RNC Hits Obama For Visit To Sick Grandmother

Leaving no potential avenue of attack unexplored, the Republican National Committee has decided to bash Barack Obama over his October visit to see his ailing grandmother in Hawaii.

Of course the visit itself is not being criticized, but rather the way the campaign paid for the nominee's unscheduled detour. On Monday afternoon, the RNC blasted out a complaint from the California Republican Party charging that "Obama for America violated federal law by converting its campaign funds to Senator Obama's personal use" for the trip. That proposed issue for the FEC to investigate is one of five violations alleged by California Republicans in their complaint (which you can read in its entirety here).

"Senator Obama recently traveled to Hawaii to visit his sick grandmother. This was the right thing for any grandson to do -- at his own expense -- but it was not travel that his campaign may fund," said California Republican Chairman Ron Nehring in a statement Monday.

"In Senator Obama's own words, his travels took him 'off the [campaign] trail for a day.' The trip featured no campaign events of any kind its 22-hour duration and his decision to travel was 'not driven by political concerns,' according to an Obama spokesperson. Since the trip's purpose was entirely and admittedly personal, the fact that he made campaign telephone calls and talked with staff aides while traveling does not convert this purely personal trip into a proper campaign expense. Therefore, the Obama Campaign violated the FEC's ban on 'personal use' of campaign funds when it paid over $100,000 for the Campaign's charter to fly to Hawaii without obtaining reimbursement from Senator Obama."

"To be clear, the California Republican Party respects Senator Obama's decision to leave the campaign trail for a worthwhile personal purpose. But the Party will not quietly let 'hard facts make bad law.' If the FEC fails to act here, it will-contrary to explicit provisions of federal law-allow personal travel to Hawaii at campaign expense: a loophole sure to be exploited by others for less commendable personal purposes. Sympathy must not cloud the simple truth. This trip was personally important to Senator Obama, but served no campaign purpose. Its costs should have been paid with Senator Obama's own funds," Nehring said.

Asked for comment, an Obama spokesman gave no response.

Beside the Hawaii complaint, the state GOP also raises another allegation against the Democratic nominee based on testimony from a Pennsylvania case involving ACORN. In that testimony, a former employee of an ACORN affiliate alleged that the Obama campaign transfered its donor list to the community organizing group -- a claim disputed by ACORN itself. The California GOP, however, treats the matter as settled fact.

Comments

[wordvarc]

This from a group of antisocial individuals who would sell their grandmothers for a vote.

[imusintheevening]

The campaign took the high road one more time by not making a response to this disgusting comment.

1. Hawaii is a state and visiting there even to have a private visit got election news coverage.

2. With his team, you can be sure he was working the whole way.

3. The Secret Service wouldn't have allowed anything else.

4. Palin flew the McCain plane to Alaska and will go on to Phoenix today - what campaigning was involved in that?

5. The RNC just gave up any claims on family values.

[KeepMeLearning]

I agree with you completely, on every point. And the suggestion from one GOP harpie that Obama should have flown a commercial flight is laughable--there is no way that could ever have happened, especially on such short notice. And I have no doubt the work continued the whole time to and from Hawaii.

[NorthCarolina4OBAMA]

These people really need to get a life!

[beartrack]

Is there any rock so low that these people can't crawl from under ? Low despicable attacks and attempts at voter suppression, lawyers at the polls to scare away college student voters. What else can these desperate, hateful people come with next ?

[kid5rivers2]

Because of that trip, the hearts of at least 100,000 grandmas and grandpas have softened towards Obama.

Translated: 100,000 additional votes, then some, for Obama/Biden.

[Observ8orGaMi]

Being that that would be his last time seeing his grandmother alive is it really that big of a deal? For heaven's sake she did not even last long enough to see if he made it to be president or not. This was not wasteful spending. Had he needed to get there on a rocket ship because this could be his last time with her would have been more than worth the expense. It is not like he spent millions on a trip to see her then spent millions more once he got there. Give the guy a break.
And for poster (DBO) you are correct. How incredibly tacky (if they did not) to not even acknowledge his grandmother's death. Are they too afraid that it may sway people to vote for him on sympathy? Give them (GOP) a little time and they will find a way to spin it (death) as something intentional. I have lost both my mother and grandmother in the last 2 and half years so yes I am a little upset over the lack of sympathy. I am glad Dennis Hopper said what he said today on the view about BO acknowledging his mother's death. It lets people know you really do care about what they may be going through.

[dlinguist]

"How incredibly tacky (if they did not) to not even acknowledge his grandmother's death. Are they too afraid that it may sway people to vote for him on sympathy?"

They did not because they filed it before word got out about Tutu's passing.

Nevertheless, the classy thing to do would be to withdraw it.

[mcantwell]

THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF CRAP THE RNC PULLS THAT IS MAKING ME CHANGE MY PARTY AFFILIATION TO INDEPENDANT AFTER THE ELECTION. GOOD RIDDENCE RNC!

[wordvarc]

Doublespeaking rovian zealots.

[DBo]

I have absolutely NO problem with him using the campaign $$ I sent him to make that all-important final trip. Glad I could help!!

BTW: Did either McCain or Palin offer condolences to the Obamas? Did I miss that? Or are they just. that. tacky???

[dlinguist]

John and Cindy McCain issued one jointly. It was succinct and beyond reproach. I saw nothing anywhere from Palin. Anyone?

[robiform]

Nice of the McCains to issue condolences on the death of Mrs. Dunham. However, I don't recall either the McCains or the Palins issuing condolences to the Biden family when Jill Biden's mother passed away last month. So much for family values!

[taddles]

Yes, they are that tacky.

[Ron1951]

Did the RNC or McCain campaign pay for his expenses while he "suspended" his campaign? Come on California Republicans, file your complaint about that in the interest of even handedness.

Got to say, however, it surely would have been cool to sit next to Obama on a commercial flight. He would have won over a lot of the people on the plane.

[ohnoyoudidnot!]

I seriously doubt that the Secret Service would allow Obama to fly on a commercial plane.

[Manchurian]

Accompanied by the Secret Service, George and Barbara Bush (after his presidency) were on a commercial flight with me and my daughter. I spoke with them briefly and they were very gracious, by the way. I'm not sure how it works during an election, though.

[viewfromuphere]

I would think every situation is different however..there have two reported incidents where people have been taken into custody for stated plots against Barack Obama. There have been some pretty ugly incidents at some of those Republican rallies.

But lets say..OK yeh he could fly commercial...so what?

I takes nothing away from the sheer pettiness displayed grousing about a 100,000 dollar plane flight taken to see a dying relative especially with the announcement not much later that this relative has now passed away.

It's a stupid stupid move by the RNC.

[dlinguist]

I saw a variation of this next suggestion on yesterday.

A website where one can donate to reimburse the campaign the $100,000+

My variation is as follows. Donations are to be of $1 and no more. It would be a microcosm of the type of support the campaign has received this season. Anything in excess of the cost of the flight would then be turned over to cancer research. Anyone wishing to contribute more than $1, the $1 dollar goes to reimburse, the rest goes to cancer research.

[debbiefromohio]

Yeah, I guess it is okay to buy $150,000 for clothing for one candidate to use for two months & another $30,000+ for her hair and makeup. I would bet you a million dollars that if we set up a donation fund to pay for this trip that we could collect $1M in hours. Who is paying for Palin & her brood to go back & forth to Alaska all the time? I hardly doubt that her family is paying for it.

[Jess27]

Also, who paid for McCain to go to DC when he "suspended" his campaign?? Did he fly in his campaign plane to go to DC? Did his campaign pay for his incidentals?? Wasn't he holed up in a hotel room; who paid for that? I really don't know the answers to these questions, maybe someone here knows and can tell me.

[TJct]

I'll say this.. I've donated money to Sen. Obama.. Soon to be President Elect Obama.

I am perfectly fine with him using my portion of donations to get back to see his grandmother. Family is more important than anything else and I am happy to support his desire to see her before she died.

My heart goes out to the Obama family. May God watch over them and bring them comfort as he guides their much loved grandma gently home to his loving arms.

peace

[jfromson]

One has to wonder if they released this statement before or after the news of Obama's grandmother's passing. If it was before, than that is unfortunate to say the least. However, if it was after, how sad for the RNC. They truly have become a party of the extreme right wingers and like minded lunatic fringe.

[NoWMDs]

Dr. Kevorkian just endorsed McCain. He said to stick a fork in him....He's done.

[PC0207]

LOL! Funny....