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UPDATE: Maddow follows up on the worst highlights from the “Hands Off Our Heath Care” campaign. 

In Part 1, Maddow goes after Tim Philips, president of the Americans for Properity “grass roots” campaign funded by large corporations and headed by political operatives. They are funding bus tours and speaking events designed to promote ideas such as “Obamacare is socialism.” (read:evil)

Such events have recently been notorious for offensive and anti-democratic tactics such as shutting down political debates and use of “nazi” and “hitler” imagery and name-calling. Such is the political cost of attempting to improve the health care options available to most Americans.

In Part 2 Maddow confronts Philips on the incredibly sleazy Jack Abramoff / Century Strategies / Marianas Islands campaign. Sweat shop conditions, forced prostitution and forced abortions are O.K. because Chinese laborers are being converted to Christianity. Then she moves on to the Saxby Chamblass smear campaign against Sen. Max Cleland.  Philips attempts to justify his past by minimizing it, or by explaining that Cleland lacked the courage to pursue the “War on Terror.”

Philips is clearly an expert in sleazy advocacy campaigns. Maddow sums up:

“I personally think that you and the folks who do what you do are a parasite who gets fat on Americans’ fears”