Barack Obama opened his campaign for the presidency on Feb. 10, 2007 with a pledge to bring a different kind of governing approach to Washington. Obama made a point to draw a distinction between the kind of president he would be and the big money ways of Washington.
Obama said cynics, lobbyists and special interests had “turned our government into a game only they can afford to play. They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we’re here today to take it back.”
He repeated the theme many times during that campaign, and specifically called out Primary Election opponent Sen. Hillary Clinton for accepting large amounts of special interest money.
But President Obama has done a 180 degree turn on the issue.
The New York Times reports that Obama’s political team is creating a national advocacy network. Organization for Action will be similar to a super PAC, with a goal of raising $50 million to lobby for causes like gun control and climate change.
And, being the president, Obama is able to offer unprecedented access for big money.
The Times says, “Giving or raising $500,000 or more puts donors on a national advisory board for Obama’s group and the privilege of attending quarterly meetings with the president, along with other meetings at the White House (emphasis added).”
The paper says the meetings come as many top donors are “angling for appointments to administration jobs or ambassadorships.”
So let’s get this straight. Not that long ago, Barack Obama set himself apart from his opponents by decrying big contributors who buy access and now he’s essentially selling access to the White House at one-half million dollars a pop.
That even raises eyebrows at MSNBC, a network that frequently fawns over the president.
“This was precisely what Obama campaigned against in 2007 and 2008,” opined Chuck Todd Monday morning. “I wonder what candidate Obama would say about this.”
Others critics are more direct.
Bob Edgar, the president of Common Cause, which opposes unlimited campaign spending, is quoted in the Times as saying of Obama’s new organization, “It just smells. The president is setting a very bad model setting up this organization.”
Indeed he is. If this president gets away with it, what’s to prevent future presidents from treating the White House as a glorified hotel ballroom where donors write big checks to get some face time with people at the highest levels of power?
Candidate Obama said in 2007 that the time for that kind of politics is over. “It’s time to turn the page,” Obama said.
Well, we have turned the page, but it’s the same old story… only worse.
33
Comments
Woodchuck
Now we know what Obama has been up to. Don't present a budget. Let the deficit linger. Have fun golfing. Set up a big thug PAC.
Nice job mr president.
See when you go to Washington your mind becomes twisted.
Manchin is doing the same type of gyrations.
Term limits anyone?
February 26, 2013 at 5:16 am | Report comment
Bill Hill
The vast majority of folks in Washington and Charleston are little more than maligant narcissists. They don't give a tinkers hoot about the responibility of the job the public has entrusted them with. Ethics and moral value are meaningless to them. All, and I mean all, the vast mjority of politicians care about is obtaining office and then continuing to hold office.
I once was not a believer in term limits, but after the past several elections I have become a firm believer.
February 26, 2013 at 8:27 am | Report comment
MaryL
why is anyone surprised? If his lips are moving, he's lying.
February 26, 2013 at 5:28 am | Report comment
Mac
Of course... He's a politician. They're all 100% liars.
February 26, 2013 at 8:26 am | Report comment
Medman
I have grown cynical of most politicians regardless of their party, but this man has to be the most divisive and dishonest of any President in modern history. He has overtly lied and promised things that he knew would never happen, while blaming everyone for his own bad decisions and failures. His legacy will be that he was a great orator and politician, was unable to manage the economy, but most importantly divided the country more than any President in history.
February 26, 2013 at 6:51 am | Report comment
Shadow
Why restrict it to Presidents? I don't know anyone that has lied as much!
February 26, 2013 at 8:51 am | Report comment
CaptainQ
Well Hoppy, more 'business as usual' in Washington. President Clinton was famous for this sort of behavior, and Bush II probably acted this way also. Give President Obama credit for carrying on this 'tradition' even further. The name of the game in politics is 'campaign money' and it looks like the Democrats will once more outdraw the GOP in this vital area.
As for the luming 'Fiscal Cliff' situation, this will probably turn out the same way the last one did two months ago. Once more, Obama is going to make a lot of 'political hay' by placing 100% of the blame on the GOP (he's already doing that with the Press). By allowing the deadline to expire, he will once again put pressure on the House Republicans to accept HIS version of the Federal Budget and claim total victory when he shoves it into Congress a few days later. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't yet another 'temporary measure' to just 'kick the can' down the road for two more months.
