Sen. Obama might be just Obama without law written by Sen. McCain

Funny how things go around and come around.

In his initial run for the U.S. Senate in 2004, this fellow Barack Obama, who we seem to be hearing a lot about these days, was one of the very first beneficiaries of the so-called millionaire’s amendment that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Thursday.

Obama’s main Democratic primary foe that year was Blair Hull, a wealthy investor who poured $28 million of his own money into the campaign.

But under that same national campaign finance law, Hull’s immense personal spending on himself released Obama from the $2,100 per donor cap then in effect.

And it allowed him to raise his own campaign money in increments up to $12,000 per donor.

That national campaign finance law was co-written by another now familiar name, John McCain, the senator from Arizona.

Now, McCain is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee who will face Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, on Nov. 4 to become president of these United States. Talk about unintended consequences.

Some analysts believe that Obama might well have lost that crucial first step onto the national political stage without the financial boost he received from McCain's law allowing him to gather....

... sums in excess of that $2,100 cap. He certainly would have been unable to finance statewide television advertising.

And then, talk about luck, an Illinois court also helped Obama further when it unsealed Hull’s divorce filing, allowing Chicago newspapers to report embarrassing details about the millionaire’s marriage at about the same time as the ads for this fresh Obama face began airing.

But, wait! His luck wasn't over. In the ensuing general election, Obama faced Republican millionaire investor Jack Ryan. But, would you believe it, an alleged sex scandal involving his ex-wife forced him out of the race. And the Illinois GOP -- talk about desperate -- turned to that political powerhouse, Alan Keyes, who was destroyed by newcomer Obama.

In an interview with The Times' Dan Morain, Jim Cauley, who was Obama's senate campaign manager, said: “Do I think (the millionaires' amendment) helped us? Absolutely.” But Cauley believes Obama would have won the primary anyway.

Cauley’s goal had been to get Obama to 33%-36% of the primary vote in the seven-way race. But instead the state senator ended up capturing 53% of the vote.

With that added money, Obama was able to go up on TV with campaign ads in the crucial and heavily-populated Chicago area a full two weeks earlier than planned. Then, on the final weekend of that 2004 campaign, he could also afford to air ads statewide. Those spots were broadcast from St. Louis to Paducah, Ky., covering rural southern Illinois.

“I definitely think it helped with the size of the win,” said Cauley, currently chief of staff to Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear.

A review of Obama’s receipts in 2003 and 2004 shows he raised $1.7 million in donations in excess of the maximum then in effect of $2,100, or roughly 28% of the $6 million he raised for the primary. Of that, $360,000 flowed in donations of the new maximum of $12,000, and $450,000 came in donations of $10,000.

According to campaign finance figures unciovered by Morain, liberal billionaire George Soros and at least four other members of his family each gave Obama $12,000 donations that year. Also, among those who gave $10,000 checks was a fellow with another now familiar name, Antoin 'Tony' Rezko. A local Illinois powerbroker and fundraiser, Rezko was an early Obama supporter and political patron. He was recently convicted in a federal public corruption case.

For some reason old pal Tony's not featured prominently on the Obama for president campaign site.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: AP

Comments

[Danny]

Republicans need to give it a break... Yes Obama pulled out of the public financing but you know what? He has the money to respond to 527 groups now. And we all know the adds the Repunks will begin using. You know the ones they used against Harold Ford. Also, Repunks have used some personal life problems of their opponents to win office for quite sometime, or hell tried to lump Democrats all in one group when one gets in trouble. Now that the GOP is having issues with corrupt lawmakers or ones looking for a late night get together with a man in an airport bathroom while pushing an anti-gay agenda, they don't want the same thing done to them. And don't begin to play that guilty by association game with Obama.... McCain doesn't have clean hands!

John McCain has how many advisors working on his campaign? Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina is corrupt. Rick Davis and Charlie Black are lobbyists. Two of McCain's staffers worked for DCI Group, to improve the image of the Military Junta in Burma. Thomas G. Loeffler resigned. And hell former Senator Phil Gramm's wife Wendy was head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and helped Enron put energy in futures trading, you know where else she worked? Enron!

Don't play this game because McCain isn't clean.

[JohnJohn]

Sounds like sour grapes and inuendo. real quality piece Andrew.

I think the John McCain who supported the Millionair Amendment is the one people liked (Until he got smeared by Bush and Rove). Unfortunately he has gotten as far away from his straight-talk express campaign finance reform ways now that he is listening to the GOP insiders. I'm a democrat and I actually liked that in him, and it seemed sincere. unfortunately he has gone so far the other way now that I dont think he can return to it without looking insincere.

I think the problem for McCain is that he isnt being true to himself. Occasionally, you can see it on his face. He isn't convincing voters because he isn't convinced himself of what he is saying.

On the plus side, maybe as president he would return to the Maverick he once was, and distance himself from the lobbyists.

[HB]

yawn.. is this drivel the best you can come up with? Here is the reality.. 90% of republican politicians belong in prison. Even the knuckle dragging white trash republicans are waking up to this. You write as if Sen Obama cheated his way into the US senate.. why don't you mention that mccain is the one who actually broke the law by securing loans by signing a contract saying he would accept public financing and then pulling a bush and just ignoring his contractual and legal obligations..

[Marks]

I really liked the addition of Jeri Ryan, actress, former wife of Jack Ryan to the TV series Star Trek-Voyager as a half human/robot called Borg. She was Seven of Nine, name of that character. Hot Robot!

Obama got the benefit of two bad marriage scandals, but Alan Keyes being picked to run against him, one of the most weird political directives ever.

That whole drama and how things turned should be a play on stages in Chicago. If Obama becomes President, his whole life as a politician happened to be at the right place in moments of time. He took advantage playing by the political rules at every opportunity.

That's a script and a very surprising real political life.

[Dan]

Yes, so thank the republicans for enabling millionaires to fund campaigns more, and thank the crafty democrat for doing so.

I think Obama's an incredibly smart guy. Smart enough to get anything he wants. All that needs to happen is for him to want the right things, and the US will go far.

(Actually, something to think about, millionaires could/can always finance their own campaign and ignore the rules everybody else has to follow The McCain amendment actually permitted people like Obama to keep up with the millionaires by removing the caps they once had to follow. So Obama was no longer financially crippled and could compete. Just a thought.)

[Guardian]

It's a sad time when Politicians become President, not because they deserve it, but because they can afford it.

And I'm talking about both candidates.

[Daniel]

What a useless article. Was there a point to this sensationalized mess of writing? The consensus that Obama wouldn't have won without this law is ridiculous. He had insurmountable public favor over his opponent and a little extra funding isn't what put him over the top. If he needed more funding, he would have just asked his previous donors who were below the limit to donate a little more. If you seriously think he would have lost the contest without some TV ads, you are delusional.

Also, lame attempt to damage Obama's image with that unscrupulous photo used in the article. Looks like he's in the middle of a sneeze.

[Writer]

Here is the reality.. 90% of Democrat politicians belong in prison. Even the knuckle dragging black trash Democrats are waking up to this.

Gee, when I write it like this (copied your comment, HB, (Half-Brain) and changed the color) it sounds racist to you, no doubt. But Obama may be our first racist president, he is still whining about how all the white people won't take an afternoon stroll through the downtown neighborhoods and befriend the poor innocent black thugs and murderers who kill 2000-3000 Asians and Whites every year.

B. Hussein's every utterance is hate-speech.

[Diana in California]

In response to comments posted by Danny / June 27, 2008 at 2:10 a.m.

Aren't you being selective in your opinions about Senator John McCain and the Republicans? There's more negative information you can write about your Barack Obama and his campaign, and the Democratic Party than Senator McCain and the Republicans. Barack Obama and the Democrats are a bunch of back-stabbers who bit the hand (The Clintons) that fed them. Haven't you heard or read about Alice Palmer? How your Obama started politics by stealing her seat when she decided to name him pro temp while she ran for higher office, and how he stole her seat by refusing to step down to return it to her. What about his terrorists', racists' and corrupted associations? What about the fact he paid the superdelegates for their votes? What about Larry Sinclair? What about the three gay men from Trinity Church who have been killed because they had negative information about your Obama? What about all his flip-flopping on all the issues? Are you on his payroll like most of the superdelegates, media and bloggers, or are you one of his 90% of African-Americans voting for him because he's 3% African? What about his disrespect to our American Flag, and his disrespect for human life for his stand on abortion and other issues? Your Obama does not have any core values, morals, and principles. He has thrown everybody and his mother under the bus. Are you next? A real Christian does not have the views and beliefs that your Obama has. Oh, and you forgot that your Obama voted for the Energy bill. God help us if empty suit Barack Obama is elected.

[John Pedroza]

I love these comments. First Dems claim they are pure as choirboys and subject to smearing by Reps. Then when people post about the same slime Dems are swimming in they just say its hipocritical to point it out. Its the other way around. I used to be a Dem but noticed long ago they smeared , slimed and bullied everyone into their POV and then squeal like a stuck pig when any criticism is leveled at them. Both parties and candidates have really checkered pasts and for the Dems its the mafia and the unions, Dem party machines and fraud, intimidation and group think in all urban centers and major institutions and money grubbing lobbyists. However I can easily laugh off the claims by Reps that it has the morally superior line because the mainstream media and Hollywoood and all the so-called artists bash them like crazy. However the Pro-Dems actually believe their drivel. Thats the scary part. They really do believe they are clean as snow and arent dirty and force people to conform to their POV or you are a Nazi or fascist. And unlike the phony Dem operatives who flood sites like this with "I used to be a Republican..." posts I really was a standard mainstream brainwashed liberal. The funniest part was seeing Obama being bashed by Clinton operatives and Obama operatives in turn bashing the Clintons. Now that its done , its like its never happened and theres the claim --- Reps play dirty WAAAAAA ! I guess it was Reps who were floating all that dirt from the Obama and Clinton camps. Its to laugh. Ive read stuff that would make a sailor blush against Obama and Clinton from both sides and I know the Dems being pure as snow ---- if McCain was involved in Rezko and all the other Obama slime as well as having big Hollywood and billionaires like Soros , sure they wouldnt mention that at all.

[raj]

Obama is well aware he has gotten some breaks along the way, which may have tempted him to throw it all out there and run for Prez. Along with the too young/ too old aspects of this campaign, I wonder if McCain will hold up under the rigors and scrutiny of the campaign. Strange things do tend to happen to his opponents.

[Advocate4Liberty]

It's interesting that the editorial slant against Obama and in favor of McAIPAC, pardon me, McCain on the basis of an unconstitutional law for which McCain bears some responsibility. Hmmm...

[mike a]

Are you really trying to say Obama is McCain, I mean come on, McCain wants to keep us in Iraq, Obama wants to pull us out, Obama wants to remove the tax cut on the super wealthy, McCain wants to keep Bush's biggest mistake in place. McCain wants to raise taxes (already evident, offering off a 300 million prize for a car battery - ALREADY INVENTED AND DESTROYED BY GM) and Obama wants to lower taxes. McCain cares nothing about fixing Health Care, Obama wants to do everything possible to make it cheaper. McCain is pro life, Obama is pro choice. McCain is against Gay Marriage, Obama is for EQUAL RIGHTS for ALL. McCain is for lobbying in Washington, Obama wants to get rid of it (makes sense since it has destroyed our countrym, ex's: Why is gas so high, Enron had McCain's guy get a had a piece of law passed allowing no regulation on the European Oil Market.

Obama is the CLEAR choice for this country. McCain is nothing more then 4 more years of Bush (The BIGGEST disaster in history)

[Steve Soro]

Yes, ol' Tony is not mentioned on the Obama site. And mention of the Keating Five is somehow missing from McCain's site.

Shocking, I know.

[Steve Soro]

PS: every notice how the anti-Obama articles always run the "angry black man" photo? Yes, lock up your white virginal daughters... Big Black Obama's a-comin' ta git 'em!

[Terri]

So now Obama must be what? Grateful to him? McCain backed that law because he obvously thought it would benefit from it. So now that it is not working for him you come up with his story. Find something more newsworthy.

[Roger Poling]

luv'in it...man is not any different than any republican or democrat...just another snake oil salesman...

[gary brown]

i'm not sure about obama, it looks like he is a rollover politition also.
one thing i am very sure of thu is,"I WILL NEVER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE VOTE REPUBLICAN"!!!!!!!!!!
you can thank bush for that and mc cain looks like another bush.
he can't even keep eye to eye contact.
how can you trust someone like that?
looks like the little guy is point blank screwed in the u.s.a..
the g.n.p. sould be the people, ya right.
by the way l'm a viet nam vet and a very sad one.
this is what i went to war for?

