Munificent Obama Empties Coffers on Staff

Some get an extra month's pay, can keep BlackBerrys and laptops

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 14, 2008 3:18 PM CST

(Newser) – Barack Obama’s campaign is redistributing the wealth to the staff, the New York Daily News reports. The loaded campaign will give its troops a bonus equivalent to a month’s pay and allow employees to keep campaign-issued phones and computers, provided they pay the taxes. “It's a very nice gesture for people who slaved away and sacrificed for the past year,” one said.

This sort of largesse is uncommon in political campaigns, but it seems Obama’s rejection of public financing made it possible. “They certainly didn’t pay bonuses in the McCain campaign,” one grumpy Mac staffer said. And sorry, Hillary: Leftover Obama money can’t go to paying off your campaign debt. But an Obama-led fundraising campaign seems like a good idea.

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Barack Obama. (AP Photo)

Barack Obama smiles. (AP Photo)

Obama signs a shirt with the help of staff members. (AP Photo)

BlackBerrys are among the spoils Barack Obama is letting campaign staffers keep %u2014 though they'll have to pay income tax on them. (AP Photo)

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A lot of people thought they were going to be broke and would have to try to find a job in this rotten economy. It's a huge help. - Former Obama staffer

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Munificent Obama Empties Coffers on Staff