Big Money on Barack Obama as Hillary Clinton's Donors Defect

Revised and updated May 15, 2008

Evidence of a covert campaign to undermine the presidential primaries is rife, so it's curious that many within both the Democratic and Republican parties have ignored the actual elephant in the room this year. That would be Karl Rove. Long accused of rigging the two previous presidential elections, this master of deceit would have us believe that he's gone off to sit in a corner and write op-eds this time around.

Not so. According to an article in Time magazine last November, Republicans have been organized in many states to throw their weight behind Senator Barack Obama, hoping to deprive Senator Hillary Clinton of the Democratic nomination. While Rove's name isn't mentioned in the story, several former fundraisers and strategists for President Bush are identified. Together, these gentlemen helped flush Obama's coffers with cash early on in the race, something the deep pockets had not done for any candidate in their own party. With receipts topping $100 million in 2007, the first-term Illinois senator achieved a remarkable feat, given that most Americans only first heard of him in 2005.

To expedite the strategy, a website and discussion forum called Republicans for Obama formed in 2006, while the Obama camp launched its own "Be a Democrat For a Day" campaign a year later. A video distributed by its satellite offices explained the procedure to voters in Florida, Nevada, Vermont and elsewhere. In addition, many states nowadays hold open primaries, allowing citizens to vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. In Nebraska, for example, the mayor of Omaha publicly rallied Republicans to caucus for Obama on February 9th. In Pennsylvania, Time reported on March 19th that Obama was running radio ads in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia asking Republicans to register as Democrats and then vote for him in the state's April 22nd primary.

The tactic, called crossover voting, allowed Obama to capture the delegates in nearly all the red state caucuses, while trimming Clinton's delegate haul in the blue state primaries enough to open up an impressive lead. Republicans for Obama, for one, was not bashful in making its case in an email appeal linked to its home page before the March 4th contests. "Since Texas has an open primary," the appeal read, "Republicans and Independents should sign in at their polling place and request a Democratic ballot. They should then vote for Barack Obama... Just think, no more Clintons in the White House!"

Rove undoubtedly mapped out an ingenious strategy for 2008. Even with the full monte of election-scamming tools available to him - phone bank sabotage, fake polling data, swiftboating, waitlisting, electronic voting equipment, Norman Hsu, etc. - the neoconservative base he represents would be hard pressed to eclipse Clinton in November, no matter what ticket the G.O.P. puts forward. The former First Lady and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee has promised an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, along with a massive New Deal-type jobs program and alernative energy revolution to address the country's economic woes. Thus, all the vote-rigging ingenuity known to man wouldn't make much difference if the contest isn't close. Several influential Republicans admitted as much in a February 11th story for Politico.

If, on the other hand, Obama wins the nomination (or even the VP spot), Rove's prospects brighten considerably. Largely unvetted by the press, the senator carries considerable baggage from his stint as a state legislator, particularly his 17-year relationship with Chicago slumlord Tony Rezko, who's currently on trial for fraud and influence peddling. Until the controversy over his pastor broke in March, most journalists had paid lip service to the particulars of Obama's past. And major media outlets continue to portray him as a fresh new face in American politics, a candidate whose speeches call to mind MLK and JFK, even Abraham Lincoln.

For her part, the author of the November Time article, Jay Newton-Small, offered the following explanation to account for the bizarre love affair G.O.P. voters say they're having with an African American senator on the other side of the aisle. "It seems a lot of Republicans took to heart Obama's statement in his rousing speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention that 'there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America.'"

Is she kidding? The conservative publication National Journal claims Senator Obama's voting record is the most liberal in Washington. Not everyone agrees with that assessment by a long shot - he supported the controversial 2005 Cheney energy bill, for instance - but it's nevertheless hard to picture the voting pattern Newton-Small implies here: Nixon - Reagan - Bush - Dole - Bush - Obama. Regardless, the through-the-looking-glass rationale is widely promoted by news anchors, pundits and politicians across the political spectrum. Many advance the equally suspect position that Clinton, the first-ever viable female candidate for president, represents the past.

In modern parlance, this phenomenon is known as "spin". Last year, at the same time Clinton commanded a huge lead in the national polls, political analysts and professional strategists retained by CNN and other broadcast networks began hammering across the notion that "the voters don't like her".

The adjectives "unlikable", "divisive", "polarizing", and "untrustworthy" have been repeated over and over in connection to Clinton in the same manner that "biological warfare" and "weapons of mass destruction" were employed in the lead-up to the Iraq War. In the week before the key Indiana-North Carolina primaries on May 6th, the term "panderer" was added to the list, probably contributing to the crash in Clinton's polling numbers once voters reached the ballot booth. (Her campaign's surprising use of Republican-style attack ads likely didn't help her cause, either.) The use of such buzzword terminology traces back to a cadre of right-wing, neoconservative ideologues who have kept the studio seats warm at the Fox News Channel since its inception in 1996. "There is no candidate on record, a front-runner for a party's nomination, who has entered the primary season with negatives as high as she has," Rove told Reuters last August. In February, Bush's former senior political advisor joined Fox as a part-time election analyst.

Obama himself invariably recites Rove's "high negatives" comment in press interviews whenever discussing Clinton. His often bitter criticism of her, along with other "Washington insiders", who he says want to "boil and stew all the hope out of him", represents a staple of his core political message. (Curiously, most Democratic Party establishment figures have endorsed Obama, not Clinton. )The other half of the stump speech, known as the I'm-a-uniter-not-a-divider pitch, is reminiscent of the Bush 2000 campaign, which Rove managed. Perhaps that's not surprising when you discover that one of Obama's speechwriters is Ben Rhodes, the brother of Fox News VP David Rhodes. (Marisa Guthrie, of BC Beat, reported this connection.) You may recall that on election night in November 2000, it was Fox that called Florida for Bush, even though the other networks declared Gore the winner after citing the exit polls. How Fox knew the polls were wrong in advance of the vote count has never been explained.

Sen Obama, Evidence of a covert campaign to undermine the presidential primaries is rife!

And the plot thickens. In the case of Florida, strategist Donna Brazille, an African American superdelegate and paid analyst for both CNN and ABC, had also served on the DNC rules committee when it stripped Florida and Michigan of their delegates. It was Brazille who argued forcefully in August, 2007 for this draconian measure, even after Florida's party chairwoman painstaking described to the committee the Republican legistalure's scheme to move up the primary date. With its high percentage of Hispanic voters, New York retirees and relatively low percentage of African Americans, Florida could have been forecast early on as problem state for the Obama campaign. In Michigan, the candidacy of native son Mit Romney precluded the possiblity of a large crossover vote of Republicans on the candidate's behalf. Thus it, too, would have favored Clinton. Had the DNC not sanctioned these states, she would therefore have hauled in the lion's share of over 300 delegates up for grabs, reversing the delegate count and adding to her momentum going into Super Tuesday. Arguably, the race would have ended as originally expected on February 5th.

Soldiering on, the Clinton campaign pulled together $10 million in private funding to redo the primary in Michigan. When Senator Obama refused to endorse the plan, however, the state legislature declined to schedule a new vote. For its part, Florida is in the midst of swapping out old voting machinery around the state and installing new machines, making a new primary there logistically impossible until August 26th at the earliest. Wary of ballot tampering, the Florida congressional delegation has so far refused to back a vote-by-mail proposal and insists the record-breaking turnout of 1.75 million Democrats there on January 29th speaks for itself.

Without the contested states in her column, Clinton may be unable to catch up with her opponent in either pledged delegates or the popular vote. She has pledged to put up a credentials fight in August, and Elizabeth Edwards, wife of the former candidate, recently backed the idea of an "open convention". As Obama's image has become tarnished in the eyes of white, working class voters, it's possible that many pledged delegates will defect at the convention and vote for Clinton. Still, the road to the White House remains an uphill climb for the once inevitable female candidate. Thanks to Karl Rove and his friends in the shadows, the Democratic nominee may ultimately be determined by the G.O.P., with a big assist from the mainstream media, the Democratic Party establishment, and the left.

If the plot line here sounds vaguely familiar, that's because playwright Henrik Ibsen envisioned it long ago in his classic Enemy of the People. For an even longer opus on the subject of political chicanery than the one you've just read, check out the play. The parallels between fiction and reality may surprise you.

- Rosemary Regello editor@thecityedition.com

Note: Activated links for articles cited in this story are available only from TheCityEdition.com website. (Thanks to everyone who has sent in links to additional story sources, identified errors, posted this article on blogs or emailed it to friends.)

gayUCCpastor

First, as a pastor... were you sent by the ALMIGHTY GOD or did you just choose pastor as a profession because it best suited you? Homosexuality is an abomination in the sight of the Almighty God as with any sin, because sin kills and theTrue GOD is the God of the Living!! Read Leviticus 18 and Romans 1 and the passages in Judges and Genesis where GOD dealt with homosexuals and the like. Refuse to be deceived and please stop deceiving. You're suppose to represent TRUTH !!

Second, NAACP was started because of the skin-color bias in this country, particularly in the south. It is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. People is inclusive. Susan B. Anthony and the other white women in her day fought for women's rights... they were not concerned with "colored" folk. It was okay with them if slaves remained slaves. They could care less about the fight for blacks and others they deemed inferior and did.

Third, "gay" -- a word that has been corrupted by sexual deviants - should never claim to have "equal rights". That lifestyle is by choice. The color of skin and gender is determined by a person's parents, but who one pines for and lusts after is one's choice.

