Here's a headline you likely never expected to see at the perilously liberal Huffington Post: "Obama Begs Donors: Send More $$$."
The sub-headline below the picture was just as shocking: "Phones Donors From Air Force One... Call Caught On Tape... Issues Warning: GOP Will 'Run Congress And The White House.'"
The link directed readers to a Daily Beast article titled, "President Obama Asks Campaign Donors to Send Him More Money."
Author Lloyd Grove teased, "President Obama sounded weary and maybe a tad worried late Friday during a rambling conference call with campaign donors whom he repeatedly begged to send money—and send it now."
This certainly wasn't what one would have expected from a President that supposedly won a tremendous victory the previous day having his landmark healthcare legislation declared constitutional by the Supreme Court.
Yet as many conservative commentators pointed out including yours truly, this wasn't close to the conquest his fans in the media claimed.
Judging by his pleas in this audio tape sent to the Daily Beast by an Obama donor, the President and his campaign know it:
“The majority on this call maxed out to my campaign last time. I really need you to do the same this time,” the president said in a highly unusual (and presumably legal) fundraising pitch from Air Force One on his way back to Washington from Colorado Springs, where he’d been assessing the terrible damage caused by uncontained wildfires. A special phone on the government aircraft is dedicated to political calls that are paid for by the campaign.
“I’m asking you to meet or exceed what you did in 2008,” he continued. “Because we’re going to have to deal with these super PACs in a serious way. And if we don’t, frankly I think the political [scene] is going to be changed permanently. Because the special interests that are financing my opponent’s campaign are just going to consolidate themselves. They’re gonna run Congress and the White House.”
Maybe this call took place after Americans for Prosperity and American Crossroads each created and started running ads Friday pummeling the President for his signature healthcare legislation now being a tax on the citizens, something he promised the people wasn't the case before it was passed.
“In 2008 everything was new and exciting about our campaign,” said the President. “And now I’m the incumbent president. I’ve got gray hair. People have seen disappointment because folks had a vision of change happening immediately. And it turns out change is hard, especially when you’ve got an obstructionist Republican Congress.”
The President then complained about being out-fundraised by Mitt Romney last month, and that the GOP Super PACs are likely to continue to give the former Massachusetts governor the edge.
Those on the call were warned he couldn't wait for contributions later in the year because ad time could already be gobbled up in key markets.
“We are going to see more money spent on negative ads through these super PACs and anonymous outside groups than ever before," Obama said. "And if things continue as they have so far, I’ll be the first sitting president in modern history to be outspent in his reelection campaign.”
Does that sound to you like a man the media claimed was dancing in the White House in the midst of a post-ObamaTax ruling victory lap?
