1. Financial Bailout: Who do McCain and Obama see at their fundraisers?

    By Bill Allison Sep 25, 2008 3:37 p.m.

    Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama are returning to Washington today to lend their legislative talents to the bailout bill working its way through Congress. So let's take a look at the biggest contributors to their presidential campaigns, courtesy of our friends at the Center for Responsive Politics.

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  2. Washington Post: Biden's Son Lobbied Obama's Staff for Earmarks

    By Bill Allison Aug 27, 2008 2:05 p.m.

    The Washington Post reports that Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for President, requested $3.4 million in congressional earmarks for clients of the lobbying firm that employs the son of running mate Joe Biden. Hunter Biden, who's a registered lobbyist (see here and here for his clients), apparently lobbied Obama's Senate office directly:

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  3. Tracking Obama's earmarks

    By Bill Allison Aug 12, 2008 4:50 p.m.

    Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., steered earmarks to some organizations with a board member who is also serving as a top bundler to his presidential campaign, according to the Next Right. This raises what for me is one of the primary questions about earmarks in general. Members of Congress say they know the needs of their states (or districts, in the case of House members). Whence comes this in-depth knowledge? Do they hear about needs from constituents, from their own personal observations, or do insiders--lobbyists, campaign contributors and others--educate them? Because the process is so opaque, in most cases we simply don't know.

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