House races

Conservative group looks to ‘Spirit of Health Care Future’ in Dickens-themed ad

A major conservative group is hitting two Democratic lawmakers with online ads focused on ObamaCare’s potential fallout, themed around the classic Charles Dickens holiday tale “A Christmas Carol.”

American Action Network (AAN) is targeting Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) with a storybook-style video, shared first with The Hill. In it, the “Spirit of Healthcare Future” takes viewers through what Republicans see as the likely negative consequences of the law.

The video calls at the end for viewers to “Repeal Collin Peterson,” a tweaked version of the more common Republican rallying cry of repealing ObamaCare.

In the video, a narrator opens a book titled “A Holiday Tale of Health Care: The Broken Promises of Obamacare,” and is met by the spirit, a cloaked, scythe-wielding skeleton that shows him images of the potential future that awaits Americans under ObamaCare.

The narrator sees lines so long “people might die before they get care,” a doctor-turned-janitor who went broke because of healthcare reform, a family that can’t afford food because of high healthcare costs, and empty boots next to a jar that reads “Help Tiny Tim,” who has apparently died waiting for an operation because of a too-long waiting list.

The video pans to a shot of a graveyard featuring a tombstone emblazoned with the words, “Thanks Obama and Colin Peterson,” as the narrator pleads, “Please say this can be changed!”

“It can. Repeal Collin Peterson,” the spirit declares, as it turns toward the viewer and lets out a sinister laugh.

Democrats have taken a hit in polling in recent weeks, due in part to the rocky rollout of the healthcare law, but party leaders have insisted their candidates will run on the merits of ObamaCare in 2014 and win.

Republicans, however, believe the problems of the past two months are just the beginning when it comes to issues with the law.

“Obamacare isn’t just a bah-humbug for Christmas now, it’s a nightmare for years to come,” said Brian Walsh, AAN president. “Americans deserve a better Christmas present than this disastrous law. The only way to stop the growing health care disaster is by voting out these Obamacare champions in November.”

Watch the video: