Obama Does the Switcheroo(s)
By LisaB on June 20, 2008 at 4:35 PM in Barack Obama, Campaigns & Campaign Financing, Democrats, Dick Cheney, John McCain
1) Barack Obama announced yesterday he would opt out of public financing for his presidential bid. At Beyond the Dome, David Nather called up some of Obama’s erstwhile campaign finance reform colleagues to see what they thought.
Read the rest ->
One of the consequences of Barack Obama’s announcement this morning that he’ll opt out of the public financing system is that he’s alienated the allies who worked with him, and praised his work, on last year’s lobbying and ethics overhaul.
Obama was one of two Democratic senators who took the lead on the legislation, and it was the most significant accomplishment of his short Senate career. Reid paired him up with Russ Feingold of Wisconsin – the Democrat who co-authored the 2002 campaign finance overhaul with John McCain – to take the lead in pushing the ethics legislation through the Senate.
So what did Feingold think of Obama’s decision not to participate in the public-financing system in the general election against McCain? Not much.
“This is not a good decision,” Feingold said in a statement today. “While the current public financing system for the presidential primaries is broken, the system for the general election is not. The entire system must be updated.”
The reactions were similar from the government watchdog groups that worked closely with Obama and Feingold on the ethics overhaul. Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer declared himself “very disappointed” with the decision. Public Citizen president Joan Claybrook said she was “deeply disappointed.” You get the idea.
Feingold, Claybrook, campaign finance legislation and Obama’s sole accomplishment as a US Senator. WHAM! Under the bus. Soak up the fumes, baby.
2) In a very curious story at Salon, BO taped a radio spot supporting Rep. Barrow D-GA for re-election. The reason this is curious is because Barrow is quite the blue-dog, supporting Bush’s stance on Iraq and telecommunications immunity. He is opposed by State Senator Regina Thomas whose positions are the same as BO’s on everything.
Thomas is an AA woman and Barrow is a white male who didn’t endorse BO until after Obama won Georgia.
Greenwald goes on to say:
For all of Obama’s talk about the wicked ways of Washington, these incumbent protection schemes — whereby Beltway power factions all help each other stay in power no matter their ideology or positions — are among the most vital instruments for perpetuating how Washington works. Democratic leaders pretend that they are forced continuously to capitulate to the Bush administration due to their “conservative” members, yet continuously work to keep those same members in power, even when it comes to supporting them against far better Democratic primary challengers.
Obama has made himself a central part of that rancid scheme. Recall that in 2006, Obama — who now touts his commitment to ending the war — endorsed Joe Lieberman in his Connecticut primary race over war opponent Ned Lamont. . .
So, what will get the most reaction here? Obama’s support for a democrat who backs Bush’s positions on Iraq and FISA? Obama’s support for a politician not on board until after Obama took his state? Obama’s support for a white rival of an AA woman who mirrors Obama’s own positions? Obama’s support for an entrenched incumbent over an “upstart” candidate?
There are so many flip-flop angles to this story, I don’t know which side is up here.
The local Atlanta Journal-Constitution story here. It’s worth a look.
3) At the Politico, Govs. Janet Napolitano and Martin O’Malley have published an open letter about democratic governors’ support for BO. Here are a few exerpts – note the governors think BO supports universal health care. Where’d THAT idea come from?
Our constituents struggle to buy groceries and gasoline because of a recession brought on, at least in part, by the subprime mortgage industry that Washington allowed to run unregulated and ignored. The change Barack Obama talks about starts in Washington, D.C., but it will have tremendous impact in every state in the union. Change means restoring sense to our foreign policy. It means taking bold steps to ease our dependence on foreign oil and shift toward renewable energy sources. And it means jump-starting this economy to help our families thrive again. Barack Obama has spent his career making change happen — and we know, as president, he’ll spend every day working with us to turn this country around. In fact, he already has. In the Senate, he fought to expand children’s health insurance. His good-faith partnership with states on this critical priority — in concert with his plan for universal health care — will heal our broken health care system and will ensure that every American finally has access to high-quality, affordable care.
4) The NYT today has a story about the Obama campaign reducing access to the nominee and exercising more control over his image and message.
The campaign on Monday barred cameras from a large gathering of African-American civic leaders Mr. Obama attended. It recently refused to provide names of religious figures with whom Mr. Obama met in Chicago and directed some of them to avoid reporters by using a special exit
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In spirited discussions with reporters barred from Monday’s meeting with African-American civic leaders, aides said that no cameras were allowed because the participants wanted the meeting to be private, even though it was announced on the daily hotel roster of events. Later, other aides said the lighting was not properly set up for television quality.When Mr. Obama met with religious leaders last week, his campaign kept out photographers and reporters and refused to share a full list of participants.
Hmmmmm. Sounds Cheneyesque to me, you know, the vice president who met with energy and oil companies and would not release any information. Another republican lesson well learned. Bravo Barack! You’re learning imperial behavior very quickly!!
by Ronald Scott
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