Contact: Kimber Abbott, 703-392-7676; after 6 PM Eastern & on weekends, 703-589-0587; ConservativeHQ.com
MANASSAS, VA, Sept. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following is a statement by Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, regarding President Obama's speech on health care legislation:
"Tonight, President Obama reconfirmed his far-left agenda by re-launching an effort for government-run health care.
"But at the same time, Obama is re-launching the conservative movement.
"Because President George W. Bush's administration and the Republicans in Congress abandoned conservative principles and massively expanded government, many grassroots conservatives and activists dropped out of politics.
"However, thanks to President Obama's and Nancy Pelosi's massive political overreach, which has frightened and angered conservatives and many independents, they've launched a thousand Tea Parties and town hall meetings and put new life in the conservative movement.
"Obama and Pelosi have become major fundraisers for conservative organizations, candidates, and Tea Parties. New members and supporters are flooding conservative organizations.
"In anticipation of a strong tide in 2010 against Obama Democrats, conservative leaders are making plans to challenge in primaries those Democratic and Republican politicians who support government-run health care.
"The President's policies, especially his effort to turn America's health care into a massive government-run program, are putting a strong wind into conservative sails.
"Obama would have been able to sign his government-run health care plan by the 4th of July if it were not for a combination of a real people's rebellion at Tea Parties and town halls, plus conservatives' using new and alternative media, including talk radio, cable TV, the internet, and direct mail.
"And as usual, Republican politicians are mostly on the sidelines and absent from the biggest political battle of the 21st Century."
NOTE TO EDITORS: Richard A. Viguerie pioneered political direct mail and has been called "one of the creators of the modern conservative movement" (The Nation magazine) and one of the "conservatives of the century" (The Washington Times). He is the co-author of America's Right Turn: How Conservatives Used New and Alternative Media to Take Power.
