Politico: McCain gives up on fundraising, will accept public financing
posted at 11:40 am on April 21, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Simple math. The feds will give you $84 million in September, after you’re formally nominated, for two months of campaigning. If you can’t raise more than $42 million a month on your own (or not so much more as to justify the time demands of holding relentless fundraising events), you take it. If you can, you don’t. How do those numbers break for Maverick? He pulled in $15.4 million in March, a little more than a third of what Kerry took in the month after he locked up the nomination four years ago. That is to say, it’s not just that he’s doing poorly vis-a-vis Obama — $72 million versus $236 million, if you can believe it — it’s that he’s doing poorly, period. And the worst part? There may well be a cascade effect among Republican congressional candidates as the RNC tries to close the gap for him:
Today, the congressional Democrats’ financial advantages have grown substantially while their Republican counterparts’ situation is increasingly dire.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reported Sunday having $38 million in the bank compared to the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s $17 million. More striking, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had $44 million in cash as of March 31, the end of the first quarter, while the National Republican Congressional Committee had just $7 million.
With the RNC focused now almost exclusively on protecting the party’s nominee, House and Senate candidates who don’t happen to be competing in presidential battleground states may be on their own.
Conservative third-party groups will help — except that, er, we’re getting killed on that front too and McCain risks being called a hypocrite if he relies on them too heavily given his criticism of them in the past. How’d it come to this? Back to the LAT:
Even with the RNC’s success, there are warning signs. Its fundraising is down from where it was four years ago. In the past, the party relied heavily on small donors.
In 2007, however, the RNC raised $45 million in increments of less than $200, down from $56 million four years earlier, federal election records show…
Also adding to McCain’s problems: Some traditional sources of GOP money are leaning Democratic in this campaign.
Obama has received $6.8 million from the securities and investment industry, compared with McCain’s $3 million, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Clinton has received $5.7 million in real estate industry donations; McCain, $2.5 million.
Now that this shoe’s dropped, all we’re waiting on is Barry O’s formal announcement that he’s opting out of public financing and the terms are set. Exit quotation from the Times: “Obama has raised more in small donations than McCain has raised in his entire campaign.” Not just small donations, guys — online small donations, which involve virtually no cost to the campaign. A young, energized, Net-savvy base is a nice thing to have.
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Looks like Obama is trying to by the Presidency. I wonder, is it for sale? Let’s see if it works.
ronsfi on April 21, 2008 at 11:47 AM
I may vote for him but I am not going to pay for policies that I am opposed to and be insulted by “my candidate” at every turn to boot. Will McCain get a clue? I doubt it.
Blake on April 21, 2008 at 11:47 AM
And thus does the base express its displeasure with our candidate.
As motivations go, voting for someone only because he’s “not as bad as the other guys” can only last you so long.
TheUnrepentantGeek on April 21, 2008 at 11:48 AM
McCain’s having touble with his fundraising? He’s spent the last 10 years gleefully insulting conservatives; who would have guessed that they wouldn’t open their wallets for him when he needed it most.
Maybe currying favor with the mainstream media all those years wasn’t such a great strategy after all, Maverick. I don’t see them lining up with bags of cash for your campaign.
Cicero43 on April 21, 2008 at 11:48 AM
the most important fundraising for mccain will be the 527’s that expose obama to the masses
jp on April 21, 2008 at 11:49 AM
I worry most about what this will do to all the other races out there. If the RNC is forced to use more of its money bolstering the presidential race, what will that leave to support all the other office-seekers?
Squid Vicious on April 21, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Imagine that… McCain’s sucking all the oxygen out of the room and launching himself off the back of the party. Good times, good times.
Media-nominated, media-destroyed.
spmat on April 21, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Yep, it’s a shame the GOP’s rudderless drift on earmarks and immigration have repelled my wallet for the foreseeable future. They’ll get my reluctant vote…and nothing else.
Cuffy Meigs on April 21, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Which ones are those?
Darksean on April 21, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Regularly screwing your natural base of support makes for poor donations , you say? How about that…
doubleplusundead on April 21, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Citizens United, Freedom’s Watch, Club for Growth, National Federation of Republican Women, etc.
amerpundit on April 21, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Not to say “I told you so,” but I will anyway.
