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For months, President Barack Obama has urged his supporters to donate money to his campaign, warning that his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, will likely outpace him in fundraising. Now, for the first time this election cycle, Obama is putting some of his own money into his war chest.
On Tuesday, the Obama campaign released a YouTube video that shows the president donating $5,000 – the federal maximum allowed per person – to his campaign fund. The video opens with the president sitting at a computer, telling his supporters: “First of all, I think everybody should know that I really care about this campaign and I believe in what our administration is doing and I want to make sure that folks know I’m not just talking the talk, I’m walking the walk.”
He assures voters that the first lady is on board: “I have cleared this with Michelle; I want everybody to know.”
A YouTube video shows President Barack Obama donating to his own campaign for the first time. His Republican challenger Mitt Romney has fundraised more than him for the last two months.
But the issue of campaign finance is no laughing matter for team Obama (which includes the Obama Campaign, Obama Victory fund and the Democratic National Committee) which has been outpaced in fundraising for the past two months by team Romney (the Romney Campaign, the Republican National Committee and the Republican National Committee Victory Fund).
The Obama campaign remains on top, with nearly $100 million in its coffers, according to federal election data at opensecrets.org. The Romney campaign, by contrast, has slightly more than $20 million.
Still, Republican-leaning super PACs have trounced their Democratic counterparts when it comes to hauling in cash. By all accounts, the super PACs have tipped the overall fundraising scales in the Republicans’ direction.
It is not unusual for candidates to donate to their own campaign. According to Romney aides, he and his wife each donated $75,000 to the Romney re-election effort including the RNC and Romney Victory Fund in May.
But for Obama, this is a shift. In 2008, then-candidate Obama did not contribute to his campaign, according to an Obama for America official.
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What is truly amazing is how many of you have forgotten what happened between 70 and 80 years ago when a man used the electoral process to over throw a democratic republic. Then he created a military authority to handle domestic issues and trained a police force under this authority to enforce the laws that his new government was making that restricted civil liberties. Then the internment camps were built for anyone who didn't go along with the his program.
If I hadn't mentioned 70 to 80 years ago, I could be talking about what is going on in this country today. If you don't understand what is going on because you haven't kept yourself uninformed, the shame is on you.
How is this news?
Typical Chicago politics. I'm waiting for him to get his black panthers buddies back at the polling stations.
Black pastors group: Obama's support for gay marriage 'might cost him the election'
By Andrew Mach, NBC News
A group of African-American pastors say that President Barack Obama's backing of gay marriage may cost him the election due to weakening support among black voters -- although he still has overwhelming support from them.
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Rev. William Owens, head of the Coalition of African-American Pastors, a group of black Christians backing traditional family values, said Obama has taken the black vote for granted.
"He has not done a smart thing and it might cost him the election," Owens said during a press conference Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington. "There are more people that want marriage to be right than there are homosexuals."
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Although Owens declared that "we are not Democrats, we are not Republicans, this is not a political party," Owens criticized the president for not denouncing gay marriage. He said the press conference was held to promote the group's Mandate for Marriage, a pledge to support marriage between one man and one woman – what Owens says will be a national campaign aimed at rallying black Americans to rethink their support of the president.
Obama won 95 percent of the black vote in 2008, and while enthusiasm among some Obama supporters has faded since then, support for America's first black president remains high among African Americans. In a recent Associated Press-GfK poll, 82 percent of black registered voters say they would vote for Obama. His approval rating among blacks was 87 percent.
The group's press conference was held just one day after Rep. Barney Frank confirmed that the Democratic Party is set to include a pro-gay marriage plank in their party-convention platform. The platform, approved unanimously on Sunday, not only backs marriage equality, but also rejects DOMA and has positive language with regard to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The move wasn't a complete surprise, considering Obama's public endorsement of same-sex marriage in May.
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Owens, who said he supported Obama in 2008, said that the president "has ignored the black community because he thinks we are in his pocket because he's black. We refuse to give him a pass."
