The Obama Money Myth

A great catch from Patterico at Hot Air- one that deserves spreading.

Remember Obama's oft-repeated lie line that his campaign contributions come from "the people"? Well, not so much-

George W. Bush in 2004 had a higher percentage of contributions of $200 or less than Barack Obama has had in this campaign.

Surprised?

Lost in the attention given to Obama’s Internet surge is that only a quarter of the $600 million he has raised has come from donors who made contributions of $200 or less, according to a review of his FEC reports. That is actually slightly less, as a percentage, than President Bush raised in small donations during his 2004 race…

So, bigger donors own a bigger piece of Obama than previously thought. But hey, that doesn't worry you when it comes to a Chicago machine politician, does it? I mean, it's not like this guy's a blank page with no legislative history suddenly thrust into the most powerful position on Earth. Right? And anyway, it's not like he's a glutton for public funds funnelled towards political backers and friends. Oh, well, let's move swiftly on...

While Obama says he does not accept contributions from Washington lobbyists, that’s not much of a distinction these days. He has been accepting huge amounts from corporations, unions and endless special-interest groups. The influence of big-money donors in a possible Obama administration could create a political backlash if he doesn’t find a way to resist the enormous pressure that will be brought to bear.

And the conclusion?

MacDonald’s article explores the question whether Obama is going to be the first guy in history to take scads of money from people and not let it affect the way he governs.

Now there is a proposition that I’m willing to put big money on.