Obama and his aides have criticized the group publicly. But the administration's campaign to neutralize the group went further, according to a source involved in the dispute.
Over the last year the White House has hosted meetings with business leaders to discuss policy, and in some of those sessions asked that they persuade the chamber to cancel TV ads aimed at defeating Obama's healthcare plan, said a business lobbyist familiar with the matter.
Illustrating the depth of the dispute, the White House also asked corporate executives to drop their membership in the chamber, said the lobbyist, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid becoming personally entangled in the conflict. Another source said there had been discussions at the chamber regarding the White House urging resignations.
The authoritarian personality of our time.
