More About the Hypocrisy & Misleading Claims from Obama’s Campaign
By Deb Cupples on May 25, 2008 at 10:40 PM in Barack Obama, Chicago politics, Exelon, Lobbyists
Barack Obama claimed he didn’t take oil-connected money, but he did (LA Times). He claimed he didn’t take lobbyist-connected money, but he did (USA Today , LA Times, SourceWatch and The Hill). He claimed he didn’t take corporate-connected cash, but he took more drug-company-connected cash than Hillary or McCain did (Newhouse News).
Both at No Quarter and Buck Naked Politics, I’ve repeatedly blogged about Obama’s hypocrisy and misleading claims. Some weeks ago, I submitted one in a series of such blog posts to NQ, and Susan said, "Deb, you really are a nag."
She was right. I nag, because many media outlets have simply ignored Obama’s hypocrisy regarding special-interest ties. Today, I found a Newsweek article ("Obama’s Lobbyist Connection") that covers a different example of the hypocrisy and misleading claims. In part, it states:
"When Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison wanted state lawmakers to back a hefty rate hike two years ago, it took a creative lobbying approach, concocting a new outfit that seemed devoted to the public interest: Consumers Organized for Reliable Electricity, or CORE. CORE ran TV ads warning of a "California-style energy crisis" if the rate increase wasn’t approved—but without disclosing the commercials were funded by Commonwealth Edison. The ad campaign provoked a brief uproar when its ties to the utility, which is owned by Exelon Corp., became known.
"It’s corporate money trying to hoodwink the public," the state’s Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said. What got scant notice then—but may soon get more scrutiny—is that CORE was the brainchild of ASK Public Strategies, a consulting firm whose senior partner is David Axelrod, now chief strategist for Barack Obama." (Newsweek)
Keep in mind that Obama’s campaign has repeatedly slammed Hillary Clinton and John McCain for having ties to special interests — causing visions of pots and kettles to dance in my mind.
Mr. Axelrod denied any hypocrisy, stating that he and his ASK partners didn’t actually register as lobbyists for Commonwealth Edison. Axelrod also said that he has not lobbied government officials for corporate clients. Newsweek casts doubt on Axelrod’s claims:
"But the activities of ASK (located in the same office as Axelrod’s political firm) illustrate the difficulties in defining exactly who a lobbyist is. In 2004, Cablevision hired ASK to set up a group similar to CORE to block a new stadium for the New York Jets in Manhattan.
Unlike Illinois, New York disclosure laws do cover such work, and ASK’s $1.1 million fee was listed as the ‘largest lobbying contract’ of the year in the annual report of the state’s lobbying commission.
"ASK last year proposed a similar ‘political campaign style approach’ to help Illinois hospitals block a state proposal that would have forced them to provide more medical care to the indigent. One part of its plan: create a ‘grassroots’ group of medical experts ‘capable of contacting policymakers to advocate for our position,’ according to a copy of the proposal. (ASK didn’t get the contract.) Public-interest watchdogs say these grassroots campaigns are state of the art in the lobbying world.
"‘There’s no way with a straight face to say that’s not lobbying,’ says Ellen Miller, director of the Sunlight Foundation, which promotes government transparency." (Newsweek)
Newsweek isn’t the only one noticing Obama’s hypocrisy and misleading claims. Last week, the Republican National Committee put out a press release ("Obama’s Lobbyist Hypocrisy"), which makes detailed claims while listing names and sources. Below is a sampling of those claims:
- “Obama Has Former Federal Lobbyists Working For And Raising Money For His Campaign”
- “Obama Also Uses Bundlers Who Were Previously Registered As Federal Lobbyists”
- “Obama Currently Accepts Contributions From Spouses Of Lobbyists And Holds Fundraisers In Offices That Engage In Lobbying”
- “Obama Has Accepted Contributions From Law Firms That Engage In Lobbying”
- “Obama’s Fundraising Team Includes 38 Members Of Law Firms That Engage In Federal Lobbying”
- “Obama Accepted Contributions From Lobbyists And PACs While Running For The Senate And State Senate”
- “In Obama’s Eight Years In The Illinois Senate, From 1996 To 2004, Almost Two-Thirds Of The Money He Raised For His Campaigns - $296,000 Of $461,000 - Came From PACs, Corporate Contributions, Or Unions”
- “Obama Also Has Multiple Super Delegate Endorsements From Current Federal Lobbyists”
I have no love for the RNC, but I don’t doubt the veracity of the RNC’s claims, because I’ve seen similar information from reputable sources (like those linked in the first paragraph of this blog post).
So far, Obama-infatuated MSM outlets have successfully managed to keep Obama’s hypocrisy and misleading claims from becoming major news stories.
Something tells me that the RNC is not going to allow such stories to stay in the shadows for much longer. It would have been so much better for the Democratic party if this information had been given due attention earlier in the primaries. Oh well.
To be sure, most federal candidates have ties to special interests — and they will continue to until real campaign-finance reform is achieved.
So, why do Obama’s special-interest ties matter? They don’t.
What matter are his hypocrisy and misleading claims, because they completely undermine his campaign’s efforts to market him as new, clean, and eager to change Washington’s "politics as usual."
Memeorandum has commentary.

Deb please keep being a nag.
Great article.
Thank you. I believe I will.
Today, the NYT reported that while Obama was graciously “overlooking” the faux RFK scandal, his camp was busy fanning the flames. George Stephanopoulos confronted Axelrod on it, saying that he had the e mail.
A new Karl Rove is on the horizon. But even sleazier.
Lute,
Great find. Which email are you talking about? I’m off to Google to search for what you’re talking about.
I need it, because one of my Obama supporting commenters (a VERY NICE one) challenged me when I suggested that Obama’s campaign had ignited the fuse.
I had looked at the NYT blog (quoted in my post). Do you have something else?
I just found it via Google and included it in another post I’ve put at my blog.
thanks for the tip.
Deb,please, keep on nagging the media/network till their eyes open to the truth BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!! We do not want another incompetent, puppet in the WH.Obama is definitely a “sold puppet” to the lobbyists. He is a PHONY!!
I read yesterday the article of Ken Blackwell, NY Sun black columnist. His article is an eye opener & scary.We love our country & America deserves the BEST!!PRESIDENT HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON !!
Pls. check Google: Ken Blackwell, NYSUN
“Beyond Obama’s Beauty”
Obama is a FAKE!!EGOISTIC!!!
It is just sad that he is already thinking he is JFK!! WHAT A SHAME!!!
Keep up the good work. Axelrod and his Chicago thugs must be exposed.
Let’s hope the exposure happens before a nominee is chosen.
That David Axelrove is a real snake in the grass.
Change…my ass!
Audacity does however fit Obama and Axelrove.
Axelrove has a special needs child, who Hillary Clinton just happened to go out of her way to help. What does David Axelrove do? He sticks a knife in Hillary’s back, then he goes out of HIS way to try and make sure that poor people DO NOT get the same kind of care his own daughter depends on.
What a bastard!
I have gotten to know too much about how the Repub party operates and who the lowlifes in that party are, and I have to tell you that I think David Axelrove is a bigger asshole than anyone in the Repub party.
Whatever misdeeds Karl Rove has done in his GOP political campaigns is child’s play compared to the traitorous creepy tricks by Axelrod. Axelrod is the master at using RACISM to empower Obama and cripple opponents. The IRS should investigate his lobbying practice and its shady deals.
I stack Axelrod against any of Nixon’s Cronies for the lowest of the low awards. I swear he must’ve got his training under CREEP.
Let’s not get carried away. We cannot forget that Rove used the Justice Department to launch CRIMINAL investigations of Dems, putting a governor in jail.
For sure Axelrod is a nasty piece of work, but as far as I know he has not done anything quite like that. As for what he is capable of, I don’t want to find out. The last thing the party needs to do is adopt the corrupt methods of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove. Then the Republicans have really won.
I’m acquainted with a Republican operative who asked me months ago, “Do you know who David Axelrod is”?
I said, “Yeah, he’s Obama’s campaign manager.”
The operative said, “Beyond that.” I shrugged.
He said, “David Axelrod is the Karl Rove of Chicago politics, but he’s 10 times worse and half as smart.”
For what it’s worth….
hmmm, from my observations I think Alexrod makes Karl Rove look like a 2 year old in a sandbox.
I also am very aware of Obama’s corporate ties and promises. He has promised to Google all sorts of things, including more H-1B guest worker Visas.
Hillary has been the poster gal for this but Obama outdid her and even more surprising is trying to point this fact out to hundreds of thousands of tech workers, where this affects their ability to find work, they just cannot realize it.
Very interesting. I didn’t know about this (tech workers and Google).
Lobby ties aren’t awful unless you have no power. Then they can truly skew votes.
But I would assume he’s launching beyond their control.
In the past? No.
But I personally think people make much too much out of these ties. What matters is what is expected and what is delivered.
If you have other funding sources? The lobbyists can take a number.
Ann,
I don’t think there’s a problem with his lobbyist ties.
The problem is that he falsely claimed to the public that he wasn’t tied to lobbyists.
LOL….Funny That….Good Post and I’m glad your naggin a bit…I prefer to call it focused…chuckle…
To my way of seeing it…The biggest diff between Rove and Axelgoebbles is that Rove is a REPUBLICAN…A DEMENTED REPUBLICAN to be sure but still a republican….
imho…OBAMA AND AXELGOEBBLES ARE BOTH APOLITICAL…and they are working their fascist magic on the Democratic party because the GOP don’t go for that kind o shit….The GOP has their own agenda of which we are all familiar since fundamentally it has remained unchanged since Hoover/FDR…
Axelgoebbles and Obama with his fascist army seek to dis-mantle Democracy in America….This is bigger than the parties and corrupt at the core….
I think a-political is a good way to put it. I’d never thought about it before, but I do think that A and O are a-political at heart.
You said:
“have gotten to know too much about how the Repub party operates and who the lowlifes in that party are, and I have to tell you that I think David Axelrove is a bigger asshole than anyone in the Repub party.”
If…for no other reason, than they are lying to their own instead of their opponent. That makes it a hundred times worse, IMHO.
I’m not sure what this means, Form Current fed lobbyists? Does this mean the lobbyist deliver the SDs?
“Obama Also Has Multiple Super Delegate Endorsements From Current Federal Lobbyists”
I just went back to the RNC press release. Here’s what it says about that:
“Obama Also Has Multiple Super Delegate Endorsements From Current Federal Lobbyists:
John Melcher Is A Democrat Super Delegate Supporting Barack Obama. (The Politico Website, http://www.politico.com/superdelegates/, Accessed 5/2/08)
– Melcher Is A Registered Federal Lobbyist. (U.S. Senate Office
Of Public Records Website,
http://soprweb.senate.gov/index.cfm?event=submitSearchRequest,
Accessed 5/2/08)
Joyce Brayboy Is A Democrat Super Delegate Supporting Barack Obama. (The Politico Website, http://www.politico.com/superdelegates/, Accessed 5/2/08)
– Brayboy Is A Registered Federal Lobbyist With The Glover Park Group, LLC. (U.S. Senate Office Of Public Records Website,
http://soprweb.senate.gov/index.cfm?event=submitSearchRequest,
Accessed 5/2/08)
Moses Mercado Is A Democrat Super Delegate Supporting Barack Obama. (The Politico Website, http://www.politico.com/superdelegates/, Accessed 5/2/08)
– Mercado Is A Registered Federal Lobbyist With Ogilvy Government Relations.(U.S. Senate Office Of Public Records Website,
http://soprweb.senate.gov/index.cfm?event=submitSearchRequest,
Accessed 5/2/08)
Good work!
That’s creepy, I didn’t realize you could be a lobbyist and a superdelegate.
So I suppose we’re expected to believe that nobody would ever promise favorable legislation in exchange for an endorsement?
Yttik,
That’s right. You should Believe that super-dels are beyond corruption (esp. the ones who double as fee-earning lobbyists).
Being called a “nag” about this is a compliment.
I smiled when she said it. I’m sure her tone had affection in it.
I cant believe what I am seeing by some of these Obamanuts, now the new thrust is for Hillary to lose her senate seat, or for her to have a difficult time on her return, look like these people will never stop tying to make her vanish off the face of this earth.
Its more smoke from them. The only way Hillary leaves the Senate is to take another job in the Oval Office. These trolls are in for many rude awakenings.
I would agree.
And the comment “about half as smart” was on the money…
half as smart as rove? not sure.
light years ahead of penn, mcauliffe, wolfson, grunwold, solis, et al.? clearly.
mcauliffe and wolfson have kept Hillary in the game in spite of Obama’s huge corporate cash advantage and MSM advantage. Your guy can’t close the deal.
but your gal said this would be over on super tuesday. how’d that work out for you?