McCain’s two problems have been 1) he hasn’t done much to reach out to conservatives. Don’t expect red meat attacks from the Senator to rile up the base. 2) his campaign hasn’t made a coherent attempt to build up their e-mail lists and ask supporters to donate online. Instead, they’ve relied on Bush-style fundraisers that cost money and suck time McCain could be using for campaigning.
Message and tools are both needed for online fundraising success. I don’t care that a poll last week said McCain was getting conservatives into his fold. His fundraising numbers show otherwise. But along with message McCain needs to use the tools he has at hand and take (steal) the good ideas from Obama and Clinton (and even Ron Paul). That’s what I helped do on Fred Thompson’s eCampaign. Without our efforts Fred wouldn’t have had the money to make it through Iowa let along South Carolina.
I’d like to know what HA readers think are realistic actions McCain could do to help his situation. By “realistic” I don’t mean stuff like having him repudiate every non-conservative thing he’s ever said and done.
seanhackbarth on April 21, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Gee… all those years of telling conservatives to take a hike… and they did! You reap what you sow.
dominigan on April 21, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Add to this all the free time Obamamania gets (and will get) on the late night and morning talk shows. Five or six ads to one pounding the plebs.
Limerick on April 21, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Too many thoughtful comments here for me to pile on. McCain is a disaster.
Valiant on April 21, 2008 at 12:03 PM
“all those years of telling conservatives to take a hike”
You mean those same “conservatives” who thought it would be a great idea to lose the 2006 Congressional elections – and did?
How will we ever win without those who think losing elections is a good strategy?
NoDonkey on April 21, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Exactly. Many of us aren’t even sure we can stomach voting McCain even though the alternative is, well, what is.
When the biggest reasons to vote for a candidate are his opposition, fund raising is going to be difficult.
Plus, the RNC in general needs to get a clue. There are many people out there who would rather start a new party than to try to fix this one.
Personally, I’m not convinced he can do much. His best help is the Democrat primaries. The longer they go on, the more conservatives see the alternative and the more they can be convinced to bend over and take it from McCain.
Esthier on April 21, 2008 at 12:06 PM
He just thought his Amnesty performance would be forgotten. It worked out better for my senator and congressman this go round anyway.
saiga on April 21, 2008 at 12:07 PM
He is a reflection of the GOP. I guess they really miss conservative support.
Zorro on April 21, 2008 at 12:07 PM
You forgot Mexico.
Darksean on April 21, 2008 at 12:08 PM
I get your point, but 2006 was also a consequence of conservatives regularly being told to take a hike.
We won’t win with a losing strategy, but clearly we won’t win by ignoring the base either.
Esthier on April 21, 2008 at 12:08 PM
He could send his delagates over to some othe candidate besides him.
saiga on April 21, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Gee, that’s no encouraging. I’m not McCain fan so I understand the frustration.
seanhackbarth on April 21, 2008 at 12:08 PM
You reap what you sow…
Oh well he better pray for some 527’s to come through and hammer Obama on gun rights and abortion, and potential SCOTUS nominees.
He can hammer Obama for not taking public funding, and McCain comes out looking alot better on earmarks. Michelle Obama’s salary increase is going to look like naked quid pro quo when other people with her position at other major hospitals are not making anwhere near $316,962. Then again those people do not have spouses that can direct $1,000,000 to their employer…
Hopefullly a 527 will pick it up and run it mercilessly in Florida, Ohio, California, and Pennsylvania
Theworldisnotenough on April 21, 2008 at 12:10 PM
True enough, but if you only do it once in your life, this election is the time because BO is really, really, bad. I don’t know if a potential presidential candidate this awful will ever come around again.
Nosferightu on April 21, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Congressional R’s have no one but themselves to blame for poor fund raising. It’s going to be really hard to convince me to hand them money so they can spend another 2/6 years inserting earmarks for their biggest donors.
Clark1 on April 21, 2008 at 12:11 PM
If here were a friend to us SoCons, maybe I’d donate.
As it is, he’s no friend of mine and doesn’t get dime one.
madmonkphotog on April 21, 2008 at 12:11 PM
This is what happened to GOP fundraising. The selling out of conservative values comes at a high price, doesn’t it boys? GOP lawmakers attempt to pander and pad for short term gain wound up causing them long term pain, and they have no one to blame but themselves.
