On the Wednesday edition of NPR’s nationally distributed Diane Rehm Show, Newsweek columnist Eleanor Clift and Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page took turns hailing Barack Obama’s millions of dollars in unspecified small donations as a sign of Obama’s popularity and even his reformist image. Clift said these donors may be molded into a "citizens' army or citizens’ lobbying force." Page called it a "new populism" and even declared: "He has rendered the old post-Watergate campaign finance reform obsolete. Those laws have got to be rewritten, or just done away with."
Rehm began her program on a giddy note: "Americans made history last night electing the country’s first African-American president. Barack Obama appears to have won by the largest percentage of any Democrat since Lyndon Johnson, the first since Jimmy Carter to garner more than 50.1 percent. His message of hope and possibility drew a rainbow-hued legion of voters." She greeted her guests: "Good morning to all of you on this really extraordinary day. Eleanor Clift, talk about the historic nature of the Obama win."
Newsweek columnist Clift said there were lots of impediments to blacks over the years:
There was a lot of focus going into this election day as to whether there would be impediments. I must say, I was looking at these results and it really does seem like a bipartisan, intergenerational cry to take back the government. And I think even his method of fundraising, which was criticized because he bypassed the public financing system, really, though, was a way to reach out to millions of Americans and average donations of under 100 dollars. A lot of people are a part of this and want to be a part of this.
It’s going to be very interesting to see how he keeps the coalition together that he has built. Does he keep them as sort of a citizens’ army or citizens’ lobbying force? Because the task that he has to overcome the partisan bitterness in Washington and tackle these huge problems that have been intractable because neither party wants to give the other side a victory. We end up in stalemate in too many instances. He’s got a huge task ahead.
Clarence Page seconded that emotion:
Eleanor’s right on every single point she just mentioned. I think we have the significance of the new technology of the Internet. Barack Obama has rewritten the rules of fundraising. He has rendered the old post-Watergate campaign finance reform obsolete. Those laws have got to be rewritten, or just done away with, one way or the other. This is a new populism he’s bringing.
Page went on to suggest that Obama will be a reformist president, just as Harold Washington, the first black mayor of Chicago, was a reformist mayor.
The other two guests were Deborah Simmons, editorial page editor of the Washington Times – who began by exclaiming she needed to eat crow because she never thought this country was going to allow a black man named Barack Hussein Obama to win – and David Keene of the American Conservative Union.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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Question:
November 5, 2008 - 15:59 ET by ArcherBI put this in another thread, but it was off topic there and a bit more ON topic here.
Will there be any investigation into the "alleged" voter fraud we've
been hearing about so much? I know it won't change the outcome of the
election, but I don't want to put up with it again in four years!
So far, it seems like any amount of voter fraud is OK, as long as the election is not close enough for it to look as if it changed the outcome of the electcion. That's like saying speeding is OK, as long as you were still late!
As for fraudulent campaign contributions, those seem to be forgotten the day after the election (Chinese and Budist Monk's contributions to Clinton, for example).
"To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary."
--Ernesto "Che" Guevara
Oh. My. God. In a perfect
November 5, 2008 - 16:21 ET by motherbeltOh. My. God.
In a perfect world, these guys would be struck by lightning when they spout this BS.
Weren't the Democrats the ones who decried all the money in politics??
Oh, wait!! That was when Republicans were outraising them!!
Gee, all it took for them to decide the laws were useless was one of their own raising half a billion dollars.
And Obama actually said, with a straight face, that this really was public funding.
Yes, indeedy, Barack Obama has rewritten the rules of fundraising....
<sound of duct tape being ripped off roll...>
Too bad 1/3 of the donations were foreign.
November 5, 2008 - 16:47 ET by kg"Forget change, I want improvement!"
"Does he keep them as sort
November 5, 2008 - 16:44 ET by Eileen Right"Does he keep them as sort of a citizens’ army or citizens’ lobbying force?" With all his illegal foreign donations, I guess his "army" will wear blue helmets with their brownshirts.
Clift said these donors may
November 5, 2008 - 16:55 ET by TN MomClift said these donors may be molded into a "citizens' army or citizens’ lobbying force."
when they realize that obama spent all their money on a 2million dollar election party for himself and 4-5million on a 30min tv commercial....when they soon realize that, after the 2nd stimilus, with the 1trillion dollar bail-out, there is no more money left for them...they will be quite the 'citizens army' and they will turn on obama faster than jesse jackson can say 'cut his n#ts off'.
Tons of illegal money is
November 5, 2008 - 17:09 ET by bigtimerTons of illegal money is always okay if you have a 'D' after your name...
How'd that brilliant McC/Feingold act work for you John?
