Obama has received considerable press with respect to his promise not to accept contributions from "federal lobbyists." It turns out this claim can be supported only in the most narrow-minded, misleading interpretation possible of those words. He has received over $1 million "from law firms and companies that have major lobbying operations in the nation's capital."
An asterisk to Obama's policy on donations
In his Internet appeals for small donations, Obama played up populist themes of reform.
"It may sound strange for a presidential candidate to launch a fundraising drive that isn't about dollars. But our democracy shouldn't be about money, and it's time our campaigns weren't either," he said in one such pitch.
In another e-mail seeking money, Obama decried the "special interest industry in Washington" and warned it would spend more money than ever to "try to own our political process."
"We're not going to play that game," the e-mail said.
The policy does not reach:
- lawyers whose partners lobby there;
- corporations that have major lobbying operations in Washington;
- lobbyists who ply their trade in state capitals though some deal with national clients and issues.
"Clearly, the distinction is not that significant," said Stephen Weissman of the Campaign Finance Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that focuses on campaign issues.
There's nothing particularly wrong with Obama - I may wind up supporting him myself - but this is a rather silly game to paly with all of us.