Obama and Aides Defend Flip-Flop on Campaign Finance

Obama and Team Accused of Very Damaging and Paralyzing Flip-Flop on Campaign Finance Legislation

Aides defend Obama on campaign cash move

Democracy, elections, and voting at Democracy Chronicles

By Stephen Collinson (AFP)

WASHINGTON — Aides denied Tuesday that President Barack Obama had tarnished his claim to be a warrior for the middle class by backing a fund bankrolled by rich donors and corporations fighting for his reelection. The president will now allow top White House staffers and senior campaign advisors to speak at events organized by Priorities USA Action, a political committee founded by two former White House staffers.

Obama had previously railed at a Supreme Court decision gutting campaign finance laws and allowing such “super PACs” to raise unlimited cash from anonymous donors to pour into negative advertising barrages.

But after seeing Republican funds unleash a fearsome political blitz during the party’s nominating contest, Obama apparently concluded that if he could not beat the super PACs he would have to accept a friendly one.

“Our message remains the same,” said a senior campaign official on condition of anonymity.

Flip-Flop on Campaign Finance

“We believe that we need to continue to rebuild an economy that is fair for all Americans, allows everybody to get a fair shot to get ahead. None of that changes… what we are doing is ensuring that we are not having two sets of rules about how we fight for those things,” the official said. “This is the law as it currently stands and we felt strongly that we shouldn’t go into this fight with one arm tied behind our back.”