Non-partisan isn’t the word I’d use to describe the AARP who went right along with Obamacare, which is why Obama used them in his argument. But now they are saying they don’t want to be used by either candidate. Perhaps the hit they took after supporting ObamaCare has given them a bit more perspective:
FOX NEWS – The AARP, which put itself in the middle of the health care debate by endorsing ObamaCare, now is telling President Obama to keep the group out of his political talking points.
The nation’s leading senior advocacy organization objected after the president during Wednesday’s debate twice mentioned the AARP while defending his health care plan and attacking Mitt Romney’s plans for Medicare.
The AARP posted a blog saying that while the group is “grateful” the candidates had a “robust” debate on health care, the organization is not aligned with either candidate.
“While we respect the rights of each campaign to make its case to voters, AARP has never consented to the use of its name by any candidate or political campaign. AARP is a nonpartisan organization and we do not endorse political candidates nor coordinate with any candidate or political party,” the group said.
Obama invoked the AARP during the Denver debate because the group had endorsed his health care overhaul earlier in his term. He used that endorsement to challenge Romney’s claims that the law’s cuts to Medicare would weaken the health care system.