Subscribe by RSS
Doing what he does best, President Obama is returning to the campaign trail today, and not a moment too soon.
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama jumped with both feet into party politics on Wednesday, endorsing a fellow Democrat in a special congressional election before appearing at his first Democratic National Committee fundraisers as president.
With economic recession and two wars, the new chief executive primarily has focused on governing and has largely shunned overtly partisan activities that would leave him vulnerable to criticism. That’s appeared to come at a cost; the DNC raised a relatively paltry $3.2 million in February despite Obama’s proven powerhouse fundraising ability.
Now, the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer is easing back into campaigning and fundraising, with polls showing a tight race in New York’s 20th Congressional District less than one week out and with party bank accounts on the thin side.
“I’m writing to you now because you have the opportunity to make a big impact on my efforts to bring about a lasting economic recovery,” Obama said in an e-mail in which he announced his support for Democrat Scott Murphy and tied himself — and the popularity of his economic policies — to the outcome of the March 31 election.
It’s no surprise that Obama is backing his fellow Democrat. But the popular president attracts supporters from across the political spectrum, making his support a potentially potent weapon for Murphy as the Democrat runs in a heavily Republican district against the well-known Jim Tedisco, the GOP leader of the state Assembly.
Obama has been stepping up his political activity in recent days, activating his grass-roots campaign apparatus, Organizing for America, in earnest over the past week to put pressure on Congress to back his budget proposal. Campaigning and fundraising are the next steps in a gradual ramping up of his role as chief of the Democratic Party even as he preaches the need for bipartisanship in governing.
The DNC also is transferring $5,000 to Murphy’s campaign for the homestretch; the Republican National Committee has poured $200,000 into the race.
Republicans and Democrats alike see the first special election of Obama’s presidency as a referendum on his policies and a test of GOP strength in a friendly GOP district. The seat became vacant when New York Gov. David Paterson appointed moderate Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand to serve the remainder of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s U.S. Senate term.
Later Wednesday, Obama was headlining his first pair of fundraisers for the DNC.
He planned to address an audience at the National Women in the Arts Museum before appearing at the Warner Theater, where singer Tony Bennett was to perform. Tickets range from $100 to $2,500, and Obama, who raised nearly $750 million during his presidential campaign, is expected to rake in the cash for the party.Democrats certainly need it.
Overall, the RNC is in healthier shape than the Democrats as both parties start raising money for special congressional elections and governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey this year, as well as congressional elections in 2010.
At the end of February, the DNC reported $8.6 million on hand and $7 million in debt, while the RNC reported $24 million in the bank and no debt.
Remember the old adage “Follow the money”? At this point, the RNC seems to know more about amassing more and spending less, but nobody’s listening to the “Party of No”, are they? Ironic.
In between the campaign fundraisers, the President is scheduled to stop off in Congress to try and sell his new budget.
Visit the You Decide Politics Store »
Loading ...
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Obama to answer questions on the Web tomorrow
President Barack Obama is planning an online town hall-style meeting on the White House’s Web site this Thursday.
The White House says Obama will answer questions about the economy and other topics at WhiteHouse.gov. Visitors to the Web site can determine what questions the president will answer.
During his campaign, Obama used the Internet to connect with voters, mobilize supporters and raise a record-shattering amount of money. He has used that online approach during the first months of his presidency.
President George W. Bush’s administration also took questions online at the White House’s Web site.
http://WhiteHouse.gov/OpenForQuestions
*ROFLMAO* JD, I’ve sent questions to the White House website for weeks, I never get a single response. Good luck with this one, Buddy. If your question isn’t a “thank God for obama”, you ain’t getting an audience.
Welcome to the site Susan and we hope to hear your views and contributions on all the important issues of today.
All the Best……..D.D.Mao
The same could be said about posting commentaries on this site. lol.
It is only “hate Obama” and “love Conservatives” that get posted.
But I am here anyway. Never give up babs. Keep asking your questions and one day they will and a “submit commentary” button to their website. See change can happen.
JD……..LOL.I’ll bet you reporters and administration supporters from “Ebony” and other fluff publications get cherry picked to ask dumb ass questions like they did last night.
Yeah, I hear he bypassed all the major newspapers last night, including the Wallstreet Journal. Wonder if he was afraid they would ask him for a bailout. *L*
He did take questions from FOX News.
Well, JD, now you can put your money where your mouth is. The first thing I learned in posting commentaries is you’d better be ready for the punches – like I’ve been told to “kill myself”, that I have blood on my hands, and oh yeah, there was this one guy having a ball sexually harrassing me and CG a while back. Remember him? *LOL*
Fox News is not a newspaper.
Obama is on a permanent campaign to have people like him. He cares not for the country as long as people want to have a beer with him.
People will see through this facade over time and realize that Obama can’t govern, he can only campaign and read teleprompters.
New favorite site:
http://baracksteleprompter.blogspot.com/
Man, compared to getting death threats, sexual harassment is the way to go! I would love to be sexually harassed but then again, I like bold women.
He’s getting popped over his supposed bipartisanship, too. Not only is he putting on his progressive hat and hitting the campaign trail, John McCain “twittered” this yesterday, and I quote:
“Yesterday President Obama said GOP’ers have decided to just “be against whatever the other side is for.” So much for bipartisanship!”
And on the teleprompter saga, George “twittered” this during the press conference last night:
“GStephanopoulos-Just me? Or is Obama’s prompter pitched too low? On my monitor doesn’t appear to be looking straight into camera”
“GStephanopoulos-New prompter. Single screen in back of room instead of two screens flanking the podium”
LOVE the link, Nate! I’m still laughing!