Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

OH-IO for Obama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:33:41 GMT

Sorry Romano, nice try. I almost didn't post a comment b/c I thought it appropriate that no one has responded yet. That said, I know that this is hard space to fill up between now and Apr. 22, but if you intend on rehashing already beaten to death stories about Obama's integrity, at least say something interesting, new or elevated in its perspective. You know as well as I do what Barack Obama has said on the topic and exactly what he meant. He was asked about it in at least 2 of the last 3 debates. To attempt to make his response to these questions sound like he is a typical politician (which is what you have implied) instead of reasonable, is exactly the type of "reporting" we have all become accustomed to hearing. Be original and brave and tell it like it is. It is not a sin to be nuanced and or to come from a higher order of thinking in your reporting no matter what the bush administration and karl rove have taught you and we are all not as dumb as kindergarteners. Challenge your readers. This is why the bloggers that do post the most ridiculous statements on your blog continue to wallow in their ignorant biases. They never reach to that higher level of thinking; where good reporters make a name for themselves by gaining trust from their readers.

For the record, since you were unable to give a counter in your little piece, what Barack quite sensibly has said is that we all know that there are ways of getting around public financing, especially by outside groups (527's). McCain has already been caught trying to wriggle out of the public financing agreement he's already bound by since going bankrupt back in Sept and having to go to public financing to maintain his candidacy. Now that he has the RNC behind him, he wants out of it and may have already violated the spending limits set based on the public funds that he's already taken. This is Barack Obama's point. He has not waivered on this issue. He will commit to public financing as long as he can work out the nuts and bolts of an agreement that deals with the outside channels around the public financing of the campaigns so that no one is getting an unfair advantage. Common sense, not "politics as usual".

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:17:40 GMT

Old news, why don't you follow up on other things like all the "super bundlers" Obama's got working for him and the money he takes from lobbyists' partners, wives, employees, etc. and lobbyists who are registered in states instead of with the fed. Those who have bothered to do the research know that Obama will say and do whatever he needs to do to get elected. All you have to do is look at his flip-flop on the Palestinian issue (and his secret commitment to be more up front after the election).

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:19:13 GMT

While pledging to turn down donations from FEDERAL lobbyists, Senator Obama raised more than $1 million in the first three months of his presidential campaign from law firms and companies that have major lobbying operations in the nation's capital. Shunning money from lobbyists registered to do business on Capitol Hill does not extend to lawyers whose partners lobby there. Nor does the ban apply to corporations that have major lobby operations in Washington. And the prohibition does not extend to lobbyists who ply their trade in state capitals including Springfield, Ill., Tallahassee, Fla., and Sacramento, Calif., although some deal with national clients and issues. Obama accepts money from lobbyists' spouses and other family members, their partners at the law firms where they work if the partners aren't registered to lobby, senior executives at companies that hire lobbyists, and state-level lobbyists. Among his top fundraisers are at least a few who were registered lobbyists as recently as last year. Overall, the same wealthy interests are funding his campaign as are funding other candidates, whether or not they are lobbyists.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama/Campaign_Financing

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:19:45 GMT

"Obama's about-face is not surprising. He is merely doing what he thinks is necessary to get elected and he will continue doing it as long as it keeps him in power. Palestinian-Americans are in the same position as civil libertarians who watched with dismay as Obama voted to reauthorize the USA Patriot Act, or immigrant rights advocates who were horrified as he voted in favor of a Republican bill to authorize the construction of a 700-mile fence on the border with Mexico."

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6619.shtml

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:20:58 GMT

Oh, and don't forget NAFTA and his aside to the Canadians that his promises to labor in the US is nothing more than political rhetoric.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Lococope — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:29:18 GMT

It seems to me that Senator Obama said the "if he becomes the nominee" he would then "aggressively pursue an agreement" with the Republican candidate. Since he has not received the nomination yet, it seems to me that he is free to raise money anyway he sees fit.

Further, since he is really talking about public financing of a campaign, what could be more public than funds that have been donated to a campaign over the "public internet."

Senator Obama did not solicit me, but after I heard several of his speeches I went online and found his website and made a donation. That strikes me as the candidate using public financing.

Thanks

Lowell Copeland

New York City

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

karela — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:30:18 GMT

One word: 527's.

It would take a dumb candidate to agree to limit himself to public financing when the GOP has set aside up to $300million for 527 smear campaigns. Obama said he'd do it if they could find a fair way i.e. each candidate would have the same resources. That isn't gonna happen, so all of us little people will keep on sending $10.00 now and again. We feel like this is pretty publicly financed as it is. There don't seem to be any big money fat cats throwing their weight around in our campaign.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

sknapp9220 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:31:31 GMT

Of course McCain will go the public route. He doesn't have the power, and he knows he has the Republican 527 hate machine to do his dirty work. Dems generally do not do as well with the 527 funding. McCain is only pushing the issue because he is worried about being overwhelmed. Grampy McCain is a sad, sad man.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

shonkin57 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:32:21 GMT

In short, it seems a bit dubious to me to change the rules on Obama now. If everyone had agreed at the beginning that we're all in this together and vow to press ahead under these rules... then we'd be discussing something of merit. But the Repubs did not leap at the opportunity, Obama created a cash-collecting phenomenon, and it is all but laughable to suggest he set that juggernaut aside in mid-stream. I certainly hope he does not.

http://bluechristian.blogspot.com

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:34:02 GMT

Obama brags that he doesn't take money from PACs too, but that hasn't hurt him any. In fact he gets more from bundlers at the big companies than a PAC could give him.

Political action committee funds are pooled contributions from a company's or an organization's individual employees or members; corporate lobbyists often have a big say as to where a PAC's donations go. But a PAC can give no more than $5,000 per candidate, per election. We're not sure how a $5,000 contribution from, say, Chevron's PAC would have more influence on a candidate than, for example, the $9,500 Obama has received from Chevron employees giving money individually.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obamas_oil_spill.html

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Jon of Northern Califia — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:35:35 GMT

Cheap shot, Romano. Obama's stance has been nuanced and broadly-focused for many months now.

Should you wish to do a more even-handed review of this "issue" in the future, please don't discount the plethora of channels not presently covered by this class of election finance regualtions. Obama and all Democrats are accutely aware of the damanging potency of the virtually unregulated 527 groups, for example. Furthermore, the Congressional committee charged with policing this system lacks a quorum for the foreseeable future and is as such powerless to enforce anything. So without some kind of seperatly-negotiated, binding and fair contract in place, Obama would be stupid to sign on now.

No one would knowingly hamstring their own campaign. To pressure Obama's campaign otherwise with biased rhetoric, incomplete facts, and narrow equivocation is just p*ssing in the wind.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:35:51 GMT

Obama's just doing and saying what he thinks will get him elected. At first he didn't think he'd have as much money as Clinton and the Republicans, so he was all over public financing. Now that he's got corporate henchmen bundling millions for him, he isn't interested.

So much for integrity, but then Obama has been more hat than ranch all along.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

karela — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:37:33 GMT

One word: 527's.

p.s. About the Canadians and NAFTA: The day AFTER the Ohio/Texas primary, it came out that it was the Clinton campaign who contacted the Canadians with the don't worry line, i.e."take it with a grain of salt." The top aide to the Canadian Prime Minister said it in a room full of reporters. The notes from the Canadian representatives meeting with Obama advisor proved that nothing was said privately that was different then what Obama said publicly. Mrs. Clinton did manage to take Ohio based on those lies. Lots of people in Ohio not too happy about that. Pennsylvania voters may well take note as it seems to be coming up yet again with Columbian free trade agreement that it turns out Bill Clinton was paid $800,000 to help promote. At nearly a million dollars, I betcha Mrs. Clinton knew what Bill was up to. Don't you?

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:53:56 GMT

So exactly how long has it been since Obama stopped taking money from PACs? Has he folded his own PACs and given back the money?

Hopefund, Inc. Federal Election Commission (FEC) ID# C00409052.

Obama for America, FEC ID#: P80003338. Political Action Committee (PAC) ID#: C00431445.

Obama for Illinois, Inc., PAC ID# C00381442.

Obama 2010 Inc., FEC ID#: S4IL00180. PAC ID# C00411934.

Obama for Congress 2000, FEC ID#: H0IL01087. PAC ID#: C00347583.

[edit]PAC contributions

The Center for Responsive Politics reports that since 2004, Obama has raised the following PAC contributions:

2004 Senate race: $1,205,724 (8%)

2006 Senate fundraising cycle: $1,300,378 (8%)

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:59:19 GMT

Obama brags that he doesn't take money from PACs too, but that hasn't hurt him any. In fact he gets more now from corporate bundlers than a PAC could give him. As of January 9, 2008, Barack Obama had 356 bundlers, including 9 lobbyist bundlers, who have raised $78,915,507.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obamas_oil_spill.html

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:05:38 GMT

Hey all you CWA members - LOOK WHO OBAMA OWES+

2003-2004

Listed among the top 50 contributors to Barack Obama 2003-2004 are found the following political action committees:

* AT&T PAC IL

* Allstate Insurance PAC

* Credit Union PAC

* Community Banc PAC

* Zack PAC

* AIA IL PAC (American Insurance Assn)

* IL Road Builders PAC

* MCI Midwest Employees PAC

* Peoples Energy PAC

* Spirit PAC

* ICTA-PAC

* IL Manufactured Housing Assn PAC

* IL Mortgage Bankers PAC

* ACPAC (Automobile Club PAC

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:07:26 GMT

Grass roots money from the public my a$$.

"It turns out that Obama's contributor numbers were WAY inflated, because they included anyone who bought a bumper sticker, or a keychain with his name on it, or paid $5 to hear him talk. Yet he represented these people as if they had simply handed over cash for nothing in return, and the media went all ga-ga over his 'stunning' (the word one reporter used to describe it) contributor base. Basically, he made the mainstream media look like idiots...," Swampland contributor Paul Lukasiak commented

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:09:20 GMT

The Obama campaign, as of late March 2007, has accepted $159,800 from executives and employees of Exelon, the nation’s largest nuclear power plant operator.

"The Illinois-based company also helped Obama’s 2004 senatorial campaign. As Ken Silverstein reported in the November 2006 issue of Harper’s, '[Exelon] is Obama’s fourth largest patron, having donated a total of $74,350 to his campaigns. During debate on the 2005 energy bill, Obama helped to vote down an amendment that would have killed vast loan guarantees for power-plant operators to develop new energy projects … the public will not only pay millions of dollars in loan costs but will risk losing billions of dollars if the companies default.'"

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

mijoh1 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:12:41 GMT

You are reporting on a public financing model the is completely obsolete. It does not take into consideration the use of the internet in campaigns. The current public financing model was put into place to circumvent the fat cat lobbist donations for the purpose of purchasing undue influence from politicians. Obama has rewritten the book on that and has made the fat cats irrelevant. He should be commended for it, not 'hated on. I love the fact that I can go onto the internet and contribute $25 or so to a campaign and feel like I can make a difference without being rich and powerful. As individuals, we should be allowed to do this irregardless of the public financing laws. If you want public financing fine, let the candidates have it. But, the ability to contribute in small amounts should be kept in place.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:14:09 GMT

Obama has given $698,200 to the superdelegates since 2005.

And his supporters talk about Clinton "stealing" the nomination.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:17:49 GMT

Obama will say and do anything to get elected. In his campaign for the Senate he said he was in favor of getting rid of the electoral system for president, but then after he got to the senate, he did nothing.

In fact, he helped give Bush the presidency. After joining the U.S. Senate in January 2005, Sen. Obama's first action was to decline to be the Senate co-sponsor of a move to question Ohio's Electoral College votes following the 2004 presidential election. He then voted against the resolution.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:19:34 GMT

Obama: "I am absolutely convinced that the President of the United States, George Bush, won this election. I also believe he got more votes in Ohio."

So much for unity with the Black Caucus who wanted to challenge the Ohio electoral delegation.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Yarber — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:21:26 GMT

I think Obama would be foolish to limit his ability to raise money. That might make sense if he were competing in a level playing ground, but we all know that is not the case.

If he becomes the Democratic nominee, he is going to need ten times more money to run against the Republican party and all those far right so called "independent groups " . We have seen how they have attacked Democratic candidates in the past. They will come out of the woodwork to attack the first African-American candidate. That is one of the reasons that Obama has been able to raise so much money, the American public understands that he has a much greater need for money than the other candidates.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Andrew Romano — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:23:18 GMT

Hi all,

As several commenters have noted, there are a "plethora of channels not presently covered by this class of election finance regulations," including, of course 527s--i.e. the "virtually unregulated" groups that swiftboated John Kerry in 2004. "It would take a dumb candidate," writes reader karlea, "to agree to limit himself to public financing when the GOP has set aside up to $300 million for 527 smear campaigns." I agree. But I'm not arguing that public financing is free of challenges, or even that it's the "right thing" to do. I'm merely pointing out that OBAMA HIMSELF--not a dumb guy--proposed his own public-financing plan in the recent past and promised to "aggressively pursue" an agreement with his Republican rival that would encompass, I'm assuming, just the "kind of separately-negotiated, binding and fair contract" that reader Jon of Northern Califia describes. Without such a contract, Obama should by all means forgo public financing. But for now, reiterating his Feb./Nov. 2007 pledge to work toward a suitable agreement would be more in keeping with Obama's "new politics" image than letting his spokesman equivocate--not to mention implying to a roomful of donors that online fundraising should replace public financing. We're still in primary season, so there's no need for Obama to make a final decision now. But come fall, if he doesn't at least "aggressively pursue" an equitable contract with McCain--who seems willing--then I'd consider that a broken promise. We'll see what happens...

Thanks for reading,

Andrew

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:23:18 GMT

Obama has flip-flopped too many times to count.

In 2006 Obama said in a speech given on the Senate floor: "I was not in this body 4 years ago, but what I observed as a voter and as a citizen of Illinois 4 years ago was troubling evidence of the fact that not every vote was being counted. It is unfortunate that 4 years later we continue to see circumstances in which people who believe they have the right to vote, who show up at the polls, still continue to confront the sort of problems that have been documented as taking place not just in Ohio but places all across the country."

I guess it depends on who the voters are, whether they support him or not. Why else would he oppose recognizing the popular vote in Florida and Michigan? No one made him take his name off the ballot in Michigan, and he campaigned as much as anyone with his targeted advertising on the Net and national ads on TV.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:38:54 GMT

Obama isn't up front on a lot of things.

On June 11, 2002, Obama's vote sparked a confrontation after he joined Republicans to block Democrats trying to override a veto by GOP Gov. George Ryan of a $2-million allotment for the west Chicago child welfare office. Then he claimed he had voted with the republicans by mistake.

On March 19, 1997, Obama announced he had fumbled an election-reform vote the day before, on a measure that passed 51 to 6: "I was trying to vote yes on this, and I was recorded as a no," he said.

On March 20, 1997, Obama voted "present" on a key telecommunications vote.

HEY CWA members, WAKE UP

and smell the truth.

He stood on March 11, 1999, to take back his vote against legislation to end good-behavior credits for certain felons in county jails. "I pressed the wrong button on that," he said.

Obama was the lone dissenter on Feb. 24, 2000, against 57 yeas for a ban on human cloning. "I pressed the wrong button by accident," he said.

On Nov. 14, 1997, he backed legislation to permit riverboat casinos to operate even when the boats were dockside. The measure, pushed by the gambling industry and fought by church groups whose support Obama was seeking, passed with two "yeas" to spare -- including Obama's. He wasn't exactly up front with his constituency, telling a church group on a 1998 campaign questionnaire that he was "undecided" about whether he backed an expansion of riverboat gambling. The senator who led the opposition to the gambling measure, Republican Todd Sieben, said "He was obviously paying attention to this vote. It was a major, major issue in the state, and it was a long debate," Sieben said. "The inadvertent 'Oops, I missed the switch' -- I'd be kind of skeptical of that."

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:40:06 GMT

Hey all you CWA members - LOOK WHO OBAMA OWES+

2003-2004

Listed among the top 50 contributors to Barack Obama 2003-2004 are found the following political action committees:

* AT&T PAC IL

* Allstate Insurance PAC

* Credit Union PAC

* Community Banc PAC

* Zack PAC

* AIA IL PAC (American Insurance Assn)

* IL Road Builders PAC

* MCI Midwest Employees PAC

* Peoples Energy PAC

* Spirit PAC

* ICTA-PAC

* IL Manufactured Housing Assn PAC

* IL Mortgage Bankers PAC

* ACPAC (Automobile Club PAC

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:41:31 GMT

So exactly how long has it been since Obama stopped taking money from PACs? Has he folded his own PACs and given back the money?

