Seeking To Harness Obama's Campaign Resources For A Second Term [Obama Campaign Legacy!]

LATimes ^ | January 17, 2013 | Matea Gold

[Steelfish]

Seeking To Harness Obama's Campaign Resources For A Second Term An ambitious new political organization is being built out of the machine that propelled him back into office, with the hope of supporting his policy objectives.

By Matea Gold January 17, 2013

WASHINGTON — As he launches his second term, President Obama may get help from an ambitious new political organization being built out of his reelection campaign, a group that could reshape how future presidents harness supporters to press their White House agendas.

Run by former Obama campaign officials, the advocacy group will seek to leverage the campaign's sophisticated organizing tools and rich voter database to support the president's policy objectives, including raising the debt ceiling, gun control and immigration reform.

If it is able to sustain the passion that propelled Obama twice into the White House, the pro-Obama group may outstrip the role played by traditional interest groups, from organized labor to the environmental movement, and could form an independent power base outside the White House and the Democratic Party.

"This just dwarfs any part of the Democratic coalition," said Democratic strategist Joe Trippi. "This is the biggest leg of the stool. There are really significant implications in terms of the permanent power center within the party."

Although details of the group's structure — and its name — may be released Friday, the launch is set for Sunday, when 4,000 former campaign staff and volunteers are expected at a Washington hotel for a daylong event dubbed the Obama Campaign Legacy Conference. Thousands of supporters are expected to watch online.

Even before its launch, Republicans described the group's resources as a threat.

[norton]

the pro-Obama group may outstrip the role played by traditional interest groups, from organized labor to the environmental movement, and could form an independent power base outside the White House and the Democratic Party."

Be afraid, be very afraid.

[spokeshave]

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