Obama’s August: $66 million; Update: Only $11 million gain in cash on hand?
posted at 9:45 am on September 14, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
Barack Obama broke another fundraising record in August, adding $11 million to his previous record to haul in $66 million. That tells about a third of the story, though:
Senator Barack Obama raised $66 million in the month of August, making it his best month ever and the best in American political history, an aide said Sunday morning.
Obama is releasing that number after suggestions that his fundraising was failing to meet expectations. It puts him on pace to substantially outspend John McCain in the last two months of the race, in which McCain will be limited to spending the $84 million supplied by the Treasury under public financing rules.
Last week, the New York Times raised questions about the viability of the Obama fundraising machine. They reported that the campaign had started to panic about their decision to break their pledge on public financing and had started using hardball tactics to wring more donations out of their base. This disclosure attempts to put an end to that speculation.
However, it tells only part of the story. While John McCain can only spend $84 million over the next two months after accepting that much from the public-financing system, it doesn’t cost him a dime to get it. The Obama campaign’s burn rate will be critical in determining whether he’s actually raising enough money to keep him ahead of McCain. If it costs him more than $20 million to raise that money, it’s essentially a wash — and the burn rate at Team O has been much higher than 30%. Their cash-on-hand numbers will probably tell a different story, as Obama would have to almost double McCain’s $84 million over the next two months just to stay even.
Also, the DNC’s numbers should prove interesting. The RNC has consistently outraised them, providing more cushion for McCain in building a war chest. If Obama got his new donations at the expense of the DNC, or even if they trail the RNC at the same rate as the rest of the year, Obama’s $66 million August will not keep pace with the overall GOP effort.
The rest of the figures will come out this week, and that will give us a more complete picture of whether Obama made a fiscal error in opting out of public financing.
Update: Byron York quotes the campaign as having $77 million cash on hand after August. That sounds impressive, but they had almost $66 million at the end of July. They had a burn rate of over 80%, which explains why the campaign may have seemed desperate to the New York Times. In order to make this decision work for Obama, they have to do better than $66 million a month if they want to cover the cost of fundraising as well as make up for the deficit between the DNC and the RNC.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
We all know where his money is coming from-
GEORGE SOROS
FiveWays on September 14, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Burn Baby Burn it, Disco Inferno!
BKennedy on September 14, 2008 at 9:49 AM
The Messiah is probably still going to win.
Illinidiva on September 14, 2008 at 9:51 AM
buzzing these articles up is a good idea. I just can’t figure out how come only the AP appears at the top when some of the Hot Air articles have much more Buzz around them.
theguardianii on September 14, 2008 at 9:52 AM
He has to waste time doing fundraisers with Hollywood idiots as well
lodge on September 14, 2008 at 9:53 AM
I am interested in what level of income his donor network is coming from. The other point of note is that McCain’s fund raising while not as high can be used to strategically feed downticket races of note. Barry is competing for donations with the rest of the DNC and is getting a high concentration of the donations.
I suspect this is, at least in part what is responsible for the closing of the generic congressional numbers. If we pull the upset Bambi will have damaged the DNC to little gain. This is not the time for we Republicans to ease off we must resouble our efforts and force the issue.
Senator McCain says he wished he had picked Sarah a month earlier, so do I as he would have gotten even more resources.
This battle is not over for me come November win or lose we still have plenty of work to do. Flipping Congress, securing the Whitehouse, and jamming the moonbat agenda all matter a bunch. Keep on plugging.
sven
sven10077 on September 14, 2008 at 9:54 AM
No, he isn’t.
I love the fundraising stories for two reasons:
- It completely undermines one of the DemoRats’ favorite quadrennial platforms, that “the economy is in a shambles”. Right, but ninnies have $1 billion dollars to throw away on a liberal nitwit who promises to raise their taxes.
- And the knowledge that liberals have been drained of another billion dollars and will still be losers just makes the schadenfreude part in me glow. Keeps me warm.
