Obama Grabs the Megaphone By: Ara

I found this item from Greg Sargent to be very interesting and perhaps with very large consequences down the line: ...

A few weeks ago, Media Matters' David Brock announced to great fanfare that he was taking over Progressive Media USA, a third-party group that would, he vowed, raise $40 million for ads to soften up John McCain in advance of the general election.

Now the group is quietly shuttering those efforts with barely a whimper.

Barack Obama's fundraising team has been quietly putting out word to major donors that they didn't want any money to go to such third-party groups. Instead, they wanted the cash to go to the Obama campaign, so Obama advisers could be in sole control of the campaign's message.

It's a bold move on the part of the Obama campaign. No guarantee that it'll work to his benefit. On the face of it seems counter-intuitive. But I appreciate the risk he's taking -- it could pay off big.

• It basically reinforces his message that he's not part of the same old politics, e.g., smearing your opponent by standing by the side of the road while someone else does it.


• Also, by giving his campaign all the money to control, it makes his megaphone that much bigger.


• Lastly, it highlights the difference between him and St. John McCain on campaign finance reform. Essentially it highlights the fact that McCain skirting the law that has his own name on it.

P.S. David Brock is probably the closest thing our generation has to producing our own Whittaker Chambers. Look it up and tell me if I'm not right.