Former Obama supporters....now support Edwards

from email:


FORMER OBAMA SUPPORTERS, DISAPPOINTED BY HIS RECORD ON LOBBYISTS AND SPECIAL INTERESTS, NOW SUPPORT EDWARDS

Des Moines, Iowa – The Edwards campaign today released a letter from Iowans who supported Senator Obama earlier in the campaign but now support John Edwards. They are disappointed by Senator Obama’s history of taking $1.5 million from PACs and Washington lobbyists and the support he is getting from a 527 organization at the same time as he attacks other candidates about these organizations.

These Iowans have concluded that bringing about change will require more than rhetoric and that John Edwards – the only candidate in the race who has never taken a dime from PACs or Washington lobbyists – is the one candidate who will fight the powerful special interests to achieve real change.

See below for the text of the letter.

December 28, 2007

Dear Friends:

Earlier in the campaign, we supported Senator Barack Obama because he said he was the candidate of change.

We were disappointed to learn that Senator Obama took $1.5 million from PACs and Washington lobbyists – and only stopped taking their money days before entering the presidential race. Now, he is attacking other campaigns about “527” organizations even though a “527” organization called Vote Hope is supporting his candidacy.

We believe that you can’t achieve real change simply by politely asking for it and then hoping the special interests will agree to voluntarily give up their power and profits. From civil rights to the environmental movement to Social Security and Medicare, big and meaningful change has always required a President willing to stand up and fight for it. Universal health care, stopping global warming, raising the minimum wage, and building a stronger middle class will take more than just rhetoric and hope – we need a president with the backbone to fight for it and a track record of taking on special interests and beating them.

John Edwards is the only candidate in the race who has never taken a dime from PACs or Washington lobbyists. He walked the walk not only by rejecting PAC and Washington lobbyist money from day one, but by taking them on and beating them – including helping lead the fight to pass a Patients’ Bill of Rights in the Senate over the objection of insurance companies, HMOs, and their Washington lobbyists.

We are proud to be supporting John Edwards, a leader with the strength, integrity, and backbone to fight for the real change Iowan and American families deserve. Please join us in caucusing for John Edwards on January 3rd.




Frank Amos, Ottumwa

Steve Nienhaus, Muscatine

Warren Yaple, Council Bluffs

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/former_supporters_take_aim_at.html

There are bound to be lots of people going from one camp to another. Not too hard to find a handful of them.

Obama's been making a big deal about 527's as though Edwards were swiftboating him, which is not the case.

:hi:

Associated Press has the story:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/28/america/Pro-Edwards-Group.php

Won't work. We're focused on the issues, unlike Hysterical "Obama said Hillary Killed Bhutto!" Hillaryworld.

Who said, "Obama said Hillary Killed Bhutto!"? Can you show me one person who said that? I mean, you put it in quotations, so I guess you must be quoting someone, right?

Or are you just making shit up again?

What a transparent little joke you are.

I would appreciate it if you would not call me names. I have never done that to you. In fact, it is against DU rules. Please do not do it again.

Man, I'm really so sorry about that. See, I have this problem, I think when people do things like what you are doing here, it's rude. If you think this should be an issue, then by all means, post if for all to see. But just jumping on a nice little thread, well to me, it just seems kind of chicken-shit. Sorry, that's just how I feel.

If you've ever been in a bar fight, and well, I'm pretty sure you haven't, but when someone does what you did, it reminds me of the guy who'll wait until the fights just about over, before the throws a punch.

So again, sorry to offend. Can I say that's a chicken-shit thing to do, but I'm sure that you are a very nice person. Is that better?

:rofl:

:shrug:

Looks as if the letter left that part out. Also, I'm sure Edwards accepted Washington lobbyist and PAC money while he was a senator
and while he was running for president in 2003-4.

Thanks.

K&R :hi:

After he wins Iowa, he'll have both.


Edwards '08 tees!

I actually think we all do, Hillary supporters, Obama supporters, Kucinich supporters, Biden supporters, Richardson supporters, Dodd supporters and like myself, Edwards supporters. There are just different ways that we each believe America should do business both at home and abroad. I happen to believe the scales of the corporate world have gone too far. They control our politicians, the war in Iraq, the airwaves, policies, etc...(everything)
I want it to stop! We are being sold out. Our jobs are going overseas creating a drop in the value of the dollar and cutting jobs here at home. The recent housing market crisis has been bailed out by China, Singapore, and the Saudi's.

By Joseph A. Giannone

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The subprime mortgage crisis will create more opportunities for sovereign funds to invest their growing wealth in some of the world's best-known banks, a leading investment banker said on Wednesday.

"There are a number of financial services companies that will have to fill a hole," Lazard Deputy Chairman Gary Parr told Reuters. "They were overexposed to these asset classes and they're taking hits. Fortunately, there is a market for this. There are places in the world interested in investing."

The explosion in central bank reserves in fast growing markets has led to a surge of state-owned investment vehicles with assets estimated at more than $2 trillion.

In recent months, funds controlled by China, Singapore and several Persian Gulf states have been making headlines snapping up stakes in big U.S. and European banks that stumbled in the mortgage markets.

Morgan Stanley (MS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed on Wednesday to sell a $5 billion stake to China Investment Corp after recorded $9.4 billion in subprime mortgage write-downs.

That transaction came on the heels of UBS

MORE REUTERS: http://www.moneyline.com/article/managerViews/idUKORM03263720071220?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

I just believe it is time to take back the corporate power. They are not doing right by the American people. We are being sold. I would love nothing more than a woman in the WH, Hillary to me is just another corporate player. The Bush family and the Clintons both have recieved millions from Saudi Arabia. The Clintons 10 MILLION DOLLARS

From Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121402124_pf.html

Clinton Library Got Funds From Abroad
Saudis Said to Have Given $10 Million

By John Solomon and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, December 15, 2007; A03



Bill Clinton's presidential library raised more than 10 percent of the cost of its $165 million facility from foreign sources, with the most generous overseas donation coming from Saudi Arabia, according to interviews yesterday.

The royal family of Saudi Arabia gave the Clinton facility in Little Rock about $10 million, roughly the same amount it gave toward the presidential library of George H.W. Bush, according to people directly familiar with the contributions.

The presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has for months faced questions about the source of the money for her husband's presidential library. During a September debate, moderator Tim Russert asked the senator whether her husband would release a donor list. Clinton said she was sure her husband would "be happy to consider that," though the former president later declined to provide a list of donors.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has made an issue of the large yet unidentified contributors to presidential libraries, saying that he wants to avoid even the appearance of impropriety in such donations. Obama has introduced legislation that would require disclosure of all contributions to presidential libraries, including Clinton's, and Congress has actively debated such a proposal. Unlike campaign donations, money given to presidential libraries is often done with limited or no disclosure.

The Clinton library has steadfastly declined to reveal its donors, saying they were promised confidentiality. The William J. Clinton Foundation, which funds the library, is considered a charity whose contributors can remain anonymous.


To read more follow link above.

I commend Sen. Obama for his introduction that would require full disclosure. It is a small step in the right direction. However, as stated in the OP he does accept money from PAC's and Lobbyist. We are all tired of GWB & Co., however GWB has created a corporate empire in which I believe good and not so good people have bought into and are now caught in. I just happen to see John Edwards giving me hope. I want democracy back, something we have not had for years now.