Jaibones on September 14, 2008 at 9:55 AM
I wonder how much of that $66M was from Girls Scouts that had to buy campaign buttons?
Dusty on September 14, 2008 at 9:56 AM
I still say it doesn’t matter anyway.
There are seven weeks left.
I’m fairly certain that here in Texas, if I see any campaign ads from either side they’re going to be national buys. Just as I’m certain that if I do any traveling to the midwest–other than Illinois–between now and election day, I’ll be bombarded by messages from both.
At some point, ads become like snow. Whether it’s two feet deep or three feet deep doesn’t matter.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 9:56 AM
then we may as well quit???
I don’t think he is “probably going to win” anymore I think he has some advantages that make it easier for him to recover than McCain so the trick is to make sure McCain doesn’t have to recover again. O’bambi’s choice on fundraising robs him of time time is every bit the mission environment money is. McCain has forward motion and has scared the donks, and it is evident in the donk actions not their and the M$M’s words.
HIT FAST
HIT HARD
HIT OFTEN
sven10077 on September 14, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Th cost of fear.
Bishop on September 14, 2008 at 9:58 AM
The Messiah is probably still going to win.
Illinidiva on September 14, 2008 at 9:51 AM
Eh, the same thing was said in 2004 as Kerry was coasting along, and Baracky is a worse gaffe-machine than Kerry ever was (and that’s saying something).
Bishop on September 14, 2008 at 10:00 AM
McCain’s camp should create an ad showing (if on tape) Obama, making the absurd claim that he’s derived executive experience from running his campaign. Then, the ad should show two simple graphics: the first, showing Obama’s primary spending versus Hillary’s spending and their primary popular vote totals; and second, showing Obama’s general election spending versus McCain’s spending and early general election polliing versus current polling.
The ad could say something like “Obama is an expert at spending his supporters’ money. But to what effect? How much of a steward can you expect him to be of your tax dollars?”
BuckeyeSam on September 14, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Remember the words of Frederick the Great:
L’audace, l’audace…toujours l’audace.
ManlyRash on September 14, 2008 at 10:01 AM
I know the story, but since he has made his focus on the young, and in turn then blew them off, he really has problems comprehending his own inadequacies.
He has spent the last month acting like a dope….
Noelie on September 14, 2008 at 10:01 AM
the obamessiah is not going to win, and furthermore Sarah Palin will be President someday.
lisalj on September 14, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Unfortunately for the electorate, the Drive-By media never repeats any of his gaffes.
ManlyRash on September 14, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Windfall penalties, anyone?
trubble on September 14, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Boy those fat-cat Republicans are really raking it in for McCain. Er, wait.
Neo on September 14, 2008 at 10:02 AM
sven10077 on September 14, 2008 at 10:03 AM
So, do they think throwing more money at him will make his stuttering and other such issues go away? Another example of the dems throwing money at a problem thinking it will solve it.
boomer on September 14, 2008 at 10:06 AM
I suspect we are getting close to McCain’s Isotoner strategy….
it will be….”policy”.
McCain is going to push for easing the red tape for Nuclear and Refining plants and aggress the rising cost of fuel. Bambi cannot win on the issues because his issues are Marxist. Look at how he refuses to run behind his “civillian national security force”….he mentions it then puts it back in the shoebox like some ugly spinster’s hopechest.
Here’s hoping we never get to see that mess.
sven10077 on September 14, 2008 at 10:07 AM
Yep… I’ll only be convinced when the election results are favorable on Nov. 5th.
Illinidiva on September 14, 2008 at 10:07 AM
Are you donating, canvassing, voting?
Healthy pessimism is needed at this point, but pessimism unbacked by counteraction is simply cheerleading for UhBamUh and I am not there.
sven10077 on September 14, 2008 at 10:10 AM
You’re always such a delight. Do you practice frowning in the mirror?