Finally, my say on Obama/Clinton/McCain..... IT is time for a change!! And I truly believe that because there is GOD, Obama just very well may be the next President of the United States. It would just be so fitting that after all these years, the very party (DNC) that did everything within its power to keep the black person from voting, including murder, would be the party to nominate the first BLACK president.

Regardless of who... the LORD JESUS is coming soon and CHANGE is inevitable!!

Let it come NOW. My, my, my I AM SO READY for it !!!

Random

Just for a moment, can you ppl step back and see who created Osama, who created Saddam, why Iran had an islamic revoultion when it was democratic in the 1950s?

All Wright said is simple truth.

Terrorist Group Hamas Wants Obama As President

http://www.dontvoteobama.net.

BOYCOTT CNN & MSNBC for manipulating the Presidential election with the biased pushing of obama before researching.

Reason Obama said he wanted to be President of ALL 57 states. Keep in mind U.S. doesn’t have 57, but…ISLAM is what he is talking about!

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an international organization grouping fifty seven states which have decided to pool their resources together, combine their efforts, and speak with one voice to safeguard the interests and secure the progress and well-being of their peoples and of all Muslims in the world.

Terrorist Group Hamas Wants Obama As President this post:

http://blogsforjohnmccain.com/trackback/975

VOTERS DEMAND Obamas tell America

VOTERS DEMAND Obamas tell America about their relationship with Ayers, Gadaffi Syrian tycoon, Antoin Rezko, Saudi Arabian Scheiks and Nadhami Auchi, Iraqi billionaire, global arms dealer who was best friends with Saddam Hussein, and the main financial backer for Saddam's Iraqi -Saudi oil pipeline, and stood trial with Saddam Hussein for conspiring to assassinate Iraqi President Qasim. VOTERS are concerned why CNN & MSNBC refuse to question those relationships, coupled with Obama’s 20 plus yrs with Rev. Wright shows a serious pattern, which Obama seems quite comfortable with people who really, really, really HATE U.S of America. If you question him or his values or policies, you’re part of the “divisive, distracting” practices voters associate with Washington. Them’s the Obama Rules.

http://www.dontvoteobama.net.

Obama’s chief political adviser David Alexrod on National Public Radio claimed white working class Democrats barely exist and hardly matter, white working class has gone to the Republican nominee for many elections, This is not new, WE don’t need or rely solely on those votes.

Obama wants to impose 20% tax on cost of Barrel Of Oil Above $80 which again drives up Cost Of Gasoline On Americans! why doesn’t Obama Acknowledge Fuel Costs For Truckers Hurt The American Consumer? Increasing Cost Of Everything Including Food, Retail, And Manufactured Goods.

Obama Claims That He Does Not Accept Contributions From Federal Lobbyists, records show he has accepted $128,000 From Lobbyists and $1.3 million from PACs, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Obama calls For Higher Income Taxes, Social Security Taxes, Investment Taxes, And Corporate Taxes, As Well As "Massive New Domestic Spending and a healthcare plan that perhaps could be the next step to a full-scale, single-payer system.

Obama Pandered To MoveOn.org By Promising Not To Fund Troops In Iraq In The Future. "Eli Pariser, [MoveOn.org's] Executive Director, told ABC news but Obamas senate record shows he voted against bringing troops home, voted for war appropriations giving our money to Halliburton and Blackwater, voted with Bush/Chaney posturing S433 to suspend any troop withdrawal which keeps the troops in Iraq for a long time to come.

Obama won the endorsement of the Teamsters earlier this year after privately telling the union he supported ending the strict federal oversight imposed to root out corruption.

Obama Said The U.S. Needs To Focus On Afghanistan, Obama has held Zero hearings as Chairman Of The Subcommittee On European Affairs. "Doubts about Barack Obama's presidential credentials have crystallized over his stewardship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on European Affairs, which has convened no policy hearings since he took over as its chairman last January.

Obama inconsistent explaining how Genocide in Iraq would affect his plan for withdrawal: Ambassador Crocker said that a quick withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq could result in genocide and if that began to emerge as an issue, would you stop the withdrawal?" Obama: of course. Obama Previously Said Preventing Genocide Would Not Be A Sufficient Reason To Remain In Iraq.

Why Is Barack Obama Silent On SEIU Attacks After Denouncing Similar Independent Expenditures Earlier In The Primaries? Labor Unions And Other Independent Groups Have Already Spent Over $7.1 Million In Support Of Obama's Campaign for the presidential nomination, campaign records show.

Obama's racial stereotype of the 'typical White person' and his view of the 'typical small town person.quoted as disparaging residents of small towns in Pennsylvania as being “like a lot of small towns in the Midwest” where “it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

Obama is unapologetic, even dissing of voters in Florida and Michigan one has to wonder what groups of Americans he really respects?

