Obama Camp's Many Ties To Wife's Employer

Washington Post: Michelle, Barack, David Axelrod And The University Of Chicago

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Joe Stephens.

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A few years ago, executives at the prestigious University of Chicago Medical Center were concerned that an increasing number of patients were arriving at their emergency room with what the executives considered to be non-urgent complaints. The visits were costly to the hospital, and many of the patients, coming from the surrounding South Side neighborhood, were poor and uninsured.

Michelle Obama, an executive at the medical center, launched an innovative program to steer the patients to existing neighborhood clinics to deal with their health needs.

That effort, in time, inspired a broader program the hospital now calls its Urban Health Initiative. To ensure community support, Michelle Obama and others in late 2006 recommended that the hospital hire the firm of David Axelrod, who a few months later became the chief strategist for Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

Axelrod's firm recommended an aggressive promotional effort modeled on a political campaign -- appoint a campaign manager, conduct focus groups, target messages to specific constituencies, then recruit religious leaders and other third-party "validators." They, in turn, would write and submit opinion pieces to Chicago publications.

One key recommendation from Axelrod's firm: "Respond quickly to opposition activity."

The medical center's initiative provides a window into the close relationship between the Obamas, their associates at the University of Chicago and Axelrod, the strategist most central to Barack Obama's rise. It also illustrates how that circle, and particularly Michelle, dealt with an intractable social problem that confronts many urban areas: How much care should large, nonprofit hospitals offer the poor in return for tax-exempt status?

The medical center markets its initiative as an effort to improve patient health for the poor and at the same time free its resources for emergencies and complicated procedures. The Urban Health Initiative also could save the hospital substantial amounts of money, by removing the nonpaying poor patients from its emergency room.

"An ER visit for something that's not an emergency costs the medical center $1,200," said Kelly Sullivan, a hospital spokeswoman. "That's sucking up dollars in health care that we don't all have to just blow through carelessly.

"Michelle inspired us . . . to step back and take a holistic approach to this problem."

Those involved in the effort in Chicago say that they are hopeful but that it is too soon to judge its success.

Michelle Obama and Axelrod did not respond to requests for an interview about the initiative. Axelrod's partner, Eric Sedler, confirmed his firm did the work but declined to discuss specifics. Hospital executives declined to say how much Axelrod's firm was paid.

Howard Peters of the nonprofit Illinois Hospital Association praised the medical center's efforts, saying the ER is not the place to provide patients with primary medical care.

"Patients need a source of ongoing care, and this initiative is trying to make that care available in a more appropriate setting and in a more timely way," Peters said.

Axelrod's firm warned hospital executives in its May 2007 presentation that, although many people welcomed the initiative, primary-care doctors opposed it as a break with the center's commitment to the community. Opinion research showed that a small but passionate group of people already considered the hospital to be elitist, arrogant and lacking in "cultural empathy" for the surrounding economically depressed South Side neighborhood, according to a draft report obtained by The Washington Post. Some doctors in focus groups dismissed local health clinics as "wholly inadequate."

One of the suggestions from Axelrod's firm: Change the name of the initiative.

"Internal and external respondents expressed the opinion that the word 'urban' is code for 'black' or 'black and poor,' " according to a report the firm gave the medical center on May 14, 2007. "Based on the research, consideration should be given to re-branding the initiative."

Links to University

Both Barack and Michelle Obama have worked at the University of Chicago, a financial and intellectual powerhouse with 9,500 employees and a legacy of nurturing Nobel laureates.

Barack was a part-time lecturer at the law school for more than a decade, earning as much as $69,000 a year. Michelle was the founding director of the university's community service center, working there for five years before moving to the medical center in 2001.

Shortly after Barack Obama joined the U.S. Senate in 2005, the medical center promoted Michelle Obama to vice president of community and external relations, and more than doubled her salary. She is now on leave from the $317,000-a-year post, in which she sought to bridge the gap between the wealthy institution and its poorer neighbors. The hospital declined to discuss the budget for her program or her input into budgetary decisions.

The vast majority of political contributions from university employees have gone to Democrats, and over the past nine years they have donated at least $373,000 to Barack Obama's campaigns, records show. The university's executive suites are home to a number of the couple's closest friends and financial backers.

The medical center's chairwoman, Valerie Jarrett, is a close friend and top adviser who travels frequently with Barack Obama. One of Barack's best friends, Eric Whitaker, is executive vice president at the center and is now in charge of the Urban Health Initiative. Hospital board member Kelly R. Welsh is executive vice president at Northern Trust Co., which extended the couple a $1.3 million home mortgage shortly after Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate. Dan Shomon, Barack Obama's former campaign manager, is a university lobbyist. Jarrett, Whitaker, Welsh and Shomon all declined to be interviewed or did not respond to requests.

The 600-bed medical center, which has a $1.3 billion budget, has more than 700 attending physicians. The hospital is a leader in such specialties as cancer care and organ transplants, and boasts that patients travel from around the world for treatment. Its facilities feature valet parking, a meditation garden and, in some rooms, 42-inch flat-panel televisions.

Quentin Young, a local physician whose five-doctor medical office lists Barack Obama among its patients, said that in past decades the South Side often viewed the institution as a "citadel of exclusion," more interested in research than the well-being of its neighbors.

The hospital's general counsel, Susan Sher, said she approached Michelle Obama in 2001 and asked her to develop plans to bring the hospital closer to the surrounding neighborhood. Sher is a longtime friend of Michelle Obama; they worked together at Chicago City Hall, where Sher was head of Mayor Richard M. Daley's law department. Michelle Obama "grew up in this community," Sher said, adding that that makes her uniquely qualified.

"We really didn't know what this office would be, so it was really her creation," Sher said. Today, Sher said, Obama's office has grown to include more than 20 staffers and has proved a success at boosting the medical center's image.

[nursehope]

Non-emergent care is destroying our ERs and draining our tax dollars. $1200 for a cut on the finger? Does that make sense to anybody? Filling up the ERs with patients w/ minor medical needs when your loved needs help because he or she is dying? Does that make sence to you? ERs cost money because of the high overhead, high staffing levels and equiptment costs and malpractice insurance, not because of paying an administrators salary. Our hospitals are in trouble people! Most people misuse the ERs because of lack of available alternatives or because they have no money or insurance (Thanks GOP!) Once they walk through that door they must be treated. We need more people like Michelle Obama in this world. Kudos Michelle you''ll make a great Fisrt Lady!

[broncfan1661]

So the Obamas are going to fix the nations Healthcare system. If this is representative of their method of fixing, we can look forward to further segragation of our healthcare. The best hospitals for the rich and a lot of 9 to 5 clinics for the rest of us.

[besscannon-2009]

I guess the only reason the Obama''s don''t have more houses is probably they haven''t had time to acquire them. Soundslike the "elistist" two have enough financial means just as McCain. This "house" bit is silly and sounds like desparation on Obama camp''s side.

[dnsallday]

Setting up health clinics so people aren''t using the ER for non critical issues. Spending a small amount of money instead of the thousands it costs for an ER visit, which the taxpayer gets the bill for when the people are uninsured. Somebody coming up with ideas and implementing them.
Gee that is terrible. I can imagine the Republicans really hate that.

[dnsallday]

Say "Hello President McCain!" The sexist pigs at the DNC need to be sent a message.


Posted by Bec67 at 05:51 AM :
******************************************************* Yeah, we''ll show em, we''ll elect a well documented sexist pig by the name of John MCain.
That is great if you think you think John McCain should have power over you because he thinks it too.

[wellhell3]

So, it costs $1200 to stick a band aid on a kid''s finger or take their temperature and prescribe some antibiotics, which takes all of 15 minutes?

Or some little old lady comes in suffering from arthritis and they prescribe some NSAID and it costs $1200 for 15 minutes? And at most maybe a blood test?

Paying MicHELLe''s salary of $317,000 only requires 264 patients at $1200. And Axelrod provided for them about a $1 million marketing scam.

No WONDER it cost $1200 for fifteen minutes worth of care. Nice of MicHELLe to fund an advertising scam to turn people away from the elitist hospital so they don''t have to deal with those cheap $1200/15 minutes people isn''t it? And still keep their non-profit status.

I''d say $317,000 is SOME NICE profit!

[greekman777]

I''M JUST AN ORDINARY CONCERNED CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING SUCH A TERRIBLE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND I WILL TRY TO BRING THIER MESSAGE TO THE POLITICAL POWERS. I AM SO ANGRY, AND SO IS THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

WE NEED TO SPEND THE MONEY WE ARE WASTING ON THE WAR TO IMPROVE
OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, AND OUR HEALTHCARE.

ENOUGH OF THE FORECLOSURES THAT ARE OCCURING IN OUR COUNTRY.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT OUTSOURCING HAS GOTTEN OUT OF HAND.
OUR CITIZENS OUR OUT OF WORK BECAUSE MOST OF THEIR JOBS
ARE BEING OUTSOURCED.
THIS KEEPS THE PEOPLE OF THE U.SA OUT OF WORK, AND NOT NOT
INSURED.

GAS PRICES ARE HURTING ALL THE COMMON PEOPLE.

AT THIS RATE THERE WILL BE ONLY THE WELATHY RICH, AND THE POOR.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MIDDLE CLASS??

OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR GREATEST ASSETS, AND WE NEED TO PROTECT THEIR FUTURE.


VISIT MY WEB SITE

BUSTED-LIKE-A-RAT.ORG .


LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW YOU, YOUR FAMILY, AND YOUR FRIENDS ARE FEELING THE PAIN OF THIS ECONOMY THAT IS DESTROYING LIVES.
THE COUNTRY IS IN SUCH ECONOMIC DISTRESS. WE NEED TO UNITE AS A NATION AND TELL OUR GOVERNMENT WE ARE MAD AS HELL AND WE WON''T PUT UP WITH IT.

[bec67]

SO MUCH FOR CHANGE! Obama had the chance to select the most qualified woman, who actually received more popular votes then he did, and he chose an old, washed up, has been toad. WELL LADIES, we just got shafted again by this little self serving idiot! Say "Hello President McCain!" The sexist pigs at the DNC need to be sent a message.

[coryellco]

The Media should encourage people''''s efforts to do good rather than find faults with it. ANy good initiative will be criticized by someone or the other. The overall good should not be ignored. Obama and his team seems to have been involved in giving back to the society for some time now. Thats the way to go Obamas''''! We need that in our President.


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Posted by rm1813 at 01:26 PM : Aug 22, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- and while im thinking about it why does he have to use my money to do"good" when he wont even use his own money to help his own kin in that 6 by 9 hut......he even wants to use my money for that!!!!

[coryellco]

At least Obama''''s wife Michelle has an employer!


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Posted by truthspeake2 at 12:29 PM : Aug 22, 2008-------------------------------------------------------------- and aint it wonderfull how her employer doubled her pay when bho made senator....no conflict their ...or i their?

[coryellco]

The Media should encourage people''''s efforts to do good rather than find faults with it. ANy good initiative will be criticized by someone or the other. The overall good should not be ignored. Obama and his team seems to have been involved in giving back to the society for some time now. Thats the way to go Obamas''''! We need that in our President.


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Posted by rm1813 at 01:26 PM : Aug 22, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ so what your saying is look at the good intentions and not the results no matter how many people get hurt or left out because they had good intentions......good one do you even think before you type ...gray matter use it or lose it

[lopezf11]

At least Obama''''s wife Michelle has an employer!
Posted by truthspeake2

McCain''s wife is an employer.

[samthetvcat]

It kind of sheds a whole new light on the community organizer Obamas just to hear that they were working on the other side of the aisle, doesn''t it?

It sounds like Michelle''s role was to act as more of a collaborative bridge, but corporations (even non-profits, who can be the most corrupt corporations of all sometimes) and healthcare are touchy subjects with people so it''s kind of shocking to hear how they sort of ''schemed'' to put forth a ''rebranding'' initiative when the hospital''s only providing charity care at 1/10th of what they''re receiving in tax breaks. Very different picture from how Michelle''s role has been portrayed in the past.

Also, didn''t Barack give the University of Chicago hospitals an earmark?

You wouldn''t have thought there was enough on Barack to paint a potrait of him as one of those power-broker insiders milking the system, but now there''s this, Rezko, and his using technicalities to win his seat in the State senate . . . interesting . . .

[ragnar30066]

This is not good when all of our politicians need to marry a woman who can support them.

Well, at least that''s better than having to marry a woman whose grandfather made all the money.

[rm1813]

The Media should encourage people''s efforts to do good rather than find faults with it. ANy good initiative will be criticized by someone or the other. The overall good should not be ignored. Obama and his team seems to have been involved in giving back to the society for some time now. Thats the way to go Obamas''! We need that in our President.

[truthspeake2]

At least Obama''s wife Michelle has an employer!