But "everybody" does it

When confronted with ties to big-money lobbyists, the standard GOP rhetoric is “well, everybody does it”. For example, the New York Times uncovered $6,000 that Obama received from lobbyists and trade groups during this campaign.

Meanwhile John McCain, who often talks against lobbyists in public, has a long history of massive lobbyist money influence. In just one 2006 example, McCain attended a fancy soirée of the little-known but well-respected International Republican Institute in Washington. A video from the group's Web site shows the chairman of AT&T - which had just donated $200,000 to the institute - introducing McCain, who is still chairman of its board. McCain at the time was fresh off a term as chairman of the Senate committee that regulates telephone companies, where he was a strong advocate in favor of the telecom profits over consumers, laws and regulation. Talk about buying influence at the top with a campaign donation.

Obama has raised 94% of his campaign financing from ordinary folk donating $200 or less. McCain is raking in millions from the big-money, big-business, lobbyists. Makes the “oh it’s OK, because the other side got $6,000 too” sound a little hollow.