Althouse: Obama to be paid $400,000 for one speech — an amount that equals the annual salary of the President.

April 26, 2017

Obama to be paid $400,000 for one speech — an amount that equals the annual salary of the President.

And twice what Bill Clinton has been paid for speaking.

124 comments:

buwaya said...: Of course he is part of that. He always was.
There are any number of ways politicians can be paid off, legally, and there always will be.

The entire basis of campaign finance laws and anticorruption laws are flawed. These are all simply ethics theater.

Give people enough of a reason to bribe politicians and bureaucrats and they will find a way.; 4/26/17, 1:17 PM
Bigwig said...: Cheaper to pay him now to buy influence in the Michelle Obama administration than it will be later.; 4/26/17, 1:17 PM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Except for that one special Russian speech where Bill was paid $500K. All above board I'm sure.; 4/26/17, 1:18 PM
buwaya said...: "buy influence in the Michelle Obama administration"

This is simply paying the bill for services rendered.; 4/26/17, 1:18 PM
JZ said...: He's a private citizen. What he's paid is not news.; 4/26/17, 1:19 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: If you want to hear all the not so brilliant things Obama has to say, you gotta pay bigly for it!; 4/26/17, 1:22 PM
MathMom said...: At some point, I think he's made enough money.; 4/26/17, 1:22 PM
TML said...: "I do think at a certain point you've made enough money"; 4/26/17, 1:22 PM
TML said...: Dammit, MathMom!! Beat me by 15 seconds; 4/26/17, 1:23 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: I have no problem with him for taking the money. I have a problem with anyone who thinks he has anything useful to say, or anyone who would look favorably on the people who are paying him because of the fact that they are paying him.; 4/26/17, 1:24 PM
SoLastMillennium said...: Need a snarkier option in the choices. Sad.; 4/26/17, 1:24 PM
Simon Kenton said...: If it is the system, GWB doesn't seem to be part of it.; 4/26/17, 1:27 PM
Paddy O said...: The question is what he does with the money. Making money isn't bad. The root of all evil is in the loving of it, the coveting that expresses itself in lavish excess.

That's precisely how I gauge the Clintons.

When people who talk about helping the poor make money it becomes immediately clear whether they truly love the poor or hate the poor, whether they seek the best for the poor or are yet more vampires drinking the blood of the poor for their own gain.

Obama is at a crossroads. I fear by the company he has been keeping that the money will be used to continue to fund the wealthy speaking about the poor, rather than helping the poor.

I pray he goes the way to peace and hope-giving and integrity.; 4/26/17, 1:28 PM
readering said...: From People Magazine, 11.6.89. The start of it all . . .

He came from the West and journeyed in regal splendor to the land of the Rising Sun, a tall stranger with a macho haircut, and his wife by his side. For his Japanese hosts, he evoked the rawboned cowboy heroes from Hollywood’s past. He gave a few speeches. He dined well. He was interviewed on Japanese TV. And, after eight days, Ronald Reagan returned to his California ranch with an estimated $2 million that he didn’t have before.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s visit to Japan last week was sponsored by the giant Fujisankei Communications Group, the country’s largest media conglomerate . . . .; 4/26/17, 1:30 PM
Abdul Abulbul Amir said...: At some point hasn't he made enough money?; 4/26/17, 1:31 PM
Anonymous said...: How about:

I don't care, it's a free country. As long as the sponsors aren't a public agency or a public firm that I have stock in.; 4/26/17, 1:32 PM
dreams said...: I wonder how many people know that Nixon as a former president didn't believe that he should take money for giving speeches, so he didn't.

I'm on the waiting list at my local library for this new book about Nixon by John A Farrell who said that Nixon had a hard life but that he always tried to do good. All the baby boomers will have to be dead and gone before Nixon is correctly or more accurately judged by history.

"Richard Nixon : the life
by Farrell, John A.; 4/26/17, 1:33 PM
buwaya said...: "I have no problem with him for taking the money. "

You should. This is an obvious bribe, a collection on an implied promissory note. I expect there will be a great deal more of this. I also suspect he was being paid, plenty, before he even took office.

