Slope Slipping: Obama does 'Street Money'

Posted Tue, 08/19/2008 - 09:21 by rba
Catherine Lucy/philly.com: Obama to pony up street money in November:
The path to winning elections in Philly includes street money, cash doled out to ward leaders who use the money to pay party committee people to work their voting divisions on Election Day, and sometimes for other expenses like meals or transportation or to hire extra workers.
The path traveled so often by so many in that most corrupt of "Democratic strongholds", now tamped into solid brick by "Barry the New Guy". Similar to the machine politics in other cities, the practice is longstanding, accepted, and is no different in structure or intent from any other organized crime effort. Payoffs by any other name are still a form of extortion.

Comments

Where is "alleged" in this.

by carol white - 08/19/2008 - 10:15
I am surprised that you are accepting this report at face value. I for one do not believe either blog or newspapers sources are to be relied on without question. to my mind Catherine Lucy/philly.com: Obama to pony up street money in November: is alleging something that people claim Obama will do. In my book rumors are rumors. Some turn out to be true, some are simply wrong, and some are malicious in intent and wrong. I have no idea who the writer, Catherine Lucy is, or whether she has ties to any political campaign. I have no idea if she is someone aspiring to be a local correspondent who is inexperienced and doesn't delve to deeply in her informants. Could be yes, could be no. I have a lot more confidence in Barack Obama at this point than I do in the unknown-to-me Catherine Lucy. Am I drinking the Kool-Aid as some of my friends might say. I think not. Now I discounted all those allegations against John Edwards and I proved to be wrong, so I will keep an open mind, but that said for the moment I am not buying Ms Lucy's allegations. Putting money on the street is a slippery slope, no question, but it is one that JFK travelled (just to give one example) and he seems to have survived and proved his mettle.
carol

Sources

by rba - 08/19/2008 - 11:38
From the article:
U.S. Rep. Bob Brady . . . said that the campaign has promised street money to pump up turnout in November.
The source here is an elected Democrat, the reporter is, well, a reporter. You might want to read Catherine Lucey: The new kids on Dem block (4/27/2006), an article on Bowers & Yee running for Ward councils. Good coverage of the situation as it existed - and still does - in Philly. All I see here is a reporter doing her job for a fairly reputable news org.

I think it still ranks as an allegation

by carol white - 08/19/2008 - 12:11
Who in the Obama campaign, and with what authorization, made the promise. What was promised. For example here in Loudoun County Virginia, we have interns and Obama fellows who are not supported by the campaign. Some staff members were hired because of their performance as volunteers. That is not corrupt. What if the campaign offered a contribution to a church that turns out voters, a bit iffy I admit. I like the old WWII slogan, "Loose Lips Sink Ships."
carol

Another so-called dem with a bit of "walking around money"

by cho - 08/19/2008 - 12:56
Sen Joe Liberman spent about 370,000 dollars in walking around money in 10 days. I suspect it's common among a certain class of politicians. I am not saying it's right, Just saying. And yes, I haven't quite gotten over O'Bama for endorsing Lieberman over Lamont -- the elected Democratic candidate.

Did he really! I also am not happy with his Georgia statements

by carol white - 08/19/2008 - 13:45
However I think he is on extraordinary pressure at the moment. I thought his speech to the VFW as very lackluster in tone. Good stuff on full medical care to ALL vets for life and full GI benefits such as his grandfather got. That part was fine, but Georgia not so IMO. The real question is what is going on behind the scenes I think. This is a real shocker. It was originally from the New York Times but picked up on Huff Post. He says that while Obama's energy policy is superior, McCain's is great too. AND BOTH CLINTON'S ARE GETTING STAR BILLING AT THE CONVENTION. What is going on here? Promises are one thing but once you allow a role call vote then the convention can certainly remain open and there can be a genuine floor fight between Obama and Clinton for the nomination. I don't see that such an eventuality is excluded and all of the questioning of Obama's ability to win that is being aired right now could well play into that kind of scenario. I'm not going to spin it out........ One thing for sure, I bet he regrets supporting Lieberman now. We all learn our lessons, sometimes the hard way. I didn't like Lieberman in 2000 and it is one reason that I did not vote for Gore. A very bitter lesson.
carol

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