Clinton Camp: Obama Falsely Claims He Doesn't Take Oil Money

A new memo out from the Clinton campaign:

False Advertising: New Obama Ad Falsely Claims He Does Not Accept Money From Oil Companies

Phil Singer: "It's unfortunate that Senator Obama is using false advertising to explain why he can be trusted to do something about energy prices. Senator Obama says he doesn't take campaign contributions from oil companies but the reality is that Exxon, Shell, and others are among his donors. I wonder if they'll fix the ad."

A new ad by Sen. Obama running in Pennsylvania falsely claims that Sen. Obama does not accept money from the oil industry. In the ad, Sen. Obama says "I'm Barack Obama and I don't take money from oil companies or lobbyists and I won't let them block change anymore."

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Sen. Obama has received over $160,000 from the oil and gas companies. Two major bundlers for his campaign -- George Kaiser and Robert Cavnar - are oil company CEOs. Sen. Obama has accepted money from Exxon, Shell, BP, Chevron and just about every other major oil company. Just last month, Sen. Obama accepted another $8,400 from ExxonMobil, $12,370 from Chevron and $6,500 from British Petroleum.

In 2005, Sen. Obama voted for the Dick Cheney energy bill, which was written in secret with the oil industry. Hillary Clinton opposed Cheney's energy bill, has a plan to eliminate oil industry tax breaks, and would require oil companies to contribute to a $50 billion strategic energy fund to jumpstart research and investment in clean energy technologies.

Here's the ad:

Comments

[VictorLudorum]

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Sen. Obama has received over $160,000 from the oil and gas companies. Two major bundlers for his campaign -- George Kaiser and Robert Cavnar - are oil company CEOs. Sen. Obama has accepted money from Exxon, Shell, BP, Chevron and just about every other major oil company. Just last month, Sen. Obama accepted another $8,400 from ExxonMobil, $12,370 from Chevron and $6,500 from British Petroleum.

[indie17]

The organizations themselves did not donate , rather the money came from the individual members or employees

[timeforachangenow]

OK let's see...

I work for the oil company...­check...

I make REALLY insane salary from the oil company...­check...

I need to donate to elect Obama so I get to keep my insane salary...c­heck....

hmmmmmm...­let's see....sho­uld I contribute to his campaign..­..YES...

CHECKMATE!

[patriotscholar]

Here's a link to campaign money:

http://www.campaignmoney.com/biography/barack_obama.asp?cycle=08

[boombox]

So, in other words, he did not receive any money from oil or gas companies.

[kennedy]

Yes Obama did.

[afgail]

When CEOs start twisting the arms of their employees to bundle campaign contributions you can bet the farm that the contributions are from the oil companies. And the CEOs will be knocking on Obama's door for political favors if he is elected. But that is putting the cart before the horse. Obama has to win the nomination first.

[BrooklynLager]

What company tries to curry favor by donating 6,000 in a presidential campaign? Those are individual donations from people who work in the oil industry. PAC donations are almost always 100,000 and up - the biggest donors to the Clinton campaign are six and seven figures from single companies. Barack Obama has heavy donations from financial institutions (as does Hillary Clinton), but not oil companies.

Never take Hillary Clinton's word on anything. She's my Senator - she's reasonably competent but TOTALLY untrustworthy.

[kennedy]

I trust Hillary to run America. I don't trust Obama to run down the street for a gallon of milk.

[kennedy]

That is only the money you see. Under the table is a whole different story.

[BIG JOHN]

OBAMA DIDN'T LIE, HE JUST MISSPOKE, EXAGERRATED. BUT IM SURE THIS PALES COMPAIRED TO THE $850,000 THAT HILLARY TOOK FROM HEALTH CARE LOBBIEST AT THE SAME TIME SHE WAS TELLING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHE WAS FIGHTING FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE. FACT, FROM THE MOVIE SICKO, OLD GEORGE BUSH GOT OVER 850,000 ALSO.

[debwarot]

I think we have all learned that just because the Clinton camp,says something is true, this doesn't mean it really is. Unfortunately, some hear the charges and believe them no matter what the truth is. Me? I'll take the 'wait and see' approach & listen to what Senator Obama's camp has to say.