Few of you have experience with networks of corruption, where the real business is favors for friends paid for indirectly through other friends or business partners with other favors. With some experience though you can smell this. Nobody is going to pay this man hundreds of thousands for a private speech unless the buyer has some value he expects to extract. Its certainly not going to be the content of the speech.

And there will be many such speeches for sure.

No doubt some pieces of business were conducted with his acquiescence, for some entity for the sake of some other entity, for which he obtained promises, and he is being paid for this, legally, through the fiction of speaking fees (and no doubt other things like spurious, inflated publishers advances), through several cutouts.; 4/26/17, 1:35 PM
Nonapod said...: If he wants to bilk wealthly nitwits out of their money, that's his business.; 4/26/17, 1:36 PM
robother said...: Another blow against free speech. (Pretty soon, I'm gonna start charging you all for my comments, just gotta perfect the PayPal app.); 4/26/17, 1:37 PM
buwaya said...: "Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s visit to Japan last week was sponsored by the giant Fujisankei Communications Group"

Indeed, most of them do this. Your government is extremely corrupt and has been for a very long time.; 4/26/17, 1:38 PM
sdharms said...: a speech is only worth $400K if the payer thinks he can buy something with it. What are they buying?

Did you ever hear of GWB getting paid big bucks for a speech.? BHO is despicable.; 4/26/17, 1:38 PM
buwaya said...: "If he wants to bilk wealthy nitwits out of their money"

Its not the wealthy nitwits that have been, or will be, bilked.; 4/26/17, 1:39 PM
Patrick said...: The only reason this information became public is because he allowed it to. He did so solely to slam HRC who was paid much less than this. Puts her in her place.; 4/26/17, 1:39 PM
buwaya said...: "What are they buying?"

I believe they have already bought. This is simply settling on the promissory note.; 4/26/17, 1:40 PM
Nonapod said...: Nobody is going to pay this man hundreds of thousands for a private speech unless the buyer has some value he expects to extract. Its certainly not going to be the content of the speech.

I assume that's the case, although I can't imagine what it is that they imagine Barrack Obama can do for them at this point. I mean, I understood the implicit quid pro quo of the Clinton Foundation: She was gonna be President of the United States with all that entails. But what can an ex-president offer? Can somebody offer a for instance here?; 4/26/17, 1:44 PM
Trumpit said...: Perhaps Obama can explain why he allowed North Korea to develop ICBM's that can kill us all. He turns a developing crisis over to Trump and goes have fun in the sun. Btw, New York Times reporters did an excellent job to expose the Assad regime and the Russians for lying about the chemical attack.

One reason I didn't vote for Hillary was because of her paid speeches. Obama's not running for office like she was. Can someone explain to me why Obama commands such a high speaking fee. I don't get it; 4/26/17, 1:46 PM
bleh said...: As long as Michelle, Sasha and Malia forswear politics, I have no concerns.; 4/26/17, 1:47 PM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: Incredibly, Jimmy Carter remains the model of a post-presidency, with Bush Sr a close second. Well balanced individuals who were not defined by their time as president and perhaps lacked the killer instinct necessary to be very effective presidents.; 4/26/17, 1:47 PM
buwaya said...: "I can't imagine what it is that they imagine Barrack Obama can do for them at this point."

Its not what he can do but what he has, probably, already done.
Its a payment on a promissory note.
We often purchase things on credit and pay the bill when it is more convenient.; 4/26/17, 1:48 PM
lonetown said...: I think Reagan got 2 million from the Japanese after he left office. Take the 400k.; 4/26/17, 1:49 PM
buwaya said...: "I think Reagan got 2 million from the Japanese after he left office."

Yes he did, and it still stunk, because that too was obviously a payoff for services rendered.; 4/26/17, 1:50 PM
Sebastian said...: None of the above. All is proceeding as I foretold. O's goal is to outdo the Clintons. $1B foundation minimum for national "community organizing" -- some mix of climate change and racial justice will be the shtick Make Organizing for America the hub of anti-Trump progressivism and make lefty politicos dependent on you -- rake in more bucks. Threaten a Michelle run -- coming soon -- to really put the squeeze on the money men.; 4/26/17, 1:51 PM
AllenS said...: He'll need the money to pay the people who are writing his latest book.; 4/26/17, 1:51 PM
Nonapod said...: Its not what he can do but what he has, probably, already done.
Its a payment on a promissory note.
We often purchase things on credit and pay the bill when it is more convenient.

So your theory is that it's most likely money from Iranians or something of that sort?; 4/26/17, 1:52 PM
dreams said...: "I can't imagine what it is that they imagine Barrack Obama can do for them at this point."

They're buying the influence he might have with the other corrupt Democrats; 4/26/17, 1:52 PM
tcrosse said...: This could be a thumb in Hillary's eye, now that she's out of the shakedown business.; 4/26/17, 1:52 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Will he start a bogus charitable foundation like the Clinton Global Initiative?

Where 85%+ goes to the foundation's employees and staff (and the family)?

Or will he give some of that money to help "the community"?

I think there should be a sur-tax placed on former politicians who cash in. We need better roads.; 4/26/17, 1:55 PM
Henry said...: "...to speak at a health care conference this year sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald, a Wall Street investment bank."

HAHAHAHA. This is how the pros occupy wall street.; 4/26/17, 1:55 PM
Susan said...: There are a lot of Obama accolytes still in government positions. I imagine it could come in handy some day to be known as a supporter of Obama.

Just a guess as to why his oratorical stylings are so valuable.; 4/26/17, 1:56 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: How much is that per-word?

How much do all the "I"s cost?; 4/26/17, 1:57 PM
The Godfather said...: I regard this as a good sign. Obama will be able to do less harm in his post-presidency if his saintly image is tarnished. Of course, it will take more than one $400k speech to do that, but it's a start.; 4/26/17, 1:59 PM
Rae said...: Being somewhat of a capitalist, i can't begrudge him making money. it does seem hypocritical, given his comments about wall st and making enough money.

how much does Hillary get these days?; 4/26/17, 2:00 PM
buwaya said...: "So your theory is that it's most likely money from Iranians or something of that sort?"

No, its more likely a trade of favors for favors from some unknown entity, most likely a US business that had regulatory matters before the US Government. Or it could be the Iranians or other foreign entities, who knows.

Who he is collecting from is almost certainly not who he has done something for. We are only seeing the act of payment, the salary check from the contract agency payroll processor, not from the employer.

This is a much bigger payoff - a $60 million book advance.
http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-obama-book-deal-bidding-20170228-story.html

Nobody thinks he will earn back even a small fraction of such an advance. The publisher (Penguin-Random House, but actually Bertelsmann) would go broke doing this sort of thing as a regular item of business, they are obviously also simply the payment agency, compensated by other parties through some other arrangement.; 4/26/17, 2:01 PM
Roughcoat said...: Your government is extremely corrupt and has been for a very long time.

Yours is worse.; 4/26/17, 2:02 PM
~ Gordon Pasha said...: I picked 3 because it was the closest to "it only exposes the moral vacuity of this man"; 4/26/17, 2:03 PM
Bob Ellison said...: The office of President should not be a path to riches. We don't need Regis Philbin there. Obama and the Clintons betray Washington politics as a money trough.; 4/26/17, 2:03 PM
clint said...: This seems like business-as-usual to me.

But I am curious to hear from those who express horror and outrage that the Trump family still own businesses. Does this unseemly money-making fill you with the same horror and outrage?; 4/26/17, 2:05 PM
buwaya said...: "Yours is worse."

I was working with some of the implementing arms of the Marcos government (Bureau of Investments, Bureau of Customs, the then-Ministry of Commerce, etc.), and I did also think that the Philippine government was worse. At the time. I no longer think so.

You get far more petty corruption there, the cops and clerks and inspectors and the like. But for sheer galactic magnitude at the highest levels the US has the entire world beat.; 4/26/17, 2:07 PM
Otto said...: White guilt.; 4/26/17, 2:09 PM
Clayton Hennesey said...: Obama began his career as an affirmative action, do-nothing political hustler and it's only fitting that he ends it that way. The $400,000 post-presidential speeches are the only reason he sought the presidency.

If you can, name any principle other than the payoff he supposedly believed in; dropping his terminal g's don't count. There aren't any.; 4/26/17, 2:12 PM
Roughcoat said...: But for sheer galactic magnitude at the highest levels the US has the entire world beat.

