May 29, 2008
Guess Who has a lobbyist running his campaign in Puerto Rico? [Karl]

Jeffrey Birnbaum reports in the Washington Post:

The co-director of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in Puerto Rico is a Washington-based federal lobbyist for the government of Puerto Rico.

Ethics watchdogs said that the high-profile role of Francisco J. Pavía appears to contradict the Obama campaign’s ethics guidelines, which forbid federal lobbyists from working on staff. But Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Pavía is an “active volunteer” — not a paid staffer — and can hold the job without running afoul of the campaign’s rules.

Thus, the real policy is that as long as they are not double-dipping, federal lobbyists are free to direct the Obama campaign.  Not surprising, given that Obama’s top strategist, David Axelrod, is the lead partner in a “consulting” firm that specializes in lobbying via “astroturfing.”  Indeed, Obama’s policy on lobbyists has been as much style over substance as any other aspect of his campaign.

Just call it hopeyness and changitude, the island way.

Update:  O!

37 Comments  :::   Post a comment »

  1. Comment by cranky-d on 5/29 @ 1:39 pm #

    Add this to the list of things you aren’t allowed to talk about when referencing the Obamessiah.

  2. Comment by JD on 5/29 @ 1:43 pm #

    But he is different. He brings hope! And change! And a new way of doing things! It only looks like the same old same old. Hypocrite.

  3. Comment by thor - typical PW traffic driver on 5/29 @ 1:45 pm #

    Yawn. I think it’s time to stretch, I’m feeling as tired as Karl’s propobamaganda.

  4. Comment by JD on 5/29 @ 1:48 pm #

    Even thor does not try to defend this one. But, Baracky was born on an island. He will always have that close connection to Puerto Rico.

  5. Comment by thor - typical PW traffic driver on 5/29 @ 1:49 pm #

    Don’t believe I’ve seen a

    O!

    today.

    Wake up bitter people.

  6. Comment by cranky-d on 5/29 @ 1:53 pm #

    We’re not performing monkeys, hammer-boy. That’s your job.

  7. Comment by Karl on 5/29 @ 1:54 pm #

    Nah, it’s fixed now.

  8. Comment by cranky-d on 5/29 @ 1:54 pm #

    Well, just saw the update. Boy do I have egg on my face.

    Anyone have any Tabasco?

  9. Comment by BJTexs on 5/29 @ 1:54 pm #

    the real policy is that as long as they are not double-dipping,

    Well I do believe that thor is in “violation” but not in a monetary way.

    O! (noes)

  10. Comment by happyfeet on 5/29 @ 1:55 pm #

    Baracky should stop being so shady, but who the hell does Jeffrey Birnbaum think he is telling on Baracky like that? What a dick.

  11. Comment by B Moe on 5/29 @ 1:56 pm #

    So it is not okay if Obama pays the lobbyist, but if they donate their time, for free, so they are being paid by outside interests to work for Obama for free, then that is just ducky.

    Is that really what they are saying? And there are people out there who that makes sense to?

  12. Comment by happyfeet on 5/29 @ 2:01 pm #

    Jeez B Moe, you’re worser than Jeffrey Birnbaum, what with the logic and all.

  13. Comment by thor - typical PW traffic driver on 5/29 @ 2:07 pm #

    See the flying of my give-fuckage below.

    -O!-

  14. Comment by thor - typical PW traffic driver on 5/29 @ 2:09 pm #

    Now more winged.

    —O—

  15. Pingback by a-foton » Blog Archive » Guess Who has a lobbyist running his campaign in Puerto Rico? [Karl] on 5/29 @ 2:10 pm #

    [...] Ed Brill wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptJeffrey Birnbaum reports in the Washington Post: The co-director of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in Puerto Rico is a Washington-based federal lobbyist for the government of Puerto Rico. Ethics watchdogs said that the high-profile role of Francisco J. Pavía appears to contradict the Obama campaign’s ethics guidelines, which forbid federal lobbyists from working … [visit site to read more] [...]

  16. Comment by BJTexs on 5/29 @ 2:14 pm #

    Double dipping will cause you to go blind, thor.

    O! (noes)

  17. Comment by MayBee on 5/29 @ 2:25 pm #

    Burton said that Pavía’s role with the campaign was permissible but that the rules were not airtight. “This is not a perfect solution to the influence of special interests in Washington,” he said. “But it is a symbol of the effort that Senator Obama is going to make to decrease the influence that the special interests do have.”

    Clearly.

  18. Comment by happyfeet on 5/29 @ 2:29 pm #

    All day long my efforts are just efforts, wholly unsymbolized by anything. Hey I think I’ll go see what hot chocolate tastes like if you make it with green tea.

  19. Comment by Sdferr on 5/29 @ 2:42 pm #

    Feets
    Used iced tea and choc syrup w/vanilla ice cream for float a couple a days ago. Worked pretty good.

  20. Comment by Barack Obama on 5/29 @ 2:43 pm #

    Karl, don’ t me odia porque soy hermoso.

  21. Comment by Big Bang Hunter (pumping you up) on 5/29 @ 2:46 pm #

    - Feets, I think we can all agree Obamarama is no chocolate cupcake….Well maybe symbolically….So the changiness may only be symbolic, after all you still have to do busibess in Washington, but its the thought that counts.

    ~Q~ (New and improved – Now with angel wings and a tail!)

  22. Comment by Lisa on 5/29 @ 3:07 pm #

    #21: I agree. And he is a chocolate cupcake (but one of those $8 jobs from Cake Love or Sugar Sweet Sunshine).

  23. Comment by Sdferr on 5/29 @ 3:08 pm #

    Florida Ave. Cake Love?

  24. Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates - UMBA on 5/29 @ 3:09 pm #

    I had some green tea ice cream at a Korean restaurant once. It was pretty good, actually.

  25. Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates - UMBA on 5/29 @ 3:13 pm #

    Oh, and I think the guy’s name is actually Burton Cummings. The Guess Who was just the name of the band.

    Those guys were Canadian, though, so why are they lobbying in Puerto Rico?

  26. Comment by Big Bang Hunter (pumping you up) on 5/29 @ 3:18 pm #

    - Lisa, you dream girl….If they sell sugartits they have my vote…

    ~O~

  27. Comment by Pablo on 5/29 @ 3:50 pm #

    Holy shit. Barry’s got a white preacher to distance himself from now. The clapping and cheering is telling, damning even. How long until O! renounces Trinity altogether?

  28. Comment by Big Bang Hunter (pumping you up) on 5/29 @ 4:31 pm #

    - This election cycle has taken on the aura of a Monty Python dead Parrot pet store movie, or maybe a Gene Wilder flic, along the lines of space balls.

    - At this rate, by novmber they may put on an election and everyone will be so burned out no one will be interested enough to vote anymore.

    ~McO!~ II (The sequel)

  29. Comment by Ric Locke on 5/29 @ 5:00 pm #

    Hmm. Lessee.
    _ _
    \O/

    Does that work?

    Regards,
    Ric

  30. Comment by Ric Locke on 5/29 @ 5:02 pm #

    Hmm. Nope. Still strips the spaces. Maybe this way:
    _   _
     \O/

    Regards,
    Ric

  31. Comment by Ric Locke on 5/29 @ 5:03 pm #

    Rats.

  32. Comment by Lisa on 5/29 @ 6:37 pm #

    #23: The one and only!! Mmmmm. Good stuff. They have them all over now.

  33. Comment by thor - typical PW traffic driver on 5/29 @ 6:45 pm #

    \__________________O_____________________/

    Air Force O!

  34. Comment by thor - typical PW traffic driver on 5/29 @ 6:47 pm #

    \——O——/

    Less glider, more bird.

  35. Comment by guinsPen on 5/29 @ 6:51 pm #

    A-Go!

  36. Comment by sashal on 5/29 @ 7:21 pm #

    “Guess Who has a lobbyist running his campaign in Puerto Rico?”

    McCain , again?

  37. Comment by Big Bang Hunter (pumping you up) on 5/29 @ 8:05 pm #

    - I hate to break this to you sashalass, but McCain isn’t running in Puerto Rico.

    - Sorry. Hate to dent your hopyness.

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