John Kerry’s “Managed” Health Care Town Hall – Tightly Controlled with Advocacy Groups & Unions Dominating Attendance.

Senator John Kerry, (D-MA), held a town hall meeting in Somerville, MA yesterday, which was surprisingly well attended – by supporters of Health Care Reform. The event, which was pushed by Organizing for America (MyBarackObama.com), gave Kerry a platform to pontificate that he would be carrying the torch for the late Ted Kennedy dream of Universal Health Care (public option), a move that Harry Reid can appreciate.

The interesting aspect of this particular pro-health reform event, were the attendees: according to the Boston Globe: “Spectators arrived early, many carrying pro-health care overhaul signs, which were prohibited inside for security reasons. Advocacy groups on hand included the Service Employees International Union, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, and Mass-Care, a state group pushing for a single-payer plan. . The question arises: Although the Globe and like-minded press, have heralded this event as a pro-health care rally (one of the first of its kind), it was not the general public in attendance, rather advocacy groups who were urged to get there early and fill the auditorium by the Obama Campaign, - played as throngs of regular folk by the press – will this charade be bought by the American people, most of whom do not support any form of government controlled health program? Unlikely.

For perspective : live blogging of the event by the Mass. DNC (Blue Mass Group)