Research

Over The Weekend, Biden Spoke At A Meeting Just Hours After The Attendees Were Hit Up For Donations To Super PACs Supporting Obama’s Campaign

OBAMA PROMISED TO KEEP SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY OUT OF HIS CAMPAIGN

CANDIDATE OBAMA: "We Will Not Take A Dime From Washington Lobbyists Or Special Interest PACs - We're Going To Change How Washington Works. They Will Not Fund My Party ..." (Sunlen Miller, "Obama Commends DNC For Cutting Lobbyist Contributions," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, 6/5/08)

• When Announcing His Campaign For Presidency, Obama Pledged To End Special Interest Access. “Special interests have turned our government into a game only they can afford to play … They get the access while you get to write a letter … The time for that kind of politics is over. It’s through.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks Announcing Campaign For President, Springfield, IL, 2/17/07)

Obama “Made Clear That He Didn’t Want Outside Money Groups Working On His Behalf.” “Some Democrats bristled at what they saw as a sort of unilateral disarmament by Obama in 2008, when the candidate made clear that he didn’t want outside money groups working on his behalf and set sharp limits on who could - and couldn’t - give to his campaign.” (Jeanne Cummings, “New Democratic Money Group To Take On Republicans,” Politico, 4/29/11)

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)

And Promised A More Open And Transparent Government

President Obama: “Let me say it as simply as I can: Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency.” (President Barack Obama, “Remarks By The President In Welcoming Senior Staff And Cabinet Secretaries To The White House,” Washington, DC, 1/21/09)

• White House Press Secretary Jay Carney: “We Are The Most Transparent Administration In History, Without Question.” (Press Briefing, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, 9/28/11)

BUT IN ONE APPEARANCE, VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN BROKE BOTH OF THOSE PROMISES

Biden Attended A Secret, Closed-Press, Meeting Of Liberal Donors

“Vice President Joe Biden Spoke At A Secretive Conference Attended By About 150 Rich Liberals Deciding How To Divvy Up Their Cash In The Run-Up To The 2012 Election.” (Kenneth Vogel, “Biden’s Hush-Hush Donor Address,” Politico, 11/19/11)

His Speech Attempted To Address “The Progressive Grievances” That Are Drying Up The Super PACs’ Donation Pool

Despite Saying His Campaign Would Not Raise Money For Outside Groups, Obama Sent Biden To Give A Speech To The Democracy Alliance “Only Hours After” Pro-Obama Super PACs Made Their Fundraising Requests. “The Obama campaign has said it will not raise money for these outside groups, though Biden gave his speech Thursday night only hours after the operatives running the shadow network wooed the same audience. The setting was the annual winter meeting of the Democracy Alliance, a network of donors who are required to contribute a minimum of $100,000 to recommended liberal groups.” (Kenneth Vogel, “Biden’s Hush-Hush Donor Address,” Politico, 11/19/11)

• Bill Burton Made A Fundraising Pitch For His Priorities USA Super PAC. “Democracy Alliance donors heard from Priorities USA official Bill Burton, a former Obama White House aide, as well as Monica Dixon, who runs a super PAC called Majority PAC that boosts the party’s Senate candidates, and Ali Lapp, who runs House Majority PAC, a super PAC boosting the party’s House candidates.” (Kenneth Vogel, “Biden’s Hush-Hush Donor Address,” Politico, 11/19/11)

The Super PACs Are Struggling To Raise Money Due To Liberal Disappointment With Obama. “The groups represented at the Thursday briefing – Priorities USA, American Bridge, Majority PAC and House Majority PAC – have struggled to raise money from wealthy liberals, some of whom have been disappointed in what they consider the insufficiently liberal course charted by the Obama administration.” (Kenneth Vogel, “Biden’s Hush-Hush Donor Address,” Politico, 11/19/11)

• Burton Is “Falling Short” On Efforts To Raise $100 Million For Obama. “Earlier this year, Bill Burton left the White House to help create a pro-Obama fund-raising group with a goal of raising $100 million, aiming to mimic the success of recent Republican efforts. So far, he's falling short.” (Brody Mullins And Carol E. Lee, “Key Fund-Raiser For Obama Gets Off To A Slow Start,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/16/11)
• “Many Of The Democratic Party's Biggest Donors Aren't Planning To Support His Organization, Either Because They're Unhappy With Mr. Obama Or Disillusioned With Politics In General.” (Brody Mullins And Carol E. Lee, “Key Fund-Raiser For Obama Gets Off To A Slow Start,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/16/11)

Biden’s Speech Addressed “The Progressive Grievances” With Obama. “‘He addressed what he perceived to be some of the progressive grievances towards the administration, but campaign spending did not come up,’ said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the conferences are by-invitation only and are closed to the press. ‘Biden talked about the administration’s policies – why they did what they did,’ the source said.” (Kenneth Vogel, “Biden’s Hush-Hush Donor Address,” Politico, 11/19/11)