Obama seeks to lower expectations for lackluster fundraising

President Barack Obama, center, is introduced by NBA basketball hall-of-famers, Bill Russell, left, and Lenny Wilkens, right, during a Democratic fundraiser at the Paramount Theater, Sunday, Sept., 25, 2011, in Seattle.

/ AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

President Obama's campaign team is blaming the high-profile stand-off over the nation's debt with Republicans this summer for what it says may be a lackluster fundraising number for the president in the past three months.

Campaign Manager Jim Messina lowered the goal for the third quarter, which ends today, to $55 million, down from last quarter's goal of $60 million.

The Obama Victory Fund brought in $86 million in the three months through June, with more than $47 million for the campaign and more than $38 million for the Democratic National Committee. The third quarter figures are due to be released by October 15, though campaigns sometimes announce numbers before the deadline.

A senior campaign official told CBS News the benchmark dropped because donors are typically less engaged during the summer and because the campaign canceled fundraisers during the debt ceiling debate. Mr. Obama did not have any fundraising appearances between July 1 and August 7.

The official added that the expectation is in line with the drop the Obama campaign experienced in fundraising from the second quarter to the third quarter in 2007.

What the official did not mention was that if Mr. Obama fails to raise as much money in the third quarter as he did in the second quarter, it would he unusual for a sitting president seeking re-election. The existence of a third quarter slump seems to be a reality for candidates running from outside the White House, as then-Senator Obama was, but not for incumbents running from the seat of power.

In 2007, Giuliani, Romney and McCain all saw their haul decrease from the second quarter to the third -- as did Hillary Clinton. In 2003, the same was true for both Kerry and Edwards.

But the charge that donors are "less engaged" during summer months hasn't been the case in the past for an incumbent presidential campaign. In 2003, George W. Bush's fundraising dollars increased from the second quarter to the third, climbing from $35.1 million to $50 million. Eight years earlier, Bill Clinton's numbers went up as well, from $9.6 million after the second quarter to $10.3 million after the third. Reagan and George H.W. Bush can't be compared - they didn't file for re-election until after the third quarter.

CBS News' Mark Knoller tallies 17 fundraisers for President Obama during the third quarter. That brings the total to 48 since he announced his re-election bid. Vice President Biden and the First Lady did still more fundraising events.

[NobamaNOW2012]

As the fourth quarter begins the market dive continues.......

One can only conclude that a majority of companies and consumers are on strike.

Got money in the bank?. Save it. Got equity in your home? Keep it Got an operations budget? re-examine it and contain costs...

Guess what America, that's what is happening. Consumers, Banks, and Corporations are not going to bail the Obummer administration out. Encouraging class warfare and crushing the individual entrepreneurial spirit won't work. Suing the banks and sending the NLRB out as your Trumpka in-your-pocket attack dog won't work either.

So we are just going to vent our rage online, vent in the lame scream media, vent to our friends on Facebook and YouTube, and most importantly we are going to WAIT while we vent.....................

As we wait we will save. Save money, save on expenses, save on reduced costs, save on postponed purchases, save with store brands, save with Amazon, save with Ebay, save with Craigslist, save with the local flea market, save with the sale of our "garage clutter", save with roommates, save with a downsize in autos purchased, save with the brown bag lunch, save by cutting cable tv, save by tele-commuting, and finally save with a downsize from the McMansion if it can even be sold.

Someday soon someone will come to the forefront to run against our current Clown in Chief.

When this person arises from the ashes of the current "felony stupid" administration (kudos to Rep. Issa) we will focus laser like on electing this person to undo this nightmare........ Money will pour into this challenger's Pay Pal connected coffers and the internet media will take center stage getting the word out. Internet enabled persons will continue to be at the forefront of the "new media" with their Smartphones, I-Phones, and other yet to be named on-scene live streaming capabilities. The new internet news reporters will surpass the traditional media in their raw unfiltered "truth of the moment" audio and video moments. This new norm is also a warning to all to be careful since NOTHING is off the record in these unscripted moments. YouTube is a blessing and a curse depending on which side of the screen you are on.

The punditry tells us we are scared, we don't like uncertainty, and we lack leadership.
Bulls**t...........we are enraged, we are certain, we are going to get real leadership in 2012 and it will not be coming from the Democrats.

November 2010 was a trickle, November 2012 will be a tectonic shift.

[slatep]

One more time Obama refuses to face the fact that his poor performance in office is what's really interfering with his fundraising campaign.

I will say however, that this "debt debate" was politically created by John Boehner.

Boehner has created more havoc in Congress than any politician in recent memory.

Now, there is a group of 12 people being charged with coming up with a workable solution to the crisis.

What makes either party think if they haven't been able to work this out in 3+ years that 12 people are going to be able to figure it out in less than 3 months.?

While Bush was the most dysfuunctional President; this Congress is the most dysfunctional Congress EVER.!

For the last 3+ years, the American people have allowed this Congress to do nothing to improve any of the crises facing the United States.

500 plus Congressmen and Senators are controlling our everyday lives; using OUR tax money to play political games with our lives.

THIS IS NOT A GAME.!, but Congress does not seem to get this message.

We cannot afford to wait until 2012 to get these politicians who are only interested in wether or not they are going to be re-elected out of there.

We need to send a strong message to Congress that "playtime" is over, and that they had better get their rears in gear.!!!

[slatep]

OMG.!

I cannot believe that Obama. after all this time; is still trying to blame somebody else for his failure to lead the United States in a positive direction.

He has never accepted responsibility for his ineptness to lead the country. and I guess it's asking too much that he will ever come to the realization he has no one to blame but himself.

SAD. SAD. SAD.

[tsigili]

The debt debate, is essential to saving this country.

If Obama wasn't a total spendthrift, he wouldn't have that problem.

[douloscross]

Our President is truly the leader in our culture's obsession to blame. Blame the Republicans, Blame the Democrats, blame anyone within target range. What happened to taking responsibility? What happened to accountability? What happened to duty? The sooner we leave behind the dismal wreckage of the entitlement attitude, as a nation, as a people, and the sooner we reawaken the privilege and duty to serve God and each other first the sooner we will get back on track.

[Drivelphobe001]

I think I heard that he cashed the last check from Solyndra.

[RobAla]

What hasn't President Obama blamed for his failed policies?

[nomorelibs]

Why is this a story? I'm sure all he will have more than enough money to campaign. Both parties always manage to have tens or hundreds of millions to throw away.

[Drivelphobe001]

Couldn't it just be his arrogant swagger, lies, deceit and dismissiveness towards the American citizenry? Not only did he make history, but he is history in 2012. Back to his Chicago troop with the lovely brachiating, prognathic spouse.

[rwjacksr]

Obamma can blame any one or any thing he wants to for his so called lack of campaign funds, he has already this year had more fund raisers than any elected official including Clinton, so if he wants to place the blame on some one else like he does with every thing else he has tried and failed at let him blame it on me, I hope I am to blame for him never being elected to anything again, not only has he been a bad example for the American people, he alone has caused the black population to be regarded as he is, abusive with his power, money hungry, lackluster work ethics, dumber than dumb decisions concerning this country, a real lack of common sense and no real foreign policy, he would not even stand up for this country against that pip squeak from Mexico who came here to tear this country down, Obama is not only the first and hopefully the last black to sit in the white house, but is a disgrace to the American people, I really feel sorry for the black American who will have this Pox hanging over their head for at least 300 years.

[tawpdawg1111]

I bet he can get a nice donation from the boys over at Goldman's. I can't believe I sent him my hard-earned money last time around. Oh well......hindsight, as they say, is 20/20.