Obama Camp Response to McCain Memo on Bipartisanship

“The McCain campaign's latest attack memo shows a fundamental misunderstanding of why the American people are frustrated with Washington. After eight years of partisanship and attacks, the American people are looking for a leader who will work across party lines to end the gridlock and make real progress. That's what Senator Obama did in the Illinois State Senate when he worked to cut taxes for the poor, reform a broken welfare system, and provide health care to 150,000 children and parents. In the U.S. Senate, Obama worked across the aisle to make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely and get deadly weapons out of the hands of terrorists. And Senator Obama went against the wishes of some leaders in his own party when he worked with John McCain and other Republicans to pass the strongest ethics and lobbying reforms since Watergate,” said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor.

Below are just a few examples of Senator Obama's record of bipartisanship. If you'd like more information, please don't hesitate to ask.

MCCAIN, OTHER REPUBLICANS, HAVE PRAISED OBAMA AS NOT “IDEOLOGICAL” OR “DOGMATIC”

McCain Praised Obama As “Very Impressive, He's Thoughtful.”  Sen. John McCain, said of Obama “He's very impressive, he's thoughtful.” [The Tribune (Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce, FL), 12/18/05]

AP, OTHER OUTLETS, SAY OBAMA “OFTEN COOPERATED WITH REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS”

AP: In The State Senate Obama “Was No Ideologue” And “Often Cooperated With Republican Lawmakers, Co-Sponsoring Their Legislation And Working With Them On Compromises.”  The AP wrote, “In all, Obama's record from nearly eight years in the Illinois Senate suggests someone who believes strongly that government can make life better for people, whether by offering financial help, banning dangerous guns or providing health care. But Obama, now the Democratic candidate for president, was no ideologue. He often cooperated with Republican lawmakers, co-sponsoring their legislation and working with them on compromises. ‘People on both sides of the aisle would find him to be someone who would reach across to find out why people think the way they do,' said William Mahar, a former Republican state senator. ‘He wouldn't talk just to people who agreed with him.'” [AP, 6/25/08 <http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBAMA_STATE_LAWMAKER?SITE=KTVK&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT> ]

OBAMA PASSED ETHICS REFORM OVERWHELMINGLY IN THE US SENATE

Obama Worked to Assemble And Pass The 2007 Ethics Reform Law, Which Passed 83-14, Curbing The Influence Of Lobbyists And Described As The “Most Sweeping Since Watergate.” In the first week of the 110th Congress, Obama joined with Senator Feingold to introduce a “Gold Standard” ethics package.  Many of the Obama/Feingold bill's most important provisions were included in the final ethics reform package passed by the Senate in late January: a full ban on gifts and meals from lobbyists including those paid by the firms that employ lobbyists; an end to subsidized travel on corporate jets; full disclosure of who's sponsoring earmarks and for what purpose; additional restrictions to close the revolving door between public service and lobbying to ensure that public service isn't all about lining up a high-paying lobbying job; and requiring lobbyists to disclose the contributions that they "bundle" - that is, collect or arrange - for members of Congress, candidates, and party committees.  In January 2007, the The Washington Post wrote in an editorial that “…Mr. Reid, along with Sens. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), deserves credit for assembling and passing this package.”  In September 2007, the AP reported,  “President Bush signed a bill Friday that will require lawmakers to disclose more about their efforts to fund pet projects and raise money from lobbyists, a measure that backers call the biggest ethics reform in decades…Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. who had pushed for the bundling provisions and was one of four lawmakers who participated in a Democratic conference call to reporters said the measure marks "the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.”  [S. 230, 110th Congress; Vote #294: Motion Agreed To 83-14: R 34-14; D 47-0; I 2-0, 8/2/07, S.1, Became Public Law 109-110-81, 9/14/07; AP, 9/15/07; The Washington Post, Editorial, 1/21/07]

Ø       Obama Passed Into Law Legislation Requiring Lobbyists To Disclose Their Bundling Activity, Causing Democrats To Say He “Has Not Been The Most Popular Person In Our Caucus In The Last Couple Of Weeks.”  Obama sponsored an amendment to require lobbyists to disclose the candidates, leadership PACs, or political parties for whom they collect or arrange contributions, and the aggregate amount of the contributions collected or arranged. The amendment was passed by unanimous consent and attached to the Senate ethics bill, which was signed into law on September 15, 2007. The New York Times wrote, “The disclosure idea's lead sponsor, Senator Barack Obama... ‘has not been the most popular person in our caucus in the last couple of weeks,' said a Democratic aide involved in deliberations over the bill.” [S. Amdt. 41 to S. 1, S. Amdt. 3, Submitted 1/11/07, Agreed to By Unanimous Consent, 1/18/07; S. 1, Signed into Law 9/14/07;New York Times, 1/20/07; CQ, 9/15/07]

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