WASHINGTON — A campaign to persuade Republicans to support President Obama's budget is morphing into something broader, with the White House political machine and its allies now focusing pressure on conservative Democrats and anyone else who might be tempted to vote no.
Targeted Democrats are balking at some of the tactics -- a sign that campaign methods so effective in getting Obama elected may not easily transfer to the policy realm.
Earlier this month, ads underwritten by Obama allies were directed more narrowly against Republican lawmakers opposed to the president's budget. For example, a tax-exempt group called Americans United for Change ran an ad in recent weeks that mocked Republicans as simply saying no to the Obama agenda rather than producing alternatives.
This week, the group is running cable TV ads in what it describes as "12 targeted states represented by Republican and Democratic members of Congress."
Obama's fellow Democrats caution that the ads could backfire in swing districts populated with many conservative voters.
The liberal group MoveOn.org is running radio and Internet ads focused on 10 Democratic members of the House and Senate considered potential "no" votes. The ads suggest phone calls to lawmakers urging them to vote for Obama's budget.
MoveOn has been in contact with the White House, including Obama aides Valerie Jarrett and Michael Strautmanis, to "keep them abreast of what we're doing," said Justin Ruben, executive director of MoveOn.
A White House official said that mobilizing such outside groups is crucial to the president's agenda.
"Every single White House has had to build support for their ideas," said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly. "And we regularly meet with outside groups and explain what the bills are and ask them to be supportive and helpful. The other side has more money, and we need more grass roots and more people."
On a parallel track, Obama's campaign group, now called Organizing for America, is using ZIP Codes to reach supporters and ask them to call their districts' representatives in Congress. The organization also began airing a nationwide cable television ad Thursday in support of Obama's budget.
Last weekend, Obama campaign supporters fanned out across the country to get people to sign petitions supporting the basic goals of Obama's budget.
Some Democratic lawmakers contend that the ads won't work.
