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Obama transforms re-election team into advocacy group

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    Team to mobilize support for president's second-term agenda

  • Duration 4:29
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-- their present Obama meanwhile putting the finishing touches on a second inaugural speech set for Monday -- see it live here on the Fox News Channel them.

This is we're learning that he's gearing up for a second term legislative battle in a way that no other president has done before he's transforming the campaign operation.

That helped him win back the White House into an advocacy group pushing his agenda.

On the American people Karl Rove former senior advisor deputy chief of staff to George Bush and also.

-- Fox News contributor and the man who helped organize the political action committee American crossroads how you doing Carl fabulous morning to you little under the weather we will endeavor together.

First of all you called this shrewd.

In one word well -- -- the look they've got this army of people who are passionate about Barack Obama.

They're now I'm gonna try and unleash them on members of congress to educate the prison today agenda.

They know a lot about these people -- know how to contact him how to motivate him how to persuade him.

But but having said that there are difficulties and challenges we also well first.

There's a practical one that it's hard to take the enthusiasm about an individual and turn it into enthusiasm about a cause.

They found this for example during the battle over health care -- they took the people they had no wait and found it difficult to motivate him to be on behalf of their health care initiative.

Second of all it's going to diminish the enthusiasm.

Of members of congress when they get this kind of contact they're going to be able to dismiss it.

Not as local people -- they got to listen to the Republicans are gonna say well these are Obama people.

It Democrats are gonna say it was my present don't put me in our place do you think a red state Democrat.

Who's against gun control is going to be enthusiastic about being lobbied by the president's able to sink in a final issues ethical.

This -- got this is fraught with all kinds of ethical -- laws say the White House cannot spend -- -- to lobby the congress.

And that -- mean you can't take White House personnel and send them to go do fund raising events for this -- Obama for America.

There there are strictures -- what guidance the White House can give you can't direct the group the White House can't police people -- and say -- -- the five things we would you do go doing.

But did the intent here and the familiar players Jim Messina.

David after rod Stephanie Cutter.

Robert Gibbs -- -- all the people have been with them for the past five plus years.

But the idea is to push with the president believes that the right ideas and policies for the country right regardless as to whether or not the Democratic Party.

Pushing -- which is now there's going to be attention because look increasingly Democrats are going to be say look mining.

Is on the ballot in fourteen or sixteen.

Yours is not Mr.

President and what -- -- you don't put me in a difficult place and and let's not pass over this ethics issue.

For example on the inaugural committee we now know the inaugural committee is collecting information about everybody's attending the inaugural.

It says they will give it over to outside groups as well as one of those groups Obama for America.

We really want the inaugural committee information to be given to the president's political arm.

To be used on behalf of his.

Advocates and causes.

There might be some ethics questions about things like that -- this -- is this something that Republicans need count her way if he is there something Republicans haven't placed to counter.

I mean as a strategist yourself is this something that would concern you well they're outside the outside groups who believe in an issue for example the opponents of gun control are going to be meeting and talking and coordinating their efforts on a regular basis.

The question is how effectively -- they gonna do it.

The advantage of the Obama of using organizer of Obama for America is is it it has.

Gigantic list of people and they know a lot about him and how to motivate and get him -- I still don't know if Republicans can -- that.

Then there's going to be able to I think -- they have found out November is that these people.

Know how to reach their voters but remember that that Republicans have not even account for the other remember the purpose here it's not to give that person out to vote is to give that person.

To influence a member of congress to go their way in my point is this if your member of congress who's a Republican you're -- and these aren't local people whose votes have parent trying to get.

These are partisans and I don't need to pay attention -- if -- Democrat and you being put in an awkward place you're in a red district -- red state.

Your being put in Iraq replaced by your president you're seeing.

What they had -- they do don't they understand I can't -- for this I'm not for the understood -- -- the points you make especially on the ethics matter.

Good to see again thank you -- -- right I do have a house has so gone around -- great to see you again back in the milk is because everything about the last time we saw each other in the -- you know what happened area and I that was election night occasionally -- on Monday age.

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