He’s most likely not going to win, and here’s why:
He had a two-part campaign strategy. The first part was to organize his true believers to carry him across the finish line in the primaries in caucus states; and then the second part was to win the general election by not being Bush.
And it’s more than evident. That’s why he spoke deridingly of American exceptionalism in debates and eschewed an American flag pin on his lapel in the primaries, then once he’d secured the nomination, moved to position himself not as messiah of the left, but as Mr. Generic Democrat.
Then he was going to coast to the White House running against the Bush-McCain ticket.
But that’s over now.
Over.
While it isn’t impossible he’ll win, it is unlikely. His plan is gone. Out of here. History. And there’s no real rational Plan B.
All the money he can raise and throw at this campaign is not going to be able to buy a compelling reason to convince enough people to vote for his empty suit, now that the Republican ticket is so obviously not four more years of Bush.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 10:10 AM
A good example of O’bambi’s lack of managerial experience – no concept of net income.
fargo_pete on September 14, 2008 at 10:14 AM
So much for the party of the people rhetoric. It is obvious who has deep pockets. Obama has lots of rich celebrities and the media on his side. He has the unions and more than a few billionares, but he is still not able to get and keep a lead on McCain. Interesting. Maybe the White House won’t go to the highest bidder after all.
In truth, I rarely watch the ads, most people I know are to the point of muting them when they come on TV. I am starting to wonder if all the money and the ads can only do so much and then it all reaches a point where people are turned off by it.
Terrye on September 14, 2008 at 10:16 AM
The Messiah is probably still going to win.
Illinidiva on September 14, 2008 at 9:51 AM
—–
Illinois? Certainly. Popular vote? Maybe, less clear there.
The latest polling that looks at the electoral college, though…
Mew
acat on September 14, 2008 at 10:17 AM
This is one of the few ways to get money out of stingy liberals. It’s good for the economy. Libs just don’t donate to causes that actually help people, your church-going tithers do that. So ANY money they inject to the economy helps spread the money around. Granted it goes to mindless pap commercials but they’ll be ineffective.
As you say, Typhoon, he’s an empty suit but now he can afford to make it a really, really, nice empty suit.
Mojave Mark on September 14, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Illinidiva:
Obama can be beat. He had a lot more money than Hillary and she still won 12 out of the last 15 primaries. If the Democrats did not have such a screwy system she would be the nominee today.
Terrye on September 14, 2008 at 10:18 AM
To think that Hussein will lose spending truckloads of money…
saved on September 14, 2008 at 10:20 AM
In some reports, team O has given money to SEIU and ACORN. As one person asked, why does SEIU need $150 million for politics? Why isn’t that money invested so the workers might have a pension or health care when they retire?
Someone said team O is 4-5 times bigger than GWB’s was. 2000 paid staff, 300 foreign policy advisers? And we wonder where the money went.
Tom
marinetbryant on September 14, 2008 at 10:21 AM
I wonder how much of that money came in during the Convention.
Terrye on September 14, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Okay, I just received my text message from Karl Rove, as I’m sure you all did. Shhh!
Today’s directive is for individuals to infiltrate Obama appearances, and pose as nervous but loyal democrats in the audience. Try to get in the question: “Senator Obama, I’m concerned the Republicans have better cash flow than we have; what’s your burn rate?”
Over and out.
jeff_from_mpls on September 14, 2008 at 10:21 AM
BO wants taxpayers, not corporations, to subsidize America’s health insurance, so the corporations will keep pouring in the donations.
jgapinoy on September 14, 2008 at 10:22 AM
And if their nominee had himself a pair, she’d be his running-mate, there’d be no Sarah, and the Dems probably do win.
