Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Pro-Obama group picks up president's sequester scare tactics

Details

  • Description

    Reaction from Washington Times columnist Charlie Hurt

  • Duration 4:47
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Obama seems to be taking a at an event hosted by organizing for action oh FAA.

That advocacy group comprised of former campaign staff and grassroots supporters it used to be Obama for America the president's campaign committee.

It's also group that's been criticized for engaging in political tactics used by big money groups aligned with the Republican Party so.

What's behind the presidential strategy here.

Charlie hurt is a columnist with The Washington Times Charlie we've we've also understood.

That the organizers of the new organization or -- organizing for action.

They're pushing.

Members to send in -- sort of horror stories of -- sequester.

Tell us how bad it's hurting you so that we can.

Put pressure on not on members of congress.

You know it it's -- John just how seamlessly that message picks up from right where President Obama in the White House left off.

-- their scare tactic tactics about sequestration in the in these draconian cuts which of course amount to less than 3% across the board.

Of the -- entire federal budget.

Which it for for I think for most people don't seem to be that draconian in a federal budget that's going to spend more money this year than it spent last year even with the cuts.

That's right in -- and -- and I actually calculated this yesterday in the ten years that I've been covering congress.

Federal spending has gone up 65%.

Which means that I think a lot of those of us in my in our business have been -- very very good job of up policing the budget anyway.

But but so so you know this that this is organizing for action committee group has done of very good job that sort of picked up.

With these scare tactics right where President Obama has left off.

I think quite frankly the reason that brought President Obama is easing up personally.

On this.

We saw just today or yesterday in an interview where he denied that he made that the White House made the decision.

To cancel the tour is because of sequestration.

Even though his own White House acknowledged last week that they were the ones you made that decision.

In any event I think that there I think that quite frankly that.

-- Obama realizes that that may be you know that that they're they've pushed a little too hard on this if they're starting to look a little ridiculous about it today stopped.

But this committee.

Has picked up right where he left off and their continuing with this within the scare tactics and and you know we'll see if if they.

If they work any better than they did -- when President Obama was trying.

Well they seem to be feeling the heat from the criticism they've been taken taking -- they have announced.

Organizing for action has announced that they're not going to take money now from.

From large corporations or from lobbyists is that a start.

Well -- Think what I -- I -- didn't think that.

Did did they would even have to be dealing with these questions or that they would even have an organization like this set up.

You know it is exactly the kind of thing that they have so harshly attacked.

Republicans for they attacked President Bush for this.

They attacked that -- in the in this has been sort of their battle cry about campaign finance reform.

Is sort of shadowy groups like this that that get sort of they get a lot of money.

From.

Moneyed interests that are that are often shadowy.

You -- this has been the sort of heart of their complaint.

All long about.

That.

Campaign finance reform so it is it's -- frankly sort of astonishing.

To sit there and end -- see that there even.

You know you dealing anywhere in this realm of of politics right now Bob Edgar the former democratic congressman from Pennsylvania who now heads common cause it says.

He compares it to -- -- like selling the Lincoln bedroom.

Without the sheets.

Yeah that that that that that's a very colorful colorful description but I do think it that it is an apt one.

And it and it does kind of hearken back to the old Clinton years.

Under President Clinton where's -- did they they were.

Clearly selling access to the White House to the to the very.

And Lincoln bedroom.

To to some of their highs donors and but but Jay Carney says all there's no price for no meeting with the president no minimum donation require.

Although it did come up that that I guess MIA is somebody figured out that the people they get those meetings usually pay a hefty hefty amount.

Two to either to -- to the campaigns or two to the the you know the interest groups such as organizing -- action.

And and it does buy you access there's no question of Charlie heard from The Washington Times we'll keep -- -- -- want Charlie thank you.

Load More