GOP Fears Obama's Money Machine

Politico: No Good News For McCain's Ability To Compete With Obama's Fundraising

(The Politico)  This story was written by Jeanne Cummings.

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With Hillary Clinton's campaign coming to an end this weekend, Barack Obama's rise as the Democratic nominee brings serious bad news to a new group - John McCain's finance team.

A review of campaign finance data offers not one ounce of good news and barely any hope for the McCain campaign’s ability to compete with Obama’s fundraising prowess.

To make matters worse, Obama’s campaign, which raised $272 million through April for the primary, now is reaching out to Clinton’s fundraisers, who raised another $200 million through April, in an effort to unite forces and bury the historically deep-pocketed Republicans.

Take a look at some of the numbers:

• If each of Obama’s donors gave him a modest $250, he’d have $375 million to spend during the two-month general election sprint. That’s $186 million a month; $47 million a week.

• During the same September to Nov. 4th period, McCain will have about $85 million to spend since he has decided to take taxpayer money to help finance his campaign activities.

• The Republican National Committee, which is charged with closing the gap between McCain and Obama, has $40 million in cash. Obama raised almost as much - $31 million - from just his small donors in the month of February. His total for the month, $57 million, exceeded the RNC’s cash balance.

• Obama has more than 1.5 million donors; McCain has a few hundred thousand. If just a million of Obama’s donors sent him the maximum donation, $2,300, he could raise $2.3 billion.

Ok, that’s not going to happen. But campaign finance experts and Democratic fundraisers say a conservative estimate of Obama’s general election fundraising potential hovers around or above $300 million.

Such a massive financial advantage will allow Obama to compete in more states than McCain and force his rival to defend states that should rightfully be Republican wins.

Obama’s use of such tactics has already been on display in the primary.

Pennsylvania was a must-win for Clinton and, given its large population of working class Democrats and women, was a long-shot for Obama.

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The Money Race
Check out April tallies for Obama, McCain and Clinton — including how much they've raised and spent since the campaign began.

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Still, he spent $10 million advertising in the Keystone State. Why? He forced Clinton to spend all her money and much of her time there to ensure she pocketed a ten-point win.

Meanwhile, Obama moved ahead of her to the next set of equally critical primary states. He pulled ahead of her in North Carolina, squeezed the gap in Indiana, and essentially ended any hope that a then-bankrupt Clinton to overtake him in the delegate race.

In the general election, Obama could afford to set up large operations in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, New Mexico and a host of other states - maybe even McCain’s own Arizona.

That would force McCain to pick the mid-size state battles he could afford while also trying to hold off a free-spending Obama in such essential big states as Ohio, Missouri and Florida.

“McCain has to make every dollar count in the general election and Obama will have money to burn,” said Evan Tracey, co-founder of Campaign Media Analysis Group.

The financial gap between the two presumed nominees was also on display during the primaries. Obama spent $75 million on television advertising; McCain spend $11 million, according to Tracey.

Clearly, a major reason for the imbalance is the length of the Democratic primary compared to the Republican race. But it’s also a matter of resources: Obama raised nearly three times more money than McCain’s $100 million tally through April.

And the plight of the McCain campaign could be even worse than many Republicans feared.

McCain isn’t a good fundraiser - which explains why he decided to take taxpayer money for the general election -- and he has yet to excite his own party base.

He reported a record month in April, raising $18 million, after sewing up his party’s nomination. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry raised $44 million in the month after he emerged his party’s presumptive nominee.

“What’s been striking about the McCain money is that there hasn’t been any big surge,” says Anthony Corrado, an expert on campaign finance. “There are no big spikes; there is slow growth.”

In addition, the $300 million general election haul for Obama projected by some experts includes a relatively modest boost from Clinton backers, a projection that could significantly underestimate their influence and the Illinois senator’s ultimate financial strength.

Obama backers this week said they have been quietly reaching out to Clinton supporters and assuring them that they will be welcome in the next phase of the election.

Those conversations have been delicate, said one major Obama backer. “In the last few weeks, both campaigns have been very respectful of one another, by and large. It was important every primary be waged.”

The conversations now are more open and could progress more rapidly now that Clinton has made a decision to formally leave the race.

“These are folks who have worked together for Democratic nominees repeatedly for years. There is a great capacity for us to join arms and work together,” said one Clinton fundraiser who asked to remain anonymous.

Another Clinton “Hillraiser,” the nickname for her major fundraisers, said “people will substantially get engaged and assist.” But, he added that it could take a little time for such a merger. “You can’t move on to another date with the same intensity quite that quickly,” he said.

To be sure, some Clinton backers won’t switch sides. Clinton’s campaign recruited an impressive array of women to raise money, some of whom are expected to move to the sidelines without a female at the top of the ticket.

Others, said one major fundraiser and adviser, may shift their energy to helping the Democratic National Committee fill its coffers.

Just as the RNC is expected to share expenses with McCain, the DNC is aiming to raise more than $200 million for its general election activities that will be coordinated with Obama.

Still more money raisers may pivot to the House and Senate campaign committees, where their work may be more noticed and remembered after November. “If they go to Obama, they know they will always be one tier out from the candidate. If they can raise a whole bunch of money in Senate races, they will still be players,” the adviser added.

But even with some fall-off, no one expects Obama to be short on resources, in part because of his inspirational appeal and also because of a greater urgency among Democratic activists to seize the White House and change the national agenda.

“All hands are going to be on deck,” said one long-time Democratic fundraiser. “A billion is spent on advertising at the Super Bowl. That’s one football game. This is worth every nickel we can put into it.”

[mudrose-2009]

McCain has already raised $200 million. More progaganda. Wow aren''t we scared of all that RamaLamaObama Lobbyist fundraising.

[singingrick]

mudrose

Funny, I didn''t hear you or any of your fellow neocons squealing when Bu$hco was breaking fund raising records.

Your selective outrage is amusing.

[deacon20081]

The reason Democrats are receiving massive influxes of cash from the American Voters is that people have had it with the Republican Party.
---------------------------------------------------
The DNC today has banned all Lobbyist and Special Interest donations entirely.
------------------------------------------------------
John Mc Cain''s entire entourage is made up of Lobbyist%u2019s.
Also consider that the top General and his Civilian counterpart of the US Air Force were forced to resign.
Yesterday we hear that Turkey and Iran are bombing the Kurds in Iraq. That drum beat to war beats on.
Makes you wonder if these things are connected.

[ianlou]

Did you see McCain''s speech the other night?
He is almost as bad a speaker as the shrub.

Mudrose, keep working on those witless nick-names for Obama, your going to need eight years worth.

[briannorwood]

deacon20081:

You got that right. I am nearly 50 years old and have never donated to a candidate before.

However, this year I have given Obama about $150 through several small donations. I plan on continuing through November so that he can have a fighting chance against the GOP smear machine.

GO OBAMA GO!

[noloyalisti]

I would also be afraid if I was any part of the Grand Oil Party. After what they have done to America, only the most ignorant and radical people could vote for them.

Meanwhile Obama (the "liberal", OH, NO!) has a populist message that appeal to We the People, not the greedy, war-profiteering exploiting corporations of America.

[briannorwood]

ianlou:

That Tuesday night speech was almost as bad as the one he gave when he clinched the nomination a couple of months back.

He was surrounded by a about 15 old white guys in what seemed to be a hotel room holding about another 20 or so.

Pathetic!

[colvinatch]

People and corperations are voting with their wallets adn pocketbooks, and they are abandoning the corrupt, slimy, incompentent, lying rethuglicons in DROVES. Why? Look no further than bush and the necon loosers who have run this country into the ground for their own egos and personal gain. May the rethuglican party rot in h e l l for their crimes against the constitution.

[omaar-101]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45885

Fraud lawsuit
targets Hillary
Fund-raiser claims ''smoking guns''


Paul has filed a civil suit charging Sen. Clinton and her husband, former President Clinton, with fraud, coercion and conspiracy.

California courts so far have denied the Clintons'''''''' motions to dismiss, and Paul expects the case to proceed at the beginning of the year, just as Hillary Clinton prepares to defend her Senate seat.

"This public servant, who is sworn to uphold the Constitution, is the biggest violator of the fundamental principles and statutes relating to fair elections and honest government," Paul told WND. "She needs to be dealt with in a way that will show this country and elected officials in Washington that everybody is accountable to the rule of law."