Now you're just showing off.; 4/26/17, 2:14 PM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: buwaya said...
You get far more petty corruption there, the cops and clerks and inspectors and the like. But for sheer galactic magnitude at the highest levels the US has the entire world beat.

Sadly this is true. The US people, led by the WASPs, are some of the most honest people on the planet and yet US politics is a cesspool of special interests.

It is a bit like Germany and Volkswagen. Northern Europe has very low levels of personal and political corruption yet the Volkswagen scam was one of the worst in corporate history. It is almost as if human imperfection must always out, in some form or another. (Please, note the absence of any violation of Godwin's Law.); 4/26/17, 2:22 PM
madAsHell said...: Was the speech recorded?.....or did they just hand over the money without having to listen to that wind bag!!; 4/26/17, 2:22 PM
dwick said...: readering said 4/26/17, 1:30 PM...
From People Magazine, 11.6.89. The start of it all . . .

eh... sorry, but no-

From Business Insider, 6.2.15. The REAL start of it all...

"He (Gerald Ford> was an affable fellow, strangely guileless and yet a groundbreaker at what now gets little recognition: He was the first ex-president to sell the presidency.

Within a year of leaving office (1977), Ford had earned something like $1 million.

He sat on corporate boards (20th Century Fox, for instance) and made paid speeches.

He was available for conventions, meetings and, I was told, the opening of a shopping center.

A modest man of once-modest means, he soon had a home near Palm Springs and another one near Vail, where he liked to ski."; 4/26/17, 2:24 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: In and of itself, it doesn't bother me.

Making speeches to leftist community organizers, making $10/hour to cause trouble, trespass, riot and protest, though, seems kinda hollow from those making $400K/speech.; 4/26/17, 2:25 PM
buwaya said...: "So go home already, ya bastard!
Surely you can find yourself a good wife to breed there?"

Been there, done that (breeding). Already have a wife. So thanks for the advice but its a little late.

I am doing some foreign hedging of my retirement/estate however. I recommend this.; 4/26/17, 2:29 PM
TestTube said...: Pfft. $400K? For his first post-presidency speech, coming straight back from his fabulous yachting vacation with multiple billionaires?

Amazingly inexpensive.

And $400K is chump change to the type of firms that book him. They probably are torn between "Look how great a deal we got" and "Bump it up 50%, we're looking cheap here"

I read some Internet commenter -- maybe one of Ann's -- say that Obama will be the first ex-president with $1B of personal wealth. And that's probably correct.; 4/26/17, 2:31 PM
samsondale said...: What do I think of that speaking fee? I think it is bad (or sick).; 4/26/17, 2:34 PM
David Baker said...: This was all fully understood while he (Obama) was president. That his favors would be returned in a series of material and financial "Thank I-O-Us" from his private-sector benefactors.

Not even a smidgen of surprise here.

Still, it's galling that such a lying lowlife gets to live the life of milk and honey.; 4/26/17, 2:38 PM
bwebster said...: I'm not bothered at all, though I wonder how much of the Left will justify this. On the other hand, they've spent 20 years explaining why Bill Clinton's sexual predation doesn't matter, so this is small potatoes by comparison.; 4/26/17, 2:42 PM
AllenS said...: Actually, it says more about the people/corporations giving him the money, than the affirmative action fool.; 4/26/17, 2:50 PM
Roughcoat said...: buwaya:

Are your kids Americans? What do they think? I'm curious.

P.S. If and when the deluge comes you will not escape it. No matter where you go.; 4/26/17, 2:54 PM
Amadeus 48 said...: Strike the word "unfortunately from choice three and you are on to something.; 4/26/17, 2:59 PM
Tank said...: As long as Tank does not have to listen to it.

Ya know, if he wanted to make some money, and do some actual good, he could get his friends to invest in some businesses in "rough" areas (where others are afraid to operate) and he could shepherd them through and provide some useful product to the public while also creating jobs for "his people."

Nah, just gimme the $400K.; 4/26/17, 3:01 PM
Hagar said...: I think I agree with Buwaya. This is unseemly and have been going on for a long time. It ought to be stopped.

The Clintons though, I think were special. I think the Clinton Foundation functioned as sort of an international corruption clearinghouse, and that was new. I hope it does not get repeated.

With Obama, we will have to see. This one occasion may be just a one-off thing with the rubbing shoulders with his celebrity factor rather than a payoff thing - there is a lot of loose money floating around these days, and "easy come, easy go" - but if there are more speeches like that, it will speak for itself.

Obama always was a cool operator from the Annenberg Foundation with the community organizing thing as a schtick rather than the real thing.; 4/26/17, 3:02 PM
wendybar said...: Taking money from "WALL STREET FATCATS" is okay if you are Obama, but bad if you are everybody else. He needs to keep up with his Billionaire and Millionaire friends....He could care less about the "little people"...if he cared he wouldn't have screwed us by forcing Obamacare down our throats, and not helping the black community AT ALL. Go enjoy all of your money and vacations and house and golf, and please leave us alone....; 4/26/17, 3:08 PM
Rick said...: Rae said...
Being somewhat of a capitalist, i can't begrudge him making money.

He's taking money from an industry after passing a law that Americans must buy their products. Crony capitalism isn't capitalism, it's socialism.

At least it wasn't a school paying him off, but that's coming next.; 4/26/17, 3:10 PM
Bob Ellison said...: The speech thing is weird. It's like rock stars going to Cleveland. Why go there?

There's money there. The speech thing is a new concept, a new laundering cycle.; 4/26/17, 3:12 PM
n.n said...: The rich get richer. This is not controversial from my philosophical perspective. I suppose the controversy is that the money is payoff to sponsor programs like Obamacare, CAIR (Catastrophic Anthropogenic Immigration Reform), and Planned Parenthood, that are used to compensate for progressive devaluation of capital and labor, pay for the collateral damage from social justice adventurism, and replace millions of lives deemed unworthy, respectively. Otherwise, enjoy the money and beach-front estate in Hawaii.; 4/26/17, 3:14 PM
Michael said...: No problem here. Let him rake in all he can and hopefully a condition of his talks will be that they forever remain private and we don't have to listen to him blather on and on with his cargo of cliches.; 4/26/17, 3:14 PM
cubanbob said...: What stinks the most about Obama's payoff is the hypocrisy of it.; 4/26/17, 3:15 PM
buwaya said...: "At least it wasn't a school paying him off, but that's coming next."

This too is a normal part of the payoff system. Universities also serve as money-laundries for political contributions and payoffs via speaking fees.
Donors give money, university turns around and passes money to politicians under the fig leaf of speaking fees.; 4/26/17, 3:22 PM
buwaya said...: "Are your kids Americans?"

Yes, as is my wife.

"What do they think? I'm curious."

They are apolitical for the most part. My wife and daughter voted Democrat this last election, but we don't discuss politics. My sons I don't know and didn't ask.; 4/26/17, 3:24 PM
Bob Ellison said...: He's got time on his side. Only 55 years old. He could yet become the Worst Ex-President of the United States (WEPUS). Jimmy Carter has the lead, but Obama has the lifespan.; 4/26/17, 3:25 PM
wendybar said...: Ann Coulter was forced to cancel her speech in Berkeley.....The Brownshirts are out in force shutting down Free Speech....It is time for the government to declare Antifa Domestic TERRORISTS which they are.; 4/26/17, 3:30 PM
TestTube said...: I'm not going to let it bother me, because there is nothing I can do about it.

Having the koolest Ex-Prez since JFK speak to you and everyone you want to impress? Huge market, even without any quid-pro-quo.

Hillary has the stink of losing on her. She is definitely not top of the A list anymore. Don't feel too sorry for her, or gloat either -- she'll still get thrown some bones that pay out more for a day's work than 90% of us make annually. Plus she has more money than she can spend in the rest of her life.

But Obama got out at the top of his game. He is the numero uno choice, gotta have speaker for rich progressives that want to signal virtue AND status.

I predict his speaker fees will be above $1M by the end of the year. Who cares what he says, as long as he is saying it a) In person b) to you and your buddies exclusively.

Book deals, corporate board seats, speeches -- all multiplied by two, because Michelle is hot property as well.