At the press conference, Owens was joined by five other black pastors and said there were 3,742 African-American pastors on board for the anti-Obama campaign. Owens has long been an opponent of gay marriage and consults with the National Organization for Marriage as a liaison to black churches.
Survey: Partisan divide over gay marriage widens
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Later in his speech, he denounced the administration's priorities.
"With all the challenges facing the African-American community – the prisons are full of African-American men – they have chosen to cater to the homosexual community," Owens said. "They have chosen to cater to Hollywood, to cater to big money, and to ignore the people who put the president where he is."
Supreme Court asked to back gay marriage ban
A Pew Research Center poll conducted in April found that 49 percent of African-Americans oppose legalized same-sex marriage, compared with 39 percent who support it. In 2008, only 26 percent of blacks were in favor of same-sex marriage, according to the same Pew poll.
In a Public Religion Research Institute poll released last week, 18 percent of black Americans surveyed said they see same-sex marriage as a "critical issue," putting it behind the economy, education, deficit, a growing wealth gap and immigration.
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Owens, however, said the president's stance on gay marriage will be a much more decisive issue for his organization come Election Day.
"The president is in the White House because of the Civil Rights movement," said Owens. "I didn't march one inch, one foot, one yard for a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman. We will not take it back, we will not back down, and we are going to take action across this country."
Thought I'd put this in the section of MSNBC that it belongs as somehow it got mixed up in the US section... go figure.... Read it and weep Libtards!!!
FANTASTIC article, Daniel! Hopefully that will shut the Libtard DUMBocrats up fror GOOD...
If the federal maximum is $5,000.. Why can Romney contribute $75,000? Or am I missing something?
Yes.
I sense desperation. His campaign has been trying to get new money out of me for months and months, but Obama has proved to be more promise than performance. He is trying to use the same BS that got him elected in '08. Problem is, now that he has almost 4 years of history, it has become evident that he talks one game but plays another, and the game he plays is not a good one: killing people indiscriminately in Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya; bragging about how he saved General Motors, when GM is heading south in a big way; running the country into massive debt we won't ever be able to repay; pandering to ethnic minorities in a desperate effort to buy votes from people too gullible to realize they are being scammed. Democrats have a lot of good philosophies, but they are suckers for a handsome guy with a good line, and are so blinded by their party loyalty that they refuse to see the phony wizard behind the curtain.
RE: "promise than performance." I call it being a Con Artist. This guy would sell you the Brooklyn Bridge if he though he could get your vote.
As for GM. FYI - the tax payer is still on the hook to the tune of over 40 billion dollars.
Time, I believe Blowbama promised all Americans (and illegals he proudly let into the country, just in time for the election, go figure...) free unicorns and trips to the moon...but only if you vote for him.....I see all the people who didn't vote for him ending up in the "police-mandated" housing 'communities' out in butt fu** Wyoming...makes you wonder.
Oh wow! $5,000 from Obamas own money. What a big hearted slob. BHO holds dinners where the cost to see him is $35,000-$40,000. Yet, this millionaire puts in a whole 3 days of his income from his pay as president. Obviously this is just another ploy to get votes.
Different thought: Obama did not put in $5,000.00. He did not do this alone. Obama gets paid by the Tax payer and government did it (because BHO can write it off. No one is successful without the big, central government helping.
Doubtful. Probably cam from the White House Chick-Fil-a chicken wing fund. Spending his own money gives him hives.
He could donate that money to the unemployed.
He's already donated unemployment to the unemployed.
LOLOL nibor....I love it!
Wonder if Obama has considered he usually backs losers?
HA HA HA... He must really believe in himself.... 5 thousand whole dollars ?!?!?!
Ahhhh! There's nothing like the smell of Cynicism early in the morning.
