She used her position to block legislation that she (often in alliance with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg) opposed and, likewise, to rally votes for legislation that she supported.
He has enlisted lobbyists, union leaders and current and former government officials, including Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan, to rally votes for him and has expressed confidence through a spokesman that he would beat back Mr. Waxman.
The Republicans (led by presidential nominee Mitt Romney) will seek to rally votes by promising to repeal the ACA, if elected – though they also will talk of putting back into law some of the more popular provisions of the ACA, such as the rule that enables young adults to stay on their parents insurance coverage.
Just a few weeks ago, off-shore drilling could have been a point of compromise around which Senators could rally votes to pass the climate bill; now the bill had to strike a new balance to mollify both potential allies who oppose drilling, like Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and those who support drilling, like Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA).
"He's reducing a serious policy discussion to a pep-rally vote and cheering the loudest for your team.
Emboldened conservatives attacked "Great Society play money," rallying votes against a modest bill to exterminate rats in city neighborhoods.
Many middle-class Muscovites who had attended earlier rallies voted for Mr Prokhorov, who turned up at the protest.
Mr. Obama, in particular, faces a delicate balance: how to marshal the government's response while also rallying votes ahead of the Nov. 6 election.
He is seen by some today as doing the bidding of his party, but he suspects that many who attend his rallies voted for the independent presidential candidate Ross Perot in 1992 and the Republican iconoclast Ron Paul in the 2008 primaries.
With Hurricane Sandy heading toward a collision with an early winter storm and expected to reach the East Coast late Sunday, Mr. Obama, more than his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, must figure how to marshal the government's response while also rallying votes ahead of the Nov. 6 elections.
He drew heavy criticism after he suggested gun rights activists could take action against Clinton, a statement he later said was aimed at rallying votes against her.
