# Obama lays down the law with the DNC **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 6, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039 "2008-06-06T18:02:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/1 "2008-06-06T18:02:47Z")
Barack is not wasting any time letting the DNC know [who their daddy is](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91226631) now: > [@](#): > > Presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama, exerting his new power as leader of his party, has told the Democratic National Committee to eschew all contributions from Washington lobbyists and political action committees. > > Obama has spurned money from lobbyists and PACs ever since he declared himself a candidate for president. On Thursday, he extended that policy to the DNC. > > Speaking in Bristol, Va., he told a cheering crowd: “We will not take a dime from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs. We’re going to change how Washington works. They will not fund my party. They will not run our White House. And they will not drown out the voice of the American people when I’m president of the United States of America.” I like this kind of assertiveness, I like the imposition of a genuine change, and I like the not so subtle message implied by the words “My party.” I think that’s a message sent not just to the party at large but to the Clintons in particular. He has a great knack for being able to assert dominance without seeming obnoxious or rude or arrogant or bullying. He’s telling everybody that the Clinton era is over and there’s a new sheriff in town, but he manages to do it while still sounding classy as hell. I am so Obama’s bitch right now. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/2 "2008-06-06T18:13:07Z")
Does the DNC have to do what Obama says, just because he’s the presumptive nominee? (I know the answer would be yes if he were POTUS, but he ain’t there yet.) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/3 "2008-06-06T18:14:56Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Does the DNC have to do what Obama says, just because he’s the presumptive nominee? (I know the answer would be yes if he were POTUS, but he ain’t there yet.) [/QUOTE] Well, yes, sort of. But it leaves out a step. As the presumptive nominee, he populates the committee with his people, and that’s what makes him in charge of it. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/4 "2008-06-06T18:16:45Z")
[One of my recent observations on this.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9877920&postcount=97) This guy is so good he almost scares me sometimes. I like that in a Democrat. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/5 "2008-06-06T18:20:15Z")
Good for him! I hope he sticks to it. This is the first time in my adult life that there’s a presidential candidate who not only seems like a good politician, but like genuinely honorable, principled human being. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/6 "2008-06-06T18:21:13Z")
Is there a debate, or is this just more Obama witnessing in GD? It really doesn’t make much difference to me whether or not they accept money from lobbyists, if that’s supposed to be the debate. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/7 "2008-06-06T18:21:31Z")
And if they don’t stop taking lobbyist money, what happens? It sounds like a good idea to me, but it’s like telling a heroin addict to stop. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/8 "2008-06-06T18:24:16Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Is there a debate, or is this just more Obama witnessing in GD? It really doesn’t make much difference to me whether or not they accept money from lobbyists, if that’s supposed to be the debate. [/QUOTE] Political opinion threads usually belong in GD. Sorry, we’re taking over your forums for a few months. Mind if we sleep on your couch? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/9 "2008-06-06T18:24:39Z")
I like what I’m hearing. It sure beats the old hem-haw answers all the other politicians have given through the years. “Well, hem-haw hem-haw, that’s just how it’s done, hem-haw hem-haw, that’s how it’s always been done.” Bulllllllshit. Washington being financed and run by lobbyists has always been known to be wrong but we just have a long history of politicians shrugging their shoulders saying “well, whatta ya gonna do?” ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/10 "2008-06-06T18:25:04Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Is there a debate, or is this just more Obama witnessing in GD? [/QUOTE] Well, GD _is_ the forum for witnessing… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/11 "2008-06-06T18:26:58Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Well, GD _is_ the forum for witnessing… 😛 [/QUOTE] Yes, I know. I just wasn’t sure whether I should offer an opinion or an adulation. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/12 "2008-06-06T18:30:06Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Yes, I know. I just wasn’t sure whether I should offer an opinion or an adulation. [/QUOTE] Whatever floats your boat, but only with adulation will you get fruit cup. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/13 "2008-06-06T18:33:00Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Well, GD _is_ the forum for witnessing… 😛 [/QUOTE] And Obama has many Christ-like qualities. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/14 "2008-06-06T18:40:03Z")
I put it here because it’s the default forum for political discussions (which, like religious discussions, almost always end up in an argument one way or the other anyway), but also for general debate and discussion of the action itself and the significance of Obama asserting himself as the new leader of the party. Incidentally, I do think that telling the DNC, “no more lobby money” is a welcome gesture, a bold one and, yes, a Presidential one. The convetional move would be for a new nominee to ingratiate himself the Committee, spout a few platitudes, bask in some applause and move on. This guy is all business on day one. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/15 "2008-06-06T18:40:05Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] And Obama has many Christ-like qualities. [/QUOTE] That’s he’s been as successful as he has been is a miracle in itself, I’ll say that much. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/16 "2008-06-06T18:41:40Z")
This is all about putting the squeeze on McCain. McCain says he’s in favor of reform, but he’s packed his campaign with lobbyists and he can’t afford to stop taking money from them. Obama is setting himself up to start pummelling McCain on his “reform” talking points. Attack the enemy’s strengths, baby. Last week he smacked McCain on national defense. Now he’s teeing up clean government. The overall strategy is to force McCain to play defense from now 'til November. So far it’s working beautifully. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/17 "2008-06-06T18:42:25Z")
[QUOTE=Revtim] And if they don’t stop taking lobbyist money, what happens? It sounds like a good idea to me, but it’s like telling a heroin addict to stop. [/QUOTE] Obama’s going to have his own people in the key posts from this point, and I’d bet he’s going to appoint people who hold to his ideals on this. The lobbyist angle is important to those of us (actual, you know, citizens) who are tired of competing for attention with industry money. You have to dance with who brung ya, after all, and if I know that WE brung him instead of K Street (or Wall Street, for that matter) I’ll breathe a whole lot easier the next eight years. This doesn’t affect individual congressional campaigns. It’s just the DNC. He can’t stop congressional Democrats from accepting lobbyist money. He knows he can’t use the big stick on them…just the soft speaking, which he’s also good at… ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/18 "2008-06-06T18:45:50Z")
[QUOTE=Mosier] Political opinion threads usually belong in GD. Sorry, we’re taking over your forums for a few months. Mind if we sleep on your couch? [/QUOTE] 😃 Sorry for the contentless smileyizing; just couldn’t let that one go unappreciated. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/19 "2008-06-06T18:47:48Z")
[QUOTE=Enfant Terrible] Whatever floats your boat, but only with adulation will you get fruit cup. [/QUOTE] _And_ the jaunty little paper umbrella. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039/20 "2008-06-06T18:49:11Z")
I gotta say it’s great to see you Democrats in the driver’s seat for a change. No wooden Indians. No ketchup bottles. No trailer trash from Arkansas. You’ve got a fearless, intelligent, and articulate leader with a good heart, an even temperament, and a great vision for America. It wouldn’t surprise me to see y’all wax patriotic every once in a while. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-lays-down-the-law-with-the-dnc/452039.md?page=2)