Pure Horserace: Still Fundraiser-In-Chief

President Bush Helps Depleted GOP Coffers

(CBS)  CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports President Bush helped House Republicans to raise an estimated $6.2 million at a fund-raising dinner last night. And, boy, how it was needed. After losing control of Congress, the National Republican Congressional Committee began the 2008 campaign cycle $15 million in debt.

Last night's event put the arm on business supporters by coinciding with the NRCC's annual Republican Business Summit. Those attending the daylong gathering heard a speech on the economic outlook from administration Budget Director Rob Portman and then got to mix-and-mingle with Republicans on the tax-writing House Ways & Means Committee.

A ticket to the business summit and the dinner cost each supporter $1,250.

It was the third political fund-raiser of the year for the president. He helped Republican governors raise more than $10 million in February, and raised $2.1 million for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell earlier this month.

During the 2006 campaign cycle, President Bush did 89 political fund-raisers that generated $189,565,000.

It’s a good bet he'll top that number before the '08 vote.


But There's Plenty Of Competition: Brace yourselves for a flood of figures over the next month as presidential campaigns begin to flaunt their first-quarter fund-raising prowess — or try to spin away the lack of it. March 31 marks the end of the quarter, but those who have established federal campaign committees have a couple more weeks before their filings are due at the Federal Election Commission.

Still, look for those with something to crow about to release their figures earlier. Former FEC Commissioner Michael Toner has been among those who've said that several candidates could well raise more than $100 million by the time the primary season begins — nearly a $25 million-a-quarter pace.

Every campaign downplays expectations in hopes of a better-than-expected splash come filing time. But even so, look for some surprises over the next few weeks. Someone's going to win the "money primary" in terms of expectations. Any guesses who?


Looks Aren't Everything But They Count For Something: Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden got into trouble after describing Barack Obama as "clean," but now its Obama's own awkward praise that is raising a few eyebrows. At a campaign stop in Iowa last weekend, Obama described intraparty rival John Edwards as "cute," according to inside-the-Beltway newspaper The Hill.

But the context of the remark is also curious: Obama said he envisioned Iowa caucus-goers thinking to themselves "I want to wait and hear what John Edwards has to say; he's kind of good-looking." Perhaps Obama was making a subtle dig at Edwards' reputation as a slick Southern trial lawyer. Or maybe he just wanted Iowa voters to remember that picture of himself in a bathing suit.


Not All The Action Is In 2008: OK, so most of it is — but there are a couple of interesting campaigns shaping up for 2007. Incumbent governors in Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi are up for re-election this year. Haley Barbour in Mississippi is considered a safe bet for a second term, but both Gov. Ernie Fletcher and Gov. Kathleen Blanco are facing fierce battles within their own parties even to be re-nominated.

Most of the action of late has been in Louisiana, where former Sen. John Breaux has made some noises about running, putting fellow Democrat Blanco on the spot. The result has been a intricate dance in which Breaux seems to be trying to force the embattled governor to give up her own campaign. Many Democrats fear Blanco would be defeated by Republican Rep. Bobby Jindal and view Breaux as their best chance to hold the seat.

Republicans, it seems, feel much the same way. Louisiana's Republican Party has released a new TV ad attacking Breaux. Among other charges, the ad states, "John Breaux says he might run for governor, but you won't find him in Louisiana. Breaux legally changed his citizenship to Maryland. Breaux gave up his Louisiana citizenship, signed this document giving it up — under penalty of perjury."

Leave it to Louisiana to add some spice to this off-year election.

[forthepeaple]

I was once proud to be american and proud to say i i'm a vet,now i just want out.You all in congress and capital hill and white house should be working for america and the americans that elected you to protect us,that isn't the case and i know why. I have been looking and found something that all america has forgotton.Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I..... so you all have been following your orders well i want you all to know that i hold all of you accountable for the murders of thousends of americans that have died and wounded in a war we have no buisness being in, you all are makeing large sums of money on americans lives and you all will pay a big price for that someday,heavens gates will never open its golden gates to you.. i hope someday that america and true americans will wake up and see that this washington crime family has sold our country to the highest bidders, china being # 1 and is # 1 in the world now, they are the supper powers of the world now. THANKS..DAVID A BELANGER,FOR AMERICANS FOR AMERICA,AT [e-mail]

[musty2u]

Business summit AND dinner for $1250. That was a bargain. It will get more expensive towards the end of the year and the summit will be one thirty minute speech that could easily be read. But, there are photo ops and leg sniffing among the attendee. The 6.2 million the NRCC netted has a tremendous multiple for the handshakes and deals made off-table.

[zootallures2]

Oh, how paaaauush excluuuusive...lol. The ignoring and exclusion of the masses, leads to the masses ignoring and excluding you. In other words, you can't be a leader with no one to follow.

[frankly06]

We need a Communist Revolution in the USA. Everbudy knows that reel Communism has never been tried.

We need to round up all republicans, neocons,etc and send them all to re-educashun camps to teach them how to be politcaly corect. WE CANNOT TOLERATE DESENT, we need to imprison all conservatives until they convert to OUR way of thinking. When everbudy is politicaly corect and thinks like us, then we can all get along

Re-distribute monie from rich and give to the pour, that's what the rich diserve for wurking so hard. It isnt fare that people who wurk hard get payd more.

Communize health care first, then energy, then corporations so that everbudy works for the state.

There is no god, only the state, WE know it takes a village.

Long live the gloreus peeples republic of amerika

[j0hnwi11iams]

Not all property should be public, just SOME.

Mostly the ones that are failing the public miserably in the private sector.

Even China knows that some property is better off privatized.

[fleshmonger1]

The public is mostly against this man and his policies yet he can still raise amazing amounts of money... That should tell anyone with a working mind that he is pleasing someone out there and it isn't the common person... I.E. He may be the most expensive, most satisfying corporate wh*re the world has ever seen... And remember this, the more satisfaction corporations get, the less satisfied you and I are as it pertains to the quality of our everyday lives...

[randalds]

The public is mostly against this man and his policies yet he can still raise amazing amounts of money... That should tell anyone with a working mind that he is pleasing someone out there and it isn't the common person... I.E. He may be the most expensive, most satisfying corporate wh*re the world has ever seen... And remember this, the more satisfaction corporations get, the less satisfied you and I are as it pertains to the quality of our everyday lives...
Posted by fleshmonger1 at 03:12 AM : Mar 17, 2007

He is indeed raising money from the corporate elite, since he has funneled billions and billions of our tax dollars to them via his war for profit in Iraq and his prescription drug program since he took power. Still he is getting a lot of small contributions from the right wing religious hillbilly types who haven't yet caught on that he's fu*cking them too along with the rest of us, doesn't give a dam*n about them (except to use their kids as cannon fodder in Iraq) and actually laughs behind their backs along with the rest of his buddies in the White House. Bush thinks they're all idiots, which is really sick considering what a complete moron he himself is.

[forthepeaple]

I was once proud to be american and proud to say i i'm a vet,now i just want out.You all in congress and capital hill and white house should be working for america and the americans that elected you to protect us,that isn't the case and i know why. I have been looking and found something that all america has forgotton.Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I..... so you all have been following your orders well i want you all to know that i hold all of you accountable for the murders of thousends of americans that have died and wounded in a war we have no buisness being in, you all are makeing large sums of money on americans lives and you all will pay a big price for that someday,heavens gates will never open its golden gates to you.. i hope someday that america and true americans will wake up and see that this washington crime family has sold our country to the highest bidders, china being # 1 and is # 1 in the world now, they are the supper powers of the world now. THANKS..DAVID A BELANGER,FOR AMERICANS FOR AMERICA,AT [e-mail]

[thgdriver]

Bush repeated his promise that his request for funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan must be approved "without strings and without delay" or he will veto it.

God bless our President for standing up to the power happy DEMONCRATS that "embolden" our enemies!!!

[forthepeaple]

THGDRIVER--YOU ARE A BIG LOSER,WHEN ARE YOU SIGNING UP TO GO IN,BEFORE THE DRAFT.

[jerr11]

"Bush: Politics Behind Dems War Opposition"

This shameless warmonger, coward-in-chief will say anything to score political points.

After all the lies, who will be able to believe another word he says!

It's all hot air, courtesy of some Texas refried beans!

If you can't beat 'em, swiftboat 'em!

[j02281]

God bless our PRESIDENT,and punish all traitors
liberals,and enemies of our COUNTRY.

[scott4261]

Oh, yeah, j02281, and while we're at it, why don't we just get rid of the First Amendment?

[scott4261]

He is indeed raising money from the corporate elite, since he has funneled billions and billions of our tax dollars to them via his war for profit in Iraq and his prescription drug program since he took power. Still he is getting a lot of small contributions from the right wing religious hillbilly types who haven't yet caught on that he's fu*cking them too along with the rest of us, doesn't give a dam*n about them (except to use their kids as cannon fodder in Iraq) and actually laughs behind their backs along with the rest of his buddies in the White House. Bush thinks they're all idiots, which is really sick considering what a complete moron he himself is.
Posted by RandalDS at 03:59 AM
----------
Bush is a fund raiser in order to help keep the robber barons robbing....(and it really is that simple).

[j02281]

Demoncrats,traitors,liberals,enemies,and all
kind of RATS,will be punish for GOD.
Our Country deserve,dignity, values, moral
and hard discipline,to all of them.
God bless America,and do not allow DEMONCRATS
take the power. Why?. They will destroy America.

[j02281]

If you are a demoncrats,traitor liberal or enemie of your Country. America will send you
a bill.

[j02281]

America wake up. Do not believe in DEMONCRATS
they want to destroy America. They sell our
Country to our enemies. So many traitors in
their party.

[gfox67]

General Pace for president!!! We as Christian Republicans need someone to vote for!!!

[micma-2009]

j02281

Can you get any other channels with that tinfoil hat your wearing? Try this, get up on your roof and point your antena towards Uranus.

[omded]

Hey J02281,
I know who you really are. You're Karl Rove, and you shouldn't be posting on public websites when you're drunk. It could hurt your Boss, The Traitor-In-Chief.

[omded]

gfox67,

I've always wondered why Christian Republicans don't just vote for Jesus as a write-in candidate? I'll bet he'd come down from Heaven to take the job! Do you people have a lack of faith or something? General Pace is nothing more than G.W. is--a false god, and the scriptures all say you'd better not put false gods and Idles in front of the Real Thing! Now tell the Big JC you're sorry, do some pennance, and don't forget to take a sharp pencil or pen with you to the polls in 2008!

[randalds]

Anyone else noticing how much older the as*shole Bush looks lately? Lots more grey hair, drawn face, etc. Maybe what little conscience he has is finally getting to him? Maybe he's finally realizing that Uncles Dicky Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld lied to him and they made millions of dollars off his stupidity and are leaving him holding the sh*it, with blood covered hands. I would never threaten to kill the president (because it is a crime after all), but there's nothing in the law that stops me from hoping there realization that maybe he's been ****ked too leads to a really bad stroke in the bas*****.

Hey Georgie! You're going to go down in history as the worst American president ever and one of the worst leaders of a major power ever. All because you believed your daddy's friends and followed their advice. What a ****king idiot you are!

[randalds]

Posted by omded at 02:41 AM : Mar 18, 2007

LOL! They thought they voted for Christ the last time when they voted for their new messiah George W. Bush. I mean that's how he was sold to them, as the God's representative here on earth who was going to make all of their sick dreams come true. Stop abortion, load the Supreme Court with bible-thumpers, teach only creationism in school and require all Americans to be Christians (and only "their" kind of Christian at that). Funny how none of it happened? Could it be that their false idol has feet of clay after all? Or perhaps that he's one of the "false Prophets" they've always heard about? Or maybe they just ran, at flat out speed, into the wall between church and state? Maybe they'll just have to accept that American is NOT a Christian nation, but rather a nation for all people? Naw, they'll never be able to get that concept into their pea sized brains.

