AARP pits boomers against seniors [View All]

[baby_bear]

AARP Support for Medicare Bill Came as Group Grew 'Younger'

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/26/politics/26AARP.html?hp

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William D. Novelli, the chief executive of AARP, sat in his downtown Washington office on Tuesday, still glowing from the Senate's passage of prescription-drug legislation that his group had endorsed, and slid a copy of the glossy AARP magazine across a mahogany table. The actress Lauren Hutton was on the cover, along with blurbs for stories about "where to find love" and "amazing new sex drugs."

The message was clear. "Boomers," Mr. Novelli declared, "are the future of the AARP."

...
Marilyn Moon, a former director of public policy for AARP, said it had also become politically bolder. "They want to be players in the political arena," she said. "They want to be considered partners with people in Congress," which, she said, means "working with Republicans."

That is bad news for Democrats, who have long counted on the elderly as a reliable voting constituency. Among those most angered by the endorsement was Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat who has long worked with AARP on health care issues, but broke with it over the bill. "I think they didn't speak for their constituency on this one," Mr. Kennedy said.

Mr. Novelli was not worried; he said his next job was to repair relations with Democrats. He planned "a blow-out party" at AARP headquarters after Thanksgiving, to let the group's 1,200 Washington employees celebrate the bill's passage. As he spoke, he stumbled upon an idea.

"You know," he said, "I'm going to invite Senator Kennedy to the party. He may not come. But maybe he'll come, and have a beer with us."

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This guy is totally out of touch with reality. He's obviously been hanging out with Republicans too much.

I will never, ever join AARP and I will do what I can - from Washington state - to oust Daschle as minority leader, and to elect better Democrats than turncoats Ron Wyden and Dianne Feinstein.

s_m