It speaks volumes about some of Obama’s supporters — and the horribly bellicose tone and spirit that the campaign has encouraged (or at least tolerated).
It’s all very disconcerting.
Obama didn’t tell his supporters to “cool it”. So he owns it.
I agree. He had a responsibility to ask them to cool off — the same way he (and the DNC) think Hillary is responsible for her supporters’ feeling like not voting for Obama if he becomes the nominee.
Different standards for different candidates.
Good God. In terms of supposed Progressive platform legislation, I can name a good 20 Senator Democrats who are way more corporate than Hillary. These people are in love with hate, seriously.
That’s a hail Mary from his Clyburnesque crowd.
She’s obviously making her clout felt.
That’s why those little ole SD’s haven’t yet scurried over to save him.
The ones left? Obviously, they aren’t the dummies.
It doesn’t end there.
If Obama steals the nod, then either Hillary must run as a “Real Democrat” or McCain must win.
that’s a handy, dandy little list worth saving. Thanks!
It needs to be updated and references are needed to really be a slam dunk.
We can trim one lie off the list so we can have a lie for “every state” in Obamaland.
This diary is illuminating as is the list Gary just compiled. But let me ask, how will this help expose him? How can it help Hillary? Do we know that someone out there with a large, public forum (Fox, Lou Dobbs) will read this blog and run with it, or is there something very proactive we can do?
Clara, the most important thing for each of us to do right now - other than breaking 1 of many scandals into the media - is to CONTACT SUPERDELEGATES in protest of biased obama support and to MOVE THE UNCOMMITTED SD’S toward Hilary.
Even to THANK HILLARY SD’s to HOLD TO THEIR SUPPORT OF HER. Go to:
http://www.lobbydelegates.com has a pretty well organized way of doing this (and appreciates small donations)
Also, here, again is an EMAIL LIST for some SD’s DROP THEM A NOTE - tell them why - good use of time, this is getting traction - we just need MORE PEOPLE TO CONTACT SD’s:
LemireDahlman@rangeweb.net stephanie_schriock@tester.senate.gov montanaflyfish@yahoo.com joyce
brayboy@gmail.com
judgebutterfield@aol.com
jcouncil@co.cumberland.nc.
us jmeek@ncdp.org
geri_gaginis@conrad.senate.gov elizabeth_gore@dorgan.senate.gov christy_beach@dorgan.senate.gov dhannaher@hannahers.com
maxsonlaw@minot.com reneepf@btinet.net strauss_david@msn.com
mwake@medicine.nodak.edu
achelpohl@usa.net katfahey@cox.net franklamere@msn.com melanie_rogge@bennelson.senate.gov dostergard@neb.rr.com
martha.fullerclark@leg.state.nh.us dnorcross@snjaflcio.org
danaredd999@yahoo.com
crs@ntuaft.com fharris@unm.edu teresa_benitez@hotmail.com steven@stevenhorsford.com
kittyspraggins@aol.com
egoubeaux@woh.rr.com
m.mallory@att.net
lanamclin@aol.com
nsonnyn@aol.com
tekicatt@aol.com
rwhitten@whittenburragelaw.com mzlivability@yahoo.com
jen@defazioforcongress.org
info@jasonaltmire.com
ccampbell215@msn.com
james_brown@casey.senate.gov sara_mabry@casey.senate.gov
chafinlawfirm@charter.net
pmurphy@murphy06.com
celita_a_de_r@hotmail.com
gcobbhun@BellSouth.net
waringsh@bellsouth.net carol@fowlercommunications.com jackbillion@sio.midco.net drey_samuelson@johnson.senate.gov sonja_dean@johnson.senate.gov mnemec@sullybuttes.net
stroschein@nrctv.com rep.loisdeberry@legislature.state.tn.us BrooksViceChair@aol.com
ydavis2455@aol.com
olga@pgog.net al@aledwards.com chris@chetedwards.com
denise_johnson@ibew.org bjenellhamlett@mail.house.gov
senfronia.thompson@publicans.com wholland@utdemocrats.org crbenjamin1019@yahoo.com jbevans@coatchworksfarm.com icarleton@vtdemocrats.org kevin_mcdonald@leahy.senate.gov
chuckr@gmavt.net
patnotter@gmail.com
cewaliser@hotmail.com
wisgov@gov.state.wi.us mary_irvine@feingold.senate.gov will_sebern@feingold.senate.gov steve@kagen4congress.com
ellisshir@sbcglobal.net
raejason@yahoo.com
lissa7453@yahoo.com
wineke10@charter.net beth_provenzano@rockefeller.senate.gov kerry_ates@rockefeller.senate.gov pjorgensen@jorgensenassociates.com jmillin@cheyenneeyeclinic.com
constance@cborde.com
liv.gibbons@gmail.com
boleary1@bloomberg.net
PLEASE FORWARD THIS ADDRESS LIST TO ALL PRO-HILL BLOGS and all Hillary supporters you know. Also let them know about http://www.lobbydelegates.com
THIS IS THE WEEK to act on this. Huff post is all over their obamanites to do so. Surely we can write better letters - and how ours are from REAL PEOPLE. So sign our letter, if possible, because his paid hackers are always pretending to be voters- you know, Chicago style (dead bodies, false ID’s and all.)
I’d like to make a suggestion — not that anyone needs to hear it, but just in case.
Super-dels can be just as subject to emotion as the rest of us. Some of them are suffering raw nerves right now, because of the pressure.
One super-del responded to my (very polite, factual, reasonable, and non-offensive) email noting that it was polite.
Then, he launched into an attack against Hillary supporters, whom he thought sounded like “sore losers” based on their threats to vote for McCain or stay home.
The text of my email gave him NO opening to vent that way, yet he did so. I think he was reacting to nastiness from another email writer. People misdirect emotions all the time.
That said: people tend to be more willing to hear and consider an argument IF:
- It’s presented pleasantly and civilly
- It lacks destructive emotions (like anger)
- There aren’t any insults (aimed at anyone)
- It lacks sarcasm (which sounds like anger and reduces crediblity)
- It’s presented based on facts and calmly articulated opinions.
Lastly, I would avoid making direct or harshly phrased threats (i.e., if you support Obama, I’ll vote for McCain).
One can get that message across in a softer way that might even evoke sympathy. For example, “When party leaders did X, I felt Y” (or wondered or questioned….)
Anyway, that’s my two cents.
Gary,
What an impressive list. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/?page_id=15
Obama’s laundry list of lies.
Does he ever tell the truth about anything?
I’d never thought I would think:
Obama is worse than Bush.
Axelrod is worse than Rove.
But I do believe both are true.
Keep fighting, we have to win! Failure is not an option!
You’re right: I never thought I’d compare Obama to Bush. In December, I thought “Oh well, if he wins, he’ll be ok — not as good as Hill, but ok.”
I’m still surprised that my sentiment had changed so much in less than 5 months.
Obama robbed me of the comfort of feeling that any Dem would be good.
I felt the same back in Dec, too, and then an Obama-file in MY very own (extended) family went on a a verbal rampage about HRC with such hatred I was stunned. That was the innocent beginning of my transformation — wondering what kind of leader Obama must be if he inspires such venom & hatred between DEMOCRATS! His passive-agressiveness is breathtaking, and seems clever enough to trick the MSM, etc.
“Obama is worse than Bush.”
Obama is not worse than Bush, are you f’n KIDDING ME?
Is Obama going to try to keep us in Iraq? NO
Is he going to take us to war in Iran? NO
Is he going to run roughshod over the environment? NO
Is he going to run up deficits that squeeeze the middle class and bankrupt our grandchildren? NO
Is he going to appoint anti-choice, right-wing zealots to the Supreme Court who want to overturn Roe v. Wade? NO
Wake the hell UP, your irrational and all out of proportion Obama hatred is blinding you to what’s truly important in this election.
So Obamabot, how did you find this blog?
Your claims assume that Obama can win anyways. He won’t.
Either McCain defeats him, or Clinton defeats him and Obama running as a True Democrat.
“Is he going to run roughshod over the environment? NO”
Has he ever heard of Hanford? No. It’s only one of the most polluted sites in the country, a superfund site involving billions of dollars every year.
You Skiron, have obviously done absolutely no research. The answer to everyone of your questions should be “yes”. Put the hopium down and start looking into who and what you are endorsing.