[randalds]

If you are a demoncrats,traitor liberal or enemie of your Country. America will send you
a bill.
Posted by j02281 at 07:24 PM : Mar 17, 2007

Bush already did. It's a multi-trillion dollar national debt he ran up by funnelling our money (a surplus when he took power), our children's money, our grand-children's money and our great grand-children's money into the back accounts of his ruling upper-class, elite friends in the pharmaceutical, defense and big oil industries.

How can you be so stupid? He waved a bible and a flag at you and screwed you in the as*s at the same time and you still thank him? The only people in America who should pay this massive bill are the morons who still support this charlatan. Pay your own bill idiot and don't send one to me or anyone else who saw this con game coming.

[demkicker]

This is for all of you dems that think you know everything. First of all, dems are the real criminals, they over tax the movers of america (Reps) and channel it to people who do nothing for this country, like 90 percent of the welfair line, or pour it on the special intrest groups who only pander to the "do nothing class". And we can't forget about the "queer" factor. How can we take that serious? They keep forgetting that marriage is for family and pro creation. I never seen a baby come from someones BUTT before, have you? Dems are truly the scum of the earth and need to be deported to Iran. And for the concept of a Clinton surpluss of tax revenue. We were over taxed by a not for profit government. Interesting.
So I say to ALL members of the left: BITE ME AND ROT IN HELL!!!!

[demkicker]

This is for all of you dems that think you know everything. First of all, dems are the real criminals, they over tax the movers of america (Reps) and channel it to people who do nothing for this country, like 90 percent of the welfair line, or pour it on the special intrest groups who only pander to the "do nothing class". And we can't forget about the "queer" factor. How can we take that serious? They keep forgetting that marriage is for family and pro creation. I never seen a baby come from someones BUTT before, have you? Dems are truly the scum of the earth and need to be deported to Iran. And for the concept of a Clinton surpluss of tax revenue. We were over taxed by a not for profit government. Interesting.
So I say to ALL members of the left: BITE ME AND ROT IN HELL!!!!

[forthepeaple]

HAVE BEEN TELLING ALL OF YOU TO GO AND READ THE FACTS TRUE FACTS ABOUT IRAQ AND IRAN..HOW MUCH LONGER TO I HAVE TO KEEP POSTING THE SAME THING UNTIL YOU ALL READ IT..go to www.scoop.co.nz go to search tab and put in PENTAGON WHISTLE-BLOWER IRAQ and read it..it is sad but true and until you americans wake up and smell the s/h/i/t/ that your government has been telling you for CENTURIES.....
I was once proud to be american and proud to say i i'm a vet,now i just want out.You all in congress and capital hill and white house should be working for america and the americans that elected you to protect us,that isn't the case and i know why. I have been looking and found something that all america has forgotton.Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I..... so you all have been following your orders well i want you all to know that i hold all of you accountable for the murders of thousends of americans that have died and wounded in a war we have no buisness being in,

[randalds]

Posted by demkicker at 09:58 AM : Mar 18, 2007

Thank you for proving my point that Bush's support is down to his base, the very rich who make money off from him and the very very very stupid who just don't know any better. Are you rich? No? Well I guess that just leaves one other option. Get into your pick-up truck and drive to your cabin or house trailer and go back to sucking down too many beers, beating your wife, thumping the bible and molesting your daughters. Leave the rest of this to the thinking adults. Thank you.

[randalds]

I never seen a baby come from someones BUTT before, have you?

Posted by demkicker at 10:06 AM : Mar 18, 2007


Yes actually and several of them post here like Agnim, siningrick, liberman, processor and of course you. They'll be just like family to you since you have the same birth experience. Sort of like a family reunion! You know, where you go to meet women.