Obama Received Money from Big Air
Was Barack Obama just being helpful when he made his remarks about Americans needing to check the tire pressure in their tires?
Or was it a paid advertisement for a new player in presidential politics, Big Air?
From Wired, via Deceiver, Tire-Gauge Industry Pumps Up Obama Campaign Coffers:
Just when you thought that Big Oil dictated the energy policy of the United States through political contributions, Wired.com has learned that a substantial contributor to the Obama campaign has influenced that candidate's ideas on energy.
On June 16, 2008, John Zimmerman, chief financial officer of Tomkins, gave nearly $7,000 in campaign contributions to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Lo and behold, nary two months later Obama's in Springfield, Missouri, suggesting drivers inflate their tires to save gas (and, by the way, curb CO2 emissions). Coincidence? We think not. Does it come as any surprise that Tomkins owns the Syracuse Gauge Company, which bills itself as manufacturing the "largest selection and variety of tools in the United States for filling tires [and] checking tire pressure"?
The Wired story also mentions that this was yet another story ignored by the Mainstream Media and left to the blogosphere.
"Of course the mainstream media ignored this development, leaving it to the blogosphere to bring the big money and big pressure of the PSI lobby to light."
$7,000 isn't make or break time in the realm of presidential politics. However, that's only what is known at the moment.
It also sheds light on what was thought to be a throwaway remark about the energy crisis and used as a reason that America didn't need to drill for more oil in the U.S.
Might this not cause others to examine some other remarks--both by Obama and McCain--to see if other plugs were slipped into the candidates' remarks?
Maybe.
Proper pressure in the tires will save Americans a few bucks, but most of us forget to do it on a regular basis until we're reminded.
Perhaps, by a presidential candidate's statement on oil drilling. It might be interesting to see if/how much tire pressure gauge sales went up after Obama's mention and the subsequent follow up to the fallout.
Right now, we'll wait for Obama, vacationing in sunny Hawaii this week, to respond to "Inflategate".
by Mondoreb
image: rightbias
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