Candidates Vie To Be The Anti-Lobbyist

Washington Post: Attacks And Retorts From Obama, McCain Show How They Plan To Take Aim At Lobbyist Influence

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Matthew Mosk and Michael D. Shear.

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Sen. Barack Obama accused Sen. John McCain on Monday of running a presidential campaign bought and paid for by lobbyists and criticized the presumptive Republican nominee for waiting more than a year to address the conflicts of several key advisers.

During a speech at a high school here, Obama said voters should be concerned that "after nearly three decades in Washington, John McCain can't see or won't acknowledge what's obvious to all of us here today -- that lobbyists aren't just part of the system in Washington, they're part of the problem."

McCain's campaign shot back quickly, challenging Obama to "shed light on the long list of federal lobbyists advising him on policy issues" and accusing him of diverting attention from more serious matters.

(Read About McCain calling on the Obama campaign to disclose its lobbying ties in the From The Road blog.)

"Every moment that Senator Obama spends attacking individual volunteers on our campaign is time he's not using to address issues of real importance in the lives of Americans," said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds.

Over the past week, McCain has publicly purged his ranks of several advisers who have lobbied for countries and corporations in an attempt to retain his reputation as a reformer on questions of ethics and influence in Washington. But several former lobbyists, including campaign manager Rick Davis and political strategist Charles R. Black Jr., remain as top advisers.

Obama's attacks on Monday -- and the McCain campaign's fast retort -- underscore how both candidates plan to take aim at K Street lobbyists and the influence they peddle at the White House and in Congress. The two men are essentially competing to be known as the anti-lobbyist candidate.

"Lobbyists have become a popular piñata of late," said Carlos Bonilla, a Washington lobbyist who has been advising McCain on economic policy. "Everyone likes to swing at piñatas."

Bonilla said he disclosed his clients to the campaign and promised not to lobby McCain or his staff, as required under a new conflict-of-interest policy that covers all such campaign volunteers. The policy, put into force last week, requires all paid staff members to either quit the campaign or cease all lobbying connections.

On Sunday, the new rules ensnared McCain's top finance chief, former congressman Tom Loeffler (Tex.), who became the fifth adviser to publicly leave the campaign because of ties to lobbying or outside political groups. Former senator Phil Gramm (Tex.), another top McCain adviser, officially delisted himself as a registered lobbyist on April 18 so that he could stay with the campaign, records show.

The policy leaves in place Davis and Black, both of whom have had lucrative careers as lobbyists and campaign operatives. Black said he has retired as a partner at BKSH & Associates, a Washington lobbying firm. A spokeswoman said Davis has taken a complete leave of absence from Davis Manafort, his lobbying firm. Both are "in compliance" with McCain's new policy, the campaign said.

McCain's policy leaves the door open to lobbyists who serve as volunteers as long as they do not lobby him or his staff. Several who were contacted Monday said they are "in compliance" with the policy, including Bonilla and fundraiser Wayne Berman, a lobbyist with Ogilvy Government Relations.

Top aides said the idea is to ensure that McCain is not distracted by controversies surrounding his advisers and fundraisers.

"Senator McCain wanted to set a higher standard than any presidential candidate ever had about conflict of interest and lobbying," Black said. "The next question is: Will Obama do the same and enforce it?"

Some of McCain's advisers said Monday they are mystified by the new policy, which they said gives Obama an opening to attack their candidate.

"The most interesting thing in every campaign is the self-inflicted wound. This is a great case," said one GOP fundraiser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss McCain's campaign decisions candidly. "When asked to name the 10,000 things people think are the most important issue, this doesn't make the list."

Another adviser said: "There's scratching of heads. What is going on? Why are we doing this?"

Democrats seized the opportunity to hammer McCain by calling for more departures. Several groups focused on Black, who recently quit his lobbying practice to work on the campaign full-time. In an e-mail to members, the liberal group MoveOn.org called Black's role as a McCain adviser a "moral issue" because of Black's work as a lobbyist representing controversial foreign leaders. Black and his firm have represented the governments of Zaire (now Congo), Somalia, Angola and Nigeria.

Black, who has served on several presidential campaigns, said he has no intention of leaving. "Of course not," he said in an interview.

He told reporters on McCain's campaign plane that Obama's comments about him were "nonsense." And several campaign aides pointed out that the Democrat's pledge not to take money from lobbyists was not as ironclad as it may seem. Obama does accept money from the spouses of lobbyists and from many of the interests that lobbyists represent.

Obama's campaign does not allow paid staff members to be lobbyists, according to a spokesman. But it does allow volunteers to lobby the federal government while donating their time to Obama.

The Democrat's remarks Monday were his sharpest to date on a subject that has put McCain on the defensive. Obama first waded into the discussion Sunday, when he questioned McCain's judgment on the topic. That brought a pointed response from McCain aides, who said in an e-mail to reporters: "If Barack Obama is going to make associations the issue, we look forward to the debate about Senator Obama's associations and what they say about his judgment and readiness to be commander in chief."

They noted that "just a few years ago when Barack Obama was beginning his career in politics he was launching it at the home of William Ayers, an unrepentant domestic terrorist who his chief strategist said Senator Obama was certainly friendly with."

Obama, in turn, sharpened his comments, telling the crowd here that one of McCain's advisers had been lobbying for big energy companies, and two others had done work "for the military regime that's stopping aid from getting into Burma."

"I'm glad Senator McCain is taking these steps," Obama told the crowd. "But it's noteworthy that two of the most influential corporate lobbyists in Washington have taken time off to run his campaign. And they are still at the helm today."

Shear reported from Washington. Staff writer Paul Kane in Washington contributed to this report.

[antoniof123]

Let me see MaCain has 5 personal friends that had to resign and still more so in that is is lost as an Anti-lobbiest person. But to add injury to insult his top advisor went on to say that the voters don''t care about his relationships with brutal regiems.

Want to bet we do because now we are just sick of the GOP supporting facist dictatorships like the Junta. In fact GOP the Juntal makes Stalin look like a boy scout and maybe is more in line with Hitler. Remember him he want to conquer the world and install a supreme race.

Have a good a day.

[sjc_1]

They call them lobbyists, because they used to hang out in the lobbies of Congress and wait to ''buttonhole" a Congressman. That was sort of like the press getting a story by shouting questions. Not any more. Now the lobbyists are an industry for special interests. That is the problem, they are representing what SPECIAL interests want and not the GENERAL interests of all Americans. Where is the People''s Lobby?

[bajaan]

HUSSEIN OBAMA CONTINUING TO DUPE THE VOTERS

It''s nothing short of amazing how easily and how repeatedly, with his clever fancy speeches, Hussein Obama, the over-ambitious, sharp lawyer/politician, is able to fool and mislead many voters.
________________

As-salaam alaikum, naqab, al-hamdulilah. Barack Hussein Obama. The middle name means "blessed." You people are lucky to have him as your leader, and, inshallah, he will lead you on a glorious path for your nation.

[gorgeousm]

This Hussein Obama deceiver has some nerve lecturing us on lobbying when he has his own SECRET AGENDA, and will replace other Americans interest with his own POWER PLAY of his OWN Anti-American interests!

[honest_pols]

Titled:
HUSSEIN OBAMA CONTINUING TO DUPE THE VOTERS

It''s nothing short of amazing how easily and how repeatedly, with his clever fancy speeches, Hussein Obama, the over-ambitious, sharp lawyer/politician, is able to fool and mislead many voters.

The subject of reference here specifically is Hussein Obama''s stating that he will put a stop to ''special interests'' lobbying. What too many of us fail to realize, is the same Hussein Obama intends to replace other American''s interests with

HIS AND HIS ANTI-AMERICA ASSOCIATES'' VERY OWN, SELF-SERVING INTERESTS!

And we can be assured that the interests of Hussein Obama and those of his associates, are ANYTHING BUT in America''s best interests!

Does such often naive hope stem from many of our WANTING and NEEDING to belive in something, especially something or other that no politician is even able to deliver ?

Americans must come to the realization that Hussein Obama and his associates do not have the best interests of Americans in mind. They continue to work in their VERY OWN, SELF-SERVING, HEAVILY MOSLEM INFLUENCED, ANTI-AMERICA INTERESTS!

[edward1975-2009]

j: America''s credibility has been at stake for quite a while, we didn''t just fall from grace. I can''t help but think that the world looks at who we have as candidates and ask the same question many Americans do. And that question is. These are the best America has to offer? I have no loyalty to either party and vote for the person I believe will do the job right. For me, it will be who each chooses as their running mate. But this group candidates has me extremely worried.

[j-whitman]

Edward1975,,, Still, America''s credibility is at stake ---- We can''t elect another Walking Liar & McBush starts his attacks with bold face lies.

[edward1975-2009]

j: A politicians view changes with whatever the polls are telling them. That is what a politician is. They stand for nothing and agree to whatever is popular that day. We have no leaders today, just people watching polls, no right or wrong, which ever way the wind is blowing. And that is the essence of todays politician unfortunately.

[j-whitman]

Edward1975,,,,, It would help if politicians whould stop lying to Americans.

McBush today, accused Obam of wanting normalization of Cuba ---- It was McBush who in 2000 supported normaliziation

"I was fore it before I was against it"

[edward1975-2009]

Both guys living in glass houses throwing stones. Of course they both took donations from lobbyist and big business. Just as every politician does. It''s what''s wrong with American politics. Take these two entities out of the equation and maybe, just maybe, politicians would start representing the people they are suppose too.

[stn_sage]

I don''t know how many lobbyists Mr. Obama has working on his campaign, but it''s apparent the central core of McCain''s campaign is RUN by lobbyists! YIKES!

This should be setting off alarm bells! McCain claims to be a Washington outsider---you''d never know it from the amount of lobbyists working for him.

In an effort to ''hide the truth'', he''s laid off some of them but kept others, and we still can''t be sure if he''s ''under the thumb'' of lobbyists or how many thumbs he''s under?!

Mr. McCain is less a ''dark horse'' than he is a ''Trojan horse''! Ready to ''carve up the carcass'' of what remains of the American economy!

I ''see'' dark times ahead for America, should he get elected. It would be a big mistake.

[randynason]

MacCain is so used to politics of old that he can''t see the forest through the trees. He doesn''t seem to recognize what anyone with foresight is saying or seeing. He rambles on, lets loose and escapes like an old, demented f*rt. Plinky, but Stinky- should be his campaign slogan.

[zorar-2009]

vmcneal2.. ya I''''m kidding that was the point
there is so much serious garbage on these post
someone needs to bring in some humor!



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Posted by zorar at 12:51 PM : May 20, 2008

You''''''''re kidding..right Tiger Woods''''''''s mother is Asian, his wife is White and not American so the bigots would go crazy, Bill Cosby has been sued by several women for sexual harrasment so female voters would be offended, Colin Powell''''''''s wife has had some mental issues in the past so he''''''''s out.
vmcneal2.. ya I''''m kidding that was the point
there is so much serious garbage on these post
someone needs to bring in some humor!

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Posted by vmcneal2 at 01:22 PM : May 20, 2008

[zorar-2009]

To bad sombody straight up like Tiger Woods, Colin Powell, or Bill Cosby wasn''''''''t running!


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Posted by zorar at 12:51 PM : May 20, 2008

You''''re kidding..right Tiger Woods''''s mother is Asian, his wife is White and not American so the bigots would go crazy, Bill Cosby has been sued by several women for sexual harrasment so female voters would be offended, Colin Powell''''s wife has had some mental issues in the past so he''''s out.
vmcneal2.. ya I''m kidding that was the point
there is so much serious garbage on these post
someone needs to bring in some humor!

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Posted by vmcneal2 at 01:22 PM : May 20, 2008

[berniew4]

To Ricknuber. i guess my drool goeson. incidentally the ''Common Good " we tried to lobby for was to maintain US jobs. WE LOST there is no more TRADE ORG., No more jobs . All mnoew in CHINA. i guess the public good won and you are happy. So be It. i will continue to try to give all POLiticians my views for what I believe is right. Certainly not waht Obama thinks. but to you all lobbying is bad even for good things. are you not for anything good? will you let your candidate know? THIS IS LOBBYING WAKE UP and THINK

[ricknuber]

"To Rick Nuber.WOW This is b.s. I was head of a trade org who gave pac funds and LOBBYING. we never felt it was not for the ''''PUBLIC GOOD '''' . That is the eye of the beholder. do you really feel the Millions who giveto O,bama are against the public good ?? I sure do !!"
Posted by Berniew4 at 03:25 PM : May 20, 2008

If I''m parsing your barely-literate drool correctly, you are defending the current lobbying system. The standard "good is in the eye of the beholder" argument is pretty flimsy, as it is easily demonstrable that many trade groups push for loosening of regulations which keep people safe.

The safety and prosperity of the average American voter should trump the selfish aims of any trade group. Please go study the concept of "representative democracy".

[j-whitman]

milesbrown49,,,, Yeah, Go Obama -- He draws a bigger crowd of supporters than the Pope

Obama''s the President that''s needed to stop America''s bleeding

[milesbrown49]

There''re all marching to Obama''s band. What a great leader!! Obama 08

[csp66]

"Speaking of Iran/Contra, another reason I''''ll never support McBush" **** It is amazing how many of the Iran-Contra GOP folks are back in power now (or given their own radio show). I guess it''s a national testament to our short memories and ignorance of history/politics. Only the GOP can spin traitors like Ollie North, G. Gordon Liddy and Ronald Reagan into "patriots". Then again, their definition of "patriot" consists of "he who wears a flag pin".

[berniew4]

To Rick Nuber.WOW This is b.s. I was head of a trade org who gave pac funds and LOBBYING. we never felt it was not for the ''PUBLIC GOOD '' . That is the eye of the beholder. do you really feel the Millions who giveto O,bama are against the public good ?? I sure do !!