It's pocket change compared to Romney's offshore banking. Romney should hide his tax returns. Otherwise Americans will get smart of Romney not paying taxes. It has been established that the U,S, government is missing out on $100 billions a year on taxes because of these offshore banks.Bain Capital has established an astounding 138 different offshore funds in Cayman Islands alone. Bermuda is another place for the Romney's. So no, we will never see anymore tax returns from Romney. So, yes he's got a lot to hide from us Americans.
Blah blah blah...no one is listening deb. Typical rhetoric from DUMBocrats who have nothing to say. Tired. Very tired.
Why are we even paying for a President? The job title should be enough. Romney surely doesn't need our money if he makes it to that position.
It is very easy to see obama is a muslim. What is that they do, they make friends, when they get what they want, they're true colors or agenda comes out. Obama did not once ever say he was for same sex marriage while he was running and no one bothered to ask, because of the deciet he was promulgating, getting folk to call him a "savior", when in reality, he is a deceiver just like the rest of the decieved who voted for this liar. How you like your obama now, if this thing wins again, you can be sure of one thing, and that's the viscous manner in which this muslim will treat real americans who oppose his deceitful agenda.
2012 vote NOMOBAMA AND IT'S HENCH CZARS.
Obama is not a real american citizen, he's a phony and an imposter. Like the prince of the air a damn imposter.
If obama wins, you will see God almighty pour out his rightous indignation, say bye bye to this once great nation, which has been taken over by the UN, the EU, mecca and the rest of the tyrannical world. God help this nation, and woe unto the inhabitants of earth.
Hellfire and brimstone, right 644? LOLOL
First of the month, the government checks are in the mail and Obama knows it. Come to daddy, lil sheep sheep.
When bill clinton speaks at the dnc, everyone should turn down their tv's or turn them off in protest of this traitor who is working for the UN in an effort to take over america and promulgate tyranny and oppression, just like their counter part, the republicans. God help us all from those political tyrannts who have sold out this country.
Unfortunately, Blowbama's $5000 check bounced...is that irony for you, or what?
Rich millionaire Barry Obama donating $5,000 to himself. That's almost enough for Moochelle to buy a handbag to go with her super-awesome expensive London wardrobe. Nothing to see here folks, move along. Just the rich 1% being rich.
Either all of you people are just plain stupid or can't understand that America is already in the hand-basket burning and will never return. She's finished, kaput, done. Neither Mitt or Odumbo will make any difference.
Jimmy...this once great nation is at it's lowest point in HISTORY. Unfortunately, with Blowbama , we will reach NEW lows with the implementation of Socialism and a Government-mandated police state. At least with Gov. Romney, we will have opportunity and not handouts. This country made a HUGE mistake 4 years ago....it is time for Jokebama to take a PERMANENT vacation...and not on the taxpayer's dime, this time.
That's about half of what Moochelle's blouse she wore to the olympics cost us. Even the NYT called that "tone deaf". Not to be reported here. Ever.
I have no problem with Obama donating to his own campaign - so what.
However, these are some of the reasons we should all vote for Romney.
No name calling - just facts
1. Unemployment 8.2 % and estimated to be about 15% when people that have given up looking are counted
2. 16 trillion in debt. Was about 9 trillion when he took over
and for me, the biggest reason
3. His agenda of class warfare and dividing the country. Rich against poor, union vs non union, public vs private sector, etc. Including Democratic and Republican presidents when have you heard all this name calling from a president? Wall Street fat cats, the rich aren't paying their share, we won they lost they can ride the bus but must sit in the back. He just doesn't get the fact that he's the president of the poor and the rich, president of people who work for the union and people who don't, He's the president of Republicans, tea party members, black panthers and democrats. One example taxes, instead of saying the rich aren't paying their share, why not be more forthright and say I know the top 10% are paying 70% of the federal income tax and that's a big number. But, the country's in financial trouble and we need to finance more of the programs I want. These top 10 are already paying more than what's fair, but I need them to pay more. I think he's get much less push back if he could only realize he's the president of the entire country.