Great people always work side by side to produce greater things. That is the case between Barack Obama and David Axelrod.

Much respect to both of you.

A human side to the campaign. Thanks.

Media Matters Has the Facts on McCain's Lobbyists
http://mccain.bravenewfilms.org/blog/30873-media-matters-has-the-facts-on-mccain-s-lobbyists

Media Matters just posted a very thorough piece on McCain's lobbyist ties, complete with gems like these:

Lobbyist fundraisers. Two of the co-chairmen of McCain's national finance committee were registered to lobby Congress as of year-end 2007 (the latest disclosure data available), and a third previously lobbied Congress. Another co-chairmen is one of Florida's "most powerful lobbyists" (St. Petersburg Times, 10/1/06).

Lobbyist advisers and staffers. At least 24 McCain staffers or advisers were either registered to lobby Congress (as of year-end 2007) or were previously lobbyists, according to a Media Matters review.
The report goes on to dissect the media's love with "the straight-talking maverick." The mainstream press has tried to paint McCain as the anti-lobbyist candidate, but as HuffPo political editor Thomas Edsall reported, the McCain's campaign has "11 current or former lobbyists working for or advising McCain, at least double the number in any other [presidential] campaign." And this just scratches the surface...

McCain has surrounded himself with lobbyists at every level of his campaign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gEROVh8zK4

I won't call Axelrod a "great" person but the work he has done here is clearly important and meaninful and he deserves to be commended for it. There's no room for politics with the issue of epilepsy research.

It is ironic. But I recall that Hillary Clinton back in 1998 was instrumental in a hospital research campaign to benefit Epilepsy foundations. Apparently, I read that she accompanied her friend Elizabeth Axelrod at a facility where she spent hours talking with patients, etc. The day after Hillary started working hard to bring in funding and was very successful in establishing a huge foundation that serves the needs of research in epileptic diseases. Now, it seems Axelord's husband is doing his best to derail her friend. That's how gratitude is shown I guess in politics. David Axelord should be embarassed, but he's afater the Big Bucks. Can you blame them? Who would have thought this back in 1998. Loyalty is not one of David Axelrod's or his wife's many virtues it seems....just a thought from an interested Canadian.

M. Sake: It takes a low class person to go after someone for doing good work for those in need. You are a classless person. Oh and if you look at the facts, if Axelrod would have stayed with Clinton he would have made a lot more than he is now. Look at what Penn makes compared to him.

John E., not the time or the place.

John E., not the time or the place.

Posted by: Jeff | February 28, 2008 3:25 PM

Get lost, Mr college Republican...

Hey John E,
Barrack Obama has 9 federal lobbyists working for his campauign at the current moment.
Teal Baker
Emmett Beliveau
Ertharin Cousin
Stephen Greer
Steven Hildebrand
Brandon Hurlbut
Michael Lake
Hans Reimer
Buffy Wicks

Now I expect you to rebuke Obama for this as well unless you are a hypocrite.

David Axelrod has brought us some of the more inept and corrupt politicians in recent memory. Remember he got Blagoevih into the Governors mansion and they were going to end business as usual and bring about "change" to corrupt IL politics. Well guess what he ended up ebing even more corrupt then the previous governor, and no one thought that could be even possible.

Now I expect you to rebuke Obama for this as well unless you are a hypocrite.

Posted by: Vinny | February 28, 2008 3:44 PM

Vincey aka MJ,

It's not even close compared to the corruption coming from Mr "straight-talker", John McCain/Bush, nice try Hoss.

"McCain's Unlikely Ties to K Street
32 Lobbyists Bundle Funds for Longtime Critic"

By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and John Solomon
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, December 31, 2007; A01

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) took a break from the presidential campaign trail in March to fly to a posh Utah ski resort, where he mingled with hundreds of top corporate executives assembled by J.P. Morgan Chase for its annual leadership conference.

McCain's appearance at the Deer Valley event, arranged by J.P. Morgan Vice Chairman James B. Lee Jr., a top McCain fundraiser, put him in a room with the chief executives of companies such as General Electric, Xerox and Sony. It was, Lee said, "a chance for him to let them see him for who he is and possibly decide to support him." The effort paid off: J.P. Morgan executives have donated $56,250 to McCain's campaign, two-thirds of which came after his Utah appearance. And his visit there was quickly followed up by dozens of smaller private meetings with corporate executives in New York City arranged by leading Wall Street figures.

"We tried to get him around to a lot of those kinds of things," said McCain campaign manager Rick Davis. "We were very much in the friend-making business."

It is common for politicians to court big money during a campaign. But private schmooze sessions such as the gathering in Utah pose a particular dilemma for McCain, who has spent a long career decrying "special interests" and politicians who offer special access to them in order to raise money. As a presidential candidate this year, McCain has found himself assiduously courting both lobbyists and their wealthy clients, offering them private audiences as part of his fundraising. He also counts more than 30 lobbyists among his chief fundraisers, more than any other presidential contender.

McCain has consistently fought in the Senate against pork-barrel spending from such interests and championed

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/30/AR2007123002848_pf.html

McCain is a huge hypocite and VERY unfit to be President. He promotes war, is cluless on economic policy, and has flip flopped more than Kerry and Romney put together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JwHQbn8C0M

John McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, and yet he said "I'm the only one the special interests don't give any money to."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gEROVh8zK4

Phil: He did NOT work for Blagojevich's campaign for Governor so learn your facts before you speak.