[tonyfv]

Gee it's nice to know that my personal contribution to Obama, which I had to indicate was not from my oil company employer, is finally getting some notice! Glad I didn't send Clinton a contribution, because it surely would have gone unnoticed.

[mamamay]

Why can't the oil Co.'s make honest contribs, like the Milk Co's, Soft drink co's, Furniture Co's, car dealers, etc? People cant give honest contribs if they choose to do, to help ;Candidates, the GOP, DNC etc.as a means to sharing the financial burdens in our society? Why Not? If so, shouldn't our folks keep records...­Itemize, total, and give total sum RECEIVED? Shouldn't they Do the same for their expense? What happened to Bookkeeping, record keeping etc? When proper records are kept they should be exposed so the folks can examine them. scrutinize them, etc Stop this whining. It is not a crime to spend out more for eating junk, than just plain eating,, Healthy or wise. However when the overspending conflicts with bill paying, its a problem. This reflects how records are kept. Maybe not transparency enough, but it stirs up an argument and folks get tired of arguments.­contant bickering.

[LightningJoe]

So, Tony, does this mean you lied, when you wrote that it was NOT from your employer? Why do you call it your "personal" contribution then, eh? It's one, or it's the other. If you did indeed indicate that it was your personal contribution, then what's the buzz? It's NOT from your employer.

This would not be the Obama campaign's flub, but yours. Why bring it up at all???

-----
stop watching tv.

[kennedy]

Hillary appreciates her donors unlike Obama.

[donchep]

Your off the cuff comments are getting stupider and stupider. Why don't you explain how htat is fact? Are you just making these up as you go along? I got a nice thank you from the Obama campaign almost immediately after I made my donation. Of course the Clintons appreciate their donors, that's why Bill pardoned a lot of them in his last year. The way he appreciated Marc Rich, and Hillary's brothers who basically brokered some pardons for some of their friends. And I can't wait to see how Hillary shows her appreciation to the Saudi Royal Family for that 10 million they gave to Bill's Library.

Meanwhile, while following the same track of looking for splinter's in Obama's eye while ignoring her own timbers, she wants to scrutinize and claim fault wiht the individual donors to Obama's campaign when her PAC money is 200k more than all the Democrats who ran for President according to the FEC.

I bet she can't wait to re-open the Lincoln Bedroom Hotel and reap in those bucks.

[plutorage]

I don't see where this helps anybody. Essentially Hillary is attacking the democratic party and that means every dem running in November.

Besides this is just a pot shot. Our energy problems go way, way beyond the oil companies.

Exxon isn't the problem. Beltway inertia is the problem.

[DemsDeBreaks]

CONSIDER THE SOURCE. Sniper fire! Oil contributions!

Clinton's camp says he took money. Obama's camp says he didn't.

Guess I'll side with the guy who hasn't lied to me yet.

[jcwtts1]

The sad reality is that for a guy who raised 190,000,000 at the last tally to be called out for 160,000 dollars is both insane and foolish. The money, bundled by individuals is vastly different that lobbying money. Hillary's response to getting caught lying is to say we all lie. We all do lie but there is lying and then there is clinton madness. She's pathological. She lies even when she doesn't need it. It is like she can't help it.

J

[novowel4me]

It's beginning to sound a little desperate from the Clinton camp. Out of over 100 million or so donated to Obama they were only able to identify $160,000 as coming from the oil and gas industries? These were company checks or from individuals employed in those industries? Oops they didn't say. Wow and stop the presses

[SifSkade]

Right, and he was never a professor at U. of C. either. We GET it, Hillary -- there's nothing you won't say about Barack Obama if you think it will hurt him. You don't care if it's true or not. We also get that you are the last person who needs to be pointing fingers about where another candidate's money is coming from, Senator You-Don't-­Need-To-Se­e-My-Tax-R­eturns. Messages received, loud and clear. Now get off the stage.

[Zhonni]

EMPLOYEES not = FAT CATS!!! Obama is right and Clinton is wrong as usual.

[kennedy]

Obama lies all day and all night long.

[malotigre]

kennedy, did you hit your head or something?
After what we discovered about Hillary last week you can call Obama a liar? Or did you have your head in the sand and so missed Hillary's Bosnian episode?
It amazes me that some of you can't see the forest for the proverbial trees.

