What's pale yellow, riddled with holes and not very sharp? President Barack Obama's renewed class-warfare attack on GOP opponent Mitt Romney.
To kick off the Independence Day holiday, America's fundraiser-in-chief took to Twitter to stoke wealth-bashing resentment against Republicans. "FACT," Obama's official Twitter account declared, "In 2010, Romney reported having a $3 million Swiss bank account." Obama for America campaign manager Jim Messina piled on, urging "every reporter covering Romney" to read left-wing Vanity Fair's new report on his offshore finances. In a water-carrying news conference call, Obama campaign flack Ben LaBolt assailed Romney's "mysterious corporation in Bermuda, his funds in the Cayman Islands and the Swiss bank account he opened."
The Democratic wizards of election-year optics believe that such populist rhetoric demonizing foreign money will help shore up their left flank and win independents tired of crony, out-of-touch government. One problem: They launched their class war fusillade in the same week that Tinseltown tycoon George Clooney announced Obama fundraising efforts -- in Geneva, Switzerland. Oops.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Clooney will entertain 150 European elites at a swanky Swiss reception, "which will be followed by a more intimate -- and expensive -- dinner at which the star will be the guest of honor. Tickets for the latter event will go for $20,000 for singles and $30,000 for couples." As Reuters reported at the time, Clooney spearheaded a similar event in Geneva, "one of the world's most affluent cities," in 2008. "Some 170 contributors paid $1,000 a head to hear him speak at a cocktail party held at a museum in Geneva's Old Town. And 75 high-rolling supporters spent $10,000 each to attend 'an intimate seated dinner'" with the actor.
Swiss money for thee, but not for Romney, eh, Democrats?
Even more problematic for Obama: Some of his very best campaign finance bundlers and golfing buddies are architects and beneficiaries of the Swiss tax havens he purports to abhor.
Robert Wolf is president of Swiss financial giant UBS Investment Bank and chairman of UBS Americas. According to campaign finance records, this longtime friend and fat cat has personally bundled more than $500,000 for Obama, dating back to Obama's Illinois Senate |