JustTruth101 on April 21, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Ace suggested this a while ago, but if he would agree to a moratorium on Amnesty or “Not Amnesty *wink, nudge*” proposals during his time as president, it might be a start. Amnesty damn near destroyed McCain once, and it can destroy him again if he isn’t careful.
McCain better hope that Obama and Hill do enough damage to themselves in the primary to give him a chance.
doubleplusundead on April 21, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Why is that unrealistic? I have been waiting for him to repent over McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, McCain Lieberman et al. for years. Liberals never repent.
Valiant on April 21, 2008 at 12:21 PM
He has to highlight his strengths. Foreign Policy. Character. McCain needs to drain Obama money advantage by campaigning in person (cheaper) in states Obama needs to even compete Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota. McCain has been suprisingly strong in blue states. He should go there and campaign relentlessly. Force Obama to back track over areas he is probably taking for granted. Then McCain should spend a good chunk of his advertising dollar in Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
One more thing is Obama’s Iraq double talk. Campaign events he sells the masses on imeediate withdrawl, then he gfets on a national media outlet and hedges his bets. His plan was to fall back to bases ans be ready to just jump in if the situation araises. The problem with that plan is we were doing that and it was not working! He has specifically advocated a losing plan the same losing plan McCain had criticised early and often.
And the elistist label has to stick it seems to work and avoids the racial demogouging from the left. Barack other weakness are his surrogates. If they frame a vote for McCain as evidence of racism that will hurt Obama in the general. No one likes to be labeled a racist.
Theworldisnotenough on April 21, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Because McCain’s a stubborn man, and politically it would turn him into the GOP’s version of flip-flopping McCain.
I don’t agree with plenty of McCain’s actions and comments in the past, yet I’ll be voting for him. I simply wonder what McCain can realistically do to get people back into the fold and excited for him. So far the response isn’t promising.
seanhackbarth on April 21, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Have to agree here. Without something solid from McCain on illegal immigration then the wallets will stay closed. All the McCainiacs will point to statement A or statement B but an actual bill on the floor of the Senate would go a long way to getting the bucks flowing again. The fence builders aren’t going to go away no matter how much the McCainiacs tell them to.
Limerick on April 21, 2008 at 12:25 PM
McCain couldn’t appease me. I’ve already given over two hundred to Hillary, and I’m giving more soon. I haven’t given one dime to any Republicans this election cycle. I’m not going to give them anything either. Certainly not McCain.
So we see the usual election year fear mongering. “We may not have a great candidate, but you know, he stinks less than they do.” Really? Let’s see. What values that we support have been defended by the Republicans. What ideals are we standing firm on. Pro Life? Not so much. Not enough to get an Amendment started. McCain certainly said he wouldn’t support one.
Gun rights? Not so much, after the lackluster filing from the Justice Department. Individual rights to privacy? Not so much, after we fought for how long against the idea of a national ID card, we went and passed, and signed, the Real ID act. Which in effect creates a national ID. We passed a law that said the citizens couldn’t consult an attorney because they got a letter for Christ’s sakes. I personally prayed that I’d get one of those letters, and would immediately call an attorney, and get arrested. That way the Feds would have to read me my rights and advise me of my right to consult an attorney, for the crime of calling an attorney.
We passed Bankruptcy reform, which gave businesses the right to get out of debts they incurred, while telling citizens that they no longer had that same right. The result was supposed to lower interest rates, not so much, but whatever.
We passed a law that made it a crime to buy psudophedrine, they have a database now, or who is buying a drug that has been available for how long? To stop the production of Crystal Meth. The results? Not so much of a success, of course, that’s just fine, the thing that matters is we care and want to make the legal use of a legal product an issue, instead of going after the criminals who are abusing a legal product.
What exactly are we for now? Lower taxes? Could have fooled me. Opposition to Junk Science? Not so much. Since we’ve turned our backs on everything that we claim on election years to support, I’ve decided that my support has become much the same, non existent.
Since the Republican party has now given me a choice, Democrat, and Democrat Lite. I’m going to choose the original, instead of the pale imitation.
The Republican Party has decided that the average citizen is something they can stand on, instead of stand with, and I’m not supporting them. Go Hillary, the conservative candidate.
Snake307 on April 21, 2008 at 12:27 PM
The nasty little secret is that while McShamnesty NOW extolls building the fence first, he still wants amnesty after that.
Not one dollar from me until we get ILLEGAL immigration under control.