Hopefund, Inc. Federal Election Commission (FEC) ID# C00409052.

Obama for America, FEC ID#: P80003338. Political Action Committee (PAC) ID#: C00431445.

Obama for Illinois, Inc., PAC ID# C00381442.

Obama 2010 Inc., FEC ID#: S4IL00180. PAC ID# C00411934.

Obama for Congress 2000, FEC ID#: H0IL01087. PAC ID#: C00347583.

And the Center for Responsive Politics reports that since 2004, Obama has raised the following PAC contributions:

2004 Senate race: $1,205,724 (8%)

2006 Senate fundraising cycle: $1,300,378 (8%)

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

mrockefeller11 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:55:45 GMT

Obama and McCain need to both agree to something that does not give the GOB unfair advantage if Obama agrees to public financing only. If he agrees now, he will be hamstring, and the GOP unregulated 527 groups will tear him to pieces. He'd be a fool to agree to anything at this time given those facts.

Shame on you Romano for this biased article.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

iamnumba1 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:03:29 GMT

Who is this stupid person in Alabama?????

Anyway, Obama's campaign is essentially financed by the public. His fundraising efforts are novel. McCain backtracked on his pledges for public financing during the primaries. McCain was all for publicly financing his campaign before he began to win strings of states in the primaries. So, let's report the facts.

Intelligence is the ability to adjust previous positions and stances on a variety of issues. IT WOULD BE PLAIN STUPID AND IDIOTIC AND DUMB FOR BARACK TO VOW TO STICK WITH PUBLIC FINANCING. Get a clue. WHO CARES IF HE PLEDGED TO DO SO IN EARLY 2007. HE IS A HUMAN BEING. AT LEAST HE IS NOT TELLING FLAT OUT LIES ABOUT SNIPER FIRE!!!!

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Scubafiend — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:10:43 GMT

More wiggling on the part of Obama. Funny how his supporters are ready to skewer Clinton at any perceived misrepresentation but he gets a pass on something much more specifically contradictory!

Yeah - run under a banner of change - NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:19:52 GMT

public funding imanumba1? You gotta be kidding, right?

Obama says he doesn't take money from PACs, but that is how he got his pres campaign started. And he took more than $1 million in the first three months of his presidential campaign from law firms and companies that have major lobbying operations in the nation's capital. Shunning money from lobbyists registered to do business on Capitol Hill does not extend to lawyers whose partners lobby there. Nor does the ban apply to corporations that have major lobby operations in Washington. And the prohibition does not extend to lobbyists who ply their trade in state capitals including Springfield, Ill., Tallahassee, Fla., and Sacramento, Calif., although some deal with national clients and issues. Obama accepts money from lobbyists' spouses and other family members, their partners at the law firms where they work if the partners aren't registered to lobby, senior executives at companies that hire lobbyists, and state-level lobbyists. Among his top fundraisers are at least a few who were registered lobbyists as recently as last year. Overall, the same wealthy interests are funding his campaign as are funding other candidates, whether or not they are lobbyists. "Three political aides on Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) payroll were registered lobbyists for dozens of corporations, including Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin, while they received payments from his campaign, according to public documents.

What happened was Obama figured out that he can get even more money from these influence peddlers by getting them to be his "bundlers" -- PACs can't give more than $5000, and Obama's got these guys bundling up millions instead.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

lillea — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:19:54 GMT

Obama is the politician of all politicians. He is a snake and a wolf in sheep clothing......His judgment sucks and God only knows what he would do if in the White House. He just cannot be trusted.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

RDOMINGUEZ — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:22:23 GMT

At this point, Obama is exposed for the lies he tells. He'll tell you what you want to hear as long as it sounds good. His supporters don't care. Most of them vote for him because he uses the word "Change" and is black. He's made so many promises he can't keep, the silver-lining if he wins, for me will to see all these supporters who so blindly put him into office see how their dream kid was a pile of empty promises. I just hope at that point Hillary is still around to clean up what will be by that time, a huge mess.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

iamnumba1 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:23:35 GMT

Actually, this issue is ALL ABOUT change. Never in history has one candidate had well over one million individual donors in a primary contest. This is a CHANGE that must be adjusted to. So the only one "wiggling" is Clinton and McCain, the same old farts that got us into the war in Iraq, and the same old farts that are wondering how they have been outpaced by a firts term junior senator from Illinois. Like I said, the issue is ALL ABOUT CHANGE.

Obama 08

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:27:00 GMT

PINKERTONS?????

WHY ARE THE UNIONS SUPPORTING THIS GUY?

Three political aides on Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) payroll, Teal Baker (Podesta Group), Emmett Beliveau (Patton Boggs), and Brandon Hurlbut (represented the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies among others) were registered lobbyists for dozens of corporations, including Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin, while they received payments from the Obama campaign, according to public documents.

Clients such as Oshkosh Truck and PINKERTON CONSULTING paid more than $700,000 for Emmett Beliveau and his colleagues at Patton Boggs to represent them during the first half of 2007.

Beliveau received a $3,050 payment from Obama’s campaign for advance work on Feb. 21, 2007 a campaign finance report shows.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

iamnumba1 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:27:37 GMT

Stupid in Alabama

First, you cite no viable facts to support your claims. Where is the empirical evidence? Second, you shouldn't have to rant and rave and spew conspiracy theories to get your point across.

rdominguez,

Sorry bro, but people vote for Obama for more than the fact that he is black and says the word change. Why don't you try running for president and see if you can even get two people to vote for you. Didn't think so.

Obama 08

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:31:36 GMT

The time has come, Senator Barack Obama says, for the baby boomers to get over themselves. He has run ads that imply that Social Security's retirement payments are responsible for the shortfall, and does not say that the trust fund was taken to pay for Reagan and Bush's tax cuts. No wonder the young support him. They believe he will get rid of SS and they won't have to pay into it.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

susangg — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:31:44 GMT

The purpose of public financing was to lure candidates away from wealthy special interests. The Obama campaign has accomplished that without needing to use tax payer money to do it: 90% of Obama's money comes from individuals who are giving $100 or less (in contrast to "Mama Warbucks," whose primary source of campaign contributors are the corporations, especially defense contractors, whose legislative water she is carrying. This is the classiest, most democratic (small "D") campaign for president of the US ever launched. Obama has already transformed American politics and he hasn't even been elected yet.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:32:51 GMT

Imanumba1, you want the sources? happy to provide them. but Obamicans don't usually believe anything negative anyone says about Obama, no matter how reliable the source.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Dare270 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:33:50 GMT

LOL you anti-obama over-posters are just too funny. You people should really try and get a life.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:34:02 GMT

check http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama:_U.S._presidential_election,_2008#Declined_to_support_move_to_question_2004_presidential_election

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Phong Nguyen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:35:30 GMT

S. Obama can lie but will be forgiven or overlooked because he is the candidate of change even though he did not change much in his records of public service. S. Obama put up with the racial remarks of his pastor for 20 years and now he talks about change and charms the youngsters and the gullible!!! S. Obama would conveniently change his statements to fit the situations. He first denied that Canadian contact on NAFTA from his campaign. He first denied hearing those racial remarks by Rev. Wright in the church. He admitted that he would not have known what to do if he had had to vote on the Iraqi war at the time. He claimed to be a civil right leader but did not attend the 40th ceremony commemorating the assasination of Dr. MLK...

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:36:49 GMT

susangg, that's baloney.

Most of Obama's money comes from high influence politicos who are "bundlers" - essentially doing the same thing the PACs do, but without the $5000 limit. They collect money from executive and salaried folks they can force to pay, or reimburse,but without the $5000 limit that PACs have. In fact, that's what Rezko was doing for Obama before he was indicted.

And by the way, Obama has his own PACs, in case you didn't know.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

kat52770 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:37:31 GMT

Obviously, Obama didn't anticipate the overwhelming support he has received by his supporters, myself included. McCain's campaign will inevitably use this to beat Obama over the head with although he will be using private funds through the back door. He will continue to have his surragates make racist (Tiger Woods) remarks and pull back as though he doesn't recognize them. The Republican "Good Ole Boys Club," what they call down here in the south will continue to attack Barack Obama on any mundane and sundry gaffe or jab they can get their hands on and play it 24/7 on the fair Fox News Network. Making comparisons to Barack to Hitler and the Anti-Christ. This is all old stuff. Quite frankly, I live in Alabama and have even heard Republicans speculate that Barack or Hillary would be assaninated before they ever took office. Our politics have gone to the crapper. To me the choice is obvious. Obama goes on a massive McCain offensive before he officially accepts the nomination and then uses the general fund. Or--if in the event that he doesn't get the nomination and Hillary makes him VP--he uses the money for that endeavor. Then--he would have no need for anything but the public during the few short months before November. Makes sense to me and he would still keep his honor.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

susangg — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:37:55 GMT

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:39:13 GMT

or you could check this one

http://www.whitehouseforsale.org/candidate.cfm?CandidateID=C0009

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:39:46 GMT

Or check this one

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obamas_oil_spill.html

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

peaceatlast — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:45:03 GMT

Reply to susangg's comment: Obama did receive large sums from some nuclear energy companies - so I would not consider that small donors. While Obama has publicly declared he has received sums from small donors, quite the opposite is true! Don't be fooled by the rhetoric from the Obama campaign.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:45:15 GMT

Talk about buying endorsements and superdelegates, recipients of Obama's PAC Hopefund's largess are state and local politicians who have endorsed Obama's presidential bid

Obama's PAC reported giving a $1,000 contribution, for instance, to New Hampshire state Sen. Jacalyn Cilley on July 25,[8][9] six days before she announced she was endorsing Obama for president.

Likewise, state Rep. J. Todd Rutherford, a lawmaker from South Carolina, received a $1,000 contribution from Obama's PAC on Sept. 24, a few months after he endorsed Obama.

Paul Hodes, who is Obama's N.H. co-chair, received Hopefund Inc. funds on June 15, 2007, endorsed Obama on July 26, 2007, and received additional funds on September 27, 2007. In July 2007,

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:46:44 GMT

Obama's U.S. Senate campaign raised at least $1.2 million from special-interest PACs, according to fundraising tracker PoliticalMoneyLine.com. And in January 2005, 20 days after he was sworn into the U.S. Senate, Obama launched his own PAC, Hopefund, which raised $4.4 million over two years, making it one of the largest PACs members of Congress have established.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:48:11 GMT

In 2005 and 2006, Hopefund Inc. was funded by a number of industry political action committees[17] as well as more than 1,800 individual contributions.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

kat52770 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:50:11 GMT

P.S, Please-Please-Please not everybody in Alabama agrees with Stupid in Alabama. Not everyone in Alabama is a redneck, trailer trash, cousin marrin' backwoods hick! There are plenty of us in Alabama that have the common sense the Good Lord gave us. Obama can save face by spending all those millions before he gets to the general and still have his honor--sweet and simple. Ads, ads, ads and putting local offices to work in the remaining primary states. He should focus almost entirely on McCain & Bush. I also think he should go to Iraq & Afganistan just like McCain did and see first hand how things are going. He should be making a few internation trips as part of his campaign. Just a few thoughts from someone who loves Alabama just not the idiots.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

a brighter America 08 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:06:15 GMT

Andrew, people are FREE to change their mind, aren't they? This is the United States of America and not a dictatorship.

If you want to talk about "pledges", how about Hilliary pledging to abide by the DNC rules that if states moved up their primaries/caucuses from their respective schedule dates they would be penalized. That penalty was and is NOT COUNTING THE DELEGATES. All the candidates AGREED with the DNC ruling. How long, now, has Hillary been trying every which way to change those rules???? First she wanted the votes (for illegal primaries) counted, then she wanted the delegates counted, then she wanted redoing of the primarie, (she even made a side trip to Michigan to DEMAND, and BEG for, a redo and got heated in her demands), then back to delegates, then superdelegates, now she is pandering to Senator Obama's state delegates to switch to her.

People have donated and continue to donate money to Senator Obama's campaign because we believe in his message of hope, true change, moving forward, and "A GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND OF THE PEOPLE". Senator Obama has done a tremendous job in inspirating and motivating people everywhere across the United States. The HUGE turnouts at the polls and caucuses are a direct result of Senator Obama, his campaign, and volunteers' hard and dedicated efforts. As Susangg said, "Obama has already transformed American politics and he hasn't even been elected yet". That's a pretty tall order for the junior senator from Illinois and he has accomplished it with tremendous success.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:07:39 GMT

Obama supporters can't discredit what I post. They don't even try. So they resort to name calling.

Name calling is so very persuasive.

Show where I'm wrong.

Just because I don't support Obama does not make me white or a racist or trailer trash or a cousin marrin backwoods hick.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:10:21 GMT

Free to change their mind? I guess it's not talking out both sides of your mouth but changing your mind if you are Obama.

Or is it?

Obama's "present" votes in Illinois haven't raised much of a stir, but here are some of the times he changed his mind after he had already voted.

Barack Obama angered fellow Democrats in the Illinois Senate when he voted to strip millions of dollars from a child welfare office on Chicago's West Side. But Obama had a ready explanation: He goofed. "I was not aware that I had voted no," he said that day in June 2002, asking that the record be changed to reflect that he "intended to vote yes."

On March 19, 1997, Obama announced he had fumbled an election-reform vote the day before, on a measure that passed 51 to 6: "I was trying to vote yes on this, and I was recorded as a no," he said.

On March 20, 1997, Obama voted "present" on a key telecommunications vote.

HEY CWA members, WAKE UP and smell the TRUTH ABOUT OBAMA.

He stood on March 11, 1999, to take back his vote against legislation to end good-behavior credits for certain felons in county jails. "I pressed the wrong button on that," he said.

He was the lone dissenter on Feb. 24, 2000, against 57 yeas for a ban on human cloning. "I pressed the wrong button by accident," he said.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Spacer — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:15:25 GMT

[[Instead, it would represent a victory for "politics as usual." ]]

The politics as usual will also include the GOP's "527" outfits running a few Swift-boating ads against Obama and the corporate media helping them out by endlessly replaying them in every market until November. Obama needs something to counter the military-industrial-GOP-media complex, and using the large amounts of money he can raise is the only way he has to do it.

Of course the media and the GOP won't buy the argument that the enormous amount of money Obama can raise from small donors (something the inherently unpopular McCain could never do) is a form of public financing. So what? Let McCain and the media whine about it. At least it will be a welcome change from their endless harping about the Rev. Wright non-story.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Julia55 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:29:37 GMT

This guy tailors all of his "facts" to fit the moment he's in. He can't be trusted, and he's no better than Bush. Just younger.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

damitajo1 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:29:57 GMT

Well, with Obama this is acrobatics. With Clinton, it would be a sign of a pathological, awful liar. You guys are amazing.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

LDS2484 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:30:59 GMT

I said it before during the last debate between Clinton and Obama, if he were to accept the public funding so as to keep his promise, the people who wish to donate could do so to 527's or the DNC who would put adds out for Obama/against McCain. He could still benefit from people's enthusiasm and willingness to open their pocket books.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Julia55 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:35:47 GMT

Maybe he pressed another wrong button or had another "bone head" moment. Either way, the media and the more maniacal of his supporters will come out like rabid dogs and attack anyone who notices and talks about it and get branded as racist, so it doesn't matter. Thanks for sharing the information, Andy.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

a brighter America 08 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:36:33 GMT

Posted By: kat52770 (April 9, 2008 at 5:50 PM)

-----------------------------------------------------

Kat, whoever said those things about Alabama residents should be ashamed of themselves. Nobody should be labelled an idiot!

Definition of idiot: A mentally deficient person, having intelliegence in the lowest measurable range, being unable to to guard against common dangers and incapable of learning connected speech. 2) A foolish or stupid person, ignorant, a private person, layman. In today's world we simply do not refer to people as idiots. We are all God's children and people should be treated as such. Like I said, whoever said this about people in Alabama, or any place else, ought to be ashamed of themselves. Guess some people are just plain mean.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

JerryTheK — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:41:23 GMT

I'm curious, Andrew, why you've chosen to focus on one side, Obama's pledge, while ignoring McCain's similar pledge"?

"Last year, McCain pledged to participate in the public financing system if he won his party’s nomination and the Democratic nominee did the same.