Vinny-
McCain has 59 lobbyists under yet another lobbyists getting him checks from donors Bad enough? Try this: his senior advisor is a lobbyist running his firm out of the Straight Talk express. Not bad enough? The head of his campaign is a lobbyist. Let's not get snooty about a handful of lobbyists, now shall we?

You get lost, Mr. Vo Tech Democrat. Let's try to keep this about the great work Mr. Axelrod is doing, okay?

Sorry to see all this on a blog. If only we had heeded Eisenhower about the MIlitary Industrial Complex. We would be well taken care of. Our xenophobia keeps us from seeing how other cultures take care of one another. Here, we must fight for the crumbs day after day. What a waste.

While I agree that Axelrod is very good at his job he is no better than Karl ROve. Deval Patrick and Obama are running the exact campaign and Patrick has been a huge disappointment in Mass. Here is some info on Obamas lobbyist connections and the false claim that he doesnt take their money, they just do it a diff way called bundlers.

“While pledging to turn down donations from lobbyists themselves, Senator Obama raised more than $1 million in the first three months of his presidential campaign from law firms and companies that have major lobbying operations in the nation’s capital,” Dan Morain wrote April 23, 2007, in the Los Angeles Times.

Stephen Weissman of the nonpartisan think tank Campaign Finance Institute said Obama “gets an asterisk that says he is trying to be different … But overall, the same wealthy interests are funding his campaign as are funding other candidates, whether or not they are lobbyists,” Morain wrote.

Public Citizen (WhiteHouseForSale.or) lists nine of Sen. Obama’s fundraising bundlers as registered lobbyists who have collected in the neighborhood of $1.5 million for his campaign—in addition to their own personal contributions.

Frank M. Clark is chairman and chief executive officer of Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation. As an Obama bundler, Clark raised $200,000+. FEC records show that on January 26, 2007, he personally contributed $2,100 to Obama for America.

Scott Blake Harris is the managing partner of the Washington, D.C., firm Harris Wiltshire and Grannis, which handles such legislative issues as Communications/Broadcasting/ Radio/TV, Science/Technology, Telecommunications, and Trade (Foreign and Domestic), as well as representing the Computing Technology Industry Association. As an Obama bundler, Harris raised $200,000+. FEC records show that on March 15, 2007, he personally contributed $2,000 to Obama for America.

Allan J. Katz is a shareholder and chairman of the Policy Practice Group at Akerman Senterfitt in Tallahassee, Florida. Katz is a Member of the Florida Democratic Committee and Democratic National Committee, and Tallahassee City Commissioner. As an Obama bundler, Katz raised $200,000+ with Marilyn Katz of MK Communications (who personally contributed $1,000 to Obama for America on January 21, 2007).

Robert S. Litt is a partner at the Washington, D.C. firm Arnold & Porter, a regulatory and public affairs firm which represents multiple clients in a variety of industries. As an Obama bundler, Litt raised unknown amount of money. FEC records show that Litt personally contributed $2,300 on February 26, 2007 and $2,300 on May 2, 2007 to Obama for America.

Thomas J. Perrelli is managing partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Jenner and Block, a Chicago general practice law firm, which includes among its clients the National Cable and Telecommunications Association and Time Warner Inc. As an Obama bundler, Perrelli raised $200,000+. FEC records show that Perrelli personally contributed $2,100 on January 16, 2007 and $200 on March 5, 2007 and $2,300 on March 21, 2007 to Obama for America.

Thomas A. Reed is Of Counsel at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP K&L Gates), which represents multiple industries and multiple clients. As an Obama bundler, Reed raised $200,000+. FEC records show that on March 20, 2007, Reed contributed $2,300 to Obama for America.

Paul N. Roth is a partner at the New York firm Schulte Roth & Zabel, which represents financial institutions, investments, securities, including Cerberus Capital Partners. As an Obama bundler, Roth raised at least $50,000. FEC records show that on March 20, 2007, Roth personally contributed $2,300 to Obama for America.

Alan D. Solomont of Solomont Bailis Ventures in Massachusetts represents Health Services/HMOs. As an Obama bundler, Solomont raised $200,000+. FEC records show that Solomont personally contributed $2,100 on January 26, 2007; $2,500 on March 30, 2007 (Rebecca Solomont at the same address made two $2,300 contributions on the same day); and $2,300 on March 30, 2007 to Obama for America.

Tom E. Wheeler is managing director of Core Capital Partners, a private equity fund in Washington, D.C. As an Obama bundler, Wheeler raised $100,000+. FEC records show that Wheeler personally contributed $2,100 on January 16, 2007; $2,500 on May 2, 2007 and an additional $2,300 on May 2, 2007 to Obama for America. (Note: another $2,300 was added then removed also on May 2, 2007.)

Gee, God bless her, and him.

Um, Vinny. I don't know about the rest of those people, but I have known Buffy Wicks for many years. She is a grassroots organizer, not a federal lobbyist. Nor has she ever been a federal lobbyist. I don't know where you get your misinformation, but it's irresponsible and totally erroneous.

I don't ubderstand that the democrats are so upset about the comments made by Bush in the Knesset about talking to "our ennemies. It was just one of the many frustrations of Bush about the fact that he doesn't have his own people under control. Patreous. Condalizza and Gates have recently been talking to Bush's ennemies and they feel that that is the right approach.

I'm sure Axelrod has his cross to bear with his daughter and I wish him well in that effort.

As to ComEd however, I don't appreciate paying over 100 percent more in electricity - you helped them and got paid well.

You are a lobbyist only worse than the Washington kind because you now have Obama reward you for you efforts in fooling IL citizens on the hugh rate hikes and you both have the audacity to point fingers.

PLEASE!