Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Obama Gives In To Super PAC Lust, Crow Caws Ominously
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 7, 2012
Modified Feb 7, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 7, 2012
Modified Feb 7, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Last night President Obama announced that he will join his Republican counterparts in suckling from the opaque, monied teat of super PACs. "Our campaign has to face the reality of the law as it currently stands," Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina wrote in an email to supporters. "We're not going to fight this fight with one hand tied behind our back," Messina added later. "Democrats can't be unilaterally disarmed." Mutually assured destruction has been achieved.
Obama has a history of opposing super PACs and the Citizen's United decision that emboldened them. As Greg Sergeant notes, he and other Democrats attempted to pass a law that would outlaw non-disclosure and limit money pouring in from corporations and special interest groups.
But after tallying the fundraising numbers for the GOP's super PACs and outside groups ($94 million to the Democrats' $98 million war chest) it makes sense that the president, who has said he wants a second term "badly," would start pushing donors to give to the super PAC run by his former staffers, Priorities USA Action. Close aides and campaign surrogates will give speeches to the PAC, but the president and First Lady will not personally pimp the organization.
“Would I love to take some of the big money out of politics? I would,” Obama recently told NBC. “Unfortunately, right now partly because of Supreme Court rulings and a bunch of decisions out there, it is very hard to get your message out without having some resources.” And by "resources," the president means "an unyielding trough of money available to those willing to kneel before the altar of cynicism." The president's support of Priorities USA also makes it unlikely that he'll push for a constitutional amendment overturning CItizens United on the campaign trail (not that Congressional Republicans would allow it anyway).
To give you an idea of how much super PACs have influenced the campaign, there has been a 1,600% increase in super PAC-sponsored television ads compared to 2008, before the Citizens United decision.
Tagged
2012 election
citizens united
mitt romney
political action committees
president obama
super pacs
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
These are the NYC neighborhoods that will get free 2-K next fall
All of Staten Island and the Bronx will be eligible for seats.
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Early Addition: Get to know Wanda, the donkey in the Met's 'La Bohème'
Because she's 18 years old now, here are your early links: The RHONY castmember mentioned in the Epstein Files, killing rats with carbon monoxide, Selena Gomez says don't vape and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: Get to know Wanda, the donkey in the Met's 'La Bohème'
Because she's 18 years old now, here are your early links: The RHONY castmember mentioned in the Epstein Files, killing rats with carbon monoxide, Selena Gomez says don't vape and more.
By
James Ramsay
Eric Adams' NYC buildings boss Eric Ulrich heads to trial, 3 years after arrest
By
David Brand
and
Samantha Max
Need help with mental health or addiction services? NYC has a new tool.
By
Caroline Lewis
NYC sues personal injury law firm accused of bogus trip-and-fall claims
By
Walter Wuthmann
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .