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Obama Favorite of Outside Groups
The Washington Times ^ | March 24, 2008

Posted on 09/14/2008 10:39:05 AM PDT by JavaJumpy

Sen. Barack Obama, whose campaign has sharply criticized the role of outside political groups in the presidential race, has benefited more than any other candidate from millions of dollars in independent political expenditures, records show.

The increasing support for Mr. Obama has given him a boost from the same sort of political activity his campaign has railed against, especially when millions of dollars in union and other special-interest money backed his opponents.

The political arm of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and other independent groups have spent more than $7.1 million directly supporting the Illinois Democrat's bid for the presidential nomination, campaign records show. By contrast, similar outside groups have spent about $5.1 million backing Sen. Hillary Clinton, New York Democrat.

Political specialists point out that Mr. Obama does not have any control over those expenditures because outside groups raise and spend money independent of the presidential campaigns.

"It's going to happen, regardless of what the candidates say," said James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; campaignfinance; campaignfinancing; lobbyists; obamabiden; pac; seiu; unions; unionvote

1 posted on 09/14/2008 10:39:06 AM PDT by JavaJumpy
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To: JavaJumpy
Sen. Barack Obama, whose campaign has sharply criticized the role of outside political groups in the presidential race, has benefited more than any other candidate from millions of dollars in independent political expenditures, records show.

Does this include the millions of dollars of free advertising that the fawning media provides?

2 posted on 09/14/2008 10:53:12 AM PDT by Hardastarboard (I have Zero Tolerance for Zero Tolerance policies.)
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To: JavaJumpy
Two well known facts. Special interest groups are the backbone of the Democratic Party and special interest groups are driving the Obama campaign.

Two more well known facts. Neither support from special interest groups or having ties to lobbyists, is against the law.

3 posted on 09/14/2008 10:53:57 AM PDT by Reagan Man (McCain Earned My Vote --- With Palin on the ticket, MOST conservatives should be satisfied.)
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To: Reagan Man

When is Obama going to release his list of campaign advisers so we can see how many lobbyist are working for him?! So far he refuses. What is he hiding?!


4 posted on 09/14/2008 11:28:03 AM PDT by kcvl
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To: kcvl
>>>>>What is he hiding?!

His hypocrisy.

5 posted on 09/14/2008 11:36:50 AM PDT by Reagan Man (McCain Earned My Vote --- With Palin on the ticket, MOST conservatives should be satisfied.)
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To: JavaJumpy

I received a call this past Friday by a caller that misrepresented themselves as McCain supporters. They asked if I had received a free DVD, which I hadn’t.

Well, I received it today and it is from the SEIU COPE
(www.SEIUCOPE.org) and is clearly a hit piece on John McCain’s health care plans.

The envelope that it came it states “Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee”. But, it is clear that they are not McCain supporters.

Clearly the other candidate’s minions with use any deceptive tool to try to steal this election.


6 posted on 09/22/2008 10:10:44 AM PDT by sleddogs
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