Latest

Lobby

Search

Options

Help

Login

Charlie Gibson: Lobbyists "can have huge parties for you as long as you’re standing up."

Printer-friendly format

Email this thread to a friend

Bookmark this thread

This topic is archived.

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010)

Eric J in MN

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:29 PM
Original message

Charlie Gibson: Lobbyists "can have huge parties for you as long as you’re standing up."

Can anyone explain this discussion from the New Hampshire Jan. 5 debate to me?

OBAMA: I just want to add, I agree with John, which is why I prohibited lobbyists from buying meals for members of Congress…

EDWARDS: Good idea.

OBAMA: … because — and some of them complained. They said…

(CROSSTALK)

OBAMA: They said, “Where am I going to eat?”

GIBSON: They can now buy food for members of Congress if the members of Congress are standing up. That’s my understanding of what the rules have changed. You can’t sit down and eat, but you can stand up and eat. Tell me why that’s change.

OBAMA: Here’s what we did. They can’t buy meals. They can’t provide gifts. They can no longer lend corporate…

GIBSON: They can have huge parties for you as long as you’re standing up.

EDWARDS: They can’t eat as much if they’re standing up, Charlie.

OBAMA: That’s true.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MalloyLiberal

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:31 PM
Response to Original message

1. Edwards was joking there, he agreed it was idiotic

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Eric J in MN

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:32 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Yes, but did Charlie Gibson have a valid point?

Is there a loophole which should be closed?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MalloyLiberal

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:33 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Of course!

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Windy

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:40 PM
Response to Reply #2

6. He did and Edwards has taken money from trial lawyer pacs, Obama

has taken money from state lobbyists and hillary has taken money from state and federal lobbyists and pacs...

None of them are totally clean on this. It comes down to who you think will fight this trend in politics

With the money that is needed to get to Super Tuesday now, and given the money that HRC has gotten from lobbyists which is much more than both of the others are getting, you can't say NO and make it to the general.

having said that, as I said before, you have to vote for the person who will address the issue once elected...the person who is not just giving this lip service.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

OneGrassRoot

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:46 PM
Response to Reply #6

10. I think a distinction needs to be made here...

Edited on Mon Jan-07-08 08:47 PM by timeforarevolution

Senator Obama was talking about how he had passed ethics reform which prevented lobbyists from taking politicians out for meals.

Charlie was making the point that, for some odd Washington reason, the wording of the bill excluded this from being prohibited as long as they're not sitting down to eat.

Your point about lobbyists and pacs are valid, I'm just pointing out that it wasn't pertinent to the OP. Charlie said that in response to Obama saying he's done something concrete about removing lobbyist influence from Washington.

edit to correct "bill" to ethics reform, and to also note you addressed this below.

:hi:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

hedgehog

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 09:11 PM
Response to Reply #2

14. WIthout doing a lot of research, I think the law allows lobbyists

to pay for a hamburger, for example. In other words, fast food is OK, but not a three course lunch in a fancy restaurant.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

in_cog_ni_to

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:37 PM
Response to Original message

4. I noticed Barack talked right around that point too. It was obvious what Charlie said is TRUE

Edited on Mon Jan-07-08 08:37 PM by in_cog_ni_to

because Barack wouldn't address the "standing up" issue. He ignored it.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Eric J in MN

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:39 PM
Response to Reply #4

5. Or maybe he just didn't know Charlie Gibson was referring to. NT

NT

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

in_cog_ni_to

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:44 PM
Response to Reply #5

8. How would he not know? Didn't he say he helped WRITE the ethics reform???

:crazy:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Eric J in MN

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #8

12. There are lots of ways to interpret the many sections of a big bill.

Even someone who helped write the bill doesn't necessarily know how to instantly respond to an assertion about the bill without knowing what section the critic is referring to.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Windy

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:45 PM
Response to Reply #4

9. Old school politicians know how to beat the system... the legislation was a start

It clearly needs to be tweaked to remove the obvious loopholes.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

in_cog_ni_to

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 09:00 PM
Response to Reply #9

11. Obviously, it's not perfect, but better than it was. n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

PsN2Wind

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 09:19 PM
Response to Reply #9

15. Maybe next

they could be made to stand on one foot!!

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Kucinich4America

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 08:43 PM
Response to Original message

7. FUCK Charlie "Poppy Bush's golf buddy" Gibson

Edited on Mon Jan-07-08 08:43 PM by Kucinich4America

The way he and Georgie Snuffleuppagus are trying to spin up the sympathy for Hillary's crying episode is nothing short of blatant shilling.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Rosemary2205

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jan-07-08 09:09 PM
Response to Original message

13. Obama will definitely play the game at least just a little.

He'll grease a palm and get his greased. I'm hoping it's just enough to get something real done for everyone rather than just the top 1%.

Edwards is the better man. He WON'T play the game. And I'm afraid once elected Edward's own party will "Carter" him. Carter was too good and decent for Washington. Seems like the snakes entrenched back then submarined Carter before even his inaugeration - and certainly his fellow Dems did afterwards.

But yes, Obama will doublespeak and provide cover for the players.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Wed May 15th 2024, 11:41 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010)

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home | Discussion Forums | Journals | Store | Donate

About DU | Contact Us | Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC