But back to Obama and the liberal 527s. Occam’s razor time: what’s the simplest reason that Obama would want to see donors shun these groups? Probably the simplest would be that he wants all the money to himself. But even the wealthiest Democrats can only give Obama $2,300 more, and if you’re giving that much, you have more to give. And 527s aren’t limited to any dollar amounts. Past that, there has been a lot of talk about Obama opting out of public financing for the general election, instead accepting only donations far below $2,300 from many more people to prove a point. That leaves even more money on the table that could be put to very good use by bright, experienced people like Brock, Podesta, Soros and others. But not if the Obama campaign gets their way.
Well, of course they did get their way.
Politico (10/19/10):
Democrats enter the homestretch of the 2010 elections complaining vocally about the flood of Republican money, much of it anonymous, pounding their candidates.
But as the White House points the finger at outside Republican groups, many Democrats point the finger back at the White House, which dismantled the Democratic Party’s own outside infrastructure in 2008 and never tried to rebuild it.
[...]
…it’s also easy to underestimate the president’s ability to increase the flow of cash to Democrat-friendly groups had he chosen to do so. Instead, Obama’s choice has been unilateral disarmament.To the White House, that posture is a mark of the purity of the presidential brand and of Obama’s consistency.
[...]
But to some of its more practical-minded allies, the White House is protecting the brand at a very real cost to the party.“The leadership of the Obama campaign warned their donors against giving to outside groups, including many of the key issue groups that motivate progressives. The leadership in the White House has done the same thing,” said Erica Payne, one of the founders of the Democracy Alliance, a group of the largest liberal donors, who now heads the Agenda Project. “As a result, the administration often looks like Will Ferrell in the movie ‘Old School’ — running through the street naked, shouting, ‘Come on, everybody’s streaking,’ when in reality they are all by themselves.”
Unilateral disarmament, the running theme of Obama’s Presidency. He hollowed out the DNC, eradicated the 527s, and we’re all going to pay a hell of a price for it.