The Right Wing is focused almost 100% on this story today. At last, a crumb of something Obama to pick at, and a way for the GOP Congress to get its base off of their backs! Look! Over here! Obama selling access! Blah blah blah
Of course, tool Chuck Todd jumps in to help. In this video, Todd cites a NY Times article; however, if you read the article it appears that Mr. Todd (and I'm sure his large team) craft this spot to make President Obama look like the worst of hypocrites. What a GOP tool Todd has turned out to be.
The video
The NY Times article:
Obama’s Backers Seek Big Donors to Press Agenda
Does the NYTime article state "buying access?" No.
What the article details is a perfectly legal process that Obama supporters are driving, not the White House.
I'm thrilled that the Left is finally pushing back. I think this approach answers Ray Pensador's cogent case, How Billionaires-Funded Propaganda is Unraveling The Country. Ray makes a perfect case that we have to fight back to undo the lies and propaganda of the Right Wing.
Obama's monied supporters are doing just that.
Yes, those who can afford to donate $500,000 will be given a seat at the table with President Obama, as well as those who raise that amount of money.
At least half of the group’s budget will come from a select group of donors who will each contribute or raise $500,000 or more, according to donors and strategists involved in the effort.
But those contributions will also translate into access, according to donors courted by the president’s aides. Next month, Organizing for Action will hold a “founders summit” at a hotel near the White House, where donors paying $50,000 each will mingle with Mr. Obama’s former campaign manager, Jim Messina, and Mr. Carson, who previously led the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Giving or raising $500,000 or more puts donors on a national advisory board for Mr. Obama’s group and the privilege of attending quarterly meetings with the president, along with other meetings at the White House.
Can the DKos community raise $500,000 and maybe put our unwavering, articulate MINISTRY OF TRUTH on the National Advisory Board? Dare I dream?
As you recall, MoT has no qualms about standing up for Truth:
I vote for MoT. Kos is great, but he has a lot on his plate already like this site, his family, etc. This slot was made for MoT, imo!
If access is, in fact, for sale why can't the DKos community have a seat at that table?
But maybe the above isn't true? The Washington Times is reporting a White House denial (head spinning, WT is soooo right wing)
No open door: White House denies selling access to President Obama to wealthy supporters
White House press secretary Jay Carney offered a flat “no” when asked by reporters if donors to the group Organizing for Action — a spinoff of Obama for America — would be rewarded with quarterly meetings with Mr. Obama in exchange for their hefty contributions to the tax-exempt group.
“Of course not,” Mr. Carney said “The president is engaged in an effort to pass items on his agenda. And outside organizations that support that agenda … like organizations that support his manufacturing agenda, administration officials can meet with them. This is an independent organization.”
Who knows. What I do know is that paying to play politics is as old as cave men. And if that is how it is, I want us to have a seat at that table.
Before I donate, I want to make sure OFA will set up offices locally, like they do for presidential campaigns, that are available throughout the country for the 2014 mid-terms so we have a fighting chance of cleaning The House and Senate!
Can we raise $500,000?