Obama Team Plans for Hiring Lobbyists

CLASS ANSWER - WHY DO PRESIDENT'S NEED LOBBYISTS ON THEIR STAFF? WHAT IS THE REVOLVING DOOR? IS IT WISE TO HIRE THEM FOR SOMETHING THEY HAVE NOT LOBBIED FOR? EXPLAIN

By BRODY MULLINS, ELIZABETH WILLIAMSON and CHRISTOPHER COOPER

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Sen. Barack Obama has said lobbyists won't run his White House. But senior campaign officials are crafting a policy that would clear the way for lobbyists to nonetheless hold important government roles.

People familiar with Sen. Obama's still-evolving hiring policy say registered lobbyists would be banned from senior-level White House jobs. But the policy would allow some lobbyists to take important jobs elsewhere in the administration, should the Illinois senator win election Tuesday.

"Our goal is to make sure that people don't leave an industry to come into our administration and then work on issues related to their industry and then go back to that industry. That revolving door has been swinging for years in Washington," said David Axelrod, chief strategist for Sen. Obama. "That's not to say that anyone who has lobbied in their life will be excluded."

Mr. Axelrod would not confirm details of the campaign's internal discussions.

The Obama campaign's effort reflects a challenge that would confront either Sen. Obama or his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain: trying to run an administration without Washington lobbyists, who serve an integral role in advising on legislation and regulations, as well as policy.

Capitol Hill and White House aides routinely serve stints at K Street lobbying firms, where many experienced Democrats have been waiting out the Bush years. "You can't staff the entire government without people who are lobbyists, it's just not possible," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist.

Sen. McCain has decried the influence of special interests. But the Arizona senator has not pledged to exclude lobbyists from his administration. Instead, he would ban officials in his administration from using the revolving door from government to private practice and back. "If you work in John McCain's administration you would not lobby John McCain's administration," said Brian Rogers, a campaign spokesman.

The McCain campaign required that lobbyists coordinating the campaign cease their lobbying jobs.

On the campaign trail, Sen. Obama has outlined measures he would take to limit lobbyists' influence on White House decision-making. He has plans, for example, to publish details of meetings between lobbyists and members of the executive branch.

Democratic lobbyists are wondering about their future in an Obama administration. Although Sen. Obama has taken a tough line toward registered lobbyists, he has allowed himself maneuvering room. Like Sen. McCain, Sen. Obama has banned lobbyists from working on his campaign until after they quit their lobbying jobs.

Sen. Obama refused donations from registered lobbyists, but former lobbyists and the spouses of current lobbyists are permitted to contribute.

Sen. McCain employs several former lobbyists at the top of his campaign, and has accepted contributions from corporate and special-interest political action committees, targets of criticism by Sen. Obama's campaign.

In speeches, Sen. Obama has pledged that lobbyists will not hold sway if he won.

"I don't take money from lobbyists. I don't take money from PACs. They have not funded my campaign. They will not run my White House," he said in a speech last month.

The proposals under discussion by the Obama campaign would ban lobbyists for particular industries from serving in posts with an influence on that sector. But a lobbyist for the transportation industry could take a job in the Agriculture Department, for example.

Officials in the Bush administration are prohibited from lobbying their former colleagues for 12 months. Sen. Obama would likely extend that to three years, five years or for the duration of his administration, people familiar with the discussions say.

Bans on lobbyist employment have proven difficult to enforce. One hour after taking office, former President Bill Clinton instituted a five-year ban on lobbying the executive branch for officials who left his administration. The ban contributed to difficulties in filling some positions, including in the Treasury and Commerce departments. President Clinton revoked the ban at the end of his administration, in 2001.