Obama Campaign Rolling in Money

[SG-17]

Obama Camp Charging Media for Election-Night Access Barack Obama's campaign is asking news organizations to pay anywhere from a few hundred to nearly $1,900 for election-night seats and Internet service.

AP
Wednesday, October 22, 2008


CHICAGO -- Media organizations will have to pay up if they want a prime spot to cover Democrat Barack Obama's Election Night party in a downtown lakefront park.
Obama's campaign, awash in money after raising a record-shattering $150 million last month, is asking news organizations to pay anywhere from $410 to $1,870 depending on where they want to be and if they want telephone or Internet service in Grant Park.
While it is customary for news organizations to pay their way when covering a presidential campaign, including transportation, hotels and Internet services, some have questioned the Obama campaign's plan.
"It smells a lot like paying for access," said Al Tompkins, a former TV news director who teaches broadcast and online journalism at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla.
For $1,870, a news organization can buy space on a main riser that will be covered, plus phone and Internet service, while $410 will get them space on a separate riser for photographers without out phone or Internet access, but with electrical power. A seat in a heated press filing center will cost $935 and include power, cable TV, Internet and food.
There is one press credential reporters can get for free. It will provide access to a standing-room-only outdoor press area with no services that "may have obstructed views."
Obama's campaign says it's charging the media only for the services it will be providing them, not for coverage, and that such fees are "standard procedure" in presidential campaigns.
"There is no fee to cover our Election Night event. News organizations will be able to cover our event without charge, with full access to our campaign advisers," Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a statement.
The event will be free and open to the public.
Republican John McCain's campaign did not immediately provide details Wednesday about media arrangements for its Election Night event in Phoenix.
Tompkins said it's typical for media to pay for telecommunications services but he said he was unaware of news organizations having to pay for platform space to cover an event.

Fred Brown, former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, said the Obama campaign's fee list is a "mercenary way" to approach coverage.
"It seems to needlessly create ill will," said Brown, a retired capitol bureau chief for The Denver Post who still writes regularly for the newspaper.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/22/obama-camp-charging-media-election-night-access/

 

[Halcyon]

Well, the article itself says that this is "customary" and "typical", and the campaign says that this is "standard procedure" and "not for profit". Unless this is in fact not true, and political campaigns never charge the newsmedia for seats and services, is there a point to this article? It's not as though they're charging $1000 just for access, is it?

 

[Kraznaya]

They're trying to find a way to piss off the media just enough so the media coverage won't seem too biased.

 

[JerichoHill]

This is a normal custom. Thus, the thread title is misleading and inaccurate.

 

[Princeps]

The conservatives will jump on this. They resent profit-making.

 

[Shekwan]

Damn Socialists

 

[Godwynn]

More misleading statements about Obama.

We have to e-mail this to fightthesmears.

 

[Shylock]

I don't know why they bother fund raising on election night. By then it's almost certainly over and the campaign is at it's end.

 

[Zulu Impi]

So much for being socialist... Seriously running for president can be a good investment just ask Mitt Romney.

 

[JollyRoger]

I can't believe Obama is setting fixed prices that are below what the free market would bear. He should auction off the spots to get a higher price, instead of subsidizing the press in the form of accepting lost profits. I guess he is not a real capitalist.

 

[Mise]

Finally some fiscal responsibility in the White House.

 

[JeffIllinois]

The Obama campaign has to pay the City of Chicago for access, security, cleanup, etc... These charges are being used to pay the City so the campaign doesn't have to dip into donations.

This is another misleading FoxNews story where inconvenient facts are conveniently omitted.

Who cares if the "gotcha left wing media elites" have to pay up? They can afford it.

 

[bhsup]

I don't see what the issue is at all. If the media don't want to be there, they don't have to pay the price dictated.

 

[Mise]

Is there a professional association that journalists and/or media groups subscribe to? Like the British Medical Association for Doctors or the British Bankers' Association for banks? If so, then, IMO, this body should pay for all charges associated with Obama's (and McCain's) election-night press conferences.

 

[GenMarshall]

McBush and the Republicans would most certanly complain and whine about this .

 

[Bigfoot3814]

He's rich, [female dog]!

 

[FriendlyFire]

I can't believe Obama is setting fixed prices that are below what the free market would bear. He should auction off the spots to get a higher price, instead of subsidizing the press in the form of accepting lost profits. I guess he is not a real capitalist.

I think the US is in serious trouble if Obama is elected especially if hes own "patten" of buying is anything to go on.

as Michelle points out in the interview, his belt and shoes need replacing, and his pants are 10 years old ("I hate to shop," he explains). Michelle also reveals that the sundress she's wearing is from the Gap: "Fortunately now they make really pretty stuff at all price ranges... [Barack] will be happy to know that this is, like, a $30 dress." Her husband then high-fives her, and daughter Sasha announces "Mommy buys everything from Gap!"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/22/the-obamas-discuss-dressi_n_137009.html

 

[Pannonius]

And now we can add greed to the list of his sins. Another proof that Barack Hussein Obama is an antichrist.

 

[JollyRoger]

And now we can add greed to the list of his sins. Another proof that Barack Hussein Obama is an antichrist.

What's wrong with being a capitalist? We can't all go up to the temple trying to whip them.

 

[Pannonius]

What's wrong with being a capitalist? We can't all go up to the temple trying to whip them.

but we can try...