Obama Foundation via APThe numbers tell the story. “The Tides Center played an administrative role in the program by processing grants while Cities United [a nonprofit] managed the application process,” the spokeswoman said in an email. While community members struggle, insiders at the Obama Foundation are doing just fine. Meanwhile, the presidential center itself—originally sold to the public as a beacon of civic pride for Chicago’s South Side—has turned into a financial pit. The Obama Presidential Center is a $615 million con, funneling money to radical causes and insider salaries.