BIDEN'S LOBBYIST TIES DON'T HELP OBAMA
National Journal - Barack Obama has attacked the Washington lobbying business and has made a ban on financial donations from federal lobbyists a cornerstone of his campaign. But his running mate, Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, has not, and that is likely to spark a new round of questioning about Obama's claim that, as president, he would insulate himself from lobbyists and special interests.
During Biden's 2008 presidential run, which he ended in January, his campaign raised $121,560 from lobbyists, employees at lobbying firms, and family members of lobbyists, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. That amount doesn't include donations from in-house lobbyists at corporations or advocacy groups.
Biden's 2008 Senate re-election campaign has received $193,310 from lobbyists. Since the 1990 election cycle, Biden has received a total of $344,385 from lobbyists. That makes the lobbying sector, commonly referred to as "K Street" (where many firms have their offices in downtown Washington) the 10th-largest industry or profession to contribute to Biden's campaigns, the center says. . . .
Biden also has family ties to K Street. His, son, R. Hunter Biden, is a founding partner at law and lobbying firm Oldaker, Biden & Belair. William Oldaker, one of the firm's other founders, has been a campaign adviser and fundraiser for Biden for 25 years, according to Delaware news reports. Biden is so close to former Rep. Marty Russo, D-Ill., CEO and senior vice chairman at lobbying firm Cassidy & Associates, that he is godfather to Russo's granddaughter. . .
To be sure, the contributions that Biden received from lobbyists represent a tiny portion of the $27.4 million he has raised since 1990. Still, his K Street ties complicate the Obama campaign's lobbyist-free claim.
3 Comments:
Oh, I'm quite sure Obama will isolate himself from lobbyists. In the same way that Bush has, by having his political subordinates do all the meeting and clucking his tongue and wagging his finger at any "rogue agents" such as Jack Abramoff who go too far.
I'm echoing myself here, but Ken Silverstein of Harper's wrote a really good article on why all of Obama's promises about big money influences and lobbyists not influencing him are hooey.
America's next vice: Who will fill the crucial role of representing the nation at funerals of second-tier foreign dignitaries?
Medium Lobster
guardian.co.uk,
Thursday August 21 2008 12:00 BST
Article history
Ah, the US vice-presidency! From visiting second-tier foreign dignitaries to waiting for the president to die, this linchpin of the modern democratic nation-state is a role that can't be filled by just anyone. Indeed, this is a job that calls for nothing less than the most highly-cultivated political window-dressing money can buy.
Who has the experience? Who's pretty – but not so pretty they kind of look like a slut? Whose name will fit comfortably on a bumper sticker in a garish red-white-and-blue font?
The Democratic contenders:
Joe Biden
Pros: One of the Senate's oldest and most respected experts in the field of Joe Biden; vast bullshit reserve could be tapped for its methane, powering nation for decades; fondness for partition and ethnic cleansing could be a valuable asset during the Second American Civil War of 2013.
Cons: As a wholly-owned subsidiary of DuPont, may be ineligible to hold office.
Jim Webb
Pros: Tempers Obama's unhinged situational war scepticism with demonstrated love of killing things; broadens party appeal to critical demographic of trigger-happy, bug-eyed Reagan officials.
Cons: Vice-presidency would ultimately distract Webb from important work of wiretapping random people while masturbating his guns.
Evan Bayh
Pros: Youthful energy signals a change from old corrupt politics to new corrupt politics; cynically hawkish, pro-corporate policy stance would be a refreshing counterweight to Obama's freewheeling agenda of simulated empathy.
Cons: Opposition research will inevitably unearth mystically sealed painting of rancidly decrepit Bayh created by powerful credit industry warlocks.
Hillary Clinton
Pros: Over 200 years' experience in treaty negotiation, nation-founding and declaration-writing from that school field trip to Monticello; would promote party unity with dynamic, mutual-loathing-based dream ticket.
Cons: Who will bridge the vast ideological gulf between Clinton's hawkish, corporate-friendly centrism and Obama's hawkish, centrist-friendly corporatism?
Galactus, Eater of Worlds
Pros: Balances out Obama's troublingly semi-dovish past with tough, muscular "eat the world" policy.
Cons: Will eat the world.
The Republican contenders:
While the Democratic veepstakes is being driven largely by a search for qualities like Strength, Experience, and other ways to say Penishood, Republicans this year will be looking for candidates with a kind of energy or vitality, what the French call a certain having-a-pulseness. Once again we ask: who has what it takes? Who can check if the president's still breathing at a state dinner while maintaining an air of dignity and resolve? Who can project the confidence and authority America expects from its leaders while wiping the dribble off the commander-in-chief's chin?
Mitt Romney
Pros: History of rapid flip-flops will neatly counterbalance McCain's record of stunning policy reversals to achieve perfect pandering equilibrium; ability to suck opponents into the inky void of his soul should prove useful in veep debate; sweats liquid money.
Cons: Eccentric space-god religion could appear unacceptably bizarre to pious nation of devout 2000-year-old Jewish zombie worshipers.
Joe Lieberman
Pros: Sure to spice up campaign with torpid, hectoring schoolmarm charm; could unite America with moderate, bipartisan blow-up-the-world ticket.
Cons: Combined stench of death might might overwhelm unsuspecting Club For Growth members.
Bobby Jindal
Pros: Least likely to die over the next four to eight years; zeal for castration and exorcism meshes nicely with party's innovative 12th century social policy.
Cons: Will inevitably be kidnapped and rendered to a secret CIA torture camp upon his first attempt to board Air Force One, missing tie-breaking vote on critical appropriations bill.
Tim Pawlenty
Pros: Voters may be unaware that he is actually Republican
Cons: Voters may be unaware that he actually exists
The Cryptkeeper
Pros: balances out McCain ticket with touch of youth and vigour; winning sense of humour sure to charm media and independents alike; foreign policy expertise ensured by unquenchable thirst for death.
Cons: May be just a pre-makeup Joe Biden
Dick Cheney
Pros: Would make an excellent "Cheney figure"; provides for a smooth transition between Cheney administrations; only way to stop him from activating America's secret self-destruct sequence from within his hidden lair in the tip of the Washington Monument.
Cons: None. None whatsoever
Yea and Mccain gets all his lobbyist money from oil companies with one very clear agenda. keeping revenues at an all time high, to milk every last drop of gas for what its worth. To keep alternative energy away from the public eye. We have the means to do it right now to fix our addiction to an nonrenewable resource. Mccain and the Republicans signed a contract with oil companies a long time ago, they will do anything and say anything to keep there promise to them. Even if it means stretching the truth, lying, doing anything to snake there way into the oval office. Biden has no clear ties to big money lobbyists, His main lobbyist ties are from law firms and University's. Republicans lie big and win because of it, for every single page of dirt on Obama Biden there is thousands for Mccain Palin. This article is very noble for your parties agenda to win at any cost. The debates will seal the victory for the Democrats, and will hopefully end your parties main agenda.. Kneeling to big oil. I hope it will, for the sake of a better World and a better America..
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