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

[DBsez]

Did JohnnyMac reimburse for his travel to DC when he "suspended" his campaign? NO! Just watch, The Re.pubes will soon be saying that Obama's grandmonther's death was politically timed.

[timetorevolt]

It's our effing money, his contributors, and we don't have a problem with it. If they can ok 150,000 dollars for a wardrobe for Palin we can ok a plane trip to visit his dying grandmother.

So this is how RNC demonstrate their so called 'family values'? What a bunch of hypocrites?

[parunach]

I was wondering about the stupidity in this campaign. Are we really losing our minds? What is the reason for our celebrating being dumb and uneducated? I thought about this a lot. There are a number of reasons for this. I feel that the number one reason was the demise of the Soviet Union. While they were present, they were the constant enemy of US. So, we needed and approved of smart people who can think and invent things that would outwit the enemy. Even if I am not smart, I understand that for our country to survive, we would appreciate the talented people who would help us be one step ahead. There are positives and negatives to this. A person like Jesse Helms survived due to his visceral hatred of communism, despite his negatives. However, now that we do not have the enemy, there is no need for us appreciating smart people. Hence this new madness, celebrating idiocy. I wish that it would stop.

[S-Jane]

Well, it's good to see they're not bitter about Palin's $150,000 clothing/make-up bill.....

[alfrede]

Hi,

Nothing else that the RNC has said has "worked." Therefore, go under the barrel for a final blast!

Just for this the Republicans should lose big!!

What do U think?

[NoWMDs]

Let's sue McCain for using his plane while he suspended his campaign.

[ragtag]

In his defense, I'm sure the Secret Service would see the trip on a private carrier as not only prudent, but necessary given the situation as a whole and his security in particular.

The RNC is simply doing what they do when their ideas wash out and they have nothing else to say..

[SpeakSense]

With everything facing this Nation, I am glad to see that the Republicans are focused on real issues. While GWB and his Administration run a last minute sprint to make certain that they have left no stone unturned in their quest to bring down this country. As they write up and legalize their final assaults on civil liberties, the environment and abortion, the GOP is focused on Sen. Obama's trip to see his dying grandmother. Way to go guys...you are at least consistent.

[mocha59]

She died 11/3/08.

Go for it.....see how much support you get rnc.

[Linda51]

How insensitive!

However, if it is considered a legit arguement, then the Obama camp needs to set up a link on their website for contributions to cover the expense. Betcha they get the total amount in less than an hour! Don'tcha know??

[NuOrigin]

So it's OK to spend on clothes for Palin and her family, but not on this? I wish I could donate privately for those expenses to shut these a$$es up.

[pgv101]

In fairness, (and that's what we like to be, right?), you would notice that republicans NOT running the campaign were unhappy about the clothing expenditure. You will notice at the bottom of http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/22/palin-clothes-spending-ha_n_136740.htmll) republicans expressing disgust over the expenditure.

The difference between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Palin is that the clothing is used on the campaign trail. "Looking good" is an unfortunate necessity of our political system (See JFK vs Nixon in televised first debate). Mr. Obama's plane ride did not serve a campaign cause, it served a purely familial cause.

No one in the RNC is accusing him for taking time off to see his grandmother, they're accusing him of taking your money with out asking first. You gave your money to Mr. Obama to run a campaign, he's done that, for sure. But, he is not allowed to use it for ANY other purpose. The reason this is an issue is that:
1) Republicans want to win, on a technicality suits them just fine
2) If Mr. Obama wins, and he has a history of improperly allocating funds, that is a real issue that needs to be looked at.

I'm not saying the republican candidate is a good choice, I don't think he is. But it is important for you to recognize that there is a legitimate objection here.

[faretheewell]

So, you are suggesting that he

1. Didn't meet with his advisers during the flight, so therefore it could not be seen as a planning session for top staff, coupled with a couple of days of giving them time in the sun before the final push.

2. That the taxpayers would have been better off paying for secret service, etc by putting Obama on a commercial plane.

you will also note, that when the president uses Air Force 1 for political purposes, he is subject only to reimburse the government at the prevailing commercial rate, not the whole cost of the flight. I assume a similar standard of reimbursement might be considered fair. So if Obama were to reimburse the campaign at the cost of a first class ticket to Hawaii, that this would satisfy the complaint?

The cost of the flight on the above formula, maybe a couple thousand, The value of the GOPers showing themselves to be venal and mean spirited in the public eye, PRICELESS!

[pgv101]

As far as I judge the situation. If it happened as described, then what I see as an acceptable rectification is that he apologize to you (being campaign contributors), ask for your forgiveness, and then accept what ever consequences that you (being the people he wronged) deems appropriate. That is what I expect any good man to do.

If this was, indeed, a violation of election laws (as I'm sure the Repubs will try to have judged by a court), then I expect that he graciously accept whatever penalty that the law prescribes. This is also what I expect any good man to do.

There are very few people in this culture that behave the way I just described. It is a behavior that is sorely needed.

[NoWMDs]

When McCain suspended his campaign, did he fly around in a commercial airliner?

[pgv101]

Couldn't tell you, I'm not defending McCain.

[cheeriogirl]

What about Johnny Macs trips back to Arizona every weekend, and he and Palin's trips yesterday to their homes in AZ and AK?

Also, if either state allowes absentee voting, why not vote absentee to save the RNC their much needed cash?

[cassiegirl]

RNC.............what's the bill for the Palins to fly to Alaska for a few hours so Her Highness could vote today. Then off to Phoenix. NOT CHEAP!!! Let's investigate that one.

[emanzipiert]

The highlight of my evening will be McCain's concession speech. I hope he will go ballistic in front of millions of people.

VOTE FOR OBAMA

[bungalow]

These people are beneath contempt. I'm surprised they haven't accused Obama of orchestrating his Grandmother's passing as a political move. That's probably coming this afternoon.