Dang shame they can't clone themselves.; 4/26/17, 3:38 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Oh, it's a bribe alright, but it's the sort of quid that is greatly separated from the quo. The main point of the payment is that the payers are anticipating the presidential candidate Michelle Obama in 4 to 8 years. She will also command huge speaking fees for the same reason.

However, I don't really have a problem with it as long as none of the fees come out of the public treasury- something that isn't always the case, but is probably the case in this example.; 4/26/17, 3:40 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: It will probably become apparent, very quickly, that Obama has zero potential. He will not hold office again, he gave the Democrats Trump, and he was never known to be a glad-hander like Bill. I get the impression that Obama really doesn't like people, at least not in the sense of many pols.
Obama is like the high school principal who chooses to live in the next town over because he doesn't want to run into the parents of his students.; 4/26/17, 3:43 PM
Martin said...: It's payment for past and future services rendered. If Cantor Fitzgerald wants to pay it, why not take it? At this point, no one's opinion of him will change, and this is no more corrupt than anything else going on in national politics over the last few decades. Which is to say it's incredibly corrupt by any real ethical standards, but we left those behind long ago.; 4/26/17, 3:50 PM
DanTheMan said...: >>He could yet become the Worst Ex-President

A pet peeve: Can we PLEASE stop referring to former office holders by their former titles?
HRC is NOT Secretary of anything, and Carter, Bush, Clinton, Bush II, and Obama are not president anymore.

No titles of Nobility!; 4/26/17, 3:55 PM
Robert Cook said...: I can't understand why anyone would consider Obama--or any ex-president--to be worth paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to present some boiler-plate speech that will mean nothing and add no new information to the world.; 4/26/17, 3:55 PM
Yancey Ward said...: For those who claim G. W. Bush was different, it is only in scale. His reported speaking fee is $100K I have read, and he has given many such speeches. Again, surely a kind of bribe for past rendered services, and probably because the family still had some political prospects after 2009, but those are diminished, I think, with the epic face plant Jeb! did in the past election round.; 4/26/17, 3:55 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Robert, well I agree completely, but I think you know the answer to that, don't you?; 4/26/17, 3:56 PM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: The Daily Mail currently has the following two leading headlines:

'The Earth will break': North Korea vows to wipe out US and South Korea with '5 million nuclear bombs' carried by children

Tax cuts for the middle class and an IRS return that fits on a single sheet of paper: White House unveils 'biggest tax cut in history' that kills the death tax and cuts corporate rate to 15%

Hyperbole is the new reality.; 4/26/17, 4:06 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: buwaya said...
"I can't imagine what it is that they imagine Barrack Obama can do for them at this point."

Its not what he can do but what he has, probably, already done.
Its a payment on a promissory note.
We often purchase things on credit and pay the bill when it is more convenient.

4/26/17, 1:48 PM

Why not screw him? What, is he going to whip out a receipt?; 4/26/17, 4:08 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Fuck-you money. That's what GWB charges. He doesn't want or need the money. Probably doesn't want to bicycle off his ranch.

Pay him enough FYM and he'll show up.; 4/26/17, 4:09 PM
Known Unknown said...: I was in the minority because I believe you should wring everything out of every opportunity and fuck those who call you a sell-out or anything similar. This is the world we live in. Take advantage all you can.

Nearly everyone in this comments section would do the same. (Maybe not Cook?); 4/26/17, 4:13 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Corporate tax rate should be lowered from its current rate. When those after-tax profits are ultimatelky distributed to the shareholders as dividends, the shareholders then pay a tax again on the income at their ordinary income tax rate. What is so bad then about lowering the corp rate ARM? What do you find so distasteful and unjust about that? Why do you favor taxing corp earnings twice at a high rate?; 4/26/17, 4:13 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Someone needs to tell the Korean Lunatic that the tree huggers have already copyrighted the phrase "The Earth Will Break".; 4/26/17, 4:16 PM
gravityhurts said...: Well, Cantor Fitzgerald was allowed to walk when they were caught financing and handling payments for what was an illegal online gambling outfit. Now it's time to pay the piper.; 4/26/17, 4:17 PM
buwaya said...: "Why not screw him? What, is he going to whip out a receipt?"

Because this stuff is done implicitly as favors of favors and in that world keeping your word is important, as there are no contracts and you certainly can't go to court. It would also be absurd to stiff the ex-Prez for the chump change of personal bribery considering whats at stake.; 4/26/17, 4:17 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: And what Dan the Man said at 3:55PM; 4/26/17, 4:18 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: It's all money laundering, really.

What on earth would a speech mean? nothing. (Cook is right); 4/26/17, 4:21 PM
walter said...: He's going to pour it into re-vitalizing the mean streets of Chicago. But I'm just "concern trolling".; 4/26/17, 4:29 PM
Eric said...: You need a fifth option: What speaking fee? I choose to look away.; 4/26/17, 4:29 PM
Hagar said...: Cantor Fitzgerald is such a wonderful name, though I suspect it is actually Cantor, Fitzgerald & Assoc., or something like that.

I have read that Poppy Bush set his post-presidency speaking fee at $100,000 with the thought that no none would pay such a ridiculous fee so they would leave him alone, and that he was not all that pleased when he found they were lining up outside his agent's office with checkbooks in hand.

And I think I read Bubba Clinton averaged $350,000 per speech for the first year and he had given 72 reported speeches by the end of July 2001.; 4/26/17, 4:38 PM
Unknown said...: My opinion about the man hasn't changed (I think he is a narcissistic a-hole), but I don't see anything wrong with this in post-Presidential life. Selling access is not illegal or necessarily immoral. The power to influence people's decisions and choices has value. He has that power, and he has every right to be compensated for it if there are willing payers.; 4/26/17, 4:48 PM
rhhardin said...: Pay for previous services.; 4/26/17, 4:48 PM
Jane the Actuary said...: I think we need a poll: at what point has he made enough money?; 4/26/17, 4:49 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: How hard would it be to bribe someone by paying them after the fact? How is this ethical?; 4/26/17, 4:51 PM
urbane legend said...: cubanbob said...
What stinks the most about Obama's payoff is the hypocrisy of it.

Obama's entire life has been hypocrisy. Why should his after the presidency life be any different?

And DanTheMan is correct about titles of nobility.; 4/26/17, 4:55 PM
M Jordan said...: Do liberals really believe any of their B.S.? They say they are deeply concerned about global warming, but they live like fossil fuel is their personal slave. They say they care about immigrants and refugees, but they live in gated communities. They say say liberty, fraternity, and equality, but they refuse Ann Coulter a speaking venue, they hate the vulgar working class, and they they try to re-balance society in favor if anyone who isn't white and male.

They are the walking definition of hypocrites. They believe NOTHING at all except their own personal comfort.

I'll take a redneck neighbor any day.; 4/26/17, 4:55 PM
CStanley said...: Those who give the explanation of payment for previous services aren't wrong, I don't think, but it's more than that.

The Obamas are now the royalty of the Democratic Party, clearly after Hillary's loss (one might almost think he wanted her to lose, but it's not like there was any hint of potential subterfuge there😉.) No one will get elected as a Democrat, anywhere, if BO does not approve. And probably even more relevant, he will be deciding which private entities get any face time with current and future elected officials and who sets the message for upcoming elections and Democrat administrations.; 4/26/17, 5:03 PM
n.n said...: Bad Lieutenant:

Why not screw him? What, is he going to whip out a receipt?

No, but it would break a circle of confidence. They are not the mortal gods they pretend to be, and are dependent on maintaining the respect or fear of the little people that surround them.; 4/26/17, 5:08 PM
MadisonMan said...: I can't understand why anyone would consider Obama--or any ex-president--to be worth paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to present some boiler-plate speech that will mean nothing and add no new information to the world.

Total agreement.

However, he IS a Nobel Laureate. :); 4/26/17, 5:09 PM
Jaq said...: When he was a Senator, he got an earmark for the hospital his wife worked at, and they subsequently doubled or tripled her pay. But at least he wasn't dipping his beak constantly the way the Clintons were.; 4/26/17, 5:24 PM
readering said...: Why do people pay rock singers that much to perform at their private party?; 4/26/17, 5:27 PM
William said...: Why is it so much cheaper to bribe a Clinton than other politicians. Volume. They were like the WalMart of government corruption. Obama will probably cater to the carriage trade.,.......I have a suggestion for GWB. He should become a portrait painter. It would be cool for various CEOs and ironic Hollywood stars to have a portrait of themselves done by GWB hanging in the den. It would be a real money maker, and Bush wouldn't have to leave the ranch.......It's only fairly recently that we granted former Presidents a pension. We didn't want them or their widows living in penury. I think some of them actually did.; 4/26/17, 5:38 PM
Etienne said...: If you are not invested in index funds, then you are probably paying broker fees that allow them to dump those fee's all over the world.