Paul, who co-founded the Stan Lee Media company with the Marvel Comics creator, said several of his key allegations were corroborated during the recent trial of David Rosen, the former national finance director of Sen. Clinton''s 2000 Senate campaign.

Rosen was acquitted of making false statements to the federal government, but the trial established that Paul contributed more than $1.2 million of his personal funds to Clinton''s campaign in an attempt to persuade President Clinton to become a spokesman for his businesses when he left office.

"No one denied major fraud had been committed; they just didn''t think Rosen could be culpable alone," Paul said.

[parrot123-2009]

%u2022 If each of Obama%u2019s donors gave him a modest $250, he%u2019d have $375 million to spend during the two-month general election sprint. That%u2019s $186 million a month; $47 million a week.


That''s a lot of money to be spent in some states - it would help some though. Cheers!

[omaar-101]

Fraud Lawsuit

Targets Hillary
Fund-Raiser Claims ''Smoking Guns''

Prove Campaign in Massive Scam !!

By Art Moore
2008 WorldNetDaily.com


Peter Paul and Sen. Hillary Clinton

(photo: hillcap.org)

As Hillary Clinton positions herself for a presidential run, a former fund-raiser is moving ahead with a lawsuit claiming the New York senator orchestrated the largest campaign-finance fraud ever by an American political campaign.

In an interview with WorldNetDaily, Los Angeles millionaire lawyer and businessman Peter Franklin Paul asserted Clinton failed to declare to the Federal Election Commission more than $2 million in contributions a massive omission he believes prevented her 2000 senatorial campaign from going bankrupt in the crucial final weeks.

Paul has filed a civil suit charging Sen. Clinton and her husband, former President Clinton, with fraud, coercion and conspiracy. California courts so far have denied the Clintons'' motions to dismiss, and Paul expects the case to proceed at the beginning of the year, just as Hillary Clinton prepares to defend her Senate seat.

"This public servant, who is sworn to uphold the Constitution, is the biggest violator of the fundamental principles and statutes relating to fair elections and honest government," Paul told WND. "She needs to be dealt with in a way that will show this country and elected officials in Washington that everybody is accountable to the rule of law."

[skyk-2009]

In my 60 years on this planet I''ve NEVER seen anything like this new Generation and their determination to move the corrupt GOP out of office. I teach at a small College and it is all over the Campus but I have talked to others at larger Schools who say it is like nothing they have seen. It''s wonderful to see and to feel the change that is coming. We, America, needs... NO HAS to have these things happen ever so often. It keeps the nation young, it renews it and makes it grow. Good for Obama and I to have one of the YES WE CAN stickers!! LOL

[ianlou]

I''ve missed the Rush LimpStick show lately.
Anyone here catch any of his latest lies?
I miss his blubering and whining.

[parrot123-2009]

Did you see McCain''s speech the other night?
He is almost as bad a speaker as the shrub.

Mudrose, keep working on those witless nick-names for Obama, your going to need eight years worth.
Posted by ianlou at 03:55 PM : Jun 05, 2008


ianlou:
That Tuesday night speech was almost as bad as the one he gave when he clinched the nomination a couple of months back.
He was surrounded by a about 15 old white guys in what seemed to be a hotel room holding about another 20 or so.

Pathetic!
Posted by briannorwood at 03:58 PM : Jun 05, 2008

Hey Hey - McCain has since fired his speech and teleprompter guys over this and he''s determined to show America that he''s a lot better than he''s shown the last few weeks - He can only get better, the closer he gets to 72yrs old and a chance to be POTUS. Cheers!

[bluestardad]

STICK A FORK IN THE REPIGS THEY ARE DONE!

[parrot123-2009]

Pathetic!
Posted by briannorwood at 03:58 PM : Jun 05, 2008

Hey Hey - McCain has since fired his speech and teleprompter guys over his NOLA speech and he''s determined to show America that he''s a lot better than he''s shown the last few weeks - He can only get better, the closer he gets to 72yrs old and a chance to be POTUS. Cheers!
Posted by parrot123 at 04:14 PM : Jun 05, 2008

Wonder where all the RINO Repugs went to ??? Hmmmm

[ianlou]

parrot123
Perhaps McCain is planning on making presidential speeches the way Reagan did - only with the Presidential helicopter running in the background drowning out most of what he says.