The vow came in response to similar positioning by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The Illinois senator subsequently has backed away from committing to the program, however, as it has become clear his record-setting fundraising operation likely will be able to bring in significantly more than $84 million for the November general election. "

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9140.html

McCain's current posturing is just that; not to mention how he's tried to game the primary funding limits by claiming he was just kidding about public funding for that, whaich would mean he's over the spending limit already.

How about not flaunting your Hillary bias by trying to put down Obama? Guess that's too much to ask for.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

a brighter America 08 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:48:11 GMT

Andrew, the postings are cut short on the right hand side of the margin; is this fixable? Thanks much!

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Emile Mervin — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:54:20 GMT

I guess this is a SLOW NEWS PERIOD on the campaign trail that this has become a news item. Nothing beats a reporter who has to dig deep in a gold mine but comes up with sand and dirt. Keep digging, you might yet score a Pulitzer Prize.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:02:49 GMT

Obama has used his PACs to give $698,200 to the superdelegates since 2005.

And his supporters talk about Clinton "stealing" the nomination.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Cantabrigian — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:14:21 GMT

Romano, I give you credit as one of the few reporters who question Obama's disingenuous posturing. Obama and his toadies are working non-stop using every nefarious measure possible to shut down Senator Hillary Clinton. Also, "Not Stupid in Alabama" could assist the media with a more balanced perspective, rather than the constant ratting on Senator Hillary Clinton!

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

LDS2484 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:16:49 GMT

You would have to be balanced to bring balance.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

ecg3817 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:24:46 GMT

Are we saying that McCain wants Obama to spend $85,000,000 of the taxpayers’ money...when he does not need to...because of an agreement with McCain....This is crazy...

This makes no sense to me....this is why...my friend wants to buy a house and so do I...we promise to get bank loans to pay for the homes...we go to the bank and sign agreements that she will get her house and I will get my house...we get our home loans approved...but later...I do not need the money because my friends and family got together and gave me the money for the home...so I do not need the money from the bank...

I cancel the bank the loan for the bank...but my friend still needs the loan and I don't...

It makes no sense to me to turn down the money from my friends and family...and take the loan because my friend still needs to take the loan......

McCain’s dogs will pour millions of dollars into beating Obama...they have a bottomless pit of money to run their smear campaigns against Obama...this is a good reason for Obama to break the promise to McCain...And McCain should understand.....

IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO KEEP THIS PROMISE....IT’S LIKE STANDING ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS LOOKING AT A TRAIN COMING STRAIGHT AT YOU...BUT YOU WON’T GET OFF THE RAILROAD TRACKS BECAUSE YOU PROMISED SOMEONE THAT YOU WOULD STAND THERE ON THE TRACKS.......THIS IS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

ecg3817 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:29:10 GMT

Are we saying that McCain wants Obama to spend $85,000,000 of

the taxpayers’ money...when he does not need to...because of an

agreement with McCain....This is crazy...

This makes no sense to me....this is why...my friend wants to buy a house

and so do I...we promise to get bank loans to pay for the homes...we go to

the bank and sign agreements that she will get her house and I will get

my house...we get our home loans approved...but later...I do not need the

money because my friends and family got together and gave me the money

for the home...so I do not need the money from the bank...

I cancel the bank the loan for the bank...but my friend still needs the loan

and I don't...

It makes no sense to me to turn down the money from my friends and

family...and take the loan because my friend still needs to take the loan......

McCain’s dogs will pour millions of dollars into beating Obama...they

have a bottomless pit of money to run their smear campaigns against

Obama...this is a good reason for Obama to break the promise to

McCain...And McCain should understand.....

IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO KEEP THIS PROMISE....IT’S LIKE

STANDING ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS LOOKING AT A

TRAIN COMING STRAIGHT AT YOU...BUT YOU WON’T GET

OFF THE RAILROAD TRACKS BECAUSE YOU PROMISED

SOMEONE THAT YOU WOULD STAND THERE ON THE TRACKS....

...THIS IS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

rlfast — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:36:34 GMT

The Supreme Court ruled last June (Federal Election Commission vs. Wisconsin Right to Life) that the McCain-Feingold limitations on private advertising (during the sixty days immediately preceding an election) are unconstitutional. This ruling means unlimited money can be spent by private groups for advertising smears during the campaign. Obama's February, 2007, statement came well before this ruling.

Obama has indicated a readiness to discuss with McCain ways to ensure a fair election. That seems reasonable. To pretend that the Supreme Court's gutting of the campaign finance laws can be left out of the discussion is not reasonable.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

ecg3817 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:41:40 GMT

What equitable contract with McCain?..........McCain’s smear dogs will pour millions of dollars into beating Obama...they have a bottomless pit of money to run their smear campaigns against Obama...this is a good reason for Obama to break the promise to McCain...And McCain should understand.....

Obama must prepare to fight McCain and his smear dogs............

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Rocky2001 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:59:35 GMT

I guess he mis-spoke.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Medge — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:16:25 GMT

I suspect that the reason behind the ideas in this article is Obama's success at fund raising. Had Obama not been so successful no one would be talking about it. The reason why McCain is not raising erough money is because he does not have the skills nor the organization like Obama to raise money from the bottom up. He depends on Lobbyists and special interests, to dnate large sums of dollars. He is falling behind and is worried that he wont be able to keep up with campaign adds. But it does not matter, even if he had double the money Obama is raising from middle of the road Americans, he would not get to first base. He does not even have a real platform to rely on for votes. Obama on the other hand,not only has a real plan to offer to the American people,he has an effective organization unlike any other in the history of campaigning.

Anyway, the article states that Obama never made a pledge to subscribe to public financing.

Obama does not have to, his grassroots organization from the bottom up says it all.

Let McBush beg his cronies for huge donations.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

nowatthepl8 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:24:50 GMT

There's hardly any "politics as usuall" to the most democratic fundraising campaign in history. Imagine a campaign funded by nearly 1.5 million voters who donate to the candidate they believe most in, and in turn, are saving the country roughly 85 million dollars. Sure, Obama is going to back out of McCain-Fengold, but his case in this being true public funding is compelling and substantive, and provides a win-win for the country as a whole. Of course, McCain supporters will have to decide what they like more: money in their pocket, or money in Obama's pocket?

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

nowatthepl8 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:32:37 GMT

There's hardly any "politics as usuall" to the most democratic fundraising campaign in history. Imagine a campaign funded by nearly 1.5 million voters who donate to the candidate they believe most in, and in turn, are saving the country roughly 85 million dollars. Sure, Obama is going to back out of McCain-Fengold, but his case in this being true public funding is compelling and substantive, and provides a win-win for the country as a whole. Of course, McCain supporters will have to decide what they like more:Their money in their pocket, or their money in Obama's pocket?

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

jtatom1942 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:33:12 GMT

It is just as I have said before, money talks in politics. Politics is a day by day occurance, people forget what is pledged......GO GO ....YO MOMMA

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

dustyd_64 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:39:09 GMT

I suspect that the reason why so many Obama supporters have been on here defending this slip on position is because Obama supporters base this campaign on changing the facts through apologetic notion.

If Senator Obama is sincere about politics of change, he needs to stick to his guns on campaign finance. The Obama grassroots network is vast enough as is that it wouldn't matter anyways, he could drum up support from the many "apologists" that this nation has to offer.

Adding to the affront from Obama backtracking on campaign finance, this seems to be the only thing that he has actually devised himself! Obama was never the candidate for anything....when starting his run, he had no idea what to do or say, rather you "apologists" devised a campaign off the coat-tails of Hillary.

It is because Obama has no platform that this primary has become a joke, whenever Hillary comes up with some to distinguish herself, all of you come riding in on a white horse closing the gap with another freelance campaign ad saying the same thing.

I say this to Obama supporters....what has Obama really said/promised that wasn't a direct copy, or slight modification of Hillary's campaign? Think different....think about who's really a puppet, before we elect another one.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:56:21 GMT

Hey all you CWA members - LOOK WHO OBAMA OWES+

2003-2004

Listed among the top 50 contributors to Barack Obama 2003-2004 are found the following political action committees:

* AT&T PAC IL

* Allstate Insurance PAC

* Credit Union PAC

* Community Banc PAC

* Zack PAC

* AIA IL PAC (American Insurance Assn)

* IL Road Builders PAC

* MCI Midwest Employees PAC

* Peoples Energy PAC

* Spirit PAC

* ICTA-PAC

* IL Manufactured Housing Assn PAC

* IL Mortgage Bankers PAC

* ACPAC (Automobile Club PAC

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Disintegration — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:57:11 GMT

"GOP 527 smear campaigns"? That's a good one. Out of the top ten donors to 527s in 2004, 6 gave a total of $82,000,000 to groups supporting Democrats or opposing Republicans and 4 gave $23,000,000 to groups supporting Republicans and opposing Democrats (plus $1M from a $12M Dem donor hedging their bet).

It's quite plain that the super-rich support Democrats much more than Republicans. As Leona helmsley told us, "Taxes are for the little people" - the uber-rich don't have to worry about anything as plebeian as tax cuts.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:57:32 GMT

Hey all you CWA members - LOOK WHO OBAMA OWES+

2003-2004

Listed among the top 50 contributors to Barack Obama 2003-2004 are found the following political action committees:

* AT&T PAC IL

* Allstate Insurance PAC

* Credit Union PAC

* Community Banc PAC

* Zack PAC

* AIA IL PAC (American Insurance Assn)

* IL Road Builders PAC

* MCI Midwest Employees PAC

* Peoples Energy PAC

* Spirit PAC

* ICTA-PAC

* IL Manufactured Housing Assn PAC

* IL Mortgage Bankers PAC

* ACPAC (Automobile Club PAC

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:03:13 GMT

While pledging to turn down donations from lobbyists themselves, Senator Obama raised more than $1 million in the first three months of his presidential campaign from law firms and companies that have major lobbying operations in the nation's capital. Shunning money from lobbyists registered to do business on Capitol Hill does not extend to lawyers whose partners lobby there. Nor does the ban apply to corporations that have major lobby operations in Washington. And the prohibition does not extend to lobbyists who ply their trade in state capitals including Springfield, Ill., Tallahassee, Fla., and Sacramento, Calif., although some deal with national clients and issues. Obama accepts money from lobbyists' spouses and other family members, their partners at the law firms where they work if the partners aren't registered to lobby, senior executives at companies that hire lobbyists, and state-level lobbyists. Among his top fundraisers are at least a few who were registered lobbyists as recently as last year. Overall, the same wealthy interests are funding his campaign as are funding other candidates, whether or not they are lobbyists.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

debra1953 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:03:29 GMT

just one more lie he has said but will make a great historic speech the Obama supporters and most of the press will fall allover there selfs about it and forget about the isue it was about and the beat gose on . we get higher gas prices more people lose there jobs and homes more of our family gets killed in irac but but hey no big deal obama made another great speech and raised record amount for his campane

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Timetheos — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:04:28 GMT

McCain has already shown that he will play fast and loose with finance rules, so there is no reason to trust him. Obama is spot on.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:05:38 GMT

Kennedy, of course, is now backing Clinton's rival, Barack Obama, for the nomination. But last year, before that endorsement, he was quoted by the Associated Press as saying something quite different

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Oct. 6, 2007: The children's health program wouldn't be in existence today if we didn't have Hillary pushing for it from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:08:37 GMT

In terms of money received from the oil and gas industry, Obama ranks third among the eight announced Democratic presidential candidates. He does the same with insurance, again coming in third. First place is reserved for Senator Christopher Dodd who, in his capacity as a committee chairman, can investigate the insurance industry if he wants to. Obama is number two in contributions from the pharmaceuticals and health products industry.

Senator Obama didn’t include banking interests among those nefarious special interests. Then again, with over $600,000 so far, he ranks number one among all candidates of either party in money from commercial banks.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:11:19 GMT

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

lee226 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:18:21 GMT

I read this comments and it seems politics as usual meaning the past.Obama needs a platform?

Look at what he has achieved both raising funds and creating a genuine revolution in the electoral primary. The facts speak for themselves. The millions of people who support him can see is the best candidate, I would say the best in years. What platform does McCain has , and about Hillary platform? One is too old to remember the various faction in Iraq, the other is using the ex president name for recognition. Obama is educated, brilliant and able to run a campaign like no other. Read his books maybe you will learn something.

As far as the money goes , I would rather have him take the moeny on line , it would save money and be really democratic if people can donate on line.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

drsyko1 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:22:50 GMT

Hmmmm . . .he's going to change NAFTA, but then he's not. He's going to bring the troops home. . but then he's not. He never heard those sermons, but then he did. He didn't get money from Rezko, then he did. He's going to go with public financing, but then he's not. And on and on . . . You Obamabots make me sick. You go on and on about Hillary lying and all your man does is lie, lie, lie through his teeth and yet you just eat it up. Unbelievable.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

ecg3817 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:31:06 GMT

Obama is not taking money from PAC....

Compared to Hillary:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00000 019&cycle=2008

Individual contributions are broken by sector. For instance, I work in technology so any personal contribution I make would be in the classified as tech. So any individual who works for Chevron or Exxon would be classified under the energy sector.

This is different from saying that a candidate is receiving money from PACs or lobbyists...are trying to mislead the public.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Timetheos — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:33:01 GMT

St. McCain has a campaign chcok full of lobbyists, but oh no, you, Andrew, have to try and turn the fact that Obama gets most of his money from small donors into a negative.

Looks like McCain's wining and dining has successfully bought another member of the media.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:42:29 GMT

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:43:37 GMT

On March 19, 1997, Obama announced he had fumbled an election-reform vote the day before, on a measure that passed 51 to 6: "I was trying to vote yes on this, and I was recorded as a no," he said.

On March 20, 1997, Obama voted "present" on a key telecommunications vote.

HEY CWA members, WAKE UP and smell the TRUTH ABOUT OBAMA.

He stood on March 11, 1999, to take back his vote against legislation to end good-behavior credits for certain felons in county jails. "I pressed the wrong button on that," he said.

He was the lone dissenter on Feb. 24, 2000, against 57 yeas for a ban on human cloning. "I pressed the wrong button by accident," he said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-obamavotes24jan24,0,4956975,full.story?coll=la-home-center

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:46:05 GMT

PACs are limited to $5000.

Obama's bundlers (including lobbyists "on leave" and CEOs) collect hundreds of thousands of dollars for his campaign.

Who do you think owes special interests more?

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

torpedoman — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:56:35 GMT

all of them are lying crooks who have been bought and payed for to repersent things other than your best intrest. obama refuses to show respect at a flag raising, a criminal offence for a militaty man.he uses racisim terms like typical white people and if a white politican used the term typical black people it would be the next days headlines. Well this typical white person is not going to vote for him. He has had way too many free passes by the media

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

HappyDay41 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:58:51 GMT

Hey there Not Stupid in Alabama... you must have been busy when the kool-aid was passed around.

Great post. It's good to know that some folks are doing their homework and investigating the claims of this guy. His electiblity is a joke.

BTW-- I love an Alabama accent-- sigh, happy thoughts. :)

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:08:41 GMT

The "pay to play" style of politics Obama learned from Emil Jones, Jr. seems to be his modus operandi. Obama has given $698,200 to the superdelegates since 2005.

And his supporters talk about Clinton "stealing" the nomination.

I guess if you pay for the superdelegates you aren't stealing them.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:09:42 GMT

you want a southern drawwwwlllll???? I culd do that if'n I wanted, but Iz a bit erudite for that

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:11:01 GMT

Ya know, we found all them r's the Kennedy's done lost up in Boston. They turned up in the warsh we hung out to dry.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

ceasarcarcus — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:19:25 GMT

This is utterly unfair to Obama. Yes, it is evident that Obama underestimated his appeal. He had no way of knowing the future. If he, in the past, had every intention of accepting public funding, he is by all means allowed to change his mind due to unforeseen circumstances. It doesn't make him a liar or hypocritical person. Every person on Earth reserves the right to alter their decision based on new information. The fact of the matter is, a lot of people like Obama. He is a person that all types of people feel comfortable with; and that include religious, nice, evil, fat, black, white, biracial, foreign, etc. Everyone loves Obama. He shouldn't be forced to keep distance from people who do not share the same beliefs that he does. That isn't what Jesus would do: Jesus would welcome all men with open arms.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

LDS2484 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:38:22 GMT

I guess Alabama's self-esteem got crushed when he saw the look of defeat coming from the Clinton camp, and now he just spends all his time trolling on here. Maybe if he spams the same message a few dozen more times, the media will pick up on his non-story. You'll notice he spends all of his time "attacking" Obama, but he can't find any grounds to defend whom he supports. I thought this was supposed to be Mr. Andrew Romano's blog, but this article has been filled up more by Alabama's drivel than Mr. Romano's article. Someone please keep the troll(s) in check.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:41:06 GMT

change his mind? like he did on Palestine? I can see Republicans using this both ways since Obama seemed to be pro Palestinian then shifted to become pro Israel. Ali Abunimahsays this about Obama's political positioning:

