Barack Obama, now cast as the Democrats’ standard-bearer, moved quickly to put his imprint on the national party Thursday, eager to reinforce its fundraising operation and pursue an aggressive general election campaign. Howard Dean will remain as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, an affirmation by Obama of Dean’s bottoms-up rebuilding of the party across all 50 states. Still, Obama is installing one of his top strategists, Paul Tewes, to help expand the DNC staff and oversee party operations. The move puts Obama’s ample fundraising machine at the party’s disposal. In so doing, Obama imposed on the DNC the same ban on money from federal lobbyists and political action committees that he has placed on his campaign. The DNC has trailed its GOP counterpart in fundraising. Over the past 17 months, the Republican National Committee has raised $166 million to the Democratic National Committee’s $82.3 million. The DNC also has spent heavily, leaving little cash on hand while the Republican National Committee has built up its reserves.
By keeping Dean as party chairman, Obama ended up taking sides in a long-running dispute between Washington-based Democratic Party leaders and state party officials. Although Obama campaign officials have expressed concern in the past that the party did not have enough money, Obama shares Dean’s goal of building the party from the ground up, even in states where Republicans dominate. Dean has spent party resources creating a comprehensive national voter file and placing an average of four staffers in each of the 50 states. The strategy was a hit with state party officials but encountered skepticism in Washington, where some congressional leaders angrily pressed for the party to spend money on winnable contests. In a statement, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said: “Senator Obama appreciates the hard work that Chairman Dean has done to grow our party at the grass-roots level and looks forward to working with him as the chairman of the Democratic Party as we go forward.”
Dean welcomed Tewes to the DNC, saying he would help the party transition to the general election. “Over the last three years, the DNC staff has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Democratic Party is strong in all 50 states and that we communicate our values to Americans across the country,” Dean said in a statement. “The DNC and the Obama campaign are now working together to continue this effort.” By banning federal lobbyist and PAC money from the DNC, Obama sought to avoid an inconsistency with his own campaign’s fundraising policy. The ban applies to future fundraising, meaning the party won’t have to return money it has already raised from lobbyists and PACs. “Today as the Democratic nominee for president, I am announcing that going forward, the Democratic National Committee will uphold the same standard — we will not take a dime from Washington lobbyists,” Obama said at a town-hall meeting in Bristol, Va. “We are going to change how Washington works. They will not run our party. They will not run our White House. They will not drown out the views of the American people.”
Obama is pressing his case that McCain is under the influence of special interests because of his advisers’ lobbying ties.
McCain’s senior advisers are former lobbyists, including campaign manager Rick Davis. McCain was stung last month by the disclosure that two advisers — now gone — had worked for a firm that had represented the military junta in Myanmar, also known as Burma, which has restricted foreign assistance for cyclone victims. The Arizona senator instituted a new lobbying policy that says no campaign staffer can be a registered lobbyist, resulting in three more departures from his campaign, including a top fundraiser, former Texas Rep. Tom Loeffler.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080605/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_money
Duration : 0:6:29
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March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
ahha you believed …
ahha you believed this shit? He is the black GWB. Hasnt done shit. No he cant
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Kick all the …
Kick all the lobbyist in the butt! Just do it! Cut earmarks and pork!!!!
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Obama recieved more …
Obama recieved more money from ACORN in 3 years than most others did in 20 years from the same lobbying organization. Now, ACORN gets $4.1 Billion in this stimulus. Sure, it says that it can go to similar orgs, but, you’ll see who gets the bulk of it! Sounds like Obama needs to leave his own administration.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Obama has 25 former …
Obama has 25 former lobbyists in his govt. including the latest, the new chief of staff for the finance secretary. Americans have been cheated by him on lobbyists issue.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Nice comments. . . …
Nice comments. . . LOL
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Foreign donors will …
Foreign donors will have a friend in BHO.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
“zeet”geist? …
“zeet”geist? Edwards’ communication director is a shithead
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
yeah right Obama… …
yeah right Obama… check out my video response.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
And the …
And the nationalisation of Fannie May and Freddy Mac and the extension of . Isn’it the proof of the hidden socialism of GOP ?
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
I love how people …
I love how people like “BILLCAVE” throw vague accusations -no facts, no defense.. Palin, multi-million BRIDGE TO NOWHERE, McCAIN voting 90% WITH BUSH. THE “CLASSIC” RESPONSE–can’t even SPELL -DUMB! Um, global warming is up a thousand % this century- O BRITE ONE- drilling OIL wont change a thing- YOU BUY THAT IDEA HUH? REAL SMAAARRRT!!! “WIZARD”also has NO CLUE about OBAMA even with facts rite here!! BIG ACCUSATIONS, no facts, and DESPERATELY think GOING RACIAL CALLING HIM ‘BOY??’Desperate+lost.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Keep Obama and the …
Keep Obama and the liberals out of the White House. Vote McCain-Palin. World affairs are too important right now. We cannot have a liberal just hanging out in the White House as did the Clintons and watch the world trade center get attacked, watch our defeat in Somalia, watch the US embasys get bombed, watch the USS Cole get bombed, etc…Tell the Liberals to go back home again. Watch interview with Obama and O’Reily tonight. May God continue to bless America
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
DRILL YOUR HEAD.. …
DRILL YOUR HEAD.. ITS FULL OF IT.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
“AN INCONVENIENT …
“AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH” A dumd book written by a guy who’s own timeline graph shows global warming started long before man even started buring fossil fuel.
“BRILLIANT IDEAS.. GOT SOME” Drill until we come up with something else. Drill so we keep our money in our country.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
PLUG IN TO OBAMA’s …
PLUG IN TO OBAMA’s WEBSITE AND–ASK AWAY.. AND IF YOU WANT TO HATE ME..ITS A FREE COUNTRY.. SORRY IF THAT’s IRRITATING. THERE IS ALSO “AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH” THE MOVIE WHICH IS FULL OF IDEAS..OSCAR WINNER.. STOP COMPLAINING AND ADD IDEAS TO THE SOLUTION.. THERE ARE HUGE PARTS OF OBAMA’s WEBSITE DEDICATED TO THIS COMPLEX ISSUE. IT WILL TAKE MANY PEOPLE WITH BRILLIANT IDEAS.. GOT SOME?
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
ONLY OBAMA AND HIS …
ONLY OBAMA AND HIS NATIONWIDE FOLLOWING..CAN STOP THE BRIBES.. WE THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN BY SIGNING ON TO HIS WEBSITE AND GIVING EVEN 10 BUCKS at a time.. IT WORKED! HE Still needs money to keep going, and fight cheap shots by the desperate republicans. Check his website even if u cant donate.. ask any quesion – type it in on the homepage.. THIS IS HOW AMERICA IS SUPPOSED TO BE! ALL OF US CAN ADD OUR COMMENTS/QUESTIONS. AND PLEASE- VOTE!THE BIGGER THE LANDSLIDE..THE BETTER! ITS ALMOST HERE!
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
sorry to say your …
sorry to say your boy obama was a lobbyist for israel.. also the DNC was paid for with lobbyist money… obama is a liar and its sad people are falling for it… republicans and democrats are the same party basically.. they are ruining our country.. look at the 10 trillion dollar deficit we are in.. yet no one talks about it… time to see through the lies and save our country
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
So is BHO. Until …
So is BHO. Until this actually happens I won’t hold my breath. All politicians are driven by lobbyists. BHO is no different. He has promised and promised, and has gone back on his word and still has zero substance.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
mccain is …
mccain is SURROUNDED by lobbyists , israeli lobbyists control america , neocons and zionists , that needs to be fixed , obama is jsut wow such a sa viour for america , i hope america doesnt let this chance go..
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
“Biofuels,wind etc. …
“Biofuels,wind etc. solutions” WHEN, I’ve asked 100 like you, WHEN? WHEN?, I get the same BS talk and have never gotten an answer, so I guess you will be number 101, WHEN?
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
The extent of …
The extent of naturally occuring global warming (As long predicted) is ECCELLERATED by green-house emmissions, this is not even a contested argument. 2) The long term “plan” has already been proven by Sweden “GEOTHERMAL” INFNITE SOURCE. Short term “CAP AND TRADE” and thats old news, long reccommended for immediate effect and development of jobs, electricity (Reason Toyota is killing GM right now – thats when), Biofuels,wind etc. solutions supressed by Big Oil gluttony.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
“Pelosi knows the …
“Pelosi knows the future of this planet is at stake” And how would she know that? Even Al Gore’s timeline chart show global warming started before humans were burning fossil fuel.
And China and India are rapidly escalating their usage of oil while we sit back and watch.
So what’s your plan? Seems the best we in the U.S. can do if we do not use oil or nuclear is about 25%. So tell me where we are going to get the other 75% of our energy from? And when?
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
No, but now the ‘ …
No, but now the ‘true’ oppressors will loose their monetary grip on public servants. Pelosi knows the future of this planet is at stake and that McCain (by his own multiple admissions) is ignorant to how to save it. The democrates are coming into higher consciousness, and seizing the opportunity (the will of the people) to drive out the oppressors (Repubiklans). Just like Rhodesia, Japan, India, Kosovo, and South Africa did.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Heh… what a liar. …
Heh… what a liar…
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
jesus christ …
jesus christ supports obama because mcain is fueled by satan and hes a child predator
March 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
Did Pelosi die and …
Did Pelosi die and leave Obama in charge?