You can just feel that storyline building by the day. Absent some truly unforeseen shakeup, that’s going to be the outcome of, and the history-book lesson of this election.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 10:24 AM
With the world wanting a weaker United States and Obama determined to do that, the contributions from foreign countries will probably do better than 66,000,000 in the closing months. Google: saul alinsky. He was Obama’s AND Hillary’s mentor. Eye opener for sure. In his book, “Rules for Radicals” one of his major weapons was ridicule. Backfired on Sarah though.
volsense on September 14, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Don’t tell Obambi, but he is running his general election campaign just like he ran his primary. He is still targeting the libtards because the libtards threw a hissy-fit when he tried to move to the center. Now he is afraid to move to the center and target independents and Republican-wafflers. He can’t win this election with the left alone. McCain, on the other hand is winning the independents, Republican-wafflers and Palin is cementing his base. Winner!
Neocon Peg on September 14, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Jackpot comment!
This more than anything dissolves the liberal fairy tale about Republicans being in the can for “big business.”
Republicans are on the side of small business. Big business has learned to game the system to get what they want from whomever is in office. In fact, they use big government’s penchant for regulation as a way to cripple small business and thereby wipe out competition.
Absolutely big business is pouring money into Obama’s hands. Big businesses would sell America down the river in a heartbeat if it would pacify shareholders.
jeff_from_mpls on September 14, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Contributions from foreign nationals are illegal. I’m not going to claim it’s happening without proof to back it up.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Look at today’s RealClear Politics Electoral Map
Loxodonta on September 14, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Electoral College:
Obama – 207
McCain – 227
Toss up – 104
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/
Neocon Peg on September 14, 2008 at 10:30 AM
I’m inclined to agree. And as long as Obama keeps producing ads and issuing statements that piss off moderates and drive them into the McCain column, I say fine…let him have more money to do that.
flipflop on September 14, 2008 at 10:30 AM
he refuses to run behind his “civillian national security force”….he mentions it then puts it back in the shoebox like some ugly spinster’s hopechest.
Here’s hoping we never get to see that mess.
sven10077 on September 14, 2008 at 10:07 AM
He has to ask himself “What would Mao do?” Regarding the jackasses roaming the streets at the RNC, all I could think of was Cultural Revolution.
allahallahoxenfree on September 14, 2008 at 10:34 AM
He has spent the last month acting like [a] he has been smoking dope….
Closer…?
Yoop on September 14, 2008 at 10:34 AM
empty suit.
Mojave Mark on September 14, 2008 at 10:17 AM
That phrase will define him for decades when he Obamas all over himself and loses this election
allahallahoxenfree on September 14, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Baracky should have been kickin’ back by now as McCain made a lame attempt just to keep from losing all fifty states, the fact that now he has to actually DO something on his own behalf speaks more of doom than anything.
Baracky had the media, the image and the issues; now he has only a distrusted media, a doofus image and is rapidly losing the issues. I look forward to the debates and his empty bullshit rhetoric.
Bishop on September 14, 2008 at 10:37 AM
volsense hit the real issue; how much of that money is from illegal foreign contributions? The Nigerians were too blatant and end up in quickly squashed news.
michaelo on September 14, 2008 at 10:40 AM
So here’s a scenario:
Click on the No tossups link and you get Obama up 273/265.
Then change New Hampshire to McCain and you get a tie.
Now let’s just assume that McCain wins the popular vote big, and the Reps do take back the House. Not all that much of a reach in the gathering climate.
But the election would be thrown into the current Dem controlled House.
And outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi announces your new President, Barack Obama, selected, not elected.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Good morning, Sunshine. And I thought Allah was EeyorePundit.
Disturb the Universe on September 14, 2008 at 10:41 AM
I don’t want to get irrationally happy and then feel depressed on Nov. 5th. It’s better to just expect the worst. Then, if something nice happens, it’s a bonus.
Illinidiva on September 14, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Perfectly legal and correct. The present Congress was voted in by Americans.
JiangxiDad on September 14, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Yes, that has been a rich treat.
JiangxiDad on September 14, 2008 at 10:45 AM
I think I read somewhere that Obama has a $20 million/month payroll. His expenses are through the roof; while McCain runs a minimalist campaign.
