'Question Mark Guy' Loves Obama

Posted: Thursday, June 28, 2007 10:33 AM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Chris Donovan

New Hampshirites might get a surprise this summer when they answer the knock at their door and they see The Question Mark Suit Guy.

Maryland resident Matthew Lesko -- the author and infomercial personality who has been telling Americans how they can get free services and money from the federal government for years -- proudly displays a Barack Obama bumper sticker on his question mark-covered car, and confirmed that he is supporting the Illinois senator for president. In a phone interview, Lesko said he has contributed to Obama's campaign and is "very excited" about his candidacy, in part because of Obama's focus on "getting together and helping each other" and getting young people involved and interested in the process.

One of those young people is Lesko's son, Max, who after volunteering for the campaign has recently been hired as a paid employee of Obama's New Hampshire team. Lesko says he plans on heading up to the Granite State sometime in the near future and knocking on doors for the campaign. Lesko said he considers himself an independent, and in the past he's supported Maryland's 8th District Congressman Chris Van Hollen. And according to the FEC's web site, he gave Bill Bradley $500 for his 2000 presidential run.

When asked if he had any advice for the Obama campaign, Lesko points out that they could take advantage of government offices that provide guidance on election laws, rather than having to spend a lot of money in legal fees to get the same information. As to whether or not the campaign has sought his expertise on raising money, he notes, "I haven't been asked." Lesko said he has yet to meet Obama, but hopes to soon.

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Comments

That guy is so annoying. And offensive - his whole premise is that huge amounts of government money are floating around just waiting for the folks who are smart enough to figure out how to grab it; so grab your share, whether you have a need for it or not! Hopefully he'll help by keeping his support a little more private, lol.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 10:41 AM)

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

H P Boston (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 10:48 AM)

My question is who is infomercial king Ron Popeil backing? Who will the QVC hosts vote for? What does the Home Shopping Network have to say about Ron Pauls campaign? Inquiring minds want to know!

Aimee, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:12 AM)

Paul, I have been doing a lot of reading and studying on earmarks and taxpayer money being wasted by both parties lately and i find that Matthew lesko is the smartest man in America. He knows more ways to get money out of taxpayers then Bill Clinton knows about proper Cigar storage. And it is all legal! If we got rid of all the earmarks for, say, five years, and we closed up all the loopholes and the ways that are described in his book(I've read his book, bought it at a garage sale two years ago), not only would we have a budget surplus, but also a bigger surplus then Bill Clinton ever dreamed of. Of course, this is fantasyland, every liberal knows that the way to a budget surplus is to raise taxes and cut down on the american dream.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:15 AM)

Jerry - Out of curiosity, do you consider the Bush Administration and the Republican-controlled Congress of the last 6 years to have been practicing responsible government spending?

Carrie, NW Iowa (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:28 AM)

Jerry i find you comments amusing given that George Bush has created the biggest government in the history of this nation and will hand us the biggest debt we've ever had .. all this thanks to spend spend spend republicans ... George Bush and his republican criminals make Bill Clinton look like a fiscal conservative.

Ricardo in California (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:43 AM)

Jerry, I was a liberal arts major, so numbers are basically a big mystery to me, but I suspect you are exaggerating the case. Under the Bush Administration, we're on track for doubling our debt, which will go from $5 trillion to $10 trillion in those eight years. That's $625 billion of new debt a year. Really doubt the earmarks and whatever Lesko has found come to that figure.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:48 AM)

Carrie---no congress since 1946 has done any responsible goverment spending. Nancy Pelosi and her congress is continuing the tradition today. $23 million to a drug center that is closing (Murtha). $100 million to Louisiana that does nothing to enforce the levees and protection of New orleans. Money to Alaska to build a bridge for 38 people. Money to build a bridge across the rio grands and only sticks out 30 ft. Money for peanut farmers and god knows who else. Both parties are to blame, that's why this earmark business needs to stop. Common sense on both sides in washington is a little short right now. $500,000 for the national teapot museum in north caralina, I could go all day long.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:55 AM)

everybody just jumps all over George Bush, yet they forget the liberals owned congress for over 40 years before 1992. If you cut the earmarks and stop spending on stuff like the arts and other worthless things, you would be amazed what the savings are. But like I said, we live in fantasyland and if you think the liberals are going to balance the budget, you are crazy.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:10 PM)

Jerry, The last time we had a balance budget was under a "liberal" president. Unfortunately his surplus was spent and the country's deficit and debt grew to historic levels under a conservative republican president .. you damm well better believe we will continue to jump all over Bush until the moron leaves office.

