Obama uses Seattle fundraiser for distasteful partisan attack

On Friday, President Obama followed up his trip to Roseburg, Oregon with a fundraising stop in Seattle. Obama stumped for Democrat Senator Patty Murray who is facing re-election in 2016.

Obama used the fundraising stop to do what he does best: make polarizing, partisan attacks. The Seattle Times,

“President Obama pilloried Republicans as anti-immigrant, anti-science and ‘down on America’ during a brief swing through Seattle on Friday…

“He accused Republicans of hearkening back to 2008, as if things were better before he took office in the midst of the Great Recession. ‘To hear them tell it, those were the good old days, the golden years, and then me and Patty — we messed it up!’

“Obama mocked Republicans for denial of climate change, saying if 99 percent of doctors told you you had diabetes, ‘You wouldn’t call it a hoax.’”

As the Seattle Times points out, Obama made his partisan attacks after he “spent the morning visiting privately with families of victims of the Roseburg, Ore., shooting rampage that left nine dead last week.” So, of course, he used his Roseburg visit for political purposes and took the opportunity to address gun violence. His opportunistic, distasteful partisan attacks were, simply put, the picture of offensive indelicacy.

By every indication, the Obama’s distasteful, traffic-creating visit was successful. The Seattle Times estimates the fundraising even raised more than $1 million. Apparently, about 30 donors forked over $33,400 per person to visit with Obama prior to the bigger dinner. More than 1,400 people paid at least $250 for the dinner.

The latest Federal Election Commission reports reveal Murray’s 2016 re-election campaign had raised $6.7 million through June.

As Shift previously pointed out, the fact that Obama would fundraise for Murray so early in the election cycle should come as no surprise. Murray has done quite a lot to please Obama. The “mom in tennis shoes” has consistently kept those shoes in the footprints of the Obama administration.