[Razzl]

It''s a mistake to believe that McCain gets to assume the old GOP red-state lineup by rights. It isn''t that McCain is such a bad choice to conservatives, it''s that Bush has driven the center to the Democrats, and Obama is poised to hold onto them with his unifying ideology. All this blather about Hillary''s supporters going to McCain ignores the fact that a lot of her support was from Republican crossover voters who may never seriously have intended to vote for her in the election. I expect the election to be a classic landslide victory for Obama in the electoral college, though McCain will find a base to keep the popular vote from being a blowout. By August expect to see "Obama/[vp to be named]" bumper stickers on pretty much every third car from Maine to Baja.

[ramos937]

The article states the real reason McCain so desperately wants the 10 town hall meetings. They would be covered free and he would not have to spend a dime.

The lesson here is that the American people are supporting the Democrats and not the GOP. The fat cats see the writing on the wall and are not stupid. They are also giving to the Democrats much more than to the GOP.

[aldon61]

McCain is entirely out-matched. Obama''s people are energized, and extremely loyal to what they deem "a cause", not just an election. This type of enthusiasm will carry the democrats to a crushing victory in November. The money advantage, not withstanding, is nothing but more icing on the cake, a victory cake! Go Obama!

[jack3213]

HOW TO BE REAL DEMOCRAT

You have to believe that the only reason socialism hasn''t worked anywhere it''s been tried is because the right people haven''t been in charge.

You have to believe conservatives telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and a *** offender belongs in the White House.

You have to believe that businesses create oppression and governments create prosperity.

You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.

You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.

[tonyd_31]

The writing is on the wall. Goodbye and good riddance to you loony NeoCons. You are the shame of our country. It will take decades to repair the damage that you have done in just 8 years!!

[sueann702]

To All Republicans on this Blog:
Your Party has done nothing for the American People.
Maybe for the wealthy, lobbiest, special interest and big business.
Because of your party the American People are suffering. Your time will end in November.
People are funding Obama because they''re tired of the Republicans. Expect to lose more in the Senate/Congress. You had your time and you failed the American People big time.

Obama 08

[noloyalisti]

Tru USA is a reactionary traitor. I have no doubt he or she is a republican plant. Vote for McSame, you can''t be serious. That''s just admitting you are as big a moron as him and the rest of his God forsaken party of war and death.

[sgtrds-e4]

John McCain is a walking talking lying wholly owned subsidiary of Washington lobbyists. He is the very embodiment of a bought and paid for business as usual GOP Senator. Every time I hear him even try to say the word "change" I don''t know whether to laugh, cry or puke.

[jazzer9]

All Hillary voters-lets write Hillary''s name on the ballot!

[starleo146]

U.S. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, will appear in Midland at a June 16 fundraiser at oil producer Clayton Williams%u2019 home.
....................

FYI these are the Same Neocons who helped SHRUB JR,
if youre in the area of Midland Texas please help in protesting..............


Clayton Cartoon Williams needs your middle finger support.

Posted by Quetzal666- at 04:15 PM : Jun 05, 20

This proves we are right, McBush or McSame whats the difference, he is a third term Bush

[tiredofobama]

Men have obcessed enough about being president of the United States to have a few of them assassinated. They''ve obcessed over being president since they were children. They competed in ruthless backbiting campaigns scandalizing each other, cheating on their campaign funding and their wives, makeing cigar smoking back room deals, held terrible debates yelling at each other, then kissing each other''s behind when they hate each other, and all the while pissing on their constituents, just to get the almighty dollar!

Now a successful political woman wants to be president and she is dubbed a psycho, back stabbing b****ch by the group of bloated old bigots who got where they are by feeding their ego''s that they know what''s best for this country! And look what a mell of hess we''re in right now because of some bloated ego, manifest destiny spewing back room dealing arrogant smart a/s/s inexperienced CRACKHEAD just like Obama!

And you roboturkeys and the DNC expect me to vote for this inexperienced overbloated goofball just like BUSH because they made back room deals to get him nominated, like I OWE them my vote?

Whatta laugh!

[whitepicks2]

''She will crush Barack Obama.

Barack, just sit it out. It''s going to be ugly. I promise you.

You heard it here first.'' -- Joe Scarborough

Now that''s a laugh.

[whitepicks2]

Obama is moving on two fronts to make transparency a central element of his campaign, opening his fundraisers to reporters and clamping down on the Democratic National Committee%u2019s fundraising from Washington insiders...

Beginning Thursday, the DNC will no longer accept checks from federal lobbyists or political action committees, mirroring the strict standard Obama adopted for his presidential campaign.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/10871.html

[noloyalisti]

Hillary wackos, time to unite against McShame. Obama is the nominee and stands for progressive values. She did push NAFTA and the illegal and immoral invasion of an unarmed country. It was time to pay the piper. Grow up and join the party.

[taddles2]

"Whatta laugh!

Posted by TiredofObama at 11:47 PM : Jun 05, 2008"



Pi$$off and take your b1tchy slags with you.

[taddles2]

"Tru USA is a reactionary traitor.

Posted by noloyalisti at 07:33 PM : Jun 05, 2008"


No, she''s just a whiny b1tchy old slag.

[nanging3]

PLEASE Sign it right now! Petition to remove Father PFLEGER permanently..

www.thepetitionsite.com
/1
/removable-of-
father-michael-pfleger

[boycot-china]

Facing criticism, Obama CHANGES his Jerusalem stance last night. How many other issues is he going to CHANGE for the election? I am still very hurt and shocked that it took so long for Senator Obama to finally quit his Church and he only did so in response to quieting the complaints. Here''''s another example of Senator Obama''''s hypocritical CHANGE stance. He complained openly about a white Imus, but was very careful not to apply the same intense scrutiny to his black pastor. What''''s the beef? Senator Obama tried to mend the racial barrier that he has created, but in reality he created more of a CHANGE and divide instead of a healing. Why is Senator Obama lying to America? He lost my vote, because he''''s trying to pull another con job just like the dirty land developer that Senator Obama still accepts money from. Yes, the same developer that was in court this week for illegal money laundering. The same guy who gave the Obama family special rates on the Obama''''s multi-million dollar home. I wonder if Senator Obama is going to CHANGE his story on that one too?

[peoples_prez]

The grass roots effort of the Obama campaign is truly formidable but I really think McCain''s age will have a greater effect on this election.
TRUE STORY___I once lived with a nice old man who was in his 70%u2019s. One day, I ran over a squirrel on the way home. When I told this old fella, he told me, %u2018You better go get that squirrel!%u2019 He proceeded to skin%u2026cook%u2026.and eat that squirrel. McCain reminds me of this old man who rather do things the old fashion way than google %u2018cooked squirrel%u2019. IT%u2019S TIME FOR A CHANGE, VOTE OBAMA%u201908.

[peoples_prez]

REPOST: The grass roots effort of the Obama campaign is truly formidable but I really think McCain''s age will have a greater effect on this election. TRUE STORY___I once lived with a nice old man who was in his 70''s. One day I ran over a squirrel on the way home. When I told this old fella, he said, ''you better go and get that squirrel''. He proceeded to skin, cook and eat that squirrel. McCain reminds me of this old man who rather do things the ''old fashion'' way rather than goggle ''cooked squirrel''. WE NEED NEW POLITICS IN WASHINGTON, VOTE FOR CHANGE, VOTE OBAMA''08.

[libh8er]

Very little coverage of the Rezko conviction. Wonder why? I wonder if the convicted Rezko is the SAME Rezko that Ubama has known for the last 18 years?

Like the right Rev wasn''t the SAME Rev he knew for the last 20 years.

Give me a f**king break!

[texaslj]

"Obama is moving on two fronts to make transparency a central element of his campaign, opening his fundraisers to reporters and clamping down on the Democratic National Committee%u2019s fundraising from Washington insiders...

Beginning Thursday, the DNC will no longer accept checks from federal lobbyists or political action committees, mirroring the strict standard Obama adopted for his presidential campaign."

------------------------------------------------------
Posted by whitepicks2

Senator Obama and the DNC receive millions in contributions from corporations via bundlers. Corporations hire lobbyists. At least half of Senator Obama''s campaign contributions have come from billionaire fundraisers, bundlers. These people/corporations do not write checks to politicians simply because they like them. Senator Obama solicited millions from these corporations before he ever started to campaign. The information is readily available. The Washington Post did a story on Obama''s campaign contributions in April that identifies many of his corporate backers.