Racist wife, Michelle, saying she was proud of America "for the first time" only because of her husband's presidential run.

Obama explained he doesn't wear an American flag lapel pin or hold his hands to his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance because it is a substitute for patriotism,

Obama loses to Hillary Clinton in a face to face debate in Phil, next day gives her the finger behind her back in a speech in NC. What a man! And the Obama fans were laughing with him, reminding me of the congregation in Reverend Wright's church cheering and patting him on the back during his racist sermons

Orientation

Hillary is a LESBIAN. Why do you think Bill cheated so much. It was a marriage of convenience.

Hilliary, Wow, talk about a severe case of diarrhea of the mouth.....and fingers!! So many lies and untruths and downright slander. Do you feel better about yourself after spouting all that crapola? Please inform yourself on what is REALLY going on in the nomination process. FACT: Senator Obama has outraised Hilliary in campaign financing, most of his donations come from people like me.....who donate because we feel he is the right person to lead our country and our military forces. Hilliary failed the CIC test when she made fraudulant claims to landing under sniperfire and then again when she went on the Jay Leno Show, joking and laughing that she was late because she ran into sniperfire!! Sniperfire is nothing to joke or laugh about and both her comments demeaned our service people who have indeed come under sniperfire, many losing their lifes!! Shame on Hilliary for being so crass and insensitive toward our troops who are fighting a war she helped propell. Of course trying to enlighten you, Clinton supporters, is like talking to a brick wall. You see and believe what YOU WANT to see and believe.

Honest Hardworking President May Be Reality!

I never thought I would end up supporting a democratic and not only that a 1/2 black president. Yes HALF black or rather half WHITE. Most of the media promotes him as a black candidate but the truth is that he is more WHITE than black. After all he was mainly raised by his white mother and grandparents.

Not that I am racist in the least, but, I had concerns that supporting a candidate that looks black may be a losing battle. NOT any more.

I finally finished reading both of his books. Audacity of Hope and Dreams from my Father. I was very impressed. Barack Obama is not only extremely intelligent, worldly, but I believe he is HONEST and has good ethics. Something very rare in politics now days and something that Clinton and McCain cannot come close to..

We need someone like Obama to clean up the mess that Bush and the republicans have left behind. McCain is just another Bush. 3 terms of "Bush" -- No thanks.

It's About Electability

HILLARY CLINTON IS THE GREATEST CAMPAIGNER IN AMERICAN HISTORY !!!

HILLARY CLINTON CAN BEST WIN IN NOVEMBER:

IT'S ABOUT ELECTABILITY !!!

It's time for everyone to face the truth. Barack Obama has no real chance of winning the national election in November at this time. His crushing defeat in Pennsylvania, and loss in Indiana and West Virginia makes that fact crystal clear. His best, and only real chance of winning in November is on a ticket with Hillary Clinton as her VP.

Sen. Obama has zero chance of winning against the republican attack machine, and their unlimited money, and resources without Hillary Clinton. Zero chance.

It is absolutely essential that the democrats take back the Whitehouse in November. America, and the American people are in a very desperate condition now. And the whole World has been doing all that they can to help keep us propped up.

Hillary Clinton say's that the heat, and decisions in the Whitehouse are much tougher than the ones on the campaign trail. But I think Sen. Obama faces a test of whether he has what it takes to be a commander and chief by facing the difficult facts, and the truth before him. And by doing what is best for the American people by dropping out of the race, and offering his whole hearted assistance to Hillary Clinton to help her take back the Whitehouse for the American people, and the World.

Sen. Obama is a great speaker. And I am confident he can explain to the American people the need, and wisdom of such a personal sacrifice for them. It should be clear to everyone by now that Hillary Clinton is fighting her heart out for the American people. She has known for a long time that Sen. Obama can not win this November. You have to remember that the Clinton's have won the Whitehouse twice before. They know what it takes.

If Sen. Obama fails his test of commander and chief we can only hope that Hillary Clinton can continue her heroic fight for the American people. And that she prevails. She will need all the continual support and help we can give her. She may fight like a superhuman. But she is only human.

Don't be fooled by the pledged delegate, and math arguments. Neither candidate has the necessary pledged delegates. The entire delegates counts, and votes from Florida, and Michigan are not even being counted. Plus the democratic caucuses, and primarys have been heavily corrupted by fraud, and vote cheating. The only relevant question now is who can best WIN IN NOVEMBER and take back the Whitehouse for the American people. And the answer is HILLARY CLINTON. Everyone knows that now.

Sincerely

Jacksmith... Working Class :-)

p.s. Cynthia Ruccia - I'm with ya baby. All the way. "Clinton Supporters Count Too."