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Obama: No 'fat cats' with my ear

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor August 12, 2008 12:40 PM


Barack Obama's campaign just posted a web ad promoting his independence from Washington special interests.

It shows him talking to voters about he decided not to take campaign money from political action committees or Washington lobbyists so he would answer to the people and not "fat cat donors."

"A campaign powered by people, not the special interests," it says on screen.

Obama is getting close to 2 million individual donors -- and he needs them since he is bypassing public financing. But the New York Times reported last week that while donations of $200 or less make up more than half of the $340 million he had collected through June 30, he has also received $112 million in contributions of $1,000 or more.

And though he's not accepting PAC or federal lobbyist money, he has received donations from state lobbyists and help -- in the form of ads and volunteers -- from political action committees, notably the anti-war MoveOn.org.

7 comments so far...
  1. Sooo, organizations such as labor unions and MoveOn.org aren't "Fat Cats" and special interest groups? What a bunch of crappola!!

    You are so full of it Obama that it makes me want to puke.

    This phoney really is the embodiment of the Anti-Christ. He will lie and cheat and steal just to become the Leader of the World!! He has no shame and he has no conscience.

    Posted by SaveUsFromObama August 12, 08 12:59 PM
  1. Since when are labor unions and PAC's like MoveOn.org NOT "fat cats" or special interests???

    Obama must really think the electorate are ether so naive that they believe every word he says or are really really stupid.

    He's the biggest PHONEY on the political scene in eons!!!

    Posted by We're Not Stupid August 12, 08 02:10 PM
  1. You people need to get a life and take an active role in the political process. Do you know what, 'by law' defines an organization as a PAC or SIG? Probably not, why don't you try reading a book at some point in time and then start posting on sites like this. The fact is that Senator Obama is the most genuine person since RFK. He has taken ZERO money from special interest groups and the money that somehow slipped through the cracks has been returned. He has a REAL plan for REAL people who aren't Washington insiders or cripplers of the political process. What makes me want to puke are uneducated, misinformed, right-wingers like yourself who will spread propaganda at the expense of the American people.

    Posted by Molly Moore August 12, 08 04:23 PM
  1. Molly Moore - Didn't you realize that the republicans can only offer propoganda, distraction and ideological theories that, for the most part, don't pan out? The only thing they've been good for is lying quicker than a cat can lick its a$$.

    I'd be terribly suprised if "We're Not Stupid" and "SaveUsFromObama" even knew what type of organization Moveon.org really is.

    Posted by Pam August 12, 08 11:02 PM
  1. Molly Moore - Didn't you realize that the republicans can only offer propoganda, distraction and ideological theories that, for the most part, don't pan out? The only thing they've been good for is lying quicker than a cat can lick its a$$.

    I'd be terribly suprised if "We're Not Stupid" and "SaveUsFromObama" even knew what type of organization Moveon.org really is.

    Posted by Pam August 13, 08 01:45 AM
  1. Molly -

    Are you seriously trying to say that labor unions are NOT special interest groups?? Unions are among THE MOST powerful lobbying groups on and around K Street. (I seriously doubt you know where that is.) Their biggest agenda item, and they have Obama pushing it, is to pass a law that will prevent private voting for unions. All the union has to do is force an employee to sign a union card and no private election is necessary. You must not believe in a democracy if you are for that piece of anti-American legislation.

    And you really honestly believe that special interest "money slips through the cracks"???

    I used to work for the FEC. Let me tell you missy, money does not "slip through the cracks". Candidates and their staffs are well aware of the law and in fact hire folks from the FEC to make sure they don't mess up. You have ZIPPO idea of what you are talking about.

    As for RFK, you need to do some research. Robert Kennedy, as Attorney General, issued written approvals to the FBI in order for the Bureau to track and eavesdrop on Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King's civil rights organization. How about THEM apples for irony in comparing him to Obama?

    Molly - you blind and deaf Dems are so funny. You make this political process so entertaining! Thanks again for your amusing blurb. Now stay off this board until you have something of value to offer.


    Posted by MaggieMooMolly August 13, 08 02:04 AM
  1. Post No. 3:
    OK let's take your points one at a time.
    (1) What 'by law' defines an organization as a PAC / SIG. By that definition the 527 "advocacy groups" are NOT PAC's, however their funding comes from many very fat cats ( e.g. George Soros ). I suspect ( data not available) that many of the donations under $200 quoted in the article were "bundled" by unions and other groups. Would you consider small donations bundled by the NEA , for example, to be coming from a SIG ?
    (2) "The most genuine person since RFK' while RFK was , indeed genuine, I cannot say the same for BHO, as evidenced by the way he threw his pastor over the side when it became embarrassing, and by his elitist disdain for the many Americans in the "fly-over" states.
    (3) Your rant "What makes me want to puke ....." shows the true progressive attitude of intolerance, and the shoot-from-the-hip tactic of attaching labels to anyone who does not buy the "party line" . Of course, having said that, I must also say that the comments in Post No 1 doesn't exactly fit the definition of logical discourse either. So I'll apologize for No 1, since s/he is also ranting from the right side of the aisle.

    Posted by JGN from Maine August 13, 08 09:24 AM
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About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

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