NBC: Obama spending $293,000 an hour in October
posted at 5:38 pm on October 24, 2008 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | regular view
You can buy the presidency. But it’ll cost you.
OBAMA’S OCT 1-15 SPENDING = $105,599,963.76
That’s more than $293,000 an hour.
It’s also 49% of EVERYTHING McCain has spent the entire time he has been running for president ($216,769,840).
By contrast, McCain’s Oct. 1-15 spending was $9,246,618.70 (or $26,000/hr).
The RNC’s chipped in $45 million but doubtless some of that includes congressional races. To put Obama’s numbers in perspective, to break even at $293K an hour, he needs slightly more than three $25 donations per second. Which brings us back to yesterday’s story du jour before Ashley Todd plopped into the blogosphere’s lap. I asked for reader input about online vending then and I’m going to ask for more now: Is what this guy suggests about Team Barry’s vendor necessarily having colluded with the campaign true or half-baked?
I just realized something (it’s been awhile since I wrote credit card code); I don’t believe any standard automated service would accept simply the unverified credit card number. They either are doing it in collusion with a credit card processor willing to accept a high rate of fraud, or they are manually re-entering the card number and amount as you would do in your neighborhood sandwich shop. Either way, there is extra work that actually has gone on to perpetrate the fraud.
The other issue to understand in this is the vendor’s involvement, because that is a very suspicious arrangement. They very likely are taking in excessive number of bogus charges. They have to make good on the ones on which a customer complains, but the question is; is the company getting reimbursed from the Obama campaign or essentially making a multi-million dollar illegal contribution by eating it and serving as a money launderer for one of Obama’s billionare friends? And bogus ones not caught by the credit card holders, or reported (or addressed after the election) don’t enter into the picture. One wonders how clear is the charge showing up on the bills; Many internet purchases end up as pretty arcane entries on statements. Lots of questions, very few answers, and very little time to find them.
I’m asking earnestly; my knowledge of how vendors normally operate is precisely as broad and deep as my knowledge of finance generally. Incidentally, at least one lefty blogger is demanding prosecutions over this — not of Obama’s finance team or his website administrators, but of the conservative bloggers and blog readers who exposed the security holes in the donation page by making bogus contributions. Yes, really. Exit quotation from Megan McArdle: “Wondering if we can’t prosecute the person who exposed the campaign’s error smacks of police state tactics.”
Update: A few thoughts from Obama’s “donors,” via Jim Treacher.
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 »
Since the election is supposedly in the bag, I think that money would be better re-distributed to the poor.
I’ll wait…
capitalist piglet on October 24, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Yes, but nothing on CLOTHES!
originalpechanga on October 24, 2008 at 5:41 PM
10 times the amount spent and STILL only 4-5 points up? Yeah, he can manage an economy.
originalpechanga on October 24, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Soros has taken over.
jgapinoy on October 24, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Yeah, it would. You can set your software to accept NNN (bad address, bad zipcode) charges automatically. Visa/MC/Disc/AmEx could really care less, in the short term. Customers can simply dispute the charges. In the long run, if your chargeback rate (disputes) are too high; they’ll freeze of terminate your merchant account.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Spend it before the wire fraud case begins. Anymore news on the donations scam Team Barry is running?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 24, 2008 at 5:44 PM
And from other posts, Obama charges appear as “Obama for America” on statements, so the name is hardly “arcane” at all.
Some porn sites do list the way they appear on cards as “laundry” or “online services” to mask it – from wives primarily – but the vast majority of companies do have their business name listed on statements.
Obama does too.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Will he have enough left at the end to REFUND the bogus donations?
originalpechanga on October 24, 2008 at 5:44 PM
I am so glad the economy is in such bad shape.
There will be some muslim countries asking for a bailout when Akbar Nobama loses. Soros must be getting close to the welfare stage soon, with all the money he has blown the last few elections.
Offshore_Drilling on October 24, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Not wire fraud. That’s different.
This is lax security, to be sure. But not fraud. Just a business decision.
If I were in Obama’s shoes, I’d probably do the same thing. Banks can be slow at updating AVS records; sometimes people don’t know where they live (you’d be surprised), etc. For donations, where there is no loss if a charge is invalid (no lost product), I’d accept NNN charges all day long and deal with the consequences later.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:46 PM
I don’t know about the vendors or anything, but I have to say there is something downright unseemly about all this money being spent on an election. I think Obama would buy more good will if he spent the money on Aids research or something.
Terrye on October 24, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Correction: It’ll cost Good Will & Doodad Pro.
Jim Treacher on October 24, 2008 at 5:46 PM
I do not want publicly financed campaigns, personally.
I want them to be privately financed and donation driven. I think that every donator (regardless of dollar amount) should be accessible anyone who is interested, though. The $200 limit is bull crap.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:48 PM
I can not find it out now, but earlier today I saw some headline that stated Obama’s fund raising had bottomed out after September. Maybe he is trying to find away to keep the money coming in at that level.
Terrye on October 24, 2008 at 5:48 PM
lorien:
I used to feel that way myself, but after this campaign I am not so sure. This is excessive and I think it sets a bad precedent. Like buying a president.
Terrye on October 24, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Gosh, next thing you know Rick Moran will be telling us not to worry about Obama.
Buy Danish on October 24, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Simple and easy way for Oliar to prove his innocence: publish his donor list.
But considering that we can’t even see his college transcripts (probably because he attended classes taught by Ayers), this will never happen.
Bