Graham praises Clinton - and Obama - on day of party unity

Money talks! Money talks even to Obama, who declared himself a messenger of change in Washington, DC. There is nothing more reprehensible than this picture of the politics as usual on display here. The worst fact is that it is a bunch of millioners paying off their fancy debts. Desperately losing Hillary should have quit a long time ago (after the Super Tuesday to be exact) to show us her Commander in Chief judgment. Instead we got a sore loser begging for money. As for Obama, your principles are for sale just like any other politician. So what kind of change are you going to bring to Washington, DC? You are an insider already, and we could see that here. You fooled us! Thanks, no thanks in November.

How is it that Hillary is desperate to pay the bills when she and her husband have made over $100 million since he left office? Obviously Bill will still make tons of cash doing speaking appearances for the rest of his life, so the Clintons should pay their own debts. Many candidates drop out of primary races when the money runs out but Hillary decided to stay in the race anyway. Why should anyone bail out Hillary the millionaire?

"I figure people drift toward liberalism at a young age, and I always hope that they change when they see how the world really is.”
- Johnny Ramone

Oh please, Mom-in-law, they're NOT looking for the small O-Donors.

They are looking for Barry's biggies to help pay off her debt, and very quickly!

In return, Barry is looking for a new set of big-time contributors who have heretofore helped only Hillary.   Sounds like tit-for-tat.

She cannot legally use her General Election funds -- about $25 million -- to pay off her primary debts. She also gave her campaign personal loans that are reported to be just under $12.2 million. Her debts to vendors totalled $10 million, but that was as of a month ago.

No one but the Clinton finance people themselves know exactly how much her other debts total as of today. On the 20th of June, her FEC report showed her campaign had a little over a $22.5 million debt. But that report reflected the situation only through May 31st.

What was essentially $10 million in vender debts, may be significantly higher now.

The McCain-Feingold law provides that all but a quarter million of that "personal loan" converts to a donation as of the end of their convention near the end of August -- I had thought it was sooner, but it is tied to the convention date. In any event, she stands to LOSE just under $12 million! That is a lot of money!  And she has to pay off the vendors first, or she'll end up in court.

Believe me, the folks in The Group are still very unhappy with what they have gotten from the Obama folks so far. I personally think they still have the attitude that Obama should be kowtowing to her at this point! John F.X. Graham reflected that pompous attitude in Max Pizarro's prior post of two weeks ago, where Graham was demanding that Obama show Hillary her "propers," or he wouldn't do anything for Obama in the General.

You cannot convince me that the "unity" meeting on Thursday accomplished anything of value. More than 300 fund-raisers stuffed in a room at the Mayflower? That was all just blather! Happy talk, like the kissy-kissy meeting on Friday in the wildflowers up in NH.  

Barf Alert!

I'll bet the Mayflower meeting was cover for the real meeting where they cut the real deal -- or not.

According to several press accounts, both the Clinton and Obama camps have been flirting with a way of essentially "trading donations" that will give them a way to get around campaign contribution limitations.

He very publicly gave her a check, and visa-versa with Bill and Hillary giving to his campaign. That was obviously intended to set the "example."  Here's an interesting question:  Did Michelle write a check too?

In a general way, some form of trading scheme is the only means by which he can get her wealthy but "maxed-out" donors to give to him, and his wealthy but "maxed-out" donors to give to her.

The press should be all over this.  Many people believe that such a plan amounts to a structuring of campaign contributions in order to avoid campaign contribution limits. In other words, it would be an unlawful scheme.

So, of I were one of those contributors, I'd be very cautious about getting involved in listening to a plea from the likes of Hillary Clinton fund-raisers to join in! They are even having them filling out "special forms" about their contributions.  That way, someone can keep track of the "progress," no? 

And, is that somebody not maintaining that "coordination" paperwork in some deep secret crypt where it could eventually surface? 

Be very afraid!

by Trochilus