May 2, 2008
DNC Coffers Dry Amid Flood Of Dem Cash
Politico: Despite Record Hauls By Candidates, Party Office Has Raised Much Less Than GOP Counterpart
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Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean (CBS)
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In an election year marked by jaw-dropping Democratic fundraising, one key political player isn’t so flush: The Democratic National Committee.
Despite record hauls by Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, the DNC has raised less than half the amount taken in by the Republican National Committee.
According to the latest Federal Election Commission reports filed through the end of March, the RNC had $31 million in cash on hand while the DNC had only $5.3 million. The RNC has raised $36.5 million this year while the DNC has raised $17.7 million.
The story was equally grim in 2007, when the RNC raised a total of $83 million to the DNC’s $50 million.
“The general election has started; we should we raising $15 million a month,” said one senior DNC official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The committee is raising less than $6 million each month.
“It’s a little nuts that we are spending so much money fighting each other and instead of Republicans,” the official continued. “We should be doing things that start defining McCain our way instead of his way. And if we had more money we could do more.”
The problem, it seems, isn’t that the DNC is doing any worse at this point than in previous presidential years. Rather, the DNC is unable to take advantage of an extremely favorable fundraising environment because the party’s presidential candidates have vacuumed so much cash out of donors. The extended nature of the contest-no other modern presidential race has seen one party’s primary remain seriously contested so long while the other’s concluded so rapidly-hasn’t helped the DNC either.
“We deserve a lot of credit that we are trying to do what we can with what we got,” said Karen Finney, the DNC’s communications director, who noted that Democratic donors tend to be candidate-driven, as opposed to the more institutional-oriented donors who give year-round, even in the off-cycle years, to the RNC.
But, Finney acknowledged, “We need donors to give to the DNC.”
In the past week, the DNC began its first efforts to define McCain-a three-week, half-million-dollar ad buy on the cable networks. But few party strategists expect the relatively meager offensive to make a dent in the consciousness of the voting public.
“If you want to do something meaningful with voters to affect more than elite opinion, you have to open up a large-scale media campaign in battleground states,” said Tad Devine, the chief strategist for 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry.
At the moment though, the DNC lacks the resources to do so. It has focused its efforts on building a massive voter file and national ground team, rather than advertising.
“If we had more money, would we do more?” said one DNC official. “Absolutely.”
The DNC views its first advertising expenditure as “seed money” meant to elicit more donations. After the ad buy, Chairman Howard Dean e-mailed supporters with a link to what he called a “devastating” DNC ad on Iraq-and then asked for contributions.
“All of it-from the new Iraq ad to the organizers in places like Ohio, Colorado, and Oregon-costs money, and we need your help,” the e-mail solicitation read.
Among other things, the fundraising gap has left the Democrats’ “coordinated fund” on empty. While FEC regulations allow for $19.2 million in coordinated campaign operations between the party and the presidential campaign, the party has yet to direct any money into that pot. The RNC’s is already fully funded.
That leaves the RNC poised to unload on the Democratic nominee the moment he or she is selected.
“The thinking is that both Obama and Clinton are doing a good job of defining each other and we would like that process to continue,” said Frank Dnatelli, the RNC’s deputy chairman. “The decision right now is to just let the Democrats continue their primary process and when the time comes we will be ready with a full plate of issues and plenty of money.”
“Who knows,” worried a senior DNC official, “Republicans could be preparing a Swift boat attack.”
Without a fully-stocked coordinated fund or the funds to level a heavy and sustained attack on McCain, the DNC is reliant on state parties and independent groups to soften up the presumptive GOP nominee.
One such group, MoveOn.org, today launched a month-long, $1 million ad campaign targeting McCain on Iraq, timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of Bush’s ill-fated “mission accomplished” speech.
The senior DNC official stressed that the fundraising squeeze has not yet hit a crisis point. And many Democrats believe that wealthy donors are waiting out the primary before giving to the national party.
More important, the two Democratic candidates have raised so much money to date-in February and March alone, Obama raised some $95 million-that there is no reason to believe the eventual nominee will lack resources, at least in the general election.
Due to their fundraising prowess, neither Obama nor Clinton seem likely to accept the $84.1 million available in public financing for the general election. McCain, on the other hand, is far more reliant on the national party because he is likely to accept the $84.1 million public check-meaning he’ll have far greater dependence on the RNC and state parties for advertising, canvassing voters and galvanizing turnout.
But in a worst case scenario, the DNC official explained, the eventual Democratic nominee could burn through much of his or her primary election cash before the convention and donors might be less responsive to pleas for more money once the nomination battle is settled-leaving the campaign cash-strapped for a prolonged period before the convention, after which the separate general election funds can be tapped.
“I don’t know if the Obama campaign will have so much money by the time that he wins, if he wins,” the DNC official said. “Meantime, voter file, opposition research, voter outreach, we should be doing all the things that the Republicans are doing.”
The sluggish fundraising might also inhibit so-called “hybrid advertising,” which numbered in the tens of millions in 2004. Hybrid advertising is based on a loophole in FEC regulations, discovered and first exploited by the Bush campaign four years ago, in which the party and campaign can split advertising budgets.
Though admittedly concerned about the state of affairs, the record-breaking fundraising pace kept by both candidates this year has left DNC officials hopeful that ultimately the nominee will encourage maxed-out campaign donors to turn their attention to the national party.
“The real answer is sure, [the fundraising is a problem],” the senior DNC official said. “But the question is how much? Disastrously? No. But somewhat, yes.”
By David Paul Kuhn
Copyright 2008 POLITICO
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Of course, none of the remarks stop them from continually trying to hit me up for cash (you donate even once and the parties salivate for life) but my donation is conditional. I will not support Hillary Clinton. Not even 4 more years of Republican bs is worth putting HRC and the corruption that will go with her---into power. We want the truth Hillary and we want you to testify under oath about those campaign improprieties in CA--not hide behind your husband or your position.
My position exactly.
Posted by SgtRDS at 10:24 AM : May 02, 2008
+ report abuse
*******
I really wish you would..
AND WILL STAY THAT WAY UNTIL THEY back off their affirmative action Faux Rulz Bull that provided Obama momentum he did not earn. Either punishes all States that broke the Rulz including SC NOW or sit FLA and Mich NOW............even Republicans were not dumb enough to let a Donna Brasile strip these states, not of her candidate%u2019s demographics, to throw the race to her guy Obama. No Money until Fla and Mich sit and if it%u2019s to late no and you%u2019ve thrown the race against the Base wishes no money ever. Every time the DNC and Pelosi stack the deck for Obama the more Democrats that will leave the Party.
Guilt by association produced a never ending loop for Obama and his pastor.
Hillarys top people like Kantor and Carville show just how elitist her camp are.
see video on
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008
/5/2/93316/53926/838/507664
Most suspect a KOS editing again remember the OH NO they made OBAMA BLACKer same crowd............so called neo progressive trying to stir up their perception of Dem sheep with lies....lol to funny
Facts
RNC outraised the DNC. true.
What''s not being said here:
- DCCC has HUGE HUGE fund raising edge on RCCC
- DSCC has HUGE HUGE fund raising edge on RSCC
- pick any Dem presidential candidate and they have HUGE HUGE HUGE fund raising advantage over all GOP candidates that ran in the primaries COMBINED.
- Progressive activist groups are out raising conservative groups hand over fist.
And yet the corporate media picks one small aspect of fund raising and focuses on THAT!!!?? I''m disgusted once again by the favoritism the media shows the GOP.
It''s really really sad that the corporate media feels they need to prop up a party that''s had such a destructive presence on this country. More of the same is all the Media wants. So, we''ll get McSame for president.
Also, paying someone to come up with all those lies the candidates use gets pretty expensive.
Duh!
Posted by RowdyTexas2 at 11:46 AM : May 02, 2008
THAT VIDEO HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE DOCTORED!!
SEE ARTICLE AT:
www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/02/clinton-adviser-claims-in_n_99810.html
Posted by Sebastian27 at 04:14 PM : May 02, 2008
Actually, Carville is an elitist. Just because he speaks with a country boy accent and says crass things does not make him less of an elitist--he is from the Clinton camp of the elite--those who are of the inner circle of the Clintons. Ordinary people who just vote are NOT in that circle--you have to draw blood and be willing to live, die, steal and lie for years to get there--and you have to draw millions to stay there.That is elitist.
That said, I still and always will like that mean old man--he has spunk and Clinton maniac or not Carville had bite in these past years when most Dems were trying to apologize for breathing air.
"The Truth vs. Barack Obama"
http://savagepolitics.com/?page_id=326
WELFARE FOR THE WORLD- Most importantly due to Black Theology- Africa.
Source:Newsmax.com (following)
the Global Poverty Act (S.2433). According to some conservative sources, this disastrous legislation could eventually force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation''''s Gross Domestic Product -- or $845,000,000,000.00 -- on welfare to third-world countries.
***This is being sponsored by Senator Obama.
His true agenda is to TAX,TAX,TAX and promote Black Theology.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by nanging3 at 10:22 PM : May 03, 2008
It''s not a rumor. Mr. Obama''s first campaign fund raiser was at Mr. Ayers house. In fact is was Ayers that launched his candidacy.
Comforting isn''t it, to know that a total whack job sponsored Obama''s candidacy, and that Bernadine Dohrn who cackles at Manson sticking a fork in Sharon Tates dead pregnant belly, crying how she deserved it, is Ayers wife.
Yeah, right, these are the people we want to sponsor our presidential candidates.
He also chose to embrace Bill Ayers. At first I thought this was no big deal. After all, I had many friends in various radical movements (some violent) and if I ran into them on the street today, I would try to be cordial. And guilt by association is pretty sleazy behavior.
William Ayers and Obama worked together for eight years.Obama''s wife Michelle is a co worker with Ayers wife . William Ayers sure looks happy jumping on the American Flag doesn''t he? Every time I hear someone say Obama can''t be responsible for what other people do or say I say back to them that you are known by the company you keep. SORRY MY VOTE IS FOR HILLARY 2008
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by b-easy63
May 5, 2008 10:32 AM PDT
- THAT VIDEO HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE DOCTORED!!
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Reply to this comment
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See all 22 CommentsSEE ARTICLE AT:
www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/02
/clinton-adviser-claims-in_n_99810.html
Posted by libra127 at 03:18 PM : May 02, 2008
Not the part where Kantor calls Hoosiers "******" just perhaps the white ni66er part. For the "******" comment, first they floated he said the white house was "******'' but obviously just looking at his mouth--he was not saying that. Now they are floating that he was referring to the polls as ****** and not the people. Next, Bill will say, Mickey Kantor said that all late at night and most of us would have said the same thing , if we also had been tired and dodging sniper bullets in that election.