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6619.shtml

For different perspectives on Obama's position on the Palestine/Israel situation and his flip-flop, check out these articles:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125656

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2008/01/obamas-israel-shuffle.html

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/03/barack_obama_and_israel_1.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/28/politics/washingtonpost/main3887752.shtml

I don't see Obama's shift in position as a parallel to the NAFTA meeting, although he uses the same kind of denial or deminimus explanation for his association with pro-Palestinian powerbrokers and foreign affairs authorities like Soros, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and Robert Malley

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:43:11 GMT

LDS2484 prove me wrong. All I see is more meaningless name calling.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

LDS2484 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:47:14 GMT

I don't have to prove you wrong, no one cares. Prove something I just said wrong. It's irritating to sift through the spamming of someone who's upset and can't deal with it. Scroll down and re-read my post till that sinks in. All I see bitterness and empty attacks.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:47:23 GMT

btw, you want facts that support Hillary Clinton for president? read my other posts. You don't really want me to repost them.

Non-denial deprecation comments about those who don't worship Obama do not influence people to support him, and they do not prove the facts I post wrong.

Prove me wrong. Provide links. Go look up what I have posted. do something that actually informs someone who is reading these posts please instead of wasting their time. I hope Obama is not the candidate, but assuming he is, you need to be convincing ME and others like me to vote for him. At one time I thought I would never vote for a republican for president, but the more I research Obama, the more likely I am to break with my lifelong dem record.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

LDS2484 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:54:21 GMT

Yep, angry and bitter. You want reasons why Obama should be president over Hillary? Read almost every political article for the last few months. I'm not going to link them all or my post would exceed all of your spamming, as improbable as that seems.

I hope you're getting paid well by Clinton for all this trolling through.

There is one nice controversy that doesn't get reported on much though. Go Goodle the Barrett report.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:55:23 GMT

LDS2484, at least you could try. Help me find a way to vote for Obama if he is the candidate. Do you wonder why 25-30% of the Clinton supporters say they won't vote for him if he is the nominee?

Do your homework on your candidate. I've done mine.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:57:02 GMT

I don't get paid and I'm not a staffer or even a volunteer. You want to talk about paying people for opinions? Obama's PAC's have paid more than $650,000 to superdelegates since 2005. I guess since they are bought and paid for, he can claim Hillary is trying to steal them.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:26:10 GMT

Read political articles?

Why shouldn't I look at the facts and make up my own mind? Why should we let MSM decide who we vote for? All they want to do is sell advertising and make money.

I do my own homework. I suggest you do the same. Google is great. So are the .gov websites.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

LDS2484 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:34:29 GMT

Since it looks like you're trying to use sarcasm by comparing Google to .gov, I'll point out that Google will bring up a lot of the articles you're referencing.

The articles you're referencing as 'research' are MSM articles, so good job defeating yourself on that one.

That's the last I'll say as I hate feeding trolls.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:39:41 GMT

"Junkie. Pothead. That's where I'd been headed: the final, fatal role of the young would-be black man. . . . I got high [to] push questions of who I was out of my mind."

Obama's revelations were not an issue during his Senate campaign two years ago. But now his open narrative of early, bad choices, including drug use starting in high school and ending in college, as well as his tortured search for racial identity, are sure to receive new scrutiny.

It was not so long ago that such blunt admissions would have led to a candidate's undoing, and there is uneasiness in Democratic circles that "Dreams From My Father" will provide a blueprint for negative attacks.

A senior Republican strategist who will be advising a GOP presidential candidate in 2008 said he did not see anything in the book that would be a "disqualifier," but he cautioned that Obama has not yet gone through an intense vetting process and that a problem could arise if there is more to his story than he has chosen to share.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/02/AR2007010201359_pf.html

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:41:20 GMT

As for Larry Sinclair, it really doesn' t matter if it is true, the republicans will use it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVeFVtcdSYY

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:44:42 GMT

MSM is a resource, sometimes reliable, sometimes not. I take quotes as accurate and follow up by checking other resources. Google is an engine, not a resource. It provides access to an array of resources. It's up to the individual to evaluate the reilability of any resource.

My point about not letting MSM decide for me was in response to the general direction to read "political articles" which I took as opinion based, not reporting.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:02:05 GMT

Obama's PAC's have paid

more than $650,000 to

superdelegates since 2005.

I guess since they are bought and paid for,

he can claim Hillary is trying to steal them.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Jennfizz — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:05:38 GMT

So the bottom line is: We're in a gun battle and you're shooting to kill but is apparently low on ammo. To make the situation more equitable, I'm supposed to call a cease fire to your benefit, get rid of my cache of ammo so that YOU, my opponent and I have what I ASSUME is an equitable amount. However, unbeknownst to me, you have stashed with your rear detatchment and at your disposal, a motherload of ammo with which you intend to blast me to smitherines...?

NOW...THAT'S A FOOL...BESIDES BEING SUICIDAL! DOES THE ABOVE SCENERIO EVEN MAKE GOOD SENSE TO YOU?

To even suggest that Barack Obama should disarm and leave himself totally exposed and vulnerable to his opponents would be pure stupidity on his part and hypocricy of John McCain and the GOP smear machine. So, what is THAT...a cartoon?

You Republicans (and it's evident that you are GOP) are notorious for holding other candidates to the letter of the law when it 's to your advantage. Whatever, happened to common sense - situations change and in order to make informed decisions and choices, the best practice is to consider most recent developments / updated information or situation. To suggest that making appropriate adjustments in a ever-changing world constitutes flip-flopping is the kind of stubborn ignorance govering the current failed administration.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:17:03 GMT

Hey all you CWA members - LOOK WHO OBAMA OWES+

2003-2004

Listed among the top 50 contributors to Barack Obama 2003-2004 are found the following political action committees:

* AT&T PAC IL

* Allstate Insurance PAC

* Credit Union PAC

* Community Banc PAC

* Zack PAC

* AIA IL PAC (American Insurance Assn)

* IL Road Builders PAC

* MCI Midwest Employees PAC

* Peoples Energy PAC

* Spirit PAC

* ICTA-PAC

* IL Manufactured Housing Assn PAC

* IL Mortgage Bankers PAC

* ACPAC (Automobile Club PAC

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:21:38 GMT

Jennfizz, he shouldn't have made the commitment if he didn't believe it was the right thing to do. It was a political ploy, just like his assertion that his money is coming from grass roots support and not from the hundreds of thousands his corporate execs and lobbyists on leave from their lobbying jobs have bundled for him. PACs are limited to donations of $5000, but bundlers can strong arm their salaried employees and their spouses, and their big suppliers into making donations. they can reimburse employees who write the checks to hide the fact that the company is in fact making the contribution.

When has Obama ever taken a position and stuck to it when the going got tough?

Obama will change his position whenever it is politically expedient, like he has done on the question of Palestine. How can we trust anything he says?

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:43:53 GMT

the thing is, PAC's are limited to $5000. Bundlers are not. These corporate executives and lobbyists on leave have obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars from their employees and their employees wives and their suppliers. You think that's not as much influence as a PAC weilds, if not more?

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 07:13:30 GMT

Just found another apparent misrepresentation by Obama. Seems he hasn't just thrown his grandma under the campaign bus. Seems likely he made up the whole thing about her using racial stereotypes and slurs that would make him cringe.

Actually, I'm not sure I would call an affluent bank executive typical whether man or woman, white or black. And for that matter, whites were a minority in Hawaii when Obama was growing up.

Sam Slom, a Bank of Hawaii economist then, who is now a Republican state senator in Hawaii, recalls that as a part of the white ??? or "haole" ??? minority in Hawaii, he would regularly see housing ads that made no effort to hide racial preferences. He says he remembers ads that read, "No haoles" or "AJAs (Americans of Japanese ancestry) Only" or "No Japanese."

Obama's campaign declined to make Dunham available for interviews or to say whether the Illinois senator alerted her before delivering the speech.

Dunham has repeatedly declined to comment to reporters, and Soetoro-Ng declined to comment on Obama's speech about Wright or their grandmother's attitudes on race.