True. “Obama is worse than Bush” is not correct. It should read: “Obama is much worse than Bush.”
Is Obama going to try to keep us in Iraq?
NOYESIs he going to take us to war in Iran?
NOYESIs he going to run roughshod over the environment?
NOYEs is now with Exelon!Is he going to run up deficits that squeeeze the middle class and bankrupt our grandchildren?
NOYESIs he going to appoint anti-choice, right-wing zealots to the Supreme Court who want to overturn Roe v. Wade?
NOHis choice of Justice is a flakey Physics Lawyer, wacked out!Wake the hell UP, your irrational and all out of proportion Obama hatred is
blindingopening eyes to see what’s truly important in this election, no communist in the White House, NOBAMA!EXACTLY!!! His surrogates have already said that his stance in the primaries won’t reflect his actual strategy in Iraq. He lies about everything. Remember how he was only a lawyer for Resko for 2 months with some minor paperwork? Then we find out they’ve been friends for 17 years.
We can’t trust anything he says. That’s why Obama is WAY worse than Bush.
skiron,are you not upset that Obama LIES to you everytime he opens his mouth??? Are you so blind to the truth that he is just a good speaker with borrowed notes and shallow? Most of all,DO YOU KNOW HIM THAT WELL, TO TRUST OUR COUNTRY IN HIS HANDS & THAT OF HIS MASTERS???
Honestly, skiron, I am scared of Barack Obama’s TRUE MOTIVE. Why suddenly, from nowhere, he appears with shady characters running his presidential campaign, Chicago style.He is really making a change! CHANGE TO WORST!(disrespect to the fullest) Hope?? Did he bring PROSPERITY, PEACE & HAPPINESS to Chicago, (just Chicago,ok?)when he was the state senator?? NO!! Then, how can he claim, he can BRING CHANGE! He can BRING HOPE!! HE IS FAKE!!
Carter telling Hillary to give up after June 3rd.
It’s a CNN headline.
Carter–one of the least effective presidents in the history of the US.
As if he has the right to tell someone infinitely more qualified than he…when to step aside.
I respect him, but old age has rattled his brain.
Oh, and add him to the list of loser men endorsing Obama.
I think I see a theme!
No coincidence that when the most qualified candidate is a woman, all the boys flock to the man.
Far-right Dems like Sam Nunn, Ben Nelson, Julie Bartling, Bob Casey, and Robert Byrd all went for the man, despite his lack of qualifications. All of the people I listed all are virtuently anti-choice too. Why does Obama accept endorsements from anti-choice woman hating politicians?
I”m not sure I agree with this, I think this has far more to do with corruption, and group think, than it does with sexism.
But they are a certain type, the Obama supporter, aren’t they?
Kinda like Pouffle, in appearance, and, um, tone.
All marginal talent, all.
It’s almost a new physical archetype, David Geffen, Pouffle, K&&, et al…
Just like Rove resembles Rush, or even Dick Morris, they LOOK alike after awhile, too.
The far-left Kossacks had a strong Edwards support base, but when he dropped out, virtually all of them went to Obama. You’d think that those kinds of people would have went to Obama early if it wasn’t sexism.
But when it got to be between man and a woman, the so-called progressives picked the man. Even when the Woman is far more liberal and electable.
For the K** crew, maybe, but still, I think corruption has far more to do with it.
The fix has been in since 2004, given Kerry’s choice of Obama to speak at the convention.
But why did they choose such a corrupt candidate?
Because Bill and Hillary wouldn’t play the game, the one that connects Washington, the IL combine and Iraq, via May 25’s Rezkowatch?
It is just plain discrimation in job promotion. Just because Hillary is a female, a male opponent, with no intelligence & experience, might get the job.
PEOPLE,WE WILL NOT MAKE THIS HAPPEN!
Let us keep ourselves busy & start contacting the super delegates! Contact your local,state Democratic officials & just tell them, of course, sweetie nice way, that America deserves the best & Senator Hillary is the most qualified to take the job,as the next US President.
GOD SAVE AMERICA!!GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
I agree that Carter should have honored his original statement and stayed neutral until after June 3.
I don’t understand why he failed to do that. I do like him in different contexts, incidentally.
Jimmeh was scared that the male candidate would be shown as a sure loser after his popular vote loss is confirmed on June 3rd.