So 66 million isn’t that great, considering his budgetary needs. Especially now that he cannot concentrate money on one state at a time.
I think he’s gonna run out of cash before the end of the campaign.
If I were McCain, I might even make a campaign ad out of it.
lorien1973 on September 14, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Contributions from foreign nationals are illegal. I’m not going to claim it’s happening without proof to back it up.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 10:28 AM
—–
Team Clinton made hiding foreign contributions an art back in the day. Do you suppose Barack borrowed any of their talent?
I presume one blogger or another are going over his contributor lists with a fine-toothed comb. (since, of course, the MSM can’t be bothered….)
Mew
acat on September 14, 2008 at 10:49 AM
The American Thinker’s latest work on Obama’s foreign contribution problem that the media refuses to discuss
michaelo on September 14, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Well, I’d counter that if you define “irrational” as meaning ‘a belief based on other than reason’ I’d counter by saying that you’re irrationally unhappy.
Given the current trends, your fears are just that, fears. They’re not based on a realistic look at the political landscape as it exists today. yes, Bush is unpopular and the economy is blah, blah, blah…
And those are even points in Barry’s favor. But today–right now, at this moment–they’re not enough. He’s behind. And there’s just as much historical evidence–Bradley effect and his own history in the primaries–to suggest he’s even farther behind than we think he is.
So to me, a truly rational look at the race as of this morning says that we’re in the lead and we have a good shot at beating this guy. We just need to do the work and not blow it.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 10:53 AM
So Hopey/Changey is up $11 million,umm,
me thinks if he pays HilRod back,umm,
he’ll be in zee hole,a hem!!he he!
canopfor on September 14, 2008 at 10:53 AM
That’s where partisan politics ends and the next Civil War begins.
turfmann on September 14, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Anyone know if those donations from Hamas have been returned yet?
What keeps me pessimistic about a McCain-Palin win is the relentless negative pressure kept up by the MSM. The average citizen doesn’t necessarily read the stories and analyze; they see accusatory headlines and lots of words, and assume that there must be something really awful about McCain or Palin if the paper could generate so much copy about their misdeeds.
Likewise, for Joe and Jane Sixpack, Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko and Jermiah Wright don’t exist, simply because the MSM doesn’t mention them.
Those who are more analytical — or partisan — ignore this at their peril. The anti-conservative memes are still out there, in circulation and doing damage.
We will lose unless we somehow manage to move beyond blogs and conservative-leaning websites and put challenges to the smears — and to the endless media coddling/record-sanitizing of the lefty candidates — in public, in the faces of the culprits where they cannot be ignored.
MrScribbler on September 14, 2008 at 10:56 AM
If this election can be bought,the Soros/Daly/Obama gang will buy it. Sarah has made it a different game. If her conservatism is allowed to become public, it could set the socialists back for years. The democrats cannot comprehend a woman politician with integrity. The evil attacks on her are just beginning. The democrats are the party of hate and they didn’t get that label without exhibiting evil as a standard of doing business.
volsense on September 14, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Wowser! 80% operating cost. And, he’s claiming executive experience based on running his campaign? LOL. I’ll bet the downticket donks are seething when they have to have bake sales because the DNC donors are sending dollars to rescue the Barry Titanic.
a capella on September 14, 2008 at 10:58 AM
The thing I noticed is that a lot of former toss-ups are now McCain-leaning and the McCain-leaning are now McCain-solid.
Neocon Peg on September 14, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Johnny Huang was unavailable for comment.
Patrick S on September 14, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Which is why fewer, but bigger checks are sent to Dems, while more, but smaller checks are sent to the GOP.
Most millionaires & billionaires are Dems.
jgapinoy on September 14, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Damn, the fundraising business looks pretty lucrative.
Calm Before the Storm on September 14, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Not for me.
As JD said, it would be the legitimate outcome of the election.
And while I’d hate it, it’s almost be worth it to see just for the perfect irony of it as the Dems tried to explain why it was the “will of the people.”
Um…almost.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 11:02 AM
I couldn’t care less about “legitimacy” . . . I care only about the Republic and liberty. Such and outcome would be a despicable systemic failure.
rplat on September 14, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Thanks for the link. That is a damming article.
a capella on September 14, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Truth be known I’ve always thought Barry’d wind up taking a McGovern-sized beating. I was about alone around here as aghast at the whole “Operation Chaos” idiocy. Far as i was concerned, if the Dems wanted to nominate this empty suit, we should have–if anything–been helping them.
And my gut tells me that the polls are probably off by at least 7 overall.
My bet right now today barring the unforeseen is that McCain takes it with 55% of the popular and 350 plus.
And I’ll accept wagers with anyone.
Typhoon on September 14, 2008 at 11:08 AM
The polls show him down about 2.5%.
The reality is he is down about 8-10%.
He is on a rapid downhill slide.
“Probably” is the wrong choice of words here.
Elizabetty on September 14, 2008 at 11:18 AM
And I’ll be fighting on the same side as you. And not really trying to parse your words, but it would be a failure of Americans, not America, or our constitutional system as presently written.
JiangxiDad on September 14, 2008 at 11:18 AM
I accept your refinement . . . you are correct.
rplat on September 14, 2008 at 11:23 AM
C’mon, Ed, with the one-time-only Greek columns out of the picture I’m sure it’ll be alot more cash in hand for September.
andycanuck on September 14, 2008 at 11:24 AM
There’s a link here somewhere of how Obama bought ads in August. He spent a lot of money in states he had no hope of winning.
lorien1973 on September 14, 2008 at 11:26 AM
These numbers defy logic.
I smell a rat (Axelrod).
cgoode777 on September 14, 2008 at 11:29 AM
How much of Obama’s fund raising is going to cover fixed costs? Like salaries for instance. What is the comparison to the McCain campaign?
Pam on September 14, 2008 at 11:32 AM
I heard the DNC #s for August dropped to around $11 or $13M. So the total would be u80M again and a disappointment, as they were saying they needed $100M/month to make the decision worthwhile.
Chuck Schick on September 14, 2008 at 11:33 AM
A cursory web search shows that, back in June, Democrats were assuring us that Obama would be raising $100 million per month beginning in June, or by July at the latest, and would be able to outspend McCain by three-to-one. I have yet to see a single article that says “Obama fundraising falls significantly short of goals; reversal on public financing now appears a mistake.”
Of course, that would require some real reporting by someone, somewhere. There are (a few) newspapers that are not in the bag for Obama; would it be too much to ask that one or more of them get on this asap? Please?
HTL on September 14, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Are these papers going on their word or do actual verifiable numbers have to be recorded, because I just don’t think I believe them.
Virginia Shanahan on September 14, 2008 at 11:37 AM
When will there be an investigation of where all this money is coming from? Never trust any politician from Chicago.
jencab on September 14, 2008 at 11:37 AM
The O (that’s 6 in numerology)just brought in 66,
that make’s it 6 66. Uh, Oh.
Have a nice day.
eaglewingz08 on September 14, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Here’s a link to the August financials:
click here
cannonball on September 14, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Yep. RNC is killing them in cash on hand. Its gonna be a long October for Obama.
lorien1973 on September 14, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Chuck Schick: you and I were thinking the same thing, obviously. When I read the article from The Hill from June 9, however, it seems that the $100M number was the target for Obama by himself, given the way the Democrats were discussing outspending McCain by three to one. The national committees were not included in that calculation.
Given the way that Obama has apparently sucked all the air out of the DNC’s own fundraising efforts, the shortfall would appear to be even greater.
HTL on September 14, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Cue Barbra Streisand!
Philly on September 14, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Reminder that I think should be looked at:
2500 salaries is a big chunk of change every single month!
By budget, does he mean that $36 million is fixed costs?