[Zhonni]

Ya, every time he opens his mouth he lies, right?

[kirkk]

project your inadequacies much kennedy?

[FullChat]

Kennedy:

You may not know it - seems not - but this web site is for adults. Please go back to MySpace.

[AndrewInToronto]

According to the Federal Election Commission, Obama has received $8,190 from PACs in total for the entire campaign (2007 and 2008 until Feb 29th). Other than individual donations, it is the only source of funding which the campaign has received, amounting to 0.004% of the total $197,342,946.

Two names are dropped in this "Fact Hub," implying that as CEOs, they are helping to bankroll his campaign. George Kaiser (owner of Kaiser-Francis) has not donated to Obama's campaign while Robert Cavnar of Mission Resources has donated $2000 to the Edwards campaign on March 19th, 2007.

As one could probably guess, in each of the cases of the three oil companies, all contributions were made by individuals according to the FEC (with totals slightly different than those given by Clinton):

ExxonMobil: 14 individuals donating $8,350 in total
Chevron: 20 donating $11600
BP: 7 donating $6300

The issue of significance here is that PAC contributions have been made from the oil and gas industry, to whom have they gone. Of the $11,534,676, a full 30% (or $3,462,480) are for PACs while the rest is individual donations; however, 73% of the full total has gone to the Republics while 27% has gone to the Democrats during 2008.

If anyone has received lobbyist moneys, it obviously has not been Obama. Should we be looking elsewhere now?

[Alessan]

Wall Street and big corporations, including oil companies, have funded Obama's campaign,
why in the he... do you think he has raised more money than Hillary Clinton and everyone else,
in the race. Obama Corporate Democrat and he will owe them, therefore, he will not be able to
get them to go along with anything he wants, he owes them. Forget Universal healthcare,
forget Social Security and forget equal pay for equal work in this country. It will be more of the
same old same. WAKE UP AMERICA.

[indie17]

The organizations themselves did not donate , rather the money came from the individual members or employees.

[XYZ]

Alessan I think your mistaken. I hear realistically he's probably taking 10% pack money, now. However he has been doing a good job, raising money from the citizens. He has gotten donations from almost 2,000,000 people. That is what is funding his campaign, the DLC is nervous, and they think Obama is a manchurian candidate. Why do you think Clinton is fighting this to the end.

PAC Money collected for 2007
http://www.campaignmoney.com/biography/barack_obama.asp?cycle=08

Number of Donors (they seemed to turn off the counter page, so I give huffpo reference)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/23/obama-closing-in-on-2-mil_n_92951.html

[AndrewInToronto]

The reason he has been able to raise more money is because he has the support of ordinary Americans by the millions.

This is well-documented and one can easily do the searches oneself through the Federal Election Commission links below:

http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/disclosure_data_search.shtml
http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/advindsea.shtml

[boombox]

OK, we're awake. What is it that your jabbering incoherently about?

[PistonMoaned]

Things get goofy here on Friday night when the drunks start posting.

[Zhonni]

The Clinton camp is counting employees of oil companies as the "lobbyist and taking money from the company". That is only a half-truth. It is not as if, like Clinton, he has some "FAT CAT" oil tycoons putting together fund raisers for him.

Obama is not taking federal lobbyist money and is being funded by the American people, period.

[AnninCA]

Well, well......­Obama would lie? Say it isn't so.

[gs13]

The more that comes out about the "Magic" Obama, the more his supporters get desperate to blame EVERYTHING on Hillary Clinton, even Bill's not off limits. If only Michelle Obama was attacked the way he is maybe it would be fair. It just amazes me, Obama people have every major news outlet doing his bidding, basically working to undermine our party and you find a little story like this on the internet and they still cry for blood. It's just never enough. Basically their candidate should not be questioned or criticized EVER. Because when you do you're either a liar, you're not a REAL democrat or, my favorite, a racist. Obama wants to speak about the issues? Is that why a day after his disappointing speech on race, about transcending the hate, he sent a picture of Bill Clinton shaking hands with Rev. Wright to the New York Times? Is that why he waits for Hillary to make her speeches on policy and basically steals everything she says but makes it weaker? This whole thing has become a joke. I'm starting to hope that he wins just so all of you would shut up and learn the hard way that he is most definitely not who you want him to be.