Want to know what he can do to get conservatives’ votes? I first wanted to say, “Try being one”, but at this point I’ll settle for him not trying to frack them over hither and yon.
Darksean on April 21, 2008 at 12:29 PM
I can only speak for myself, but I am not sending him any money until I see him make a positive move towards conservatives and the main item on the agenda is to select a conservative running mate.
Until then he will not receive a Penny from me.
fortress on April 21, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Obama’s spending millions to go after Hillary. Hillary’s spending millions to go after Obama. This will continue all the way up to the Democrat convention.
As I see it, all the Democrat fundraising to date has in a strange and convulated way benefited McCain. He doesn’t have a fundraising problem. He has a fundraising bonanza, compliments of his opponents.
fogw on April 21, 2008 at 12:32 PM
You said the nasty little secret about McShamnesty. The problem is that any issue you look at there’s a dirty little secret right under the shiny new position he’s supposedly always held.
Down with McCain. Up with Hillary, the Conservative Candidate.
Snake307 on April 21, 2008 at 12:32 PM
.
Yeah, but they got their money in the bank already. They had better hope, though, that they grabbed enough to last a while, because there ain’t more where it came from…
Think_b4_speaking on April 21, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Also expose Obama supporters. Hannity asking Obama supporters questions about why they support Obama is very effective. I have done the same thing many times. When I have the next conversation with a person I have asked that they pretend to back Obama based on policy but the run away from the conversation. That tactic is especially effective. The people in the middle that may vote for Obama but are not emotionally attached do not want to be lumped in with morons that like Obama because he is Black
You can throw in that he has spent more time running for President than he has spent being a Senator. This puts McCain in the position of having earned the Presidency while Obama has surrounded himself with the hard left and waltzed in to Presidency.
And again McCain needs to hammer Obama in blue states that McCain polls well in, just to drain off Obama money advantage.
Theworldisnotenough on April 21, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Judging from McCain’s campaigning in New Hampshire I think he’s comfortable going on the cheap. However, he’s going to need money for commercials and online efforts (if they actually care).
seanhackbarth on April 21, 2008 at 12:35 PM
I’m not a fan of Barack Obama or his politics but I respect his online fundraising efforts. They have been singularly effective and are probably a good thing for our democracy.
Ares on April 21, 2008 at 12:46 PM
When McCain is asked in the general debates “Are we better off today?” – there’s a perfect answer.
Ironically, this group is one of the loudest on how “worse off we are”. The hypocrisy is thicker than anything yet invented/identified.
Entelechy on April 21, 2008 at 12:47 PM
I call shennanigans on Baraka’s online fundraising efforts. No way someone can raise that much cash online. I’m thinking some underhanded fundraising is afoot and it’s using the poorly-monitored frontier of online fundraising to boost Baraka’s coffers.
Nethicus on April 21, 2008 at 12:49 PM
No, Neticus; he can raise that much online from foreign sources that only need to list any U.S. address to donate. I’d love to see how many Middle East IP addresses are the sources of donations.
michaelo on April 21, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Sorry, as bad as McCain is, you still can’t polish a turd.
Cicero43 on April 21, 2008 at 12:55 PM
First, I don’t believe all of Obama’s fundraising hype. The dude has proven to be less than honest on practically every aspect of his campaign. What, I’m supposed to believe this???
Also, money will be very OVERRATED in a man to man competition come November. For one, 84 million for two months ain’t chump change. But two, people are already SICK AND TIRED of television and radio spots and are practically nauseous from the telemarketing.
Also, when Obama turns down public financing, he will YET AGAIN be proving what a dishonest tool he is. He freaking signed a pledge that he would take public funds if the GOP nominee did as well. The guy can’t even honor something he publicly signed.
Sugar Land on April 21, 2008 at 12:56 PM
You’d think they’d know better than to call us ‘bigots’. Until they learn, they are going to continue to sink. We want CONSERVATIVE legislators and nominees. How hard is that to figure out? A CONSERVATIVE (Even Newt) would be someone we could vote for. . . the concept that Rudy or Mitt were conservative showed me that the R party was no longer the conservative party.
I still say there is something funny going on with ‘online donations’. They could filter that money through anyone in any way and it is not regulated. There’s no way you would know whether or not huge sums of money were distributed for the purpose of ‘donating’ online. Sounds like Chicago machine politics to me.
