http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/03/14/money-access
March 14, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Money, Access, And The White House
Barack Obama was a controversial pathbreaker in putting big private money in campaign politics. Now he’s doing it in the White House. We investigate.
The White House in Washington is seen on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. (AP)
Swanky dinner digs in Washington last night, as President Obama met with a “Founders Summit” of the new group launched to battle around the country for his second term priorities.
It’s raising big money – private money – to fight conservatives like Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers and more over the national agenda. To fight fire with fire.
But critics say it’s unprecedented and dangerous for a sitting president to put high rollers in such a close, cash embrace of the White House. That it tempts corruption at the very top.
This hour, On Point: money politics and the presidency.
-Tom Ashbrook
Guests
Philip Rucker, White House correspondent for the Washington Post. (@philiprucker)
Fred Wertheimer, founder and President of Democracy 21, which advocates for transparency in government and campaign finance reform. (@fredwertheimer)
Tad Devine, Democratic strategist. President of Devine Mulvey, a Democratic media consulting firm. He was a senior adviser in Al Gore’s 2000 and John Kerry’s 2004 Presidential campaigns. (@taddevine)
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