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
BT - That hurts ..askin Mc if the Feingold thingie is workin
November 5, 2008 - 17:24 ET by JayTeean unsuccessful Bill from Mc.....suckered
Obama knew something on his OPT OUT of Fed financing. It was NOT a guess or a HOPE.
BHO knew he was promised Rezco like $$$$$$$'s.
Who bought BHO ? Who owns the President ?
Thank you President Bush, for your Courage and Leadership.
Heck JT... I'll start out
November 5, 2008 - 17:32 ET by bigtimerHeck JT...
I'll start out with Soros to begin with, then we can include the left Chicago political machine, including the Emanuel Brothers which reach into Hollywood influence and $$$ add terrorists that hate this country, within and over-seas...
Here is a link on foreign money donations...I have put some others here before...makes no difference though it seems, he walks on water.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Every one of those cards
November 5, 2008 - 18:31 ET by IamTinmanMuch of that money was "donated" using anonymous credit cards. Every one of those cards was bought somewhere and I'll bet that a check would show that some were bought in bunches. It wouldn't take someone who was really interested long to uncover a pattern and trace it back to the accounts from where it came.
The only problem is getting an independent prosecutor to actually probe this egregious violation of trust.
IaT.... ...well we know
November 5, 2008 - 18:40 ET by bigtimerIaT....
...well we know the AG won't do it....
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
What a Crock of Baloney - Speculation on the Unknown
November 5, 2008 - 17:11 ET by JayTeeCalifornia dreaming ? Hopefully Describing the "Unspecified Contributors" . .
-OR-
Hiding and Covering for the Fraud of Foreign donations?
You know Not what you speak of . . .Mideast Oil money for Votes is just as good a Speculative scenario.
One thing is Sure.....no more campaigns will choose the option of FEDERAL FINANCING
Thank you President Bush, for your Courage and Leadership.
This harkens back to Obama
November 5, 2008 - 17:15 ET by Chris NormanThis harkens back to Obama's offer to send "thousands" of his supporters down to the gulf coast "to assist" in the threatened aftermath of Hurricane Gustav. It was like he was commanding a private army. It's this kind of talk that is so creepy and worrisome to me.
McNotObama '08
the next national distaster
November 5, 2008 - 17:26 ET by TN Momthe next national distaster this country faces will fall on the Dems laps to clean up....if they aren't there within 5 min with cots & bottled water, the Republicans on the Hill and America Public will scream so loudly (just like the Left did to Pres. Bush), their Liberal ears will pop!
The next 4 years might have some fun times mixed in after all!!
"America Public will scream
November 5, 2008 - 17:33 ET by Chris Norman"America Public will scream so loudly (just like the Left did to Pres. Bush), their Liberal ears will pop!"
Without the media megaphone, our screams are barely whispers.
McNotObama '08
And the MSM will trace the
November 5, 2008 - 17:37 ET by Eileen RightAnd the MSM will trace the cause to Bush/Cheney anti gorebull warming policy.
chris
November 5, 2008 - 18:09 ET by TN MomWithout the media megaphone, our screams are barely whispers.
then we'll ALL travel to washington to scream in person! It'll be more fun that way. I can't belive the msm will always hold power over us, they are dying. They refused to cover obama's remarks on bankrupting the coal industry; when this hit the Internet Blog/Chat sites it went viral in less than 24 hours, had it come up 2-3 weeks earlier, obama would have lost serious votes in the coal states.
pelosi refused to discuss the off-shore drilling for months, until We, The People, made her, at least pretend to vote for drilling.
"then we'll ALL travel to
November 5, 2008 - 18:16 ET by Chris Norman"then we'll ALL travel to washington to scream in person! It'll be more fun that way."
Now, I'm all for that. I have repeatedly posted here that sooner or later, we're going to have to do more than posting our complaints on NewsBusters and take the fight against bias directly to these frauds in peaceful protests - like they did at the RNC in St. Paul. It's strange, but no one here seems to second that motion. Is it such a radical idea?
No, it's just that I have a
November 5, 2008 - 18:22 ET by zfNo, it's just that I have a monster headache. <g>
Take an aspirin and then
November 5, 2008 - 19:42 ET by Chris NormanTake an aspirin and then get ready...
chris
November 5, 2008 - 18:44 ET by TN MomI second that! Let's ROLL!
We've only got 4 years till the next election, Let's get started TODAY!
TN Mom
November 5, 2008 - 19:41 ET by Chris NormanI really think this should be discussed more and soon by us here. I think open protest was very effective at the RNC and it seemed to have a brief repercussion at MSNBC, no matter how small.
re: the next national disaster
November 5, 2008 - 18:57 ET by neutronGreat post, but you overlook that anything that happens in the first two years will still be George Bush's fault. For some things that happen in the 4th year of Obama's term, they and the media will still calim it is W's fault.
neutron
November 5, 2008 - 20:40 ET by TN MomMedia who? The MSM can't reach me now. I turned them all off and canceled my newspapers, (still watch Fox, but the other channels are for football only). I spot-check them online from time-to-time, but that's it. I couldn't be happier!