ThackerAgency on April 21, 2008 at 1:02 PM
There may well be a cascade effect among Republican congressional candidates as the RNC tries to close the gap for him
Hmmm…maybe they can vote themselves an earmark to help…oh, wait, maybe that’s why they’re having issues?
I R A Darth Aggie on April 21, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Sure wouldn’t be hard to pass out an ATM card number that is restricted to one purchase point.
Limerick on April 21, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Well from reading these comments I get the idea that Republicans want to lose. Just like they did in 2006. Fine go ahead, bite your noses off to spite your faces. Obama is raking in the bucks but I am sure he will appreciate whatever help he can get from the conservative base.
That would be the same conservative base that accused Bush of selling our ports to terrorists and in general eating their own. The same Republican base that for all of its bitching and moaning could not come up with a candidate they did not want to stab in the back.
The interesting thing however is that if some real conservative had gotten the nomination all the rest of the GOP, the ones who actually voted for McCain in the primaries would have been expected to come up with the support for their candidate. No two way street.
Fine, get used to saying President Obama.
Terrye on April 21, 2008 at 1:20 PM
Thacker:
Newt could not even manage double digits in his own party. His negatives are higher than Hillary’s. It is no wonder conservatives feel left out if Newt Gingrich is their idea of a winner. Fred ran, but where the hell was everybody?
Terrye on April 21, 2008 at 1:26 PM
Then you got the wrong idea.
The rest of youst post is simply, “Shut up and get in line where you belong.”
Darksean on April 21, 2008 at 1:27 PM
Personally, I am at the point where I just hope the Repubs keep at least 40 votes in the Senate. The filibuster would be a nice thing to hold on to. Also Snake307? Hillary the Conservative candidate? I don’t like McCain much myself but just because McCain is a Dem lite doesn’t make Hillary (Karl Marx lite) a Conservative.
Dawnsblood on April 21, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Dark:
No, that is not what I am saying. I am saying that you will get your ass handed to you in November and let a freaking Marxist win the White House because the base could not manage to find a candidate they did not want to bitch about or stab in the back or whatever. The country will go on without you guys, so just lay back and think of England.
Terrye on April 21, 2008 at 1:30 PM
online small donations that cannot be tracked if under $200..
The work of bundler’s no doubt.
Chakra Hammer on April 21, 2008 at 1:32 PM
A few points. First, people have to vote their conscience. If a conservative can’t stomach voting for McCain then so be it as long as they realize that increase the chance of a liberal Democrat being in the White House.
Second, I’ve been plenty critical of McCain. However I have stated I will vote for him. I also am concerned about the Republicans’ online efforts so I’m writing and talking to as many people as I can to get things on track.
Third, it is a two-way street. Conservative critics need to step back and compare McCain to Clinton and Obama. But McCain also must do more to engage his critics. He should go on talk radio and take the barbs from the hosts and the callers. It worked with the MSM on his bus.
Fourth, there are going to a be a significant number of critics who won’t come around. With McCain’s past that’s understandable. That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t use the online tools he has to activate the independents that are drawn to him.
seanhackbarth on April 21, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Then what the Hell are you doing here? Go campaign for Hillary! Leave!
newton on April 21, 2008 at 1:34 PM
What would be the difference between Obama and McCain in the White House? Global Warming? Probably no difference. Taxes? Again no difference is likely. Judges for the court? McCain may look for more moderates, but he won’t appoint conservatives. End result there? No difference. National Defense? Do you think McCain will have the guts to stay the course in Iraq when his friends from the other side are in the senate demanding that he bring the troops home?
I don’t.
More big government programs that seek to address a non existent problem? No difference.
Personally, if McCain get’s the win in November. I’m going to laugh my ass off at all you Conservatives who sold your ideals down the river to support the Republican Candidate who calls the troops home in compliance with the wishes of the American People. McCain will do that, don’t think he won’t. He says he won’t, but he’s said a lot of things, then he’s done what he damn well pleases.
That’s my prediction, McCain will call the troops home faster than any Democrat, when the Senate declares that they were elected to do just that thing.
McCain. We can’t trust him, and I’m not willing to pull and pray that we get what the country needs.
Snake307 on April 21, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Look, fella, I don’t want to lose. Unlike the many people here, I figure that he’s the nominee, and there’s nothing anyone can do. Decision time happened at the GOP primaries, and this is what happened. There’s no sense on crying over spilled milk.
