Casting himself as reformer, Obama treads well-worn path

Casting himself as reformer, Obama treads well-worn path
By Mike Dorning
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Published June 23, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Democrat Barack Obama claimed the mantle of reformer for his presidential campaign on Friday, pledging to impose new ethics and lobbying rules to blunt the influence of powerful business interests that he contends have fostered a "second Gilded Age" through dominance of Washington.

Speaking at a technical college in the early primary state of New Hampshire, the Illinois senator argued that undue influence of corporations has contributed to the income gap between rich and poor and has frustrated attempts to address issues such as high prescription drug costs and global warming.

"The people I've met across this country don't just want reform for reform's sake," Obama said. "They want reform that will help pay their doctor's bills, or ensure that their tax dollars are spent wisely, or put us on the path to energy independence. They want real reform and they're tired of the lobbyists standing in the way."

The reform proposals underscore a theme of discontent with Washington that has a long history in American politics and that Obama's campaign already has tapped into with the candidate's much-publicized refusal to accept campaign contributions from federal lobbyists.

Recent reformers vanquished

But even as the cause of reform has demonstrated political appeal -- the message provided powerful support for Republicans in seizing control of Congress in 1994 and Democrats in winning it back in 2006 -- it also has shown limitations in recent presidential politics.

Democrats Gary Hart in 1984, Paul Tsongas in 1992, Bill Bradley in 2000 and Republican Sen. John McCain in 2000 all faltered with presidential campaigns espousing reform. Successful presidential candidates have included reform as a component, as George W. Bush did in 2000, touting his record as governor of Texas with the slogan "Reformer with Results."

But the last presidential candidate to win on a campaign based primarily on reform was Jimmy Carter in 1976, shortly after the Watergate scandal and President Nixon's resignation.

In the current field, Obama has been the most aggressive in positioning himself as an agent of reform, and his ethics proposals bolster that identity.

The package includes a ban on gifts to executive branch officials from lobbyists. In an effort to reduce conflicts of interest in the "revolving-door" career path of many officials between government posts and lobbying jobs, presidential appointees would be barred for two years from working on regulations or contracts related to a former employer. Those who left their jobs before the end of an Obama presidency would be barred from lobbying for the duration of his term, he said.

Obama's Democratic rivals have incorporated calls for reform in their campaigns. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) offered her package of ethics reforms in April, also in New Hampshire. And former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) declared he would not accept campaign contributions from federal lobbyists or political action committees.

Still, the theme is more prominent in Obama's campaign. On the stump, he has regularly promoted his role in drafting ethics legislation for the Illinois legislature and the U.S. Senate. He has taken a perceived weakness -- his lack of national political experience after two years in the Senate -- and presented it as evidence that he has not been captured by the political establishment.

The 45-year-old lawmaker has been aided by his relative youth, newness on the political scene and mixed-race heritage -- all of which mark him as an outsider. His long relationship with Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who was indicted in an unrelated political corruption investigation, may give pause to some but so far has not taken on great significance to a national audience.

At the moment, the electorate appears unusually dissatisfied with the political status quo. Recent polls have shown public approval of both Republican President Bush and the Democratic-controlled Congress below 30 percent.

But in the past, calls for cleaner government have not resonated with voters in the same way as appeals on bread-and-butter economic concerns or anxieties over national security.

'Morally offensive laws'

Obama's campaign also has stressed issues of more immediate concern to voters, particularly his opposition to the Iraq war and support for expanded access to health care. In his speech Friday, he sought to make the case that the culture of influence in Washington affects the pocketbooks of Americans in myriad ways, from drug prices to student-loan interest rates -- both of which, he argued, are inflated through industry manipulation of public policy.

"What's most outrageous is not the morally offensive conduct on behalf of these lobbyists and legislators, but the morally offensive laws and decisions that get made as a result," Obama said.

In addition to stricter rules on lobbying, Obama promised he would reverse Bush administration policies limiting the public disclosure of government records and deliberations.



Criticizing the administration's refusal to release records of energy industry officials' roles in advising the White House, Obama promised to disclose all communication between White House staff and outsiders over regulatory policies. He said he would make a list of "every single tax break and earmark" available to the public on the Internet.

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mdorning@tribune.com