Obama’s Out of Touch Economics: $115.62 for Soup and Sandwich
By Un coup de des on June 27, 2008 at 3:30 AM in Barack Obama, Economy, Indiana
The Obama campaign managed to offend a newspaper in one of those “swing states” they believe they will win with an invoice that charged exorbitant fees for services not even utilized. According to Bob Zaltsberg of the Herald Times of Bloomington, Indiana, their company is not pleased with the bill they received from the Obama campaign last week. I quote:
The details of the invoice were surprising, however.
Meals: $115.62.
Bus: $226.17.
Supplies: $5.54.
Files: $91.41.
Invoice total: $438.74.
The bus fare seems fair, with Boyd taking up a seat that could have been occupied all day through the cross-state swing.
The supply charge was for water, soda, fresh fruit, and snacks on the two buses that transported the traveling press that day.
The files? That charge was for two things: Our share of accommodations for the working press at the Indianapolis North Hilton the morning of April 11, including labor, room rental, power strips, extension cords and an Internet access point; and our share of a $1,000-a-day fee (and $99 for a hotel room) for the campaign’s traveling Internet provider to have a technician travel with the press to help them with technology.
In regard to meals: Boyd essentially was billed $115.62 for a cup of soup and a turkey sandwich, because the campaign bills only for the day — not a la carte. He wasn’t in Indianapolis for the full breakfast buffet, or in Terre Haute for the dinner options that included grilled salmon, baked chicken with honey glaze, beef, steamed vegetables, Greek salad, oven roasted potato, rolls and butter, water, soft drinks and coffee.
What is their response to this bill? They issue a stern warning to the Obama campaign. I quote:
This was a rare primary, and thus a rare opportunity for an H-T reporter to travel with a campaign, even for such a short distance. Now, the Obama campaign is calling Indiana a “battleground state,” which means chances to travel with candidates may arise later this year.
If they do, we’ll probably skip the all-inclusive bus package and drive along behind.
$115.62 may purchase a soup and sandwich with the elite Obama campaign, but it will also guarantee negative press in a state Obama believes he can win. $115.62: for some it is “change we can believe in,” while for others it is a sign that the woefully out of touch Obama campaign does not understand how to relate to small town newspapers.
$400 to enjoy the privilege of traveling with Obama? ”No thanks” is the answer of the Bloomington Herald Times.
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