an operator. Sounded like they were being bombarded over there. I said, "I'm calling in response to the DNC ad. I agree with it 100%, and wish the Republicans in Congress and on the streets would engage in actual debate about health care and not resort to mob tactics." The operator's reply was a very curt,"That would be great if we were responsible for it, but we're not," and then she hung up on me.
So it appears that the DNC is sending those callers right back at the RNC with instructions on how to get them on the line. Awesome.
UPDATE #2
Marabout40 provided this bit of pertinent info on the developing situation:
The RNC is no longer rerouting calls to the DNC. It is now manually offering the DNC's number as its own. After pressing 1, a voice says:
Thank you for calling the Republican National Committee. We are so glad you called to give us your feedback on the Democratic National Committee's advertisement. Please call the following number to give us your input: 202-863-8000. Again, that's 202-863-8000. Thanks so much and have a great day.
The number, 202-863-8600, is the official phone number of the DNC.
So now they won't even help send people to the wrong place and are making the callers do the extra legwork. I suppose they hope that callers will get frustrated and drop the matter rather than calling back to the RNC after they call the DNC and are told what's going on.