Movement Politics

David Plouffe sent out an e-mail today asking campaign supporters to “help shape the future of this movement” by “Shar[ing] your campaign experience and your thoughts on the best way to keep supporting our agenda for change.”

I don’t see the Obama campaign as a movement; it was built around one person without an agenda. It was a movement only insofar as its goal was to elect Barack Obama.

And its “agenda for change” is the same Democratic platform we’ve had for years.

But Plouffe is on to something when he writes this:

“You’ve built an organization in your community and across the country that will continue to work for change – whether it’s by building grassroots support for legislation, backing state and local candidates, or sharing organizing techniques to effect change in your neighborhood.”

If the Obama campaign and its supporters really believe change “happens from below,” then this is a logical step for its organization to take. Imagine Obama supporters banding together to support local and state candidates and good government reform.

Of course, in Chicago that would mean challenging the very folks Obama never challenged – the mayor, the hacks on the city council, true reformers in county and state government. It might even mean supporting Green candidates over Democrats of the Cook County Central Committee variety. But that’s what a movement built around “change” would do, right?

My Inbox

Each of these, of course, asked for money.

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Date: October 30
Time: 1:45 P.M.
From: Joe Biden
Message: “Last night, Barack took to the airwaves to make the case for real change. He used the time to tell the stories of ordinary people who need real solutions to their problems. The presentation reached its finale with Barack addressing the nation live from Florida – I’ve included the video of that moment below. But right now, I need to ask you for help.”

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Date: October 30
Time: 6:56 P.M.
From: Michelle Obama
Message: “I know this campaign has asked a lot of you. But in the next 5 days, Barack will need you more than ever before.”

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Date: October 31
Time: 4:08 P.M.
From: Barack Obama
Message: “I want you to be there with me on Election Night when the results come in. We’re planning a big event that will include tens of thousands of supporters in Grant Park in downtown Chicago. We’re saving some of the best seats in the house for 5 people who make their first donation to the campaign before Sunday at midnight.”

The Keating Card

Either the Obama campaign works extremely fast or they’ve had this one in their pocket for awhile. At 11 a.m., the campaign will release a 13-minute “documentary” called Keating Economics: John McCain and the Making of a Financial Crisis. The Obama campaign has started a companion website called KeatingEconomics.com.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe wrote this (in part) in an e-mail to supporters:

Mystery Convention Theater

Once again, Tim and Steve talk back to the TV. And yes, at the end we get to Sarah Palin.

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“Ladies and gentlemen, the colors will be presented by representatives of the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association, after which they’ll slap a few journalists around.”

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Mitch McConnell speaks.

MCCONNELL: Sarah Palin is a remarkable woman.

TIM: That’s what they tell me, anyway.

STEVE: Hey, now you’re reading Lieberman’s lines!

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Robert Duvall narrates a video about service.

STEVE: I love the smell of teen pregnancy in the morning.

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Anne Beiler, founder, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, speaks.

BEILER: Life is never about what you can accumulate. It’s not about the pocketbook. True prosperity is a richness of heart and spirit.

STEVE: Hey, who let her in here?

Convention Wisdom

In an e-mail sent to supporters, campaign manager David Plouffe reveals today that Barack Obama will forego the usual convention hall acceptance speech for an open-air event in Denver.

Why?

“Barack has made it clear that this is your convention, not his.”

Oh. I was guessing the stunning visuals.

“It’s going to be an amazing event, and Barack would like you to join him.”

Really? Me?

“If you make a donation of $5 or more between now and midnight on July 31st, you could be one of 10 supporters chosen to fly to Denver and spend two days and nights at the convention, meet Barack backstage, and watch his acceptance speech in person. Each of the ten supporters who are selected will be able to bring one guest to join them.”

Aha. Funny, I don’t remember an e-mail going out about this. But it’s your convention, not Barack’s!

Probamaganda

Last Thursday morning, Barack Obama announced in a video to his supporters that he would become the first presidential nominee to ever drop out of the public campaign financing system since it was introduced in a spate of post-Watergate reforms. Obama had previously pledged to campaign within the system and had never declared it “broken” up until the time he announced his decision.

Later that evening, campaign manager David Plouffe sent an e-mail to supporters saying he wanted “to add a little context to the video message you received earlier announcing that we will not participate in the public financing system for the general election.”

Like Obama’s announcement, it was an exercise in disingenuousness.

“Even though we stood to receive more than $80 million in taxpayer funding for our campaign,” Plouffe wrotes, “the system has been so gamed and exploited by our opponents that it is effectively broken.”

As if Obama was making a great financial sacrifice to righteously uphold a principle.

Of course, by opting out of the system, Obama stands to raise far more than the $80 million cap designed to even the playing field, tamp down the influence of money in campaigns, and prevent campaign spending arms wars into the future.

Instead of upholding a principle, Obama revealed his nature.

Where’s Oprah?

And other questions in the wake of Barack Obama’s loss in Pennsylvania last night.

1. How low is the candidate of hope and change willing to go?

“In the two weeks leading up to the Indiana primary, a Democratic strategist familiar with the Obama campaign said aides are likely to turn to the controversies of Bill Clinton’s White House years – Hillary Clinton’s trading cattle futures, Whitewater and possibly impeachment,” the Washington Post reports.

“[Obama campaign manager David] Plouffe would not say the campaign planned to address that period, but seemed open to the possibility in the future: ‘The Republicans certainly are going to look at those issues, the Clinton finances, the record issues. We have chosen not to go there.’”

I think you just did.

Midday, Pa.

* Political Animal: Why Wafflegate matters.

* Talking Points Memo: “Obama Drops New Mailer Hitting Hillary On Trade, But Its Implication Is Wrong.”

* Boston Globe: “Antidote For ‘Toxic’ Politics, Packed With Its Own Venom: Obama Deplores Attacks As He Uses Similar Tactics.”

* The New Republic: “The Commander Of Obama’s Nerd Army.”

* The Swamp: “Mellencamp’s Situational Singing.”

* Bonus Talking Points Memo: “Bill Moyers will be first journalist to interview Obama’s controversial former Pastor Jeremiah Wright. Wright will appear on Bill Moyers Journal this Friday, April 25th, at 9PM.”