Ricardo in California (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:23 PM)

Jerry you are the POSTER BOY for FANTASY LAND!
Is that in North CAROLINA?
Has the WAR PARTY givi'n you a raise yet? They had better after all the crap they keep wanting you to post.
AND don't bother the shrub today he is licking his wounds, talk about torture!.LOL LOL LOL

H P Boston (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:24 PM)

Ricardo, using your california way of thinking, you would think your liberal controlled congress would have stopped the spending. Think again.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:32 PM)

Jerry, you're right in that examples of irresponsible fiscal management can be found in every administraton and congress for some time. Its a question of degree. We've had two really rapid advances in government expansion and spending. One happened during Reagan's administration, the other which dwarfs that first episode is now (to include the previous six years when we had a Republican president and Republican majorities in both houses. Your claim that both parties are equally shamed simply doesn't hold water. Republicans can't be trusted with public money.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:35 PM)

Since I retired from teaching, I now have the time to volunteer (almost full-time) for the music and drama departments at my local school district. I didn't realize I am wasting my time on something worthless like 'the arts'. Gosh, darn it, maybe the football coach could use my help.

Mel, Illinois (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 12:51 PM)

Jerry, the Govenor of California is a Republican ..as I said earlier, republicans can not be trusted to balance a budget .... if you think one of your moron conservatives is going to balance the budget ..think again .... like George Bush, they'll get into office, continue to lower taxes for the wealthy (at the expense of the middle class) and continue to ruin the nation.

Ricardo in California (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:12 PM)

Ricardo, your congress is liberal controlled, chew on that one awhile amigo. Paul, seems to me we had that thing back in the 60's with LBJ and the great society. What happened to all that money that went to social programs that never amounted to anything? ted kennedy has asked for billions of dollars over the years in spending on goverment programs, he may as well bought more bourbon and drank it all the way he wasted money over the years. Dan Rostenkowski, democrat from Illinois, passed bills thru his ways and means committee back in the 70's and 80's, wasted all sorts of tax dollars on projects that did nothing for anybody. To this congress today. When New orleans gets nailed by another Katrina size hurricane, the people there are going to ask mary landrieu, liberal senator from Lousiana, "what happened to the 100 million bucks Nancy pelosi gave you to shore up the levees around New orleans"? She better have a very good answer, but then again, I already know the answer, it is part of the public record.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:53 PM)

Jerry .. spew all that you want but it still does not come close to what Bush and Cheney have done to this nation ..you just refuse to admit it.... the republican controlled congress spent money faster than they can print it ... if want want to talk about republican conservative waste, lets begin with Halliburton ... and list list goes on ...I need not say more .... As stated by Paul in VA, Republicans can not be trusted with public money and that my Texas friend is also part of public record.

Ricardo in California (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 2:16 PM)

That's a good point Aimee! It's wacky endorsement time. Who does Uncle Ben and Betty Crocker endorse? Does Mrs. Paul endorse Ron Paul?

Russell in Maryland (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 2:16 PM)

Jerry, you can throw anecdotes and labels around all you want. I suggest you look at the numbers, the ones with dollar signs in front of them. I think you'll find that Republicans expand government faster than Democrats and Republicans run up the national debt faster than Democrats. But the part that gets me is that at least the Democrats admit to wanting government solutions. They're honest about what they want to do - take money from taxpayers and use it for social programs. Republicans can't even admit to themselves what they really are, which is why most probably don't even realize the extend to which they have become the party of bigger government and even worse fiscal irresponsibility.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 2:29 PM)

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