Others who know Dunham were caught off guard by that mention in Obama's speech.

"I was real surprised that he indicated that," said Dennis Ching, who was a 23-year-old management trainee under Dunham beginning in 1966. "I never heard her say anything like that. I never heard her say anything negative about anything. And she never swore."

" I never heard Madelyn say anything disparaging about people of African ancestry or Asian ancestry or anybody's ancestry," Slom said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-04-07-obamagrandma_N.htm

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Jennfizz — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:21:03 GMT

I think the primary issue is that Senator Obama made a commitment to accept public financing based upon what he believed was the "Best Thing to Do at the time" as opposed to making the commitment because he believed it was the right thing to do.

As a first-term junior senator who rose through the ranks of the Chicago political system, Barack Obama was at a distinct disadvantage in the campaign funding arena because he did not have access to the level of financing of rivals, Senator John McCain, married to a multi-millionaire heiress or a Senator Hillary Clinton, heir apparent to the Democratic nomination, wife of a former United States President, with access to unlimited resources through the Clinton Fund Raising machine that is second to none, and who are also now multi-millionaires. That Barack Obama has advanced as far as he has with the limited resources avaialble to him is nothing short of the David and Goliath story - or finally living long enough to see the American Dream unfolding before our eyes - but the detractors are many.

I guess back in February 07, Barack Obama could have whipped out his crystal ball and divined that John Q-Grassroots-Public, being ready for change from the stench of Washington, DC Politics as Usual, would respond so favorably to a new standard of fund raising online, precluding the need for the limitations of public financing.

Circumstances changed necessitating the need to revisit an earlier decision and / or make adjustments regarding what is BEST for his campaign for the presidency of the United States - the characteristic of an effective leader. Barack Obama is not obligated to either John McCain or Hillary Clinton because at this point, they are all contenders for the same position and if the situation were reversed, it would have been a non-issue. Why should any candidate be expected to accomodate an opponent by putting themselves at a disadvantage to lose, especially in view of the efforts to discredit him with all the penny-ante mold-hill to mountain stuff.

As neither Democratic candidate has ever been elected president, it remains to be seen what type of leader either would become. However, I am willing to extend Obama the same benefit of doubt as I did to Bill Clinton, in 1992 and 1996 in spite of the GOP pre-election smear relative to moral issues. Nowithstanding the Lewinsky debacle, I considered him an excellent president..

You obviously know Obama personally in that you have made some very definitive statements of fact regarding his abilities, skills, aspirations and integrity. I admit that I do not know him as well as you seem to but if as you indicated, this first-term junior senator from Illinois who at this stage in his political career, has the savvy enabling him to wield this level of political power (...where he has hundreds of thousands of corporate executives and lobbyists at his beck-and -call, who are on leave and are donating bigs-big bucks in bundles by strong-arming workers into making donations to his campaign in the form of personal checks, then reimbursing them), all I can say is that the United States NEED THIS MAN!!! He must wear the royal blue tights, a cape with a red and yellow gothic-S on his chest too.

The fact that Obama has parlayed his community organization skills, established and mobilized this strong of a national grassroots movement where they go into a state and are able to change the landscape of the political process in a very short time, in and of itself, speaks volumes to this man's abilities as an agent of change and is a reflection of what he should be able to accomplish on a national scale - no other candidate in the history of US politics can make this claim.

Further, much of what is happening wth Barack Obama is the result of a force beyond Barack Obama's control - because it is time. I think that even he is surprised by the momentum as he is being carried along by the tide of the nation's desire for change. Incidentally, following all of the political turmoil including the treachery of the incumbent, David ended up being the Best King in Israel's history...because time and circumstances were right, but Change is never easy.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

oaksav4000 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:55:27 GMT

Obanma is smart if he does accept public finacing the 527's will outspend him and outspend him so Barack Don't take Public Finacing Please

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

oaksav4000 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:55:28 GMT

Obanma is smart if he does accept public finacing the 527's will outspend him and outspend him so Barack Don't take Public Finacing Please

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:55:57 GMT

Hey CWA workers, check out where his money is coming from. AT&T is one of the companies that put him in the senate. You think he doesn't still take their money?

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:05:47 GMT

With all that money, why hasn't he been able to knock Clinton out of the race?

He's bought plenty of superdelegates, giving them over $650,000 from his PACs since 2005.

I guess since he bought and paid for them he can claim Clinton is trying to steal them.

Obama also used his super "hope" PAC to train his volunteers, a fact which he has to deny because it would have been illegal to use the Hope PAC to fund his own campaign - he would have been limited to the $5000 PACs are limited to. His campaign's statements about this are disingenuous at best.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:28:38 GMT

Where does Obama's money come from? One of his bundlers is Scott Blake Harris, the managing partner of the Washington, D.C., firm Harris Wiltshire and Grannis, which handles such legislative issues as Communications/Broadcasting/ Radio/TV, Science/Technology, Telecommunications, and Trade (Foreign and Domestic), as well as representing the Computing Technology Industry Association. As an Obama bundler, Harris raised $200,000+.

CWA members wake up!!!!!! Obama is NOT your man. He's been bought and paid for by the communications industry.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:30:54 GMT

Another one of Obama's bundlers is Thomas J. Perrilli, managing partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Jenner and Block, a Chicago general practice law firm, which includes among its clients the National Cable and Telecommunications Association and Time Warner Inc. As an Obama bundler, Perrelli raised $200,000+.

PACs can only donate $5000 to a campaign.

CWA members wake up!!!! Obama has been bought and paid for by the communications industry.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:39:28 GMT

And look who funded his campaign for the senate.

2003-2004

Listed among the top 50 contributors to Barack Obama 2003-2004 are found the following political action committees:

AT&T PAC IL

Allstate Insurance PAC

Credit Union PAC

Community Banc PAC

Zack PAC

AIA IL PAC (American Insurance Assn)

IL Road Builders PAC

MCI Midwest Employees PAC

Peoples Energy PAC

Spirit PAC

ICTA-PAC

IL Manufactured Housing Assn PAC

IL Mortgage Bankers PAC

ACPAC (Automobile Club PAC)

Another one of his bundlers is "lobbyist on leave" Emmett Beliveau. Clients such as Oshkosh Truck and Pinkerton Consulting paid more than $700,000 for Emmett Beliveau and his colleagues at Patton Boggs to represent them during the first half of 2007.

PINKERTONS???????? What's next, Pittston?

CWA members wake up!!!! Obama has been bought and paid for by the communications industry.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Not stupid in Alabama — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:12:44 GMT

I guess the Obama camp doesn't want this one on the top ten list, so they quit checking and posting. too bad the public won't see this major misrepresentation by the self proclaimed messiah of change.

Same old same old politics that has been coming out of Chicago for more than a century. Say what you have to to get elected, pay to play and collect $$$, then do what ever you like once you're in office.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

lillea — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:45:35 GMT

Is Obama's creative corporate bundling fund raising practices going to get him into another Rezko situation?

He seems to be pushing the law by having corporate CEO's collect small amounts of money from employee for his campaign.

He may say he isn't taking soft money from Oil corporations, but in a creative way he really is.

It may come back to bite him.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

lillea — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:51:11 GMT

Obama aligned himself with money launderers early in his political career. He is no dumby. He is street smart, of course, he has been part of the corrupt Chicago political system for years. He knows how to skirt the law.

He may get too greedy and end up with some illegal campaign money OR deeply indebted to large corporations and foreign countries in exchange for their financial assistance.

This guy has such poor judgement.....God only knows who is indebted to and how it will affect Americans.

Scary!!!!

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Teri B. — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:07:32 GMT

It's FAR from the first time Obama's said one thing, and done another.

http://www.counterpunch.org/gonzalez02292008.html

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

Jennfizz — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:44:39 GMT

Why is it that only 2/3rds of the comments are readable...? Your advertisement covers most of the space so reading comments is impossible.

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

larryb — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:00:25 GMT

MODERATOR ATTENTION

for some reason the right side of the comment s are cut off so you can't read them properly

re: Obama's Public-Financing Acrobatics

beaker87 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:27:22 GMT

Obama's new slogan should be Change as long as it doesn't adversely affect me. He is no different than any politcian out there, he will say what the people want to hear. If he can't stick to his change slogan now, what makes us think he will bring any change to the White House.