Besides, Pelosi approval rating was lower than Pres. Bush.
I'm on the fence...
November 5, 2008 - 17:24 ET byAllow unlimited small donations vs. public-financed matching funds.
McCain cost the taxpayer about $84 million dollars for his failed attempt.
Obama was privately financed by small and large donations and won.
Public funding didn't finance his campaign. Isn't that what we want in order to reduce wasteful spending?
If there's a limit on how much one can receive, you need a massive number of people to support you. Obama had the numbers and the ground operation, McCain didn't. Game over. The Republicans need to retool and rethink if they ever want to win again.
blue
And he can finance it with
November 5, 2008 - 17:30 ET by TheAssessorAnd he can finance all this with Sharia Compliant Finance (SCF). The treasury dept meets on this Thurs. www.newsmax.com and O has been advised by Frank Gafney, of the Center for Security Policy, not to accept this. What do you think he'll do..hmmmm. He'll go for it.. you betcha.
It's America, not Omerica
Baracks enchanted minions...
November 5, 2008 - 17:36 ET by JPR1Maybe... if he can just get them to keep right on sending in their money...tax increases won't be necessary. What did he rake in in September, $150 million? If he can just get the most gullible to pony-up say 30-40% of that, monthly, well there's the funding for most of his nonsense.
There, put me on the short list for Treasuary Sec.
Oh, they can afford it because they don't pay taxes? Nevermind.
waiting for the other shoe to drop...
November 5, 2008 - 18:36 ET by neutronI'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I don't expect it ever will.
NewsBusters.org chronicled the documented cases of the Obama campaign's violations of election law by accepting, in one case, several $5 donations from a Hong Kong bank credit card using several different fake names and foriegn addresses for each one. There is probable cause for an investigation of they record setting fund raising by the Obama campaign.
Also, NewsBusters.org chronicled various types of voter fraud, including the GA FL television documented case of people voting in both states, and over 40,000 people registered to vote in both states. The GA official said there is a massive opportunity for voter fraud, and it should be stopped."There should be a Federal system to verify voting records across states."
Also, NewsBusters.org chronicled various types of suspicious activities, including questionable Tony Rezko land deals.
Looking into the past, Republican Nixon was not able to stop the Democrat investigation of the burglary of the DNC office in the Watergate Hotel.
Looking to the present, I don't expect the other shoe to drop. These possible crimes will be quashed, and remain uninvestigated. The voter roles will not be purged of fraudulent registrations, and no Federal system will be put in place to stop people from voting in as many states as the want. The era of "one citizen - one vote" are gone. Unlimited money can be raised, even from foreign powers and people. It will all be termed "okay" because Obama will stand for reelection in 4 years, and it doesn't matter how you win, "just win, baby!"
My confidence in the voting system is destroyed, and only a complete cleansing can help me believe in it again, but I expect Obama, Pelosi, and Reid will not let it happen.
Nixon's investigation and impeachment restored my belief that "we are a nation of laws, not of men." When Obama, Pelosi, and Reid quash any investigations stemming from this election, I will know that the America I grew up in is long gone. We are a nation where certain people can flaunt the law, and nothing happens (Sandy Berger stealing Top Secret documents, of example). The Russian Putin looks to be right, that the time has come for the world to remove "America's position as the sole interpreter of democracy."
I hope that the Democrats and the liberal media prove me wrong, and that real investigations are performed, and let the chips fall where they may. I'm not holding my breath.
Vote From the Rooftops
November 6, 2008 - 01:25 ET by farstar99Lyingwhore Cleft takes cash from Democrat campaigns, so she's hardly a credible commentator.
I guess this dumb asshat will be just fine with the Republicans amassing a 400 million dollar slush fund for 2010 or 2012 from unidentified foreign sources, right?
It's the Fairness Doctrine, only for contributions.
At the National Press Club
November 6, 2008 - 05:02 ET by Rush FanAt the National Press Club luncheon Nov. 5 that Jeff Poor reported on, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean made an unbelievable statement that CSPAN televised to the effect that Barack Obama had really participated (I can't remember his exact wording) in campaign financing (when he actually reneged on his earlier promise to accept public financing) because the individual donations he received amounted to a very small amount.
Leave it to Howard Dean, M.D. to handle the truth recklessly. Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath. Dean took the Hypocrite Oath.
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“This party is a bunch of fools, and it is a party led by a bunch of fools.” ~ Rush Limbaugh on the Democrat Party