[ErinBerin84]

"Obama people have every major news outlet doing his bidding, basically working to undermine our party "
ummm....th­at's seriously laughable. I work from home and rotate networks throughout the day. If you do this, it's not hard to see that there is not some vast media conspiracy against Hillary Clinton. You're sick of Obama supporters blaming Hillary for everything? I'm sick of (not all ..but many) Hillary supporters blaming the media for everything.

[NorVaGal]

gs13: I believe that Michelle Obama just "misspoke.­" As Sen. Clinton explained to us, campaigning for many months, in many places, using many thousands of words results in misspeaking. Hill and Michelle BOTH just made some "mistakes.­" They are BOTH "just human, you know." Even if it may come as a "surprise" to some of us. We are certainly willing to give Hillary the benefit of the doubt if the Clinton supporters will do the same for Barack.

[mamamay]

Bil and Hil are so negative. As of late, they question every thing Obama does or doesnt: say, write, or speak. He has been Pres and she claimed she did a dble whammy as 1st lady and 2nd fiddled for Bil in the 90's. T his was not enough. They don't want anyone espcly Obama to go before the C's do it again. How hungry, how greedy can one be? I didn't know that Michelle's quest in this presidential run = to or greater than BC, an xPrez. Now I know why Michelle gets more respect than Bil. She is found to be a most dignified lady a person who would be more honored and trustworthy to be the 1st Lady, than Bil, the 2nd hand fiddle, to serve in the WH. Hil is whining too much as if Menepause is setting in and she forgot her calming down meds to offset this moody condition. Who cares who gets the money? Hil has not mentioned REv Wright, Tony Resko, et al who were in the C's life, or who her donors are, When do we find out these things? Whew! Will this be going on til JUNE?

[Aleka]

Wow. How's life over there in your own little world, unrelated to reality?

I don't suppose it occurs to you that people blame Hillary because...­ready? she is to blame?

[Oldtt]

I guess you really believe that, in a heated political campaign, Hillary speaks only lies and Obama speaks only truth. Others may call you delusional, but I think you are only
naive. Don't worry, it will wear off eventually - maybe even by this November.

[AlabamaGunn]

When Hillary is to blame, what's wrong with blaming her? It's not blind allegience to simply state fact.
--
If individual donors' donations are tagged as "Corporate donations" incorrectly and Hillary's campaign is the one incorrectly tagging the donations thusly, it is not blaming Hillary to point out the outright lie.
--
How come HRC supports don't throw up a little in their mouths every time they defend Bill/Hill's a) continued endorsements of Mccain, b) consistent lies about herself, or c) consistent lies about Obama.
--
Pointing out the truth is not blaming Hillary. It's seeing with eyes unclouded by Hillshit.

[markkraft]

They're talking about donations from individuals as "oil money?!" Oh... that's rich.

If you work at the local Chevron, and you contributed $25 for Obama, you're part of that "BIG OIL" money that Hillary is claiming Obama gets. Perhaps she believes that you shouldn't have the right to contribute to politicians?!

Addressing the Clinton Campaign specific allegation about receiving donations from "oil and gas companies", you'll note from an Open Secrets search on Exxon that a variety of different types of people have donated to the Obama campaign, including a Physician, an Engineer, a Rackman, and a "Global Training Advisor". Obviously, these individuals *MUST* be stopped from participating in democracy!!!

I'm sure that $6,400 from various private donors who work for BP will really buy the company influence, as compared to the over $1.5 million that individuals contribute to Obama's campaign every day.

And if this weren't hypocracy enough, MSNBC is reporting that as of Feb. 29th, Hillary Clinton has taken $306,813 from petroleum interests. The difference is, many of those contributions were from corporate heads for the maximum dollar amount, and not individual workers.

In a statement today, Obama spokesman Bill Burton, reiterated that Obama doesn't take PAC money or money from federal registered lobbyists, and "that includes oil companies and oil lobbyists.­"

It sure would've been nice if HuffPo had been honest and informative about this issue, rather than spewing Clinton campaign talking points without at least including *some* of the facts.

[mjc]

Just not so, Markkraft. Check the original source: Center for Responsive Politics. That isn't a Clinton 527, just a public service group which checks on our politicians. Burton is doing the lying, for his boss, Obama.