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Time For A Bundler's Tax? Is Clinton Bailing?

ABC News is reporting that President Barack Obama intends to raise from “bundlers” $1 billion for his presidential campaign.

As yet, no one who vigorously supports campaign finance regulation has suggested that a confiscatory progressive tax should be levied against the millionaire bundlers, proceeds from the tax to be deposited in accounts supporting public financing.

Among the eager bundlers who showed up in Washington to lend a hand to Mr. Obama was Ned Lamont, the progressive heartthrob and anti Iraq war warrior who, drawing upon his own considerable resources, successfully challenged present Sen. Joe Lieberman in a primary a few years ago. Mr. Lamont lost to Mr. Lieberman, who is retiring at the end of his term, in a rancorous general election.

Within the Democratic Party, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, who styles himself as a progressive in some political ads, has rounded up a good deal of support within his party in a bid for Mr. Lieberman’s seat in the U.S. Senate.

No one yet has asked Mr. Murphy whether he thinks Mr. Obama’s means of collecting money to support his campaign is kosher among progressives who tend to regard with a baleful eye millionaire campaign contributors – many of whom, according to the ABC report, have been rewarded by Mr. Obama with ambassadorships.

Mr.Obama's bundling effort appears to be targeting former contributors to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, according to the ABC report:

“A key strategy for replacing those lost to administration posts has been the active recruitment of Democrats who backed Hillary Clinton last cycle.’ They’re going after the Clinton people,’ one veteran Obama fundraiser told ABC News. The targets are bundlers such as Florida's Ben Pollara, who says on his website he raised over $12 million for Clinton as her Florida finance director."
Other reports indicate that Mrs. Clinton is not satisfied with Mr. Obama’s insufficient response to events unfolding in Libya.

Moammar Gadhafi, the kook dictator of Libya, is now engaged in mopping up scattering opposition to his regime. Coincidentally, Mrs. Clinton has announced that she is done with Mr. Obama after 2012 – even if he wins again, according to a report from The Daily.

Mrs. Clinton’s frustration was expressed in the report by “a Clinton insider” who told The Daily, “

“Obviously, she’s not happy with dealing with a president who can’t decide if today is Tuesday or Wednesday, who can’t make his mind up. She’s exhausted, tired.” If you take a look at what’s on her plate as compared with what’s on the plates of previous Secretary of States — there’s more going on now at this particular moment, and it’s like playing sports with a bunch of amateurs. And she doesn’t have any power. She’s trying to do what she can to keep things from imploding.”
Prodded by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to urge the White House to take a more aggressive course of action in Libya, Mr. Clinton responded cryptically that, “There are difficulties,” according to Foreign Policy Magazine. A frustrated diplomat quoted in the magazine said, "Frankly we are just completely puzzled. We are wondering if this is a priority for the United States.”

When asked by Wolf Blitzer in a recent interview with CNN whether she would accept a post during a potential second Obama administration, Mrs. Clinton four times responded, less cryptically, “No.”

The United Nations in the meantime has authorized a no fly zone over Libya, and France is preparing a military response. Mr. Gadhafi has declared his own no fly zone. Apparently in response to France’s resolve, Mr. Gadhafi, who earlier vowed to “fight to the last bullet,” has decided to stop bombing and strafing from, planes his largely civilian political opposition.

Apparently a successful early intervention in Libya was not as urgent a priority for the Obama administration  as a raid on Mrs. Clinton’s former campaign contributors.

Comments

Pauldz said…
If Mubarek knew then what he knows now, he would have bombed Tahrir Square, and he's still be in power. Despots around the world now know that the administration won't stand up for oppressed people. When France has to take the lead on strong action, you know things are bad. Obama doesn't believe in American exceptionalism, and he certainly doesn't believe in American leadership. What you see going on in Libya and Bahrain is the new world order. We should be ashamed.

At least Hillary Clinton has more cojones than BHO.
Don Pesci said…
Paultz,

Interesting: The day after the blog was posted, the United Nations more or less authorized a no fly zone, at which point Gaddafi announced he would no longer use the military against protestors. France appears ready to intervene. All this would remove arguments proceeding from American exceptionalism. From now on, it’s a question of Obama’s committment to a prudent foreign policy.

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