Those fee's finance prostitutes, heroin, and even presidents, and their family.

If you are a whore, then Cantor Fitzgerald is the pimp you want in your life.

Alas, as an index fund investor for 35 years, I have no heroin, or prostitutes, or presidents in my life.; 4/26/17, 5:46 PM
walter said...: Dunno, Readering..entertainment?
BO better stick to speechifyin':
Obama sings "Call me maybe"; 4/26/17, 6:00 PM
campy said...: However, he IS a Nobel Laureate.

And a Grammy winner.; 4/26/17, 6:00 PM
walter said...: Heroin's not a problem if you limit use to special occasions..; 4/26/17, 6:03 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: He should set up an LLC so it will only be taxed at 15%.; 4/26/17, 6:20 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Republicucks be all jelly because their ex-presidents (and current Game Show Host) are monosyllabic mushmouths who couldn't string a sentence together even after training like Demosthenes.; 4/26/17, 6:39 PM
James K said...: "I think there should be a sur-tax placed on former politicians who cash in. We need better roads."

Why do they need pensions? Means test the pensions, and the money saved can build lots of roads, or--better yet--pay down the debt.; 4/26/17, 6:51 PM
Michael P said...: I went with the "it's fine" option, because the first two clauses are what I think are worth voting over, but I would love to see his image dragged through the mud.; 4/26/17, 6:52 PM
Pettifogger said...: I need a other option:

Obama is a schmuck, but I pointedly don't concern myself with how much money other people make.; 4/26/17, 6:56 PM
walter said...: I hope he pays his teleprompter op a "fair share".; 4/26/17, 7:07 PM
AMDG said...: Can't stand him but he should cash in while he can.

The fact is that the osition of POTUS (as opposed to the person in the office) is criminally underplayed.; 4/26/17, 7:34 PM
Etienne said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/26/17, 8:48 PM
SukieTawdry said...: Nobody has anything to say that's worth $400,000 to hear.; 4/26/17, 10:47 PM
Unknown said...: Althouse follows the media narrative: every question is about the effect on HIM.

Will our hero Obama gain the MacGuffin of wealth, or will his evil and stupid enemies thwart his noble quest?

I'm sure Pres. ConLaw Prof will spread it around to BLM or Acorn or Code Pink or some other righteous group - all remains well.

I'd add an option:

*** "what will it take for liberal hypocrisy to boomerang?"

Gephardt's house? Wrangle's apartment in Domincan? Kerry's boat taxes? The Clinton Crime Family Foundation?

Our first Commie President cashing in?

Maybe Trump is that boomerang. You guys picked the game, now the Republican primary voters decided to win it.

Yet as the poet says

let God and man decree

Laws for themselves

and not for me;

http://holyjoe.org/poetry/housman1.htm

The Laws of God, The Laws of Man

by A. E. Housman (1859-1936)

The laws of God, the laws of man,
He may keep that will and can;

Not I: let God and man decree
Laws for themselves and not for me;

And if my ways are not as theirs
Let them mind their own affairs.
Their deeds I judge and much condemn,
Yet when did I make laws for them?
Please yourselves, say I, and they
Need only look the other way.
But no, they will not; they must still
Wrest their neighbor to their will,
And make me dance as they desire
With jail and gallows and hell-fire.
And how am I to face the odds
Of man’s bedevilment and God’s?
I, a stranger and afraid
In a world I never made.
They will be master, right or wrong;
Though both are foolish, both are strong.
And since, my soul, we cannot fly
To Saturn nor to Mercury,
Keep we must, if keep we can,
These foreign laws of God and man.; 4/27/17, 2:31 AM
Hazy Dave said...: How much does he get paid for not speaking?; 4/27/17, 1:53 PM