My vote goes to McCain. At least, he’s sincere.
Oh, BTW: I didn’t mind the Dubai ports deal. If anything, it exposed the fact that way too many people have zero clue on matters of international maritime commerce. I wouldn’t want to be in the company of so many economic illiterates.
newton on April 21, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Exactly! I was not a McCain fan but the fact remains; It’s either him or (most likely) Obama. Time to suck it up and support one or the other. If you’re fine with an Obama presidency, then, STFU. If not, time to get with the program and support our side.
Big John on April 21, 2008 at 1:39 PM
I’m here arguing for the more conservative Candidate, Hillary.
Snake307 on April 21, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Sean, please forgive my ignorance, but exactly what online tools are you referring to? Do you mean something the campaign website does, or firing up the fundraising on the blogs, or what?
juliesa on April 21, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Hillary?!? Conservative?!?!?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Don’t make me laugh!
newton on April 21, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Indeed. Suicide has never been a good way to get ahead in life.
Grafted on April 21, 2008 at 1:48 PM
In life, we often get choices we’re not totally thrilled with. I wish this were an election between Fred Thompson and Rush Limbaugh, but it is not so. If there were a way to punish someone for this slate of candidates without punishing myself and the country, I would do so.
But I will support John McCain for the War on Terror issue alone. The Democrat candidates would be completely bumbling and beholden to the far left on this issue, so I can’t see how there’s any alternative. It’s a binary choice, and I cannot justify punting on it or (worse yet) voting for those who would actively work against my interests and beliefs.
Beatnik Joe on April 21, 2008 at 2:03 PM
Electing McCain would be a Pyhrric Victory. We’d have the White House, and all the initiatives that were passed, and made into law, would be dictated from the extreme left wing, and our President would be demanding that Republicans support him. You fools wouldn’t argue against him either. You think McCain Feingold is a disaster? Imagine what he’ll get going with his friends on the left.
A Hillary Victory would give us more Conservative positions in the long run. The Clinton’s are corrupt. That’s a given. However they are always driven by polls and focus groups. Hillary couldn’t get her health care nonsense through before, and won’t as long as it’s opposed by Republicans and a majority of Americans.
McCain doesn’t care what we think, he’ll do it anyway, and tell us it’s for our own good. The Republicans won’t fight him, they’ll go along in the name of party unity.
McCain will pull the troops out of Iraq, because his friends on the left, and the NY Times, his guiding light, will tell him that his legacy as a peacemaker would be guaranteed.
McCain is a fool, and anyone who supports him deserves what we’ll all be stuck with. He spent six months calling us all racists because we didn’t support McAmnesty. His Judges will make us all fondly remember the great nominee’s of the past, like Harriet Myers.
Snake307 on April 21, 2008 at 2:07 PM
What will you do when McCain feels that there is no way we can win, and he’s ordering the troops home with wide bi partisan support in 2009? McCain has demonstrated he’s untrustworthy on any other issue, why would we trust him based upon that one issue?
Tax Policy? McCain opposed the cuts. Free speech? McCain’s incumbent protection act. Name a subject that McCain has always been consistantly conservative on. He opposed the Anti Abortion Constitutional Amendment but is pro life.
Snake307 on April 21, 2008 at 2:11 PM
Before you’ll be able to accept the answer to your question you’ll need to understand why it is improperly phrased. It should read:
How will we ever win with a candidate who is so thoroughly despised by the Republican base?
FloatingRock on April 21, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Absolutely agree.
Snake307 on April 21, 2008 at 2:24 PM
If everyone is so against him, then how the Hell did he get the nomination?? This has to be the most bizarre election ever.
leftnomore on April 21, 2008 at 2:35 PM
I don’t want McCain to lose to either of em, but when anyone makes a comment against McCain, then gets told they are a defeatist, it sounds like this is supposed to be some kinda high school pep rally.
Maybe pointing out the whys people are holding back is a good thing. I plan on voting for McCain, but I also plan on making my voice loud when it comes to the illegal immigration issue.
Another commenter stated a position that fits perfectly with my own attitude. Whoever is the VP is going to mean a lot as to how I treat my wallet. Fred received my money because I believed (mistakenly) that he was going to fight WITH me. McCain isn’t going to get my money if he is only going to fight AGAINST me. He’ll still get my vote, it just won’t have any George Washingtons hanging from it.