It's all more of the same old, same old Political Theater we have come to expect from Washington these days. Got to give our President credit for turning this situation to his complete political advantage. He is smart enough to be looking ahead to pave the way for another Democrat to succeed him in the White House in 2016.
February 26, 2013 at 7:32 am | Report comment
WV Citizen
If you can't beat them...join them!!!
February 26, 2013 at 12:05 pm | Report comment
kensgirl
Hey ... as long as it "won't add ONE DIME" to the current deficit ... NOT ONE DIME!!!
*eye roll*
February 26, 2013 at 7:57 am | Report comment
smokey
Hoppy,
Your commentary neglects to mention that since Obama made that statement in 2007, we now live in the Citizens United era of campaign finance. Politicians can create super PACs and they are not even required to disclose donors. I also see that you did not advocate restricting the NRA from spending to combat laws to restrict gun violence. It's free speech according to the Supreme Court. I agree with Mr. Edgar - it does smell. However, this is the way politics is conducted today. And in response to Woodchuck, yeah, term limits. Have a great day.
February 26, 2013 at 8:03 am | Report comment
bulldog95
Really? The NRA?
Did you read the commentary? I did not know that giving money to the NRA gave you face time with the president.
February 26, 2013 at 9:37 am | Report comment
thornton
Exemplifies the need to vote and, more clearly, the need to vote past one's own ox and beyond the glitter.
Simply and sadly put though, we have an ignorant electorate that prefers glittering oxen....and greedily feeds upon artfully spun news that keeps America dumbed-down and declining....on both sides of the aisle.
February 26, 2013 at 8:06 am | Report comment
Jim N Charleston
What bothers me is the fact whitehouse.com doesn't have the same quality of mature adult content that it used to. No longer does this site have quality of photographs that it used to. Now it is all ads & Skippy's headline is correct, the owners have sold out on whitehouse.com.
That's all I got
February 26, 2013 at 8:14 am | Report comment
smokey
Good one.
February 26, 2013 at 8:34 am | Report comment
hillbilly
Try whitehouse.gov, not .com
February 26, 2013 at 11:20 am | Report comment
DWM
Hop,
And this is news? I'm certain there are some that still believe what comes out of his mouth, I'm not one of them. He got re-elected by people that believe that government's role is to take care of them and right the wrongs (as they define wrong). My guess is even those people don't believe what he says. They are ok with it because they believe it only positions him to do what needs done to destroy capitalism and freedom.
We bartered our future for a bowl of soup when we put him back in the Whitehouse.
February 26, 2013 at 9:17 am | Report comment
bulldog95
I am sure what I am about to say will draw some backlash but it needs said.
I somewhat agree with you about people voting for him because they feel it is governments role to take care of them. I would also like to add that if you are able to have an open and honest conversation with anyone that has the same skin color as the president they will tell you that all politicans are bad and they dont believe any of them but at least its a black man in charge. They also added that if a white man was running for president and not Obama, that they would not have voted. Thats how Obama got elected twice, and thats how the left will continue to win the presidency, just have the man at the top of the ticket be a black man.
February 26, 2013 at 9:45 am | Report comment
Shadow
To bad the Republicans didn't nominate Howard Cain, he had the ability to counter Obummer and run the Country. He was and still is my favorite candidate for 2012. Those who run the Republican Party are so out of touch with reality and their people.
February 26, 2013 at 11:22 am | Report comment
JBinWV
Think you meant Herman Cain?
February 27, 2013 at 3:12 pm | Report comment
WV Citizen
Capitalism and freedom are two (2) different things like comparing apples to watermelons. The Capitalist ONLY concern is PROFIT, not the wage of workers, health benefits,retirement etc. are just a necessary evil. The worker is just another resource to them. Did your grandpa or grandma talk about the rough time they experience growing up while the capitalist were getting rich? Wake up and smell the coffee instead of smoking!
February 26, 2013 at 12:13 pm | Report comment
RHytonen
"..they believe it only positions him to do what needs done to destroy capitalism..."