Pam on September 14, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Good post Ed, thanks for clocking in on Sunday. McCain’s Rick Davis was interviewed on Hewitt and he said Uhbama would need to raise $200M over the next 2 months to create the cash reserves RNC/McCain has. The implication from Davis was that the biggest thing keeping Uhbama off message is all the time spent raising money. McCain is collecting his check from public financing and spending all of his time ON message. As the Chicago Annenberg Challenge demonstrated, the democrat nominee sure can spend money frivolously.
Mark30339 on September 14, 2008 at 11:54 AM
The line item that catches my eye is
Operating Expenses (for August) of $55,029,199.67.
Some other nice links:
Expenses by Category
Disbursements by Purpose
This man can SPEND!
cannonball on September 14, 2008 at 11:54 AM
The question is how much of that money was raised and earmarked for the General election before August? Where people are told not to give till August. How much?
Jdripper on September 14, 2008 at 11:55 AM
For anyone still not clear on what “astroturfing” is, and why you shouldn’t have the “Chicago king” of such practices in charge of a campaign ..
It’s where a p.r. firm (like Axelrod’s ASK) basically sets up phony organizations and citizens to come out in strong support of something (a company, a product, a candidate, etc.) in order to to get observers of said full-throated support on board themselves.
Kinda’ like inflating campaign donation numbers to convince swing voters that your campaign isn’t floundering.
cgoode777 on September 14, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Any adjustments for all the new states since last month that Obama wasn’t expecting to have to defend? I think around 5 Obama states went tossup just this week.
Chuck Schick on September 14, 2008 at 12:02 PM
No, it would not. It’s the Contgess seated on Jan 3, meeting in joint session, that opens the sealed votes cast by the Electors in the various states mid-December. Where it gets tricky is that if the House has to choose a President, they vote by state delegations, with each state getting one vote. Right now, my very red state of KS has 4 Congressmen, two of whom are Democrats. Even if there’s a landslide for MavCuda, I can’t imagine Dennis Moore losing my district, but Nancy Boyda might lose her seat. If she managed to hang on, there’d be a 2-2 tie, meaning no vote at all, unless one of them decided that it was appropriate to let the popular vote in the state decide how our delegation would cast our state’s vote.
Let’s just make sure we get enough states that it isn’t even close for a change, mkay?
The Monster on September 14, 2008 at 12:16 PM
FWIW: On Fox Sunday, Rove reported that on his EC map, he has it McCain 227, Obama 215, and the balance toss-up.
He moved three former toss-up states (Montana, North Dakota, and Florida, 33 EC votes) to McCain’s column.
He moved one former toss-up state (NH) to Obama’s column.
He moved three Obama states (Washington, PA, and Michigan) to the toss-up column.
Two more things: although he said McCain now seems to have the upper hand, if the election were held today, and the seven toss-up states went to the candidate with the current lead (even if within the margin of error), Obama would take four (Washington, Colorado, Michigan, PA) and McCain would take three (Nevada, Ohio, Virginia), and Obama would have 273 EC votes and McCain 265 EC votes.
Note, Rove didn’t even discuss Minnesota.
Still more to do. Press on.
BuckeyeSam on September 14, 2008 at 12:17 PM
See Sen. Obama does have experience. He is practicing spending money like crazy with his campaign and will have the experience to do the same if elected. :-)
JeffinSac on September 14, 2008 at 12:19 PM
The Annenburg project, where Obama controlled $110 million to improve Chicago schools, is more simple and direct for illustrating Obama’s failure.
The project had no positive effect, except for giving money to Obama’s partners in crime, like Ayers.
Right_of_Attila on September 14, 2008 at 12:25 PM
How many times has the big O made claims that the country’s economy is in poor shape? It would seem t me if people were is such dire straits they would be much more tighter when it comes to holding on to their funds and regardless to which candidate you support, if times of financial hardship, you’d be less likely to give towards a campaign fund. In other words, the economy is not as bad as the big O says it is.
mindhacker on September 14, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »