Today, David Brock announced what is essentially the death of Progressive Media USA:
"Progressive Media will not be running an independent ad campaign this year," David Brock, the head of the organization, confirmed in a statement obtained by The Fix this morning.
"Progressive Media was established to be an independent on-going progressive issue advocacy organization," Brock added. "We were not established for one issue, one candidate or one election cycle. But donors and potential donors are getting clear signals from the Obama camp through the news media and we recognize that reality."
This is creepy because of the apparent cause. During a meeting in early May, Obama's finance chair told big donors flat out not to support independent groups.
more...
Ben Smith of Politico reported:
Obama's national finance chairwoman, Chicago hotel mogul Penny Pritzker, told supporters at a national finance committee meeting in Indianapolis May 2, and in other conversations, not to give money to the groups, people familiar with her comments said.
"From the beginning of this race Obama has told supporters that if they want to help his effort, they should do so through his campaign," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton, who confirmed that Pritzker has told donors not to give to the groups. "And he means exactly what he says."
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The donors have been considering entreaties from Progressive Media USA, run by conservative-journalist turned liberal media critic David Brock; from former Clinton aide John Podesta's Fund for America; and from America Votes, a group backed by billionaire George Soros that focuses on voter mobilization, among other efforts.
But in recent days, major donors have begun to conclude that Obama is serious in trying to cut off funds to the outside groups.
"It's given donors pause," said one prominent Democratic donor of Pritzker's words.
Some suggest Obama is simply following through on his committment to rise above "politics as usual", and they'll debate the merits of what amounts to unilateral disarmament against McCain and right wing groups.
I think it's less about morality or even a political tactic, and more about control of the message. The Obama campaign wants to frame the message entirely by themselves.
The most obvious negative play against John McCain is "McBush/McSame". Brock's group produced such an ad, and the DNC did the same. Howard Dean consistently makes the observation that "John McCain is running for a 3rd Bush term" in interviews. It's smart, an easy concept that will connect with voters, and for the most part true. Obama has said much the same himself. The whole purpose of Brock's group, this year, was to paint McCain as Bush III. I don't think that troubles the Obama campaign.
What about next year? Or 2010 or 2012? What will the group's message be then? I think Obama's campaign is looking ahead to its own administration. Both Senators Clinton and Obama individually blew away previous primary fund raising records. That should tell anyone with a pulse that there's a lot of $$$ out there for Democratic candidates and, perhaps more dangerously for some, Liberal and Progressive causes.
Older folks remember Harry and Louise, a very effective ad campaign against the Clintons' plans to expand health care coverage, financed largely by insurance companies. Imagine, if you will, it's progressive polar opposite - a campaign, funded with $100M of private donations, calling for Medicare for all, in the midst of a theoretical Obama administration proposing much less ambitious reforms.
This is not the first time we've seen the Obama camp go to great lengths to control the message. With the death (or late term abortion if you will) of Progressive Media USA, the message from Obama's finance chair is very clear to me. It's not, "help us this way". Rather, it's "our way or the highway". I can see Obama wanting to tamper 527s, if only to bolster his own claims to represent the politics of hope, but there are ways to do that aside from cutting them off the knees.
This is creepy, gentle people. Very, very creepy.
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