Limerick on April 21, 2008 at 2:43 PM
Limerick on April 21, 2008 at 2:43 PM
Spot on. Much, much goodness in your post.
Darksean on April 21, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Sean, if you’re still around, never mind my question upthread–I just read your blog. You’re right that a lot of things you suggest worked well for Fred, for example, the donation counters and the drives to raise a certain sum in time for a certain event. Blog commenters were posting links to these in comment threads on the big blogs. However, anecdotally, it seems to me that the big conservative blogs in general aren’t as into fundraising as the Dem blogs.
juliesa on April 21, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Dude, this is the mother of all PORK projects.
I thought WE were against PORK.
EJDolbow on April 21, 2008 at 2:53 PM
Observation: Conservatives are not giving money to McCain or the Republican Party.
Belief: Conservatives still care about supporting conservative Republican candidates.
Prediction: Conservatives will give money here in order to support conservative Republican candidates.
Red Pill on April 21, 2008 at 2:54 PM
IMO it’s a combination of familiarity, the gushing of the MSM and crossover voters.
A lot of voters don’t pay much attention on a regular basis to politics these days and have a short political memory. This elevated McCain’s personal story as a prisoner of war as a deciding factor—if a person doesn’t know much about the candidates, McCain has had a lot of visibility in the MSM and was a POW.
Also, there was a lot of triangulation in the primary with various factions of the party voting for candidates with a limited appeal to the broader base. The only two candidates that tried to appeal to the entire base were Fred and Romney, but since so many people were fixated on their own narrowly tailored candidate, (and figured that Republicans would have no choice but to vote for him if he were to win), the broad spectrum candidates slipped through the cracks.
And now we’re stuck with McCain.
FloatingRock on April 21, 2008 at 2:56 PM
Right on, EJDolbow. My alternate headline for this story is “Harsh Critic Of Wasteful Spending To Suck Hard On Public Teat“
Cuffy Meigs on April 21, 2008 at 3:00 PM
I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. I sometimes talk fast over people’s heads when it comes to eCampaign stuff.
The easiest tool the McCain campaign can use right away is its weblog. They should post something interesting at least once a day. If they’re strapped for time go with a round up of news and weblog posts. If they have a little more time link them to McCain policy proposals and videos. If they have even more time they can transform boring press releases into interesting posts that not only attract reporters but catch the eye of webloggers. McCain’s weblog could certainly use a Hot Air link, but they need to post something that deserves it.
Juliesa, now that I see you read my post I’ll say that getting weblogs to fundraise takes time. But there’s power in numbers. I saw that for occasional blogbursts for Fred Thompson. I don’t expect Michelle Malkin, HA, or Instapundit to have McCain donation buttons. But a few thousand weblogs talking about McCain and hammering on the Dems will be effective especially in key states.
seanhackbarth on April 21, 2008 at 3:02 PM
If illegal immigration is your issue and you disagree w/ McCain you have to speak up. McCain heard the outcry. Whether you believe he’s changed his tune is another issue. The key is he heard the shouts.
seanhackbarth on April 21, 2008 at 3:06 PM
I do speak up. Congressmen, Senate, state house, city, donations.
The only way I can speak up to McCain (for me) is hold back my wallet. At the same time I feel that the prospect of Obama/Hillary is too dire to hold back my vote also. Lesser of two evils attitude I guess. This makes me a ‘traitor’ to the principle crowd, and a ‘traitor’ to the McCain crowd. Last time I checked I still get to choose how I spend my time and money that doesn’t involve public approval.
Limerick on April 21, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Really??? JUAN HERNANDEZ
stenwin77 on April 21, 2008 at 3:30 PM
The irony is stunning. The Democratic candidate, a full-on liberal, will finance his campaign by relying on the market. The Republican candidate, a putative conservative, will finance his campaign by relying on the state.
paul006 on April 21, 2008 at 3:35 PM
McSpain isn’t getting any money from the conservatives that he has told, on numerous occasions, to bugger off and die because he doesn’t need them or their bigoted concerns?
My heart bleeds.
Serves the crazy old bastard right.
Maybe Feingold or Lieberman will lend him a twenty?
