Democrats Assail, and Tap, 'Special Interests'

[Rhiannon12866]

By GLEN JUSTICE and JOHN TIERNEY

Published: January 31, 2004

CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 30 — The Democratic presidential hopefuls have been crossing the country this week promising to drive "special interests" and "influence peddlers" out of the White House.

But campaign finance reports show some contenders benefit significantly from the lobbyists and special interests that they attack.

While Senator John Kerry regularly promises to stand up to "big corporations," his campaign has taken money from executives on Wall Street and those representing the telecommunications industry, which is under his purview in Congress. Mr. Kerry denounces President Bush for catering to the rich, but he has depended more heavily on affluent donors than the other leading Democrats except for another populist, Senator John Edwards. Mr. Kerry's spokeswoman, Stephanie Cutter, said the contributions had no effect on his votes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/31/politics/campaign/31DONA.html?ex=1076594027&ei=1&en=e428fa0405a52536

[MaggieSwanson]

1. Would have been nice if they had mentioned

Dennis Kucinich's record.
I wonder why they didn't...

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Apparently, there is a media blackout on the Kucinich campaign

They don't say anything bad about him, they just don't say anything! Maybe with Will on his team, this will change. I just hope that it's not too late to do some good! Go, Dennis!:-)

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Welcome to DU, maggiefaye!

Glad to have another Kucinich supporter among us!:toast:

Who's his lady friend?:shrug:

[cosmicdot]

2. gosh, who saw this coming?

:eyes:

of course, I jest.

If you don't walk the talk, the case against ending corporate governance loses validity. Integrity goes out the window.

[nuxvomica]

3. Some scandalous stuff here *scarcasm*

But the policy allowed the campaign to accept contributions from Washington insiders like John Podesta, a prominent aide to President Bill Clinton who went on to work as a lobbyist. He was out of the business last year, when he made a $500 donation to Mr. Edwards's campaign. But today he is once again a registered lobbyist.

I am shocked that the Edwards campaign would accept the princely sum of $500 from a lobbyist between jobs!

[sandnsea]

4. Edwards bought his seat

He paid $6 million of his own money for it. And don't forget those bundling charges from a couple weeks ago.

(If he were frontrunner, that's what Dean say)

[papau]

5. in first 9 mo of 2003 Bush's #1 with over $800000, Kerry is at $220000

but that does not fit the story line -

but then Kerry not taking PAC money doesn't fit the story line.

Yep - folks registered as lobbyist types gave money to politicians.

Surprise!

In Edwards case $500 gets you some print in the NYT!

not the we have a right wing media whore press - they just act like they are.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. I agree that this story is a blatant attempt to paint the Democratic

candidates with the same brush as Bush*, but I thought it was worth a read, since we need to know what is really going on with all the candidates we support. Would I support Kerry or Edwards over Bush*? In a heartbeat. I like them both, though Dennis Kucinich is my ideological favorite. Any special interests that Kerry and Edwards have followed are insignificant compared with Bush*s pandering.:grr: