Here is a little item from the Wall St. Journal today that may shed some light on our duties to the Obama campaign.
According to the story, the campaign
expressed optimism about their money prospects, even as Sen. Obama touts his campaign's refusal to take money from federal lobbyists and special interests. "I can afford to simply say, 'No, I'm not interested,'" Sen. Obama said recently, asked if his refusal to take public money made him more vulnerable to donors who might have an agenda.
The problem is that this attitude is "turning off Clinton Donors", the Hillraisers, who like the Bush Pioneers, bundle hundreds of thousands of dollars into contributions, in return for access.
(jump)
The Journal:
But it is precisely this attitude that turns off some former Clinton donors, who were used to being treated to private audiences with the former first lady and her husband and exclusive events during campaign stops. Many of those donors have decades-long relationships with the Clintons and would be unlikely to support any other candidate as enthusiastically.
Here is the entire fight of this election in a nutshell. We have a system in which wealth buys power in Washington via lobbyists and rich donors. Almost none of these people raise $100,000 out of their commitment to ideas of the candidate, or to the general good.
They want specific things in return- tax favors for their companies; favorable legislation that harms their competitors, and access befitting "king makers" who expect that politicians exist to soothe their egos, fill their social calenders, and in general raise their profile in the power and reputation game.
So when Obama says he will not give special favors to Donors - in direct contrast to the Clinton's - it is no wonder that a small subgroup of donors are mad.
Is this any different than the actions of those on the left who say if Obama doesn't support X, I am out of here?
The overarching theme of this campaign is to change the money culture in Washington, as part of a necessary requirement to change the political direction in this country.
Those fat cats who are so "upset" with Obama, who are screaming to the Wall St. Journal and other media eager to lap up their rants, have no loyalty to political change-- they only have loyalty to their own privilege and access.
We can win without them - but only by realizing what is actually at stake, and redoubling our own efforts for grassroots fundraising, volunteering, and being steadfast about our candidate, and our campaign.
This is our campaign. That means it is up to us. Anyone politically aware who is opposed to the horrors of the last 8 years who doesn't lift a finger to help is no better than an opportunist.
I long for the day when we will see them gnashing their teeth at their irrelevance.