Posted by Dave on 06/06/08 at 09:03:32 am
Categories: Barack Obama, Campaign 2008

Howard Dean sent me any e-mail today:

As we move toward the general election, the Democratic Party has to be the Party of ordinary Americans, not Washington lobbyists and special interests. So, as of this morning, if you're a federal lobbyist, or if you control political action committee donations, we won't be accepting your contribution.

This is obviously a mandate from the Obama campaign, and one that sounds really promising.

But, of course, it is more rhetoric than real change. State registered lobbyists are still allowed to give money. People connected to lobbyists are allowed to give money. People who work for lobbyists and major corporations can still give money.

So this is true change? Or is this just rhetoric?

Of course... John McCain has loaded his campaign with similar rhetoric while most have his staff are former lobbyists. Rhetoric is what drives political campaigns. And John McCain has become the master of it, somehow painting himself as a moderate, a maverick, and a straight shooter while really being very conservative, traditional politician who will say anything necessary to gain favor with different groups (See Falwell, Jerry).

So... Barack Obama has pushed the DNC to reject federal lobbyist money. He has also pushed his donors to not give to 527's, which is both a way to look good publicly while consolodating power.

Barack Obama is a politican. A damn good politician, but still a politician. And he will need to continue to be good in order to beat John McCain.

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