Carter never called on Kennedy to get out, but Kennedy is a man too, so obviously they get more leeway.
His visiting Hamas — who by the way were laughing at him — was a death knoll for my respect for Carter. That and the fact that he is silent on the disenfranchisement of votes here in the US …. I guess he only worries about voters in third world nations ….
I adore Jimmy Carter. To be fair, at a recent meeting in Georgia, the question was asked as to why they did not validate the elections here in the US.
The short answer was that it is Constitutionally impossible. The states are responsible for holding their own elections. They aren’t federalized. The UN CANNOT under any circumstances interfere in States rights.
To state that Carter has remained silent is disingenuous at best.
http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/unitedstates/democracy/2994.html
>>>snip
In the wake of two bitterly contested presidential elections the responsibilities of this commission should be to represent the interests of all of the American people, particularly those who were disenfranchised by system flaws in 2000 and 2004. A commission that has no forum for ordinary citizens is not a good model of the democratic principles of participation and transparency essential to bettering our electoral processes. Consequently, the reforms that are recommended will exclude the most necessary voices and will be shaped by those who have access to the most privileges within that electoral system.
The American electorate is in dire need of a confidence boost, not only in their voting systems but also in the institutions that are taking initiative to help reform them. The list of reforms we need are clear:
•Shocking as it sounds, American citizens do not have a Constitutional Right to Vote. Congress should act immediately to pass a Constitutional Amendment affirming the right to vote for all citizens.
•We must end the partisan administration of our elections. By doing so, we will join the majority of democracies worldwide, including the largest, India, to ensure that our elections are administered by independent, nonpartisan officials whose offices operate with a commitment to transparency and to eliminating voter suppression and intimidation.
• More than four million Americans in seven states are denied the right to vote as a result of laws that prohibit voting by felons or ex-felons. This fundamental obstacle to participation in democratic life is exacerbated by racial disparities in the criminal justice system, resulting in an estimated 13% of black men being unable to vote. It is time to re-enfranchise felons and ex-felons.
•For voters to have confidence their vote is being counted — correctly — we must guarantee all voters will see and confirm their vote from an auditable, voter-verified paper record that will be the ballot of record for all audits and recounts.
•Parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which has been called the single most effective piece of civil rights legislation ever passed by Congress, need reauthorization in 2007. Reauthorization by Congress will extend scrutiny of cities and states with a history of segregation and legalized discrimination.
•To end the “Buy an Election Game,” we should follow the lead of Maine and Arizona and adopt publicly funded elections for qualified candidates; moreover Congress should set standards for free, equal air time for candidates on the public airwaves.
•We should also take note that the states with the highest voter turnout do not have arbitrary voter registration deadlines weeks before an election; rather, they allow Election Day registration to ensure all eligible voters have an opportunity to cast their ballot.
•The fact that there is no single voting system in the United States has been, and will continue to be, one of the most critical problems we face at the national level. Uniform standards designed to allocate voting systems, poll workers and election resources per capita as well as universal ballot design and centralized, nondiscriminatory and computerized voter registration lists linked with other state agency databases will help usher-in a more equitable, secure and trusted democracy.
This list of reforms is a clear starting point to help expedite other needed reforms, such as districting policies that are more competitive and representative of the electorate, and the adoption of instant runoff voting and proportional representation.
We hope the Baker-Carter commission will open itself to greater public access, and that its final recommendations will courageously promote the practical implementation of thoroughgoing reforms that reflect the American ideals of participation by all.
I sent an email to the Carter Foundation. It got sent to three different representatives and I got the DNC bullshit line. And. That they were not going to get involved.
I used to think that Habitat was a great program. But they overlook real opportunities in existing neighborhoods to stem the tide of deterioration in favor of “NEW NEW NEW.” This may help one family, but it doesn’t help a neighborhood. Their programs should be greener. They have emeshed in old building systems. They don’t have enough of a a ” hands ” on requirement for the family ….
I just think we have to be careful with our heroes.
Horse,
I like Carter, too. I’m mad at him for refusing to stay neutral until June and for publicly using the DNC’s misleading line (that Florida broke rules, when FL republicans actually did).
That said, I’ll forgive him in time, because he has made valuable contribtutions to our nation.
St. Jimmy needs to stay on the Peanut farm and shut the f#*k up…He is becoming an embarrassment….SHEEEESH !