Communications

If you can’t beat them, join them.  The Obama White House has completely walked away from the mantle of “change” in order to embrace the type of politics they once relentlessly attacked.  Just as when he reneged on his promise to campaign within the public finance system, this President is all too happy to embrace and discard “principles” according to what is most politically expedient for him.

WHITE HOUSE SPIN: “‘The president’s position on disclosure remains the same,’ Carney said during a gaggle aboard Air Force One.” (Michael O’Brien, “Carney: 'The president's position on disclosure remains the same,” The Hill, 4/29/11)

But the real question is whether the President will continue his assault against these groups from the campaign stump? He is certainly spending plenty of time on the campaign trail.

Obama Called Outside Spending Groups “A Threat To Our Democracy.” OBAMA: “Now, that’s not just a threat to Democrats -- that’s a threat to our democracy.  Every American business and industry deserves a seat at the table, but they don’t get to a chance to buy every chair.  We’ve seen what happens when they do.  They put the entire economy at risk and every American might end up suffering.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At Campaign Event, Philadelphia, PA, 10/10/10)

• OBAMA: “And thanks to a Supreme Court decision called Citizens United, they are being helped along this year by special interest groups that are spending unlimited amounts of money on attack ads -- attacking folks like Patrick Murphy, attacking folks like Joe Sestak -- just attacking people without ever disclosing who’s behind all these attack ads.  You don’t know.  It could be the oil industry.  It could be the insurance industry.  It could even be foreign-owned corporations.  You don’t know because they don’t have to disclose.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At Campaign Event, Philadelphia, PA, 10/10/10)