Just Words? Yes, According to a Chicago Tribune Blog -- and Most National Media Haven't Figured it Out

by Deb Cupples |  John Kass, a writer for the Chicago Tribune's blog The Swamp writes:

"As a candidate, Obama will do what he has to do to win. My argument is not with him--but with the national political media pack that refuses to look closely at what Chicago is. They're fixated on what it was, and they think it's clean now.

"And they've spent years crafting, then cleaving to their eager and trembling Obama narrative, a tale of great yearning, almost mythic and ardently adolescent, a tale in which Obama is portrayed as a reformer, a dynamic change agent about to do away with the old thuggish politics."

"It's as if Axelrod channeled it, wearing a peaked Merlin hat. Obama is a South Sider and does not hail from Camelot or Mt. Olympus or the lush forests of mythical Narnia.

"I've joked that reporters feel compelled to hug him, in their copy, as if he were the cuddly faun, the Mr. Tumnus of American politics. But I was only kidding. The real Mr. Tumnus never had Billy Daley or Ted Kennedy carving up Cabinet appointments.

"So why the disconnect? Why is Obama allowed to campaign as a reformer, virtually unchallenged by the media, though he's a product of Chicago politics and has never condemned the wholesale political corruption in his home town the way he condemns those darn Washington lobbyists." (The Swamp)

I must interject here, because Mr. Kass missed an opportunity to give some details about the audacious hypocrisy of Obama's condemnation of Washington politics and lobbyists. 

Sen. Obama took more than $1 million in lobbyist or PAC-generated funding to launch  his presidential campaign. (Chicago Tribune)  Once Obama formally announced, he stopped taking lobbyist money directly.

Instead, Obama has taken money from lobbyists' spouses, has taken bundled donations from lobbyists, and has allowed law firms that do heavy lobbying in DC to hold fund raisers for him.  (USA Today, Newhouse News Services and Los Angeles Times)

In other words, Obama technically did not lie to his supporters: he just found a back door way to pocket special-interest-tainted cash while claiming that he doesn't.

SourceWatch has an entire section, with sources listed, on lobbyists' bundling for Obama.

Then there's corporate-connected cash, which no federal candidates take directly from corporations, as that would be illegal.  Instead, they take it from corporate executives, employees and PACs.  Last month, the Los Angeles Times reported:

"Obama has taken at least $263,000 from oil company executives, family members and employees since entering the presidential race last year, including $46,000 last month. At least $140,000 has come in chunks of between $1,000 and $2,300, the maximum permitted under federal law [likely not from janitors and receptionists]...."

NewHouse News Services reported that Obama had taken more than $220,000 in oil-connected cash and $506,000 in Pharma and health-industry connected cash.  Of all three presidential candidates, Obama had the largest haul from Pharma and the health industry.

My point is not that Obama is more tainted than his opponents.  As long as our campaign-finance system is riddled with loopholes, most federal candidates will take special-interest cash.

My point is this: Obama has taken special-interest money while falsely claiming that his campaign coffers are untainted.

In short, Obama really is a player in the old Washington game -- he just tells voters that he's not. 

And most national media outlets have failed to notice or refused to call him on it.   Mr. Kass continues:

"For an answer as to when pundits will ever put Illinois corruption in context, I called on Tom Bevan, executive director of the popular political Web site Real Clear Politics (which directs readers to my column on occasion) and a Chicagoan.

"'To a large degree, the media has accepted much of the Obama narrative thus far,' Bevan told me. 'He's risen so quickly, but his history hasn't been bogged down with an association of Chicago politics and I can't tell you why exactly, except perhaps that some may have bought into the established narrative and can't separate themselves from it.'"

"And I don't know if the country understands just how corrupt the system is in Illinois. People don't see it. They're flying over us, cruising at 30,000 feet," Bevan said

"Our Chicago politics sure must seem sweet from that high altitude as journalists fly by. From up there, our politics must smell pretty, like vanilla beans in a jar, or lavender potpourri: you know, something truly authentic and real. (The Swamp)

Memeorandum has commentary.

Related BN-Politics Posts

* ABC Ignores Obama's Misleading Message About Lobbyist Money

* Obama in Pennsylvania: More Stealth Attacks & Hypocrisy

* Obama Took Credit for Other Senators' Work

* Media Bias Bigger than Presidential Race

* Democrats Do Want Change -- in DNC Leadership

Comments

[T-Steel]

I have alot of family in Chicago. They know ol' Barry well. They say he was a tireless community activist that "knew how to play the game" and "he did way more good than harm".

Ol' Barry knows how to "play the Chicago game well". So while not a Washington playa (like Senator Clinton), he's a playa nevertheless. Ahh ain't politics grand??

[D. Cupples]

Hi T-Steel,

How are you?

I'd say he's a Washington player too -- just hasn't been around very long.

He took some of that "tainted" $ from Washington folk (just like Hillary and McCain).

And his ability to successfully mislead the public about issue after issue is an example of playing Washington politics with the best of them.

Maybe Chicago politics is just worse?

[Danny]

Wait until Hillary wins the game. That is when we'll all know who play's the game the best. When the Clinton's finish out this nomination with the MSM firmly in Obama's corner (at least until it's game on with McCain IF that happens and I'm one who doesn't think it will). Hillary will have Chris Matthews, Tim Russert, Kieth Olberman, Katrina V., Rachel Maddow, John A., et all. crying thier eye's out that they can't control the American public any more. We aint buyin what they are selling and that's the fakery of a story called Obama.

[D. Cupples]

Danny,

I agree that the media has done a real number on us in the Dem primaries. I'm downright disgusted.