As mentioned in Sicko Ronald Reagan got is start in national politics when the AMA hired him for a campaign to defeat what we now call Medicare. Operation Coffeecup involved making a stereo LP entitled RONALD REAGAN speaks out against SOCIALIZED MEDICINE [link is .mp3 downloadable or playable with properly configured browser]. In the first ever such marketing campaign of its type that LP was distributed on the ladies' auxiliary (doctors wives) of the AMA in every county in America.
The idea was to have small "coffee" gathering of women all across America to listen to the record and discuss it. The record was also played on many radio stations and as sort of a forerunner of the prepackaged "news" we have seen much of recently.
For some good background on the fight that was going on back in 1961 over what we now call Medicare take a look at "Operation Coffeecup": Reagan, the AMA, And the First 'Viral Marketing' Campaign ... Against Medicare.
During the 1980 campaign of Carter vs. Reagan the incumbent thought to hang this around Regan's neck by saying [link]
THE PRESIDENT: In the past, the relationship between Social Security and Medicare has been very important to provide some modicum of aid for senior citizens in the retention of health benefits. Governor Reagan, as a matter of fact, began his political career campaigning around this nation against Medicare . . . .
But Reagan was ready to turn it around with ease
REAGAN: There you go again [Laughter]. . . .
And turning things around with that laugh line, went on to blithely claim that he was not campaigning against Medicare for something altogether different. The media showed its disinterest by only covering that laugh and, even when the Carter campaign located and played the record for the them, not being willing to try to discuss the facts behind of Carter's charge.
With latest Supremes case that guts McCain-Feingold and in effect permits unlimited corporate issue ads right up to the eve of a national election, we can expect to see the forces against "socialized medicine" again launch an updated and even more sophisticated and expensive media camp.
We may be already seeing its start. Go here to watch Neil Cavuto of Fox Noise explain why universal health care is a prescription for domestic terrorism.