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Tag: financial support

Obama Tries to Win Back Wall Street

The President is now trying to get Wall Streeters to work the phones and argue that the markets have improved under his watch, according to the New York Times.

Barack Obama had a huge amount of financial support from Wall Street in his 2007/08 run; Goldman Sachs executives and employees donated more to his campaign than any other institution except the University of California. Viewed then by many as a pragmatic, pro-business Democrat (he referred to himself as a “New Democrat” a la Bill Clinton shortly after being elected), his push financial regulation, with a dash of occasional populist rhetoric (see: “fatcats”), was enough to send hedge fund managers and corporate raiders scurrying back to the Republican ranks. He’s now asking for their support again, inviting a few big names to the White House to discuss their very interesting ideas for the economy. [NYT]

 

Jewish Donors Will Still Vote For Obama

Billionaire Israeli-American Haim Saban, a major Democratic Party supporter who has been dubious of Obama’s attempts at making peace in the Middle East, told the Washington Post‘s Greg Sargent that Republicans shouldn’t act like his wallet is going to open up for them: “If solicited, I will absolutely write a check to the level allowed by law,” he said about Obama’s re-election campaign. “I don’t agree that [Obama]’s anti-Israel.”

Obama won 77% of the Jewish vote in 2008–more than John Kerry’s 74% but less than Al Gore’s 79%–and there’s no sign that there will be a serious drop-off in 2012. But Saban notes that he’s not the only major Jewish donor who isn’t especially enthusiastic about the president, which means that Obama might have to work a little bit harder for financial support. [ The Plum Line/Washington Post]