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Obama falling short on promise

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Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 - 12:49:47 am CST

It is disappointing that president-elect Barack Obama has backed away from his campaign pledge that lobbyists “won’t find a job in my White House.”

Obama’s campaign promise to ban lobbyists from the White House came in stump speeches and in a more detailed statement on his campaign Web site that no political appointees would be “permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years.”

The most visible example of Obama’s failure to live up to those words is his reported selection of former Sen. Tom Daschle to be secretary of Health and Human Services.

Story Photo
President-elect Barack Obama (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Daschle works for the Washington law and lobbying firm of Alston & Bird advising pharmaceutical companies and other health care clients on how to influence government decisions.

The firm boasts of having “the significant advantage” of having Daschle and former Sen. Bob Dole, both former Senate majority leaders, as residents in its Washington office.

Now it turns out there was a lot of fine print on Obama’s campaign promise. Obama’s transition team now says the ban applies only to lobbyists who were required to register with the federal government.

That provides a loophole for Obama to appoint Daschle.

The ethics rules laid out for Obama’s transition team also fail to live up to his campaign promises.

Lobbyists will be allowed on his transition team as long as they do not work on issues related to their lobbying position.

“That is a step back, and there is no other way of seeing it,” said Craig Holman of the watchdog group Public Citizen.

Holman also pointed out that six members of Obama’s team are “bundlers,” individuals who pooled together large numbers of campaign contributions from a network of business associates in order to funnel far more money to campaigns than they could personally give under campaign finance laws.

Obama’s defenders protest that even in their softened state, Obama’s restrictions on lobbyists are still the strictest ever for a presidential transition team.

Critics like Holman concede that Obama is making a “very concrete effort” to avoid the corruption like that represented by lobbyists such as convicted felon Jack Abramoff and former Enron executive Kenneth Lay.

But any clear-eyed observer can see that Obama is back-pedaling.

He campaigned on a pledge of change.

He should be held accountable. Voters have every right to expect him to follow through on his promises.


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Retired Cannon wrote on November 23, 2008 6:15 am:
" First, why do you contradict yourself in the article? You blatantly state your criticisms, and then you answer those with the facts you sarcastically call "fine print". Second, what is wrong with picking the best persons to help us out of this mess? Third, now that the election is over why can’t we come together as a country and as citizens to support our government and its leaders? Your article does nothing but rabble rouse. Is your cup half empty? "

 Wont be The last TIme wrote on November 23, 2008 7:08 am:
" he is already failing to follow through with what he has promised to the people this is not good. he isn't even sworn in yet this could be a long 4 years. "

 mike wrote on November 23, 2008 7:10 am:
" Does this mean that if he picked Ben Nelson for something that would be wrong as well - he lobbied once. Daschle will be a good HHS leader. "

 WCG wrote on November 23, 2008 7:23 am:
" Heh, heh. Barack Obama doesn't even take office for another two months, and already we hear the complaining. Give the man a chance, why don't you?

Two points: (1) Barack Obama has the toughest restrictions EVER on lobbyists. He has worked very hard to keep conflicts of interest out of his transition team (which is, so far, all we really know).

And (2) if you want people running our federal government to have any experience at all, it's almost impossible to avoid SOME connection with 'lobbyists.' After all, the term is very broad and could apply to almost anyone. Really, if you weren't required to register with the federal government, then you certainly weren't much of a lobbyist. And in the transition team (who are simply working to set up the administration), if you're restricted from working in any area in which you lobbied, what more can you want? We've just had an administration in which lobbyists regulated their own industries!

Really, this is laughable. Some people are so desperate for something to criticize that they just can't stand it. (And, of course, the news media are desperate to get eyeballs.) Heck, let Obama at least make his Cabinet picks first (and not just rumors), if you can't wait until he takes office. Yeah, I know we're all anxious for a COMPLETE change from the past eight years of Republican rule, but this is ridiculous! "

