Power Grab
May 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm by Susie
I can’t remember who, but someone accused me of making it up when I mentioned this last week. My, it’s beginning to look a lot like the Obama party, and not the Democratic party. One of our weaknesses has been the lack of strong liberal infrastructure, and yet Obama’s trying to cut it off at the knees:
Senator Barack Obama’s campaign is steering the candidate’s wealthy supporters away from independent Democratic groups, calling into question what had been expected to be the groups’ central role in this year’s Democratic offensive against Senator John McCain.
Obama’s national finance chairwoman, Chicago hotel mogul Penny Pritzker, told supporters at a national finance committee meeting in Indianapolis May 2, and in other conversations, not to give money to the groups, people familiar with her comments said.
“From the beginning of this race Obama has told supporters that if they want to help his effort, they should do so through his campaign,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton, who confirmed that Pritzker has told donors not to give to the groups. “And he means exactly what he says.”
Most presidential candidates say they don’t encourage the outside groups, and donors are accustomed to taking those words with a grain of salt. The candidates’ words are typically seen as mere legal defenses against allegations that the campaigns are illicitly coordinating with outside groups.
The donors have been considering entreaties from Progressive Media USA, run by conservative-journalist turned liberal media critic David Brock; from former Clinton aide John Podesta’s Fund for America; and from America Votes, a group backed by billionaire George Soros that focuses on voter mobilization, among other efforts.
But in recent days, major donors have begun to conclude that Obama is serious in trying to cut off funds to the outside groups.
“It’s given donors pause,” said one prominent Democratic donor of Pritzker’s words.
Donors and Democratic activists have been quietly debating Obama’s motives: Is he simply interested in keeping his Democratic efforts within his campaign, which is so well funded he doesn’t need outside help? Or is he, as some believe, cutting off funds to groups whose leaders — Brock and Podesta — some Obama aides view as too tightly linked to Clinton?
In either case, Pritzker’s words are the latest in Obama’s remarkably swift and complete consolidation of Democratic Party power. It’s an unprecedented seizure of control that has built him, over the course of a year, the most powerful field organization and the largest financial network in American politics, leaving many existing structures — traditional party organizations in many states, the Clintons’ long-nurtured national network — in the dust.
And, power corrupts. Hopefully, it will be for a great deal of good instead of the corruption that the corruption that the boy king has manifested.
Gug
Don’t hold your breath, Gug, waiting for the “good.” Absolute power corrupts … absolutely. One of the more disturbing aspects of Obama’s “new politics” is his history of consolidating power by not simply defeating, but by eradicating the opposition, including within his own party. It’s a trait eerily reminiscent of The Boy King. Have we finally reached the end of his administration, only to replace him with a similar personality from our own party?
I’d disagree. As Robert Caro wrote, power doesn’t necessarily corrupt - it reveals. And I’m not so surprised Obama is dissuading donations to those particular groups, since all of the ones mentioned in the article were supportive of the Clintons.
I will admit, however, that it is somewhat worrisome how independent Obama is of any established institutions. If he wins, he’ll be the most autonomous President since John Kennedy.
After 8 years of the GOP doing a stunt like this with lobbyists, do you *really* think that it’s a grand idea that one of the remaining Democratic candidates might be trying to redo the K street project, but on a more intimate scale?
The question is, who’d he grab it from? Us in the netroots? Progressive 527s? Ha ha ha ha! Good one.
No, from the traditional fat cats in the party, You know, all those folks who pretty much lined up behind Hillary before one vote was ever cast.
I think the Joshua Green article in the Atlantic talks about this stuff pretty well:
I for one don’t lament the old Clinton model one bit. As for this new one, sure it may become corrupt too. But unlike the old model, this one is requires the consent of a lot more people to sustain. Which makes it ironically much more susceptible to those same people defunding it if that corruption becomes a significant problem.
Considering how well his big bucks helped him in PA, IN, and WV, should we be concerned? I’ve taken to calling him a pig’s ear trying to turn into a silk purse, but all the money in the world doesn’t seem to be doing it. As for the impersonation of W, if a dispassionate look is taken, there are many similarities, my favorite being his penchant for acting like a schoolyard bully, just like W.
None of my money will go to his campaign org., or Hillary’s, or to any of the DNC entities.
It will go exclusively to the uncorrupted smaller independent groups.
Chris, you mean people like VoteVets.org? Because that’s one of the groups they’re telling donors to stay away from.
I not only think it’s preferable but necessary to have an ideological infrastructure that’s independent of the party structure. You think we should starve groups like Media Matters because the founder is friendly with Clinton? I don’t agree.
Too many people named Chris around here. My god Susie, we agree on something for the first time in months. Perhaps we should get together for a celebratory fondue or something.
actually susie,
last week you said obama was advising people not to give to other CANDIDATES, you were asked for proof, which you never really provided–other than a link to another blog post which said “my sources.”
I am sure that you are well aware that every nominee takes over the DNC and then runs the campaign as they see fit.
I am also sure that on some level you know that clinton et al have never been down with the 50 state strategy and the Dean-led DNC.
Or, not.
maybe you are still in denial.
One would think that Edwards’ endorsement would open your eyes,
but maybe not.
in any case, I must go have another latte.
so Obama doesnt want people to give money to anyone but his self?
what about the ACLU?
what about greenpeace, aspca, nrdc, all liberal groups?
A charismatic and content-free figure, some of whose followers invest him with quasi-religious appeal, consolidating separate centers of power into his “movement,” which is outside the control of the traditional Democratic Party — What could go wrong?
Steveeboy is correct: one of the reasons I opposed clinton to begin with is that she’ll get rid of Howard Dean and the 50-state strategy, which none of the DLC types she’s surrounded with have ever supported.
Someone oughta ask Begala what he thinks of “that asshole from Vermont” now…
Anyway, time for some arugula, followed by a triple soy latte no foam.
Er, that’s the 48-state, caucus-based, Donna Brazile-gamed strategy.
And got a link on that? I hear “she’ll get rid of” constantly, but I’ve never seen any evidence.
I swear, you folks know next to nothing about evolved coffee drinks.
In the warm months (it’s going to reach 99 today in San Jose) the beverage of choice is a venti white-chocolate skinny decaf frappuccino with a half-portion of whipped cream, medium-rare.
Sorry lambert, that dog won’t hunt.
You know as well as I do that the primary rules were agreed to long before the primary started. michigan and florida broke the rules they’d agreed to. I’m sorry that hasn’t worked out so well for your preferred candidate.
As for firing Howard Dean, dude when Clinton surrounds herself with the likes of McAuliffe, Begala, and Carville, you think they’re going to have Howard Dean stick around after Clinton deliberately slapped the DNC in the face with all this Michigan/Florida bullshit?
Please: even you’re not that stupid.
lambert strether: “A charismatic and content-free figure, some of whose followers invest him with quasi-religious appeal, consolidating separate centers of power into his “movement,” which is outside the control of the traditional Democratic Party — What could go wrong?”
Sure glad you Clinton supporters are so reality based. The paranoia, intellectual dishonesty, and narcissism evident in that comment could keep a dozen shrinks fully employed for a decade.
Your candidate lost. Get over it.
What is wrong with all of you liberal-minded folk? Do you hate freedom? Do you really think the Democrat party stands for freedom? Socialism and Freedom are mutually exclusive - Get it? What part of FREEdom don’t you get? Do you think socialized medicine will make you more free? Forcing the wealthy to pay more of a percentage of the taxes in this country because they are more productive (sort of a penalty, wouldn’t you say) makes us more free? Free from what - responsibility?
I’m no huge fan of the Republicans either, but only because they have become too liberal. Liberalism/Socialism DOES NOT WORK - NEVER HAS NEVER WILL. Why do you all think if we keep trying this NON-FREE approach to finding Nirvana we’ll eventually get there?
I feel for people in need, and I feel as a nation we should try to help out wherever possible, but allowing the government to be the ones to administer what everyone should give (through taxation) is immoral and just flat wrong. And then for you to complain and lament about power corrupting absolutely - blah blah blah - is just so hypocritical. Why would you want to give them (the establishment whether conservative OR liberal) MORE power?!!! This makes absolutely zero sense. Blame it on the GOP if you will, but it is not their fault alone for whatever mess you think we’re in as a country. Why don’t you put your blind faith in a foreigner, no less a billionaire, who hates this country like George Soros? Oh right, you already do! How stupid is this?!!! This makes no sense at all. Exactly what drug and in what quantity must one consume it to reach this level of enlightenment?!!! There is no doubt this country is headed for a majorly rude awakening! Wake up before it is too late!!!