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John McCain's voice may be coming soon to a Nebraska telephone near you.
A national Republican committee is paying for a round of automated calls into Nebraska this week that will feature a message from the former Republican presidential contender. In the call, McCain will urge Nebraskans to oppose health-care legislation.
The "robocalls" are being funded by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and are being made in Colorado, Arkansas and Nebraska. In addition, live calls will be made in North Dakota, where automated calls are prohibited.
The calls are being made statewide and targeting independent voters, according to Amber Wilkerson Marchand, a spokeswoman for the NRSC.
The idea is to pressure centrist Democratic senators, including Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, into opposing the health care bill up for debate in the U.S. Senate.
Nelson has expressed concern with the bill. In particular, he opposes the creation of a new government insurance plan or public option.
McCain ran unsuccessfully for president last year. He is leading the GOP charge against the health care bill, urging his colleagues to send it back to the Senate Finance Committee and remove language cutting funds from Medicare.
In the calls, McCain asks listeners to sign a petition via a NRSC website - www.healthcaretaskforce.org - urging Nelson to fight a "government takeover of your health care."
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