Obama Campaign Moves to Support Super PAC

(The Wall Street Journal) - President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is moving to actively support a pro-Obama group that has struggled to raise money, hoping wealthy supporters will give large contributions and counter the impact of well-funded groups doing the same for Republicans.

To encourage donations, senior campaign officials, White House aides and cabinet members will speak at fundraising events for Priorities USA, a group started by two former White House aides. The group, a so-called "super PAC," is legally entitled to accept unlimited donations from individuals and corporations but has failed to raise much money.

The president repeatedly railed against the influence of groups like this during the 2010 midterm elections, and he rejected outside support for his 2008 campaign. Some other Democrats are like-minded, with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) expected to file an amendment to a transportation tax measure this week aimed at reining in super PACs, via the tax system.

Obama campaign manager Jim Messina acknowledged the contradiction in a note posted on the campaign's blog late Monday and said Obama would still like to change the law to bar these operations.

"But this cycle, our campaign has to face the reality of the law as it currently stands," Messina wrote. "With so much at stake, we can't allow for two sets of rules in this election whereby the Republican nominee is the beneficiary of unlimited spending and Democrats unilaterally disarm."

The announcement was made Monday night on a conference call with the National Finance Committee and in an email to supporters.

Already, a super PAC supporting Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney has raised about $30 million to support his campaign. Priorities USA Action, which is run by former White House aides Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, raised just $4.4 million last year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

A campaign official said the decision had been discussed by senior advisers for weeks, spurred by year-end fundraising reports that were "a telling sign of the changed political environment."

Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and their wives will not personally raise money for Priorities USA, officials said. Senior officials in the campaign will speak at events but not technically seek contributions.

Under the law, the outside groups are not allowed to coordinate with the candidates they are supporting.

Read more: The Wall Street Journal