by Christi Parsons
Barack Obama is urging donors to avoid independent groups and send money directly to his campaign, the candidate's chief strategist tells the Huffington Post.
"I think that our interest is in controlling the message of our own campaign and in not allowing others to develop a message for us," strategist David Axelrod says. "So to the extent possible we would like people to give their donations to us, so that we can use the money to deliver a message that is constant with Obama's desires."
Reports the Post:
How Obama structures and taps into his massive fundraising apparatus will likely go a long way in determining the success of his White House run. In addition to centralizing contributions, reports have surfaced recently suggesting that the Senator was considering a voluntary restriction on his campaign donations -- a tip of the hat to political ethics but also a recognition that he won't opt into public financing in the general election. Asked about that rumor, Axelrod kept his cards close to the vest.
"We've got a little business to transact here. We will discuss how to approach that shortly after," he said. "There are a lot of ideas that have been floated but we won't discuss them here."
Axelrod also defends himself against a recent Newsweek piece that says he lobbied Chicago officials on behalf of his communications firm's clients, in a story you can read here.
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Comments
This explains it.
The greedy '(me first' let public housing in our neighborhood/district TUMBLE unoccupied to make us BUPPIER), narcissistic (bumping reporters who ask 'rude' questions off pools) and inexperienced (did they think they'd make it into the white house without being properly vetted at the national level) OBAMAS (Michelle and Barry) are in it merely for themselves.
This was NEVER about taking the White House this time, but about seizing control of the Democratic Party.
I hope the DNC will NOT appoint this fraud to the top of the ticket. If they do--we LOSE (Hilary as veep could perhaps help--but why not Hillary for 8 years with Obama as veep, and then if he withstands scrutiny, gets some experience, and learns to play with the rest of the kids properly, he can run in 2016).
Posted by: Obamas - MCSAME | May 31, 2008 9:27 AM
David Axelrod and David Wilhelm are jerks. I hope Obama goes nowhere it would be good to see them upset.
Jerry White, Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | May 31, 2008 9:44 AM
Obama is an arrogant, inexperienced, party hack who has no business being president of the US, I'd like to see his supporters wake up already, quit that dumb chanting for the snake oil salesman and vote for Hillary.
Posted by: jack | May 31, 2008 11:33 AM
I think it's good to see a candidate discouraging supporters from forming "527s" whose primary role is swiftboating others. It would be a good sign if McCain does the same
Posted by: KPO'M | May 31, 2008 11:45 AM
Obama's campaign will go down in history as having the tightest message control, business organization, and strategic planning.
Whenever I see anger at a post like this, it shows how afraid of this phenomenon some of you are.
Team McSame is and always has been a disorganized, underfunded, mess with no clear consistent message.
You folks have good reason to be afraid. Mr."Inexperienced" is about to out-manage and out-strategize the Repukes out of office.
Posted by: fontapa | May 31, 2008 12:03 PM