 Perspective please wrote on November 23, 2008 7:52 am:
" Note to LJS - Our nation's Number 1 priority - get the best people available to help steer our country back from the disaster of the last 8 years of misrule. Tom Daschle and Dole are NOT the same thing as Abramoff. Has the Journal Star editorial page lost its bearing? Still smarting from that genious endorsement of the team of Mavericks? Manufactured outrage is not really getting us any where. I welcome Daschle leadership in pushing through real Health Care reform. "

 wow..... wrote on November 23, 2008 8:28 am:
" The Journal Star just keeps on digging and digging. Still upset that you endorsed McCain? I'm pretty sure that the ban on lobbyists was the same ban Obama had during his campaign. There hasn't been any change. The editorial board of this newspaper can't seem to get over the fact that you twice endorsed a man for President who now has a 22% approval rating and again endorsed another man who didn't win election. The most disappointing thing I noticed is how I continue to read such garbage from your editorial board. "

 JB wrote on November 23, 2008 8:29 am:
" Obama has yet to be President and the LJS is already disliking what he has done. I think the man needs more then a couple weeks before the right wing attacks. Sorry you picked the loser in the race. "

 DC Husker wrote on November 23, 2008 8:31 am:
" Oh please!! LJS is naive. We are in such a mess that Obama needs these "insiders" to get anything done in this town! "

 PromisesPromises wrote on November 23, 2008 9:03 am:
" Sour grapes, LJS. Daschle may be the perfect person from a counterintelligence point of view to run point over a bunch of Washington lobbyists, or he may not be, but can the local paper here in my town possibly treat Obama with as much hands-off fairness as it for instance treated Bush or even Johanns in their first weeks after election, but before inauguration? Seems like you're playing to the right people, and it's no wonder fewer people read your paper than ever. "

 And what exactly do you mean wrote on November 23, 2008 9:14 am:
" Shall we roll back the election? Re-vote? Declare John McCain and his team of lobbyists the winner (or at least the morally superior candidate)?

You're looking awfully hard for reasons to begin condemning Obama before he is even sworn in - - way to do your part to heal the nation, Journal-Star! "

 JT wrote on November 23, 2008 9:51 am:
" I think newspapers should be held accountable when they endorse George W. Bush twice and then endorse John McCain. If the Journal Star was so concerned about chance why did it choose those three endorsements? "

 Mrs. Johnson wrote on November 23, 2008 10:15 am:
" How dare the paper that, not once but twice endorsed GW Bush, judge the new president! You've given George a free pass the last 8 years. Why aren't you asking where he is NOW as the country is falling apart after his 2 terms? He's got 2 months and what's he doing to fix his administrations mess? Where's George???? LJS...you have no credibility! "

 Bubba says wrote on November 23, 2008 10:46 am:
" Clearly LJS is upset their horse lost the race and now begins the partisan bickering about the "he said/she said" during the primary. You never had a problem when Rove and company infected the U.S. political landscape with cronyism in amounts too numerous to really even quantify. I never remember an editorial taking shots at Bush for all of his ridiculous appointments. Many were appointed merely for working in his campaign network and had absolutely no experience or knowledge of what they were getting into, let alone any serious direction. Thank goodness many of these political hacks were not confirmed.

Obama has won the election, and, thus, with his win he is allowed to select and put in place the people he feels are the most qualified to lead said agency. Tom Daschle is a credible, qualified and competent public servant who will lead this bureacracy with honor, and put it on a course that will earn the respect of all. "

 reality check wrote on November 23, 2008 11:01 am:
" And this is a suprise to who ? Obama is just another politition. Just like his robin hood pledge of taking from the rich..he is already backing away from that too..again, suprise ? I think not. "

 ha ha wrote on November 23, 2008 11:20 am:
" Thats what you get Obama voters! "

 Cat wrote on November 23, 2008 12:16 pm:
" Are you suggesting that someone running for election might promise things that they either have no intention of keeping or that will be tossed aside when it's no longer to their advantage?

Gasp! Really? "

 R. Ality Check from SD wrote on November 23, 2008 12:40 pm:
" Tom Daschle served South Dakota faithfully and honestly. He was a dedicated South Dakotan who visited the state regularly. He would stop in a small town. Stay for a few days. Come to basketball games. And visit with people in an honest face-to-face situation. He would drop in at meetings organized by Lakota Oyate and discuss issues. If you met him in a airport, he would be open to talking about concerns you might have. So he worked for the health industry, that was an area of great interest to him. He will serve honorably and honestly as Director of HHS. He is honest, approachable, capable, and humane. "

 JOhn wrote on November 23, 2008 12:45 pm:
" Like being grading on a test before the teacher even gives it to you. Leaving the complaining to when something has actually been done. "

 Jan wrote on November 23, 2008 12:51 pm:
" I'm an Obama voter and I love what we have. Do you really think McCain would not have softened some of his promises? Please, any fool who believed everything said on the campaign trail is just that; a fool. "

 Broken promise 2 wrote on November 23, 2008 12:56 pm:
" He also reneged on his promise to stick with public campaign financing...surprised?

His admin is promising to be "Cinton Redux" "

 Turn off the Red Button. wrote on November 23, 2008 1:03 pm:
" First you endorse a mistake(McCain) Now your nitpicking the President Elect before he has the opportunity to get into office. I also agree with another blogger, it would be difficult to find people in Washington who don't have some background in the lobby department.
In making his choices, President-Elect Obama is making careful choices, something his predecessor did NOT do. Is everything going to be Perfect? I seriously doubt it. There is no such thing as perfection.
Your red state button is showing with this article, sloppy journalism too. "

 david ingram wrote on November 23, 2008 3:55 pm:
" why should you be surprised he isn't following through? he's a libral socialist. and now he's filling his cabinet with clinton retreads. but he'd our president. we ,will enough of you voted for him. just pray for him that god gives him wisdom, jkamp "

 J wrote on November 23, 2008 4:02 pm:
" I hope people don't take this article seriously. Why don't you first explain what lobbyists are and take note that most lobbysists are doing good, like the American Cancer Society and the Boy Scouts of America. We wouldn't want people who are experts in their field advising the president would we? I can't believe this biased and poor explanation was printed, and now too many people will think that Obama is doing bad things. He has been praised by both liberal democrats and conservative republicans for how he is running hi transition. Why don't you do a column on the fact that his transition team is sending out emails to suppporters trying to get people to volunteer in their communities, become community organizers, and even get involved in local politics. Come on Lincoln Journal Star. "

 Mark wrote on November 23, 2008 4:14 pm:
" Oh so many misguided and uneducated people in facts out there. Now some call the LJS names and sour grapes etc. because they endorsed the better candidate? Give us a break.
The bigger the lie, the more people believe it. That's very apparent here, and it's only started.
Some of you really need to step back from from the kool aid and take your pc glasses off to see the truth. Some of these comments/arguments today are the stupidist I've read in some time. It's no wonder people blog under names not of their own, because they don't want anyone seeing or knowing just how dumb and uneducated they really are. Obama will go down in history as one of the worst presidents and leader in modern day times. Mark my works on that. This is only the start. "

 JD wrote on November 23, 2008 4:20 pm:
" Actually, Obama failing to fulfill his promises is exactly what this country needs. Then perhaps we might maintain a shred of ecnonomic freedom, instead of the federal government implementing confiscitory rates on the job-creating class in this country. "

 GASP wrote on November 23, 2008 4:31 pm:
" How dare you attack the Messiah?!?! Didn't you see what happened to Joe the Plumber after he took Obama to task?

This shouldn't be surprising to anybody. Obama has a LOOONG history of saying one thing and doing another. I almost feel sorry for all the people who voted for him and didn't realize this simple fact. "

 No Cinderella wrote on November 23, 2008 5:24 pm:
" :) I will continue to watch and listen to those who chose "THE ONE" for our Presidency. Oh my! You mean no ones "PERFECT" or deserves all the blame for whatever your gripe is. Hmm.

Sounds like, time for Americans to grow up. "

 Better Candidate wrote on November 23, 2008 5:38 pm:
" McCain the better candidate? How did you decide that? If you call someone who flip flopped on every issue including immigration then you're right, McCain was the better candidate. Remember the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill John wrote and sponsored? Once he won the republican nomination he came out and said he couldn't support his own bill! The same on the military spending, veterans care, etc.

Obama never did say he would take pubic financing and never signed any document saying so. He said he might consider it. Big difference.

Mark, I guess you know about believing the bigger lie as Bush & Company has been spreading lies for the last 8 years and you and the republicans have bought each and every one of them.

I am not a democrat but I am a conservative who used to be a republican until the neo-cons hijacked the party and I believe Obama will be a good president unlike Bush. At least give him some time in office before actually bashing him. "

 Herbert Abrams wrote on November 23, 2008 6:41 pm:
" ONe wonders if you hold yourself as an example of working for the future.
Or wanting a Limbaughy. "

 Surprise Surprise wrote on November 23, 2008 7:33 pm:
" This shouldn't surprise anyone. Get ready for a rough four years. Anyone who believed one word this man had to say is in for a real shock. As a Republican, let's hope he doesn't follow through with half of what he "promised". "

 Suzie Q wrote on November 23, 2008 7:45 pm:
" Thanks, LJS, for reporting the facts. We need our media to do that, whether it's for or against our chosen politician. The media did not do enough to show Obama's record during the presidential race. "

 jeff wrote on November 23, 2008 8:20 pm:
" Mrs. Johnson, I realize that what this person is writing about may show a little favoritism towards or at least again Barack Obama, but isn't this listed under the blog and opinion section? This is what makes this section of the newspaper so important. This is all just an opinion by a journalist. People can hopefully can make an educated and formed opinion that doesn't neccesarily have to be the same as this article would like you to think. As far as the content of this piece? It really doesn't, the author seems to do a really good job of discrediting his or her own opinion. The fact is Obama has done, so it would seem anyway, a very good job vetting the people that will surround him in the next four years. I supported George W. Bush for two elections and now I fully support Barack Obama for the next four years!~ "

 Tracy wrote on November 23, 2008 8:27 pm:
" "He should be held accountable". Yes, this is true. I will remember this on President Bush's final day in office. I believe you endorsed him too correct? If the worst thing that our President-Elect does is allow a qualified person (who happens to be employed by a lobbying firm about many serves as a dedicated public servant) to serve as HHS Director, then I'll sleep far more soundly than I do at present. In fact, the sleep will be better than any sleep I've had for the past 8 years. If you are going to play the accountability game, perhaps you ought to examine your former endorsement with the same zeal. I'm disappointed in the LJS. "

 shocked wrote on November 23, 2008 8:34 pm:
" I don't know where you people are coming from, LJS has supported Obama all of the election! They are the most liberal newspaper in the state! They sold papers to you Obama lovers, now they have you in the left hand, they have to ring in the the other hand! "

 whatever wrote on November 23, 2008 9:02 pm:
" Daschle while he may be a lobbyist really doesn't fall into the "traditonal lobbyist model." And as a former Republican I certainly wish Obama well. I think Bush's 12 step plan to sobriety the last 8 years is quite enough. How anyone could still support that recovering substance abuser and endorse him as well is beyond belief. I expect more of a president than what we have had. "

 Frank wrote on November 23, 2008 10:32 pm:
" This is a surprise to people? He contradicted himself incessantly during the campaign but no one ever called him on it. There are going to be a lot more surprises and a lot of disappointed people who are expecting something for nothing. If we can make it through the mess of the next four years, maybe some will learn to look at issues when voting instead of consulting their warm fuzzies meter. "

 Here we go wrote on November 23, 2008 10:46 pm:
" If a man says one thing and does another, his promises are worthless. It shouldn't surprise America though, since Obama never really told America what he was actually going to do...except 'change' of course. The American public has been duped into the feel-good choice for president. "

 give me a break wrote on November 23, 2008 10:52 pm:
" hey Mark -- Obama will have a hard time beating out "W" for worst president ever. How about giving it a rest and let the man at least get in office before you seal his fate in history? "

 Sigh wrote on November 24, 2008 6:21 am:
" Oh please. I don't think the Journal-Star, which twice endorsed Bush and then endorsed McSame, has any credibility left to attack Obama, especially when he hasn't even taken office yet.

Real "change" would be if the LJS editorial board would ever finally get a clue.

Meanwhile, W. was allowed to put all his dad's old cronies from the previous Republican administration in his administration (Rumsfeld, Cheney, Powell, etc.) and it was just fine. Obama puts a few Clinton people in there, and suddenly the Republicans are outraged that they aren't getting the "change" they were promised. A little hypocritical, isn't it?

The Nebraska Republican's venom over losing the election is laughable. It really is. I'm disappointed the LJS editorial board is following them down the same hole. "

 Shocking wrote on November 24, 2008 8:33 am:
" To Shocked: Uh, the LJS endorsed McCain (and Johanns) in the election this month. Where are you getting that this is a liberal paper and the "LJS has supported Obama all of the election"?
You did notice that they've started criticizing Obama two months before he will even take office... "

 Picking wrote on November 24, 2008 8:44 am:
" The Lincoln Journal endorses McCain, and then watches the American public (and even Lincoln and Omaha voters) reject all their tired arguments for maintaining the status quo. Now they come out with this nit picking editorial when President Elect Obama won't even take office for two months. No sense in waiting until he actually does something to start pick, pick, picking.
By the way, NICE photo of Obama. Couldn't find anything less flattering? "

 Ignignokt wrote on November 24, 2008 9:16 am:
" The Obama supporters are missing the point by a mile. Obama campaigned on 'change'...one of those changes would be for politicians to keep their promises, or at least not continue to break promises before they've even taken office. Perhaps this is expected of other politicians, but they didn't promise 'change' either. If he's willing to break this promise, how many other promises will he break? Perhaps he may even break his promise for 'change' as well. "

 To Sigh wrote on November 24, 2008 9:39 am:
" W didn't just put in pieces of his fathers cabinet and critical positions... He put the extremists in place.
Today the country is so twisted the average american doesn't know where to turn.
Will Obama be worse? Inheriting what he has he very well could be. Do I hope he is no? I want the country to stand back up a little bit. Put some guns away. Quit screwing around with the economics of this country. And quit lining the pockets of those that don't need it.
It is time for hope. If not, the next eight years won't be a joke. Fortunately we were in strong enough position today to handle this eight, the next might be the end. "

 Sheesh wrote on November 24, 2008 10:58 am:
" I did not vote for Obama, but can we at least put off the bashing until he takes office. Good grief. I think EVERYONE is sick of political news for a while. "

 Liz wrote on November 24, 2008 3:23 pm:
" I found the print edition especially ironic. Directly under this misguided editorial was a column praising the Daschle pick. The LJS should be ashamed of its pandering. "

 just to start wrote on November 24, 2008 4:06 pm:
" Just wait, this is only the begining of many unfulfilled promises by our President Elect. If he follows the same suit as the Presidents before him; half truths. It's only stated. Let's wait for the 4 years to end, then we can really determine if he keeps his words or becomes a liar (like the last three presidents). "

 CouldHaveToldYou wrote on November 24, 2008 6:50 pm:
" Obama was all talk. No experience, just good talking points. Notice that Obama's top financial pick is the guy who is overseeing the AIG bailout? AIG still has multiple $300K boondogles and we are still giving them money!! Can't wait to see what happens when this guy is really given the reins...there goes all your tax money!!

My guess is that before Obama's 4 years are up, all the 'new' voters who voted for Obama will finally see the errors of their voting and will likely never vote again. Good job Democrats... "

 to Surprise Surprise and Ignignokt wrote on November 24, 2008 10:41 pm:
" don't forget to make tin foil hats for the next 4 years....you're going to need it....obviously going to seem like a decade to you.... "

 Ignignokt wrote on November 25, 2008 7:29 am:
" Tin foil hats...good stuff. Yes, God forbid one expects a politician who campaigns on 'change' to actually change anything. I don't know what the next 4 years are going to bring...but I'm certainly not going to turn into a hermit and ask people to 'wake me up when it's over'. The Dems would absolutely love that, because it would give them the free reign to support the Constitutional rights they like, and trample the ones they don't.

Nope, I'll be awake and tin-foil hat-free...I'll support Obama when I think he's right, and fight tooth-and-nail when I think he's wrong. And when this term ends in 4 years, hopefully we won't ALL feel like it's been a decade. "

 Scotious wrote on November 29, 2008 8:03 pm:
" One last note: Did you notice this article had the largest headline and the largest print of any article in the editorial section? Nice try, LJS, but still just looks like sour grapes to me. "

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