Chicago politics have come to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, according to Karl Rove in an op/ed he wrote for the Wall Street Journal.
Senior presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett and her chief of staff, Michael Strautmanis, are in regular contact with MoveOn.Org, Americans United for Change and other liberal interest groups. Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina has collaborated with Americans United for Change on strategy and even ad copy. Ms. Jarrett invited leaders of the liberal interest groups to a White House social event with the president and first lady to kick off the lobbying campaign.
Are these tactics that should be employed by the White House? Regardless of party? What’s interesting is that President Obama is now going after members of his own party who don’t agree with his spending agenda.
Americans United is going after Democrats who are skeptical of Mr. Obama’s plans to double the national debt in five years and nearly triple it in 10. The White House is taking aim at lawmakers in 12 states, including Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad, Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor. MoveOn.Org is running ads aimed at 10 moderate Senate and House Democrats. And robocalls are urging voters in key districts to pressure their congressman to get in line.
Can you imagine what the outrage would be if this had been President Bush? There would not only be outrage, but there would be investigations as Erick Erickson notes in his post today at RedState.
Were this a Republican administration, Henry Waxman would be demanding an investigation into the White House conspiring with outside elements in the “People’s House.” Can you imagine the reaction if Karl Rove met with the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in the White House? The left would be out on every television network with every media “analyst” speculating that the activity was illegal.
Don Surber wonders if this is even legal? Doubtful. While the Administration needs to make its case for their plan on Capitol Hill, and have the right to do so. Having White House officials, FEDERAL employees, engaged in political organizing such as this, is unethical at best.
Yep, hope and change, hope and change. Washington meet Chicago.
