In October of 2007, the then 16 presidential candidates were asked their positions on open government and Freedom of Information issues. Only Bill Richardson answered all of the questions; John Edwards answered some. In response, researchers for the Sunshine Campaign for Sunshine Week 2008 compiled a web page of how the remaining three major presidential candidates-- John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama-- stand on these issues.
Sphere: Related ContentI just stumbled upon a video clip on Silobreaker of a telephone conversation Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had with a fundraiser. The caption below the video player states "Hiliary Clinton Caught violating Campaign finance laws". Frankly, I can't catch the law-breaking activity mentioned in the conversation; it apparently is a gala near Hollywood to honor her husband and previous president Bill Clinton that would benefit Hillary's campaign; she says on the phone that she as a candidate was briefed on the gala's details, and that her future thoughts will be conveyed to the fundraisers through her campaign helper.
The YouTube video is here; it is several minutes long.
The Center for Responsive Politics has published a report entitled "Seeking Superdelegates". It is a powerful analysis of the influence financial contributions to them by Democratic presidential candidates Clinton and Obama is. From Capital Eye, the Center's newsletter:
" Obama, who narrowly leads in the count of pledged, "non-super" delegates, has doled out more than $698,200 to superdelegates from his political action committee, Hope Fund, or campaign committee since 2005. Of the 82 elected officials who had announced as of Feb. 12 that their superdelegate votes would go to the Illinois senator, 35, or 43 percent of this group, have received campaign contributions from him in the 2006 or 2008 election cycles, totaling $232,200. In addition, Obama has been endorsed by 52 superdelegates who haven't held elected office recently and, therefore, didn't receive campaign contributions from him.
Clinton does not appear to have been as openhanded. Her PAC, HILLPAC, and campaign committee appear to have distributed $205,500 to superdelegates. Only 12 percent of her elected superdelegates, or 13 of 109 who have said they will back her, have received campaign contributions, totaling about $95,000 since 2005. An additional 128 unelected superdelegates support Clinton, according to a blog tracking superdelegates and their endorsements, 2008 Democratic Convention Watch. "
The BRAD BLOG has a thorough recounting of what happened to many Independent voters in LA county in their February 5th presidential primaries. If you are interested in who wins the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, you will want to read the entire post to bring you up to date on the counting of hundreds of thousands of ballots-- LA county's problems may make the difference in delegate counts between candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Stay tuned to the BRAD BLOG for honest reporting of this democratic crisis.
Sphere: Related ContentThe Center of Investigative Reporting has issued an alert on a project it has produced in cooperation with ABCNews.com:
Lobbyists for foreign governments raise money, get meetingsSphere: Related Content
By Will Evans and Avni Patel
ABCNews.com February 1, 2008
Top fundraisers for the presidential campaigns of Democrat Hillary Clinton and
Republican John McCain lobby on behalf of foreign governments, and in some
cases, helped their clients gain access to the senators, according to a CIR and
ABCNews.com investigation.
>> Read the story and see source documents:
[http://centerforinvestigativereporting.org/projects/moneyand ]politics
>> A CIR web exclusive chart follows the money: WEB OF INFLUENCE
[http://www.centerforinvestigativereporting.org/files/flash ]/webofinfluence.swf
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