If ONLY!
February 26, 2013 at 12:29 pm | Report comment
Uncle Fester
Why is anyone surprised with this??? It is the ELITIST democrats at work.
February 26, 2013 at 9:38 am | Report comment
Wowbagger
Last week I heard author John Lott interviewed. His real purpose was to promote a new book, but he discussed a time when he was on the faculty at the University of Chicago Law School. It turns out he and Obama overlapped about four years. Lott was the token conservative on the faculty. Lott recounted several interchanges with Obama and concluded that unlike most liberal academics Obama is not willing to even entertain opposing views. His general response when he disagrees is to kind of give a wrinkled frown, turn, and walk away.
His conclusion was this guy is truly an uncompromising ideologue and has no interest in even entertaining opposing views let alone compromise himself.
There is only one way to deal with Obama's sort. In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, (who Obama apparently detests) at Harrow School in 1941:
Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
February 26, 2013 at 10:41 am | Report comment
Uncle Fester
The liberals energy policy: "Wind turbins making people sick, Not in my back yard."
Cape Cod, Mass. residents say remove wind turbins now, they are making us sick.
"Two wind turbines towering above the Cape Cod community of Falmouth, Mass., were intended to produce green energy and savings -- but they've created angst and division, and may now be removed at a high cost as neighbors complain of noise and illness.
The first turbine went up in 2010 and by the time both were in place on the industrial site of the town's water treatment facility, the price was $10 million. Town officials say taking them down will cost an estimated $5 million to $15 million, but that is just what Falmouth's five selectmen have decided to move toward doing."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/26/cape-cod-community-considers-taking-down-wind-turbines-after-illness-noise/
The liberals and their nonsense pie-in-the-sky energy policies.
February 26, 2013 at 12:13 pm | Report comment
Doug
Obama and his wife are without a doubt the TWO BIGGEST PHONIES that have ever occupied the White House!!! It amazes me that half of this country were so gullible to reelect this arrogant, unqualafied and truly inept man for the most important job in the whole world. Hopefully he runs out of time before he completely destroys this great country!!!
February 26, 2013 at 2:58 pm | Report comment
Barney
Do you realize that half the country think you're dead wrong?
February 26, 2013 at 9:02 pm | Report comment
mntnman
Just curious Hoppy. Do republicans/conservative ever do anything wrong? Or is it just democrats/progressives? If an alien read this column, that's what they would conclude. No pretense here on whose side you're on. News reporting died when media opinion began being sold as news.
Neither political party has clean hands. Neither has all the answers. What's wrong with reporting that? It is naive to report anything other than buying access to power it the US of A is as old as the nation itself. It has gone on and goes on every day. With BOTH parties. Bush did it. Kennedy did it. They all did it. Why do you think special interests run our country. But of course, only Obama is doing it. (Reaction to Citizens United?)
How about reporting, oh, never mind...I'm wasting my breathe. They who own the airwaves and print get to decide what the truth is.
February 26, 2013 at 4:20 pm | Report comment
Shadow
Please name me one President that has lied to the American people more than he has or abused the power given him by them. The only other guy than I can think of is Ponzi and then it was only to the guys with money who thought there were free lunches.
February 26, 2013 at 5:24 pm | Report comment
Hop'sHip
"Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised."
George Bush March 18, 2003
Over 4,000 Americans dead; many more disabled; trillion dollar cost
February 27, 2013 at 7:08 am | Report comment
Uncle Fester
The most brutal dictator in the world was captured, tried and executed, the fourth largest army in the world was obliterated, over 20,000 al-Qeada death camp graduates killed in action in Iraq, Priceless.
February 28, 2013 at 11:35 am | Report comment
bulldog95
Apparently the theme of this article has escaped you. This president ran on a platform that said he was going to get away from this type of behavior. Hoppy is just pointing out another lie from this president.
February 27, 2013 at 9:10 am | Report comment
Fungo Joe
Where are all the liberal democrats at today? Wheres hopship and GregG?? The must be too busy throwing Christians to the lions to comment today.
February 26, 2013 at 5:03 pm | Report comment