DNC bans lobbyist money; Dean remains as chair - Yahoo! News

News Type: Event — Seeded on Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:08 PM EDT

Article Source: Yahoo! News

politics, barack-obama, election, president, democrat, dnc, howard-dean

NEW YORK - Acting swiftly as his party's presumed presidential nominee, Barack Obama is keeping Howard Dean at the helm of the Democratic National Committee, while bringing in one of his top strategists to oversee the party's operations.
ADVERTISEMENT

The campaign also announced that the DNC will no longer accept donations from lobbyists and political action committees, to comply with Obama's campaign policy. Party officials say they expect the DNC's staff to quickly expand to run an aggressive general election campaign.

Campaign adviser Paul Tewes was dispatched to help lead the changes Thursday.

"Senator Obama appreciates the hard work that Chairman Dean has done to grow our party at the grass-roots level and looks forward to working with him as the chairman of the Democratic Party as we go forward," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.

By keeping Dean as party chairman, Obama ended up taking sides in a long-running dispute between Washington-based Democratic Party leaders and state party officials. Although Obama campaign officials have expressed concern in the past that the party did not have enough money, Obama shares Dean's goal of building the party from the ground up, even in states where Republicans dominate.

Published to:

Scott Isaacs's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: 2008: Barack Obama, America's Need For Change, Bar Room Debates, DemGuys, Democrats, Election News, Heated Debate, Left of Center, ObamaExpress, ObamaVine, Open Mic, Political Analysis, The Big 2008 Election
Regions: Washington DC

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

9.0

4.6

{"commentId":1901729,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}

Scott Isaacs

This is a good sign that Obama is keeping Dean, they are both on the same page about building the party in all 50 states and that Obama is taking the helm of the party. Strong integration of the DNC will help him get elected and help the DNC raise more money.

{"commentId":1901729,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"isaacs"}

7 votes

#1 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:12 PM EDT

{"commentId":1902520,"authorDomain":"newsguru"}

newsguru

The first of a hoped many positive results of supporting Obama.

Tell the lobbyist to put their money back in the pockets and crawl back under their rocks.

{"commentId":1902520,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"newsguru"}

6 votes

#1.1 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 2:35 PM EDT

{"commentId":1902556,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}

Scott Isaacs

Back under their rocks indeed.

{"commentId":1902556,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"isaacs"}

3 votes

#1.2 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 2:39 PM EDT

{"commentId":1903316,"authorDomain":"We-The-People"}

Independent Rob

Banning Lobbyist money is a wonderful sign!! hmmm this seems a little dangerous. People who benefit from lobbyist money may push back.

{"commentId":1903316,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"We-The-People"}

1 vote

#1.3 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 4:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":1903554,"authorDomain":"torabu"}

Torabu

@Independent Rob, #1.3: When change arrives, there are always those who fight against it. Overall, though, I believe this is change for the better, and worth fighting for (assuming some do push back).

{"commentId":1903554,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"torabu"}

1 vote

#1.4 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 4:39 PM EDT

{"commentId":1901746,"authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}

arcanebliss

Poor guy, I'll always remember him for his crazy outburst. ha ha

{"commentId":1901746,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}

3 votes

#2 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:14 PM EDT

{"commentId":1901793,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}

Scott Isaacs

Hopefully he'll outlive that reputation and replace it with a successful DNC chairmanship, AB.

{"commentId":1901793,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"isaacs"}

4 votes

#2.1 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:20 PM EDT

{"commentId":1901836,"authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}

arcanebliss

Ah, I have nothing significant against him. It's my own betraying mind that always makes me relive that day whenever I see or hear his name.

{"commentId":1901836,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}

3 votes

#2.2 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:24 PM EDT

{"commentId":1901874,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}

Scott Isaacs

Well, it helps that CNN played the clip hundreds of times, literally. I think that CNN single-handedly ruined Dean's campaign.

{"commentId":1901874,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"isaacs"}

5 votes

#2.3 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:29 PM EDT

{"commentId":1901914,"authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}

arcanebliss

I concur.
Do not underestimate the power that popular media has on our minds! ;[

{"commentId":1901914,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}

2 votes

#2.4 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:33 PM EDT

{"commentId":1901944,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}

Scott Isaacs

I hope nothing similar befalls Obama.

{"commentId":1901944,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"isaacs"}

3 votes

#2.5 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:36 PM EDT

{"commentId":1902154,"authorDomain":"awake"}

Awake

"BYAAAAAH!!!" - Howard Dean

{"commentId":1902154,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"awake"}

1 vote

#2.6 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 1:56 PM EDT

{"commentId":1903417,"authorDomain":"We-The-People"}

Independent Rob

Well, it helps that CNN played the clip hundreds of times, literally. I think that CNN single-handedly ruined Dean's campaign

I am glad you remembered that. It was the first hard evidence, of how a single network can kill a campaign. who cares what FOX thinks because everyone knows their agenda. But CNN at the time was so very respected for balanced news.

{"commentId":1903417,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"We-The-People"}

5 votes

#2.7 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 4:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":1903488,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}

Scott Isaacs

I remember being shocked at how many times they played that clip. They just played it on a permanent loop or something.

{"commentId":1903488,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"isaacs"}

3 votes

#2.8 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 4:31 PM EDT

{"commentId":1903625,"authorDomain":"josh1980"}

Josh1980

This is excellent news. Obama is already getting a lot of power, and for once it's power to do good! Hopefully this will continue.

{"commentId":1903625,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"josh1980"}

3 votes

#3 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 4:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":1905370,"authorDomain":"Robert69"}

Robert69

Sweet, no lobbyist $ for the Dems. I'd like to see McCain and the GOP do this too.......and pigs will fly tomorrow....LOL!

McCain's whole campaign is run by lobbyists - people he supposedly doesn't associate with.

{"commentId":1905370,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"Robert69"}

3 votes

#4 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 9:02 PM EDT

{"commentId":1905495,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}

Scott Isaacs

I'd like to think that smaller donors will reward Obama and the DNC by contributing more to make up for the shortfall from what would normally be a source of political cash.

{"commentId":1905495,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"isaacs"}

4 votes

#4.1 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 9:21 PM EDT

{"commentId":1919413,"authorDomain":"crankyman"}

cranky old man

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't there a limit to how much you can donate to a campaign? Or is that just a local thing?

I would love it if the GOP would do the same thing. And then Washington would follow suite.

Can you imagine all that could be done without having lobbyists in the capitol all the time????

This would finally put all candidates on an level playing field.

{"commentId":1919413,"threadId":"280044","contentId":"1544566","authorDomain":"crankyman"}

1 vote

#4.2 - Sun Jun 8, 2008 2:16 AM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"280044","isPrivate":false}

Obama attacks McCain on health care - Yahoo! News	Yahoo! News	Thu Jun 5	0
Obama keeps Dean at DNC, bans lobbyist money	Associated Press	Wed Jun 4	1
Obama appoints team to help find running mate - Yahoo! News	Yahoo! News	Wed Jun 4	22
GOP fears Obama's money machine	Yahoo! News	Thu Jun 5	0
Change in tone for Clinton; supporting Obama, "The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise."	Yahoo! News	Thu Jun 5	1

SCOTT ISAACS

Backyard

DNC bans lobbyist money; Dean remains as chair - Yahoo! News

Published to:

FUN STUFF:

COMPANY STUFF:

LEGAL STUFF: