$200 Billion in Ads, Mr. Biden?
By MICHAEL D. SHEARConservative groups have not dumped $200 billion in political ads on the heads of Democratic candidates.
It evidently just feels that way to the White House.
In an interview with Al Hunt of Bloomberg News scheduled to air tonight, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. commented on the need for disclosure when corporate interests contribute to political groups.
“I was amazed at the amount of money, this $200 billion of money that is — where there’s no accountability,” he said. “When I say accountability, we don’t know where it’s coming from. There’s no disclosure, so the folks watching the ad can’t make a judgment based upon motive when you say it’s paid for by so-and-so.”
Mr. Biden clearly meant “million” with an “M,” not “billion” with a “B.”
But his tongue slipped again a moment later. “So it really – I’ve never seen this before, so the only caveat I’d put in terms of the House is how much impact this $200 billion are going to mean.”
Mr. Biden became a U.S. senator in 1972, a few years after the departure of the late Everett Dirksen, who reputedly once said: “A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you’re talking real money.” (Source NYT)
It evidently just feels that way to the White House.
In an interview with Al Hunt of Bloomberg News scheduled to air tonight, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. commented on the need for disclosure when corporate interests contribute to political groups.
“I was amazed at the amount of money, this $200 billion of money that is — where there’s no accountability,” he said. “When I say accountability, we don’t know where it’s coming from. There’s no disclosure, so the folks watching the ad can’t make a judgment based upon motive when you say it’s paid for by so-and-so.”
Mr. Biden clearly meant “million” with an “M,” not “billion” with a “B.”
But his tongue slipped again a moment later. “So it really – I’ve never seen this before, so the only caveat I’d put in terms of the House is how much impact this $200 billion are going to mean.”
Mr. Biden became a U.S. senator in 1972, a few years after the departure of the late Everett Dirksen, who reputedly once said: “A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you’re talking real money.” (Source NYT)
No comments:
Post a Comment