Misha I on April 21, 2008 at 3:37 PM
newton:
I am not a fella. My point is that if all these people who do not trust McCain because he failed to pander to them think there is no difference between him and Obama then why should I care what they think? I mean really? They failed to come up with a viable alternative, the man has won the nomination fair and square and the socalled base does not want to support him? Well, if they don’t give a damn why should anyone else.
There have been times in this country’s history when Democrats have held majorities for decades, if conservatives decide they are going to act like the hippies of old and just drop out as it were…then the Democrats will be more than happy to pick up the slack. That is all I am saying.
Terrye on April 21, 2008 at 3:40 PM
paul:
I think a lot of that Obama money comes from kids maxing out the credit card Mom and Dad gave them.
Terrye on April 21, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Misha:
It is not the crazy old bastard that will pay. He will just go back to the Senate or retire. It is the Republican party that will pay and conservatives who will pay. The truth is Republicans might should think about reaching out more to moderates and Independents, since it seems conservatives are unreliable. I mean really. Obama is doing a bang up job of raising money without any help from the right.
Terrye on April 21, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Thanks, Sean. I was wondering, because I get email from the campaign all the time. However, I contacted them originally, to make a donation once McCain locked up the nomination.
I see what you mean now.
juliesa on April 21, 2008 at 4:00 PM
We are indeed.
We have this quaint and curious notion that if we’re asked to pay for the band, we should get to pick at least some of the tunes.
If the RINO party think they can make up for their lost base by pandering to the tiny group of ever fickle “neither here nor theres” that we sometimes refer to as “moderates”, then by all means go right ahead.
If I, as a conservative, am no longer needed in the GOP, then I’m happy to announce that the feeling is mutual.
I’m a conservative, not a Republican.
The two used to overlap, but nowadays there’s a huge difference.
I know. That’s a hallmark of the lockstep, hive mind left.
Something that used to set them apart from the Republicans.
I still don’t want any part of it.
Misha I on April 21, 2008 at 4:28 PM
I almost got excited there for a second.
SaintOlaf on April 21, 2008 at 4:31 PM
The average contribution to the Obama campaign is $109. With a contribution that small, you would max out your credit card only if you just happened to be within $100 of the limit. Probably most people aren’t maxing their cards with a $109 contribution.
Let’s give Obama credit. Justifiably or not, he excites his supporters, and in a way that John McCain simply doesn’t. Consequently, McCain is the welfare queen waiting on his government check, while Obama is out working the markets. It’s a sign of the GOP’s continuing degradation.
paul006 on April 21, 2008 at 4:36 PM
The RNC was made aware of the problem of illegal immigration, last year when donations fell off sharply. Do they think that donations were just going to pick-up, now that the Republican candidate is known?
I guess “stupid is as stupid does” really does fit the situation.
If they have any hope of staying even in congress, they need to figure out a way to get to McVain and let him know that without the conservatives voting, he can’t win and neither can the congressional races.
He really needs a wake-up call, an epiphany of conservatism.
belad on April 21, 2008 at 4:53 PM
If conservatives want to take credit for the debacle of an Obama presidency, be my guest, but it’s not much different from Democrats looking for defeat in Iraq to improve their prospects at the ballot box.
JM Hanes on April 21, 2008 at 5:03 PM
If McCain won’t repudiate his liberal positions, the only thing lefot for him is to move even farther left and try to drum up donations from those he supports, the Democrats and illegals.
RJL on April 21, 2008 at 5:58 PM
What would I do? I’d pout, because that would suck really bad. Personally, I do not believe that he would do this before the war is won. However, I cannot guarantee I’m right. After all, John McCain has disappointed me more times than I can even count. I do feel like this is one issue where he can be relied upon.
It’s not like I can give you or anyone a lot of grief for not wanting to support McCain. How can I blame you? I’m not super jazzed myself. But when I look at the options before me, I’ll take the squish over the weak, gun-grabbing Marxist any day. I can’t see it any other way. Not with the entire future of the War on Terror on the table.
Beatnik Joe on April 21, 2008 at 6:49 PM
MCCAIN ‘08: HOIST WITH HIS OWN PETARD
misterpeasea on April 21, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Maybe Soros can kick in a few bucks for ol’ Juan “Z-Visa” McCain… “Z-Visa” can’t get any volunteers either! At least he still has the NY Slimes…
STAY HOME ‘08
Conservatives and Moderate Democrats are considering voting for the Constitution Party candidate anyway…
DfDeportation on April 21, 2008 at 10:39 PM
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