Barack Obama may lose support in Philadelphia over 'street money'

The Los Angeles Times ^ | April 11, 2008 | Peter Nicholas

[2ndDivisionVet]

Fourteen months into a campaign that has the feel of a movement, Sen. Barack Obama has collided with the gritty political traditions of Philadelphia, where ward bosses love their candidates, but also expect them to pay up.

The dispute centers on the dispensing of "street money," a long-standing Philadelphia ritual in which candidates deliver cash to the city's Democratic operatives in return for getting out the vote.

Flush with payments from well-funded campaigns, the ward leaders and Democratic Party bosses typically spread out the cash in the days before the election, handing $10, $20 and $50 bills to the foot soldiers and loyalists who make up the party's workforce.

It is all legal -- but Obama's people are telling the local bosses he won't pay.

That sets up a culture clash, pitting a candidate who promises to transform American politics against the realities of a local political system important to his presidential hopes. Pennsylvania holds its primary April 22.

Obama's posture confounds neighborhood political leaders sympathetic to his cause. They caution that if the senator from Illinois withholds money that gubernatorial, mayoral and presidential candidates have willingly paid out for decades, there could be defections to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. And the Clinton campaign, in contrast, will oblige in forking over the money, these ward leaders predict.

"We've heard directly from the Obama organizer who organizes our ward, and he told us it's an entirely volunteer organization and that I should not expect to see anything from the Obama campaign other than ads on TV and the support that volunteers are giving us," said Greg Paulmier, a ward leader in the northwest part of the city.

[2ndDivisionVet]

When in Rome, Senator....

[F15Eagle]

And for the Pennsylvania voters .....

---

Obama’s Pastor Celebrates 9/11 (explicit)
Only 5 Days After 3,000 Americans Killed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzhl-endvco

Obama’s Racially-Divisive Pastor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUbUBTlmAiA

Obama Disrespecting U.S. Flag and Anthem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8QCkgg5Kjo

The Audacity of Barack Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwjnT4eJJvs

The Audacity of Barack Obama 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeC8BE-2T_k

Is Obama Wright? - Pastor Wright & Senator Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72B3tUAqpo4

Obama’s Pastor - 9/11 Fault of Israel Association

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnI431s1r6s

Obama - Cult of Personality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7lUGn7HWk

Name Obama’s Accomplishments if you can #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGeu_4Ekx-o

Name Obama’s Accomplishments if you can #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzFOOcEQtP0

Barack Obama: There Will Be Bamboozling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuB_W8o_UsU

The Two Things Senator Obama Accomplished

http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/02/27/obamas-empty-change-message/

The Jeremiah Wright Lifetime Achievement Award

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prhnc2fxAzg

Gaza Strip Palestinians Campaigning for Obama

http://youtube.com/watch?v=21YF7ggCG6g

Barack Obama: Doesn’t Want his daughters ‘punished’ with a baby

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eNzmly28Bmg

[gov_bean_ counter]

Maybe he doesn't really have the cash.

Perhaps he hasn't been truthful about his fund raising success.

[expatpat]

Perhaps Obama’s campaign is having the same problem Howie Dean had — his components were in promises, not all in actual cash.

[rockrr]

Man, if there was ever a test of true Dhimmi-hood this is it. obammy is a spendthrift right up until it's his money getting thrown away...;'}

[Popman]

Hard to believe I can find something positive to say about this empty suit Marxist, but I applaud Barak Hussein Obama refusal to pay off the rat party thugs

[expatpat]

‘components’ should be ‘contributions’.

[Theodore R.]

Who do you think Benjamin Franklin would support?

[Argus]

It is all legal

Of course it is. They're Democrats!

[Secret Agent Man]

Hmmm......, a liberal not wanting to hand out his own (campaign) cash to others......

He’s bucking the trend of libs paying for votes. The handout crowd ain’t gonna like it.

[Izzy Dunne]

Hard for me, too, but still, I applaud him, for as long as he sticks to his guns.

We'll see how long that is...

[mware]

Don’t know about losing the Philly vote, but he sure has lost the small town Pa vote.

[weegee]

Walking around money. Buying votes with a pack of cigarettes.

Knock and drag using ex-cons who go through a neighborhood several times on election day; you’d better have a GOOD reason why you aren’t going to the poll.

And some think that having a “receipt” showing who you voted for would be a GOOD idea.

[ricks_place]

The dhimmi tithe to B'Hussein O.

[weegee]

The vote is for sale to the highest bidder. On ebay, that can be a penny.

[FreedomPoster]

“a candidate who promises to transform American politics”

If you scratch a little below the surface, there is precious little about this candidate that indicates anything other than an old-school Chi-town dirty pol.

[FreeInWV]

Bad move. He is refusing to pay the goons that drive all of the dead voters to the polls.

[SkyPilot]

Philadelphia Democrat Ward bosses are not happy at the news.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Fourteen months into a campaign that has the feel of a movement,

Sometimes the media makes this game just too easy to play.

His campaign feels more like passing a kidney stone.

[infantrywhooah]

"Fourteen months into a campaign that has the feel of a movement,:

A bowel movement maybe

[LadyNavyVet]

LOL! He better get with the program. You know Hill and Bill will be standing on streetcorners in Philly handing out twenties if that what it takes.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

This guy disgusts me! Just Another Elitist Black Liberal Racist...repulsive!

My father in law was "your typical" coal miner who lived in Oliphant, Pa. He did his best to provide for his family of seven...and by golly he did well! Later in life, he moved to NW NJ to work at M & M Mars. (My husband is the renegade..(sadly)he's the only Republican)

I take Obama's statement Very Personal!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Now I know why Hillary won’t drop out: She knew this empty suit would step on his you-know-what, sooner or later. Then she’d be the nominee.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I hope this bas***d steps on more than his racist “you know what”!

[RJL]

he told us it's an entirely volunteer organization and that I should not expect to see anything from the Obama campaign other than ads on TV and the support that volunteers are giving us

Obama is happy to pay the big media TV stations, but no money for the little guys.

[Ron H.]

Hard to believe I can find something positive to say about this empty suit Marxist, but I applaud Barak Hussein Obama refusal to pay off the rat party thugs

Agreed. He should tell those petty thugs where to shove their political thuggery. I don't like Obama one whit but I give him credit for his stand on this ugly sore on the body politic even if it is in Democratic circles. Tell those mafia wannabes to take a hike and break that bad tradition.

[Gator113]

Democrats have their own uniforms? ;>)

[Paladin2]

"Democrats have their own uniforms? ;>)"

Special wrist jewelery too.

[Humble Servant]

Anybody know if Republicans do the same thing in Philly? I’ve heard of this before, but don’t know much about it.

[ikka]

There are maybe 5 Republicans in Philly... they meet with the leader each month, who lives in a van down by the river ...

[Humble Servant]

Of course. Silly me!

[weegee]

Obama is just smart enough to know not to pay them off in the primary. When it comes to the general election, all bets are off.

[Ron H.]

Perhaps you’re right.

[Gondring]

Who do you think Benjamin Franklin would support?

Ron Paul

[Merta]

As your tag-line reads and his recent comment on small town PA, Obama’s only transformation would be a heavy tax on Typical White People, massive Illegal Immigration into small towns, a statue to honor the Reverend Wright, a day of mourning for Saul Alinsky, not wearing anything(even clothes or any red white and blue) and burning a flag on July the 4th, having racial conferences every week except for mother’s day where he has Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson give racial “therapy sessions” to his white grandmother.

Oh and we will withdraw from Iraq to fight a war in Kenya, Israel(because of those pesky Israelis, the only people that we cannot talk to)and celebrate Ramadan more than Christmas. We will be seeing a troupe of the world’s most wanted(including OBL, oh they’ll get along real well) gather at events and meetings at the White house. Celebrations will be held by Louis Farrakhan. Ah that is real change to believe in (sarcasm)

[mbraynard]

Well, it is. I’m not sure it’s objectionable to hand out cash to people taking the day off from wage-paying jobs to get the vote out for your campaign.

[SkyPilot]

As your tag-line reads and his recent comment on small town PA, Obama’s only transformation would be a heavy tax on Typical White People, massive Illegal Immigration into small towns, a statue to honor the Reverend Wright, a day of mourning for Saul Alinsky, not wearing anything(even clothes or any red white and blue) and burning a flag on July the 4th, having racial conferences every week except for mother’s day where he has Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson give racial “therapy sessions” to his white grandmother. Oh and we will withdraw from Iraq to fight a war in Kenya, Israel(because of those pesky Israelis, the only people that we cannot talk to)and celebrate Ramadan more than Christmas. We will be seeing a troupe of the world’s most wanted(including OBL, oh they’ll get along real well) gather at events and meetings at the White house. Celebrations will be held by Louis Farrakhan. Ah that is real change to believe in (sarcasm)

I think you encapsulated the Obama Administration very well.

"Hmmff. Typical White baby."

[I still care]

I remember a Bill Cosby routine. On voting night, a car would be sent for his parents and they would collect their “dollar”.

Does anyone also remember the book “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?”

The father was given a time to come down and vote Democrat. He was a union man, and blindly supported them, and said he got the time so there “wasn’t a crowd”.

The mother was a critical thinker and told him they weren’t doing him a favor by setting the time, it was so they could hold him accountable for his vote.

[Theodore R.]

Still, none of this would be possible were it not for the abject failure of GWB.

[SkyPilot]

Still, none of this would be possible were it not for the abject failure of GWB.

I don't think it was Bush who created 72% illegitimacy rate in the black community - which has lead to rampant crime, drug abuse, and pain. While many factors contributed to this tragedy, ultimately it was individuals who indulged in this menace that created it.

I take it you don't believe in sin or God - Theodore R? If so, which God?

[Merta]

Heh, the picture with the AFL-CIO. Doesn’t he realize that in their top ten points in 2004 they were against gun control, against homosexual marriage and also reluctant to embrace Illegal Immigration until now? Many of the small town Pennsylvanians, I would expect, belong to a union like the AFL-CIO(the largest Labor Union in America(whereas the NEA is the largest one in general)) and do not like Illegal Immigrants taking their jobs and......

also hate outsourcing. Since it is the Protectionist Wing of the Democrats to hate outsourcing yet somehow allowing Illegal aliens in, Obama is going to have to answer the two positions that seem consistent on paper. He could also explain whether government programs or social worker programs are jobs that “Americans won’t do” because they cannot as they might’ve been outsourced according to the AFL-CIO. I am still angry, at least a little, that he insulted my mother’s town and the towns of a few people I know or knew.

[Theodore R.]

SkyPilot, we must be talking about two different topics. When I said these things would not be happening but for the failure of GWB, I meant the president’s courting of liberals for his entire second term and giving the back hand to conservatives. I was not talking about illegitimacy in America, but there is a lot of that too. And God does not stop stupid people from doing stupid things until they repent.

[Kenny Bunk]

There are maybe 5 Republicans in Philly

O there's plenty of Republicans in Philly, and they get their share of the patronage and graft, just behind the scenes. I always thought they rather enjoyed, not to mention benefited, from remaining below the radar.

Strange town.