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Obama’s Message to Conservative Billionaires: You Can’t Buy the White House
In a conference call with reporters today, Obama senior advisor David Axelrod said the message of the election to conservative billionaires is that the White House is not for sale.
Axelrod was asked what ended up being the point and effect of all of the outside money in this election. He called the results heartening in some ways because billions were spent in a losing effort to defeat the president and Democrats in the Senate. Axelrod couldn’t help taking a jab at Karl Rove, “If I were one of those billionaires funding Crossroads, I would like to talk to somebody about a refund, because they didn’t get much for their money.” He also thought that the larger point was that Citizens United money can be used to overwhelm Congressional races but, “the heartening news is that you can’t buy the White House.” Axelrod thought that in the future these conservative billionaires might be a bit more reluctant the next time Karl Rove knocks on their doors.
The discussion of the absolute failure of Rove’s Crossroads is disguising the fact that this secret money was very effective in two areas. It drove up the cost of running for office to unfathomable levels, and when the “dark money” was spent on negative advertising, it worked. It turns out that the Citizens United dollars were worth little for Republicans when it comes to supporting candidates, but it was more effective in opposing Democrats.
For example, Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS Policy Strategists supported 0 winning candidates, but it did get a 14% return on its investment (which is still a lousy return on investment) by successfully opposing 7 candidates who lost. According to the Sunlight Foundation most of the largest Republican supporting super PACs were more successful with running ads against Democrats than they were with supporting Republicans. On the other hand, the smaller Democratic supported superPACs were much more successful in supporting and opposing candidates.
THe Republican super PAC numbers took a serious hit based on their total failure to defeat Barack Obama. In the last week of the campaign alone, the right wing super PACS spent $100 million on ads opposing the president.
I think Axelrod was correct to a degree. Super PAC money can buy the congress, but its potential effective is greatly limited by the national scope of the presidential election. The Obama campaign also did brilliant job negating the national super PAC dollars against them by running a targeted battleground state based campaign.
Citizens United money is just as dangerous to our electoral system and our system of governance as it was before the election. The conservative billionaires were defeated by a popular incumbent president this time, but they’ll be back in 2016. In the next four years, the pressure needs to be kept up, the law must be changed, and vigilance must be maintained to ensure that the people’s White House is never for sale.
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13 Responses to Obama’s Message to Conservative Billionaires: You Can’t Buy the White House
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Mark
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
We should put all the Conservative billionaires in a Hunger Games like situation and see how far they can go with their money. Those who lose gets to give ALL not some but ALL their money to help the economy and pay of the debt. The sole survivor gets to live but have to give a good amount to charity or add that money in fixing our economy. I know this is never gonna happen but a man can dream right?
Maria
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
I think they’re going to focus their efforts on local and the state level. If they can impose their will on us on the ground here, then they can rise up and attempt again. I suspect they’ll be back…unfortunately.
Middle Molly
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
And that tells us what we have to do… The ground game can’t just be ramped up for the presidency; it needs to be ramped up at the state and local level.
julia patterson-massey
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 8:53 pm
lets hope not, but then again, they have no worries like the average american. hunger, childrens education, homes to live in, ect. there is no sharing to help the needy. giving all that money to a campaign then bitching because it failed. they and all americans would have been better served if the money went to the needs of they’re fellow country men. i am sickened by some of the responses that have been made in this matter. ty for listening..jpm
Reynardine
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
You may be sure they’ll be back, by hook or by crook, but especially the latter.
julia patterson-massey
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 8:54 pm
that was and is the operative word…
Sugapea
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Another area the Con’s have invested in is Radio. Beginning in January 2012 they have discontinued Progressive Radio Stations across the country. Obviously, they thought this would influence the 2012 Election and were wrong.
Here in Northern Ca…we only hear the RightWing Moon-Bat Crazies. Not to mention that they blanket America from coast to coast with their Hate Obama Radio.
Thankfully, we now have IHeartRadio! Where you can listen to Progressive Stations all across America.
Check it out: www.iheart.com/
galactusx
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Yeah, well it won’t be long and the American people will be closing down their Citizens United Money Train.
Think
Nov. 8th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
Agreed! United Citizens can overturn Citizens United! Ready. What’s the next step. The integrity of our democracy must be maintained.
jjm
Nov. 9th, 2012 at 3:07 am
Well, the Kochs tried dumping millions into California to kill our progressive ballot initiative, Prop 30, and promote the anti-union Prop. 32. Anonymously. They got outed and their ’causes’ lost big time.
Herb Picotte
Nov. 9th, 2012 at 4:26 am
Well, we elected the President, congratulated ourselves on a job well done and went back to posting kitten pictures on Facebook. But Congressional gridlock remains… I have the President’s back, I will be calling, emailing, and basically being a pain in the ass of OUR elected congressional representatives, until these S.O.B.’s DO THEIR JOB!!
These guys work for US, NOT BIG BUSINESS!!! and it’s time we started treating them LIKE THE EMPLOYEES THEY ARE!!
If you see what I see, and you feel as I do, then it’s time to get ALL PISSED OFF AMERICAN STYLE on them…
Here are our elected officials contact information, and every time you hear of an issue, TELL THEM HOW WE EXPECT THEM TO VOTE!!!
Here is a sample of the email I just sent to the Republican reps for my district and it would be great if you could send them a note, too…
“Dear Sir, In regards to the Fiscal Cliff, I realize the President has nothing to lose, and I expect you to work in good faith with the president to hammer out workable deal on this matter. If we, the working class suffer because of your partisan politics, we will not re-elect you. Thanks for your time…”
Doug Johannes
Nov. 9th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Take THAT George Soros!
Rob
Nov. 10th, 2012 at 6:20 am
Doug,
Hate to pop your bubble but Soros is a huge contributor to the Dems.