[EDWARD]

You want to kniow who is insincere, look closely at the faces of McCain and Barack.
I understand the disadvantages Obama would have faced had he opted out of the Public Finance system. we want him to win, and if he has to win he should have campaign enough money to fight his way through. i really would have been disappointed had he placed himself in a position of failure taking the public money; how would have been able to win and deliver the change in washington that americans so badly need. McCain will only give lip service and will not push for these changes, he is only running for Bush's third term in office.
please give the good Guy a break, give Obama a break.
he should get up and get out to talk to americans, not just hiding in small rooms talking down on us and calling that interactive town hall meetings.
we need change we can believe in, we need change that cut across the strata of the society. we want Obama and that choice will be clear in Nov; irrespective of the allowable flaws Obama is entitled to being human. McCain is super-human and we don't need another Hero.

[tiredofit]

Face it, hard core Obama supporters do not care what Obama does wrong. They find excuses and justifications to sooth their own minds that they did not make a mistake when they selected him over Hillary. Remember people, Obama is NOT the Dem nominee until August when the votes are taken at the convention. Superdelegates CAN CHANGE their minds. Dems are only stuck with Obama if they do not have enough sense to let the superdelegates know you want them to CHANGE.

[redneck]

Who really care? Not me , not you, not they.We better make our family happy and leave politicians at peace.(irony)

[John]

The article for today should be the second amendment constitution defense in DC. The facts are McCain is not eligible to be president under Section II article I clause 5. Now the media wants to pump McCain for some crazy finance Law? Why doesn't the media cover the Isman lobbying issue an cover some abuse of privacy on titillating Spitzer issue. This article makes me scream at the so called media reporting on anything but their self interest.

[KW]

"knuckle dragging white repulicans"?!?!? And democrats say we're the ones who're judmental and predjudiced? HAH!!!

Obama's answer to too many things is "raise taxes"
I don't like McCain either but he's a far cry better choice for supporting this nation as a whole.

[Greg]

Guardian...

Not both, but all candidates.

What candidate has won without the help of money?

They either get it through donation or now through internet groups willing to spend their own money to do the dirty work like 527 and swiftboat.

America believes a person with money will run the country in a fashion they run their own finances.
This is because they do not realize the under the table a and in many cases illegal work done to obtain their status.

[VMR]

And, Andrew Malcolm?
What your point, debile?

[dlandwer]

Mr. Ryan's sex scandal wasn't alleged. Perhaps the information regarding it contained allegations, but the scandal itself was very real. Perhaps Mr. Malcomb is an alleged journalist?

[Geoff]

I think this would have made a lot more since had you blatantly said that the millionaire law was just ousted by the courts.

[AsperGirl]

I know this sounds conspiracy-theorist and irrational, but as an investor, I've learned not to bet against any position that Middle East oil countries might take. Anything that favors them or that they want seems to happen to come true. I've always lost money and gotten negative surprises when I forget that. Again, sorry if this sounds conspiracy-theorist, but it's empirical trends that I have to pay attention to, not just those trends that make sense.

[ArchiesBoy]

Malcolm old man, you've clearly spent too much time in the sun.

[Ken]

I smell Carl Rove in this piece Andrew Malcolm .

[dave]

it is hardly a coincidence that the 'prescribed' candidates of 'your' choice in both major parties do not even legally, let alone otherwise qualify to run for president. interesting choice of picture material to indicate personal preference too - miss the usual servile worm's eye/frog's perspective of that other ugly distorted mug.

[daytoncapri]

Hey HB - read this slowly.

I had to laugh when you used your description "knuckle-dragging' for people who don't agree with you.

Just want you to know that I am ticket-splitter who probably will be voting for Obama, but I refuse to be associated with you. Your post reaped ridicule, which was richly deserved.

Do you really want "Change" that can lead to better tone and a workable politic in DC? Maybe not.

Your post indicates that you want more of "The Same", as you treat the opposition as if they are beneath you. That IS SOP in blog dialog today - why let yourself get sucked into that? Here's a workable reason: you WANT the divisions in this country to country to widen, rather than be bridged.

Those of us in the political center - from left and right - are fed up this school-yard behavior.

daytoncapri

[JSG]

Another thing to remember: under another law written by Sen. McCain, he may just end up being Prisoner #592842.

In an amazing twist of irony, John W McCain is heavily violating a law he co-authored... McCain-Feingold.

The presumptive #592842, it seems, had been issued money for public financing... but had use those funds as collateral for a private loan. Once that loan was secured, John W McCain chose to spend several million dollars over what he was allowed to under McCain-Feingold.

So it seem, just like his mentor George W Bush, that John W McCain is of the opinion that following laws are completely optional. Fortunately, John W McCain may end up serving four to eight years... in a Federal Penitentiary. Sadly, fellow felon Scooter Libby will not be there to keep him company.