Comments on: Lunch with Barack Obama and I couldn’t pay the tab http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/ Opinion and Commentary of Over 500 Women Political Bloggers Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:02:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sue J http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/comment-page-1/#comment-329 Sue J Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:10:32 +0000 http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/#comment-329 Julie -- I thought this was a great post. I agree wholeheartedly that virtually all of the candidates are inaccessible to the "average joe," as you said. I wonder if this has gotten worse in the past few years, or whether we as citizens are simply getting more aware and more fed up about it? I don't know, just a thought. Julie — I thought this was a great post. I agree wholeheartedly that virtually all of the candidates are inaccessible to the “average joe,” as you said.

I wonder if this has gotten worse in the past few years, or whether we as citizens are simply getting more aware and more fed up about it? I don’t know, just a thought.

]]> By: Catherine Morgan http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/comment-page-1/#comment-287 Catherine Morgan Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:55:07 +0000 http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/#comment-287 Debora wrote..."Excuse me? This is the most absurd ill informed blog I have read in some time now. " Hi Debora. Thank you for commenting, but I hope you didn't read one post on this blog and assume that it's "absurd". The whole point of this blog is to put out as many *women's* differing opinions and ideas on politics as possible (from a list of over 250 women). There is no bias here, all are welcome to contribute (regardless of party or candidate affiliation)...In fact, you are more than welcome to submit a guest post, just as Julie did, and I will publish it here. :) Debora wrote…”Excuse me? This is the most absurd ill informed blog I have read in some time now. ”

Hi Debora. Thank you for commenting, but I hope you didn’t read one post on this blog and assume that it’s “absurd”. The whole point of this blog is to put out as many *women’s* differing opinions and ideas on politics as possible (from a list of over 250 women). There is no bias here, all are welcome to contribute (regardless of party or candidate affiliation)…In fact, you are more than welcome to submit a guest post, just as Julie did, and I will publish it here. :)

]]> By: Julie Pippert http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/comment-page-1/#comment-286 Julie Pippert Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:45:32 +0000 http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/#comment-286 Larry, yes, thanks for your comment...that's my exact point. At the "affordable" events, it is difficult to get the chance to raise and discuss issues. At high-priced fundraisers you get the chance for quality one-on-one time, but only the very privileged can afford that and they do not have the same issues or priorities necessarily as the average joe. ****** Deborah, dial back the vitriol for a second. You've completely missed the point of the article. This isn't a comparison of candidates or their fundraising practices. I mentioned the two candidates I was offered the chance to meet in person. Oddly enough Republicans do not invite me to their events. :) (Off the main point of the article...yes, I was able to meet Senator Clinton for free. I worked on a past presidential campaign and made some contacts; one is a campaign staffer of hers who invited me as a guest.) The point of this article was the inaccessability of ALL political candidates to the average joe who can't afford the high price for the one-on-one time. Certainly, as my postscript stated candidates are available in large town halls and through the media, but as I also said, that's not my point. My point is the quality face to face time you get in these small venues to speak and be heard. As you said so well, "There are not many of us who can affford $2300 for lunch..." Exactly. That's the point. We can all sit and listen in a town hall; but at high-priced fundraisers you can be speak and be heard, and your word carries A LOT of weight. It's a privilege reserved for the economically privileged, and that's a skewed form of democracy. As I postulated, I believe that is why politicians are often seemingly out of touch with the pulse of the average joe. That's the point. Larry, yes, thanks for your comment…that’s my exact point. At the “affordable” events, it is difficult to get the chance to raise and discuss issues. At high-priced fundraisers you get the chance for quality one-on-one time, but only the very privileged can afford that and they do not have the same issues or priorities necessarily as the average joe.

******

Deborah, dial back the vitriol for a second. You’ve completely missed the point of the article.

This isn’t a comparison of candidates or their fundraising practices. I mentioned the two candidates I was offered the chance to meet in person. Oddly enough Republicans do not invite me to their events. :)

(Off the main point of the article…yes, I was able to meet Senator Clinton for free. I worked on a past presidential campaign and made some contacts; one is a campaign staffer of hers who invited me as a guest.)

The point of this article was the inaccessability of ALL political candidates to the average joe who can’t afford the high price for the one-on-one time.

Certainly, as my postscript stated candidates are available in large town halls and through the media, but as I also said, that’s not my point. My point is the quality face to face time you get in these small venues to speak and be heard.

As you said so well, “There are not many of us who can affford $2300 for lunch…”

Exactly. That’s the point. We can all sit and listen in a town hall; but at high-priced fundraisers you can be speak and be heard, and your word carries A LOT of weight.

It’s a privilege reserved for the economically privileged, and that’s a skewed form of democracy.

As I postulated, I believe that is why politicians are often seemingly out of touch with the pulse of the average joe.

That’s the point.

]]> By: deborah phelan http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/comment-page-1/#comment-285 deborah phelan Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:29:49 +0000 http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/#comment-285 Excuse me? This is the most absurd ill informed blog I have read in some time now. So are you trying to tell us that you had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Sen. Clinton for nadda? Sen. Obama most assuredly does spend a considerable amount of time at Town Hall meetings and smaller appearances where ordinary citizens get an opportunity to ask some questions and experience the candiate much more up close and personal than at his large rallies. There are not many of us who can affford $2300 for lunch but these events are private fundraisers and to even hint at a comparison between the fundraising practices and ethics of these 2 candidates reflects either a total lack of knowledge or else you're just another one of those Hillary plants. You are skating on really thin ice to even venture near a discussion of the Clinton Cash Machine. Excuse me? This is the most absurd ill informed blog I have read in some time now. So are you trying to tell us that you had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Sen. Clinton for nadda?

Sen. Obama most assuredly does spend a considerable amount of time at Town Hall meetings and smaller appearances where ordinary citizens get an opportunity to ask some questions and experience the candiate much more up close and personal than at his large rallies. There are not many of us who can affford $2300 for lunch but these events are private fundraisers and to even hint at a comparison between the fundraising practices and ethics of these 2 candidates reflects either a total lack of knowledge or else you’re just another one of those Hillary plants. You are skating on really thin ice to even venture near a discussion of the Clinton Cash Machine.

]]> By: Larry http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/comment-page-1/#comment-284 Larry Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:03:50 +0000 http://politicsanew.com/2007/11/21/lunch-with-barack-obama-and-i-couldnt-pay-the-tab/#comment-284 High priced fundraisers may fill the coddles of a candidates heart, but it's those "little voters" those who cannot afford a high price for a lavish meal with a candidate that puts them where they want to be. Sadly they fail to realize that. High priced fundraisers may fill the coddles of a candidates heart, but it’s those “little voters” those who cannot afford a high price for a lavish meal with a candidate that puts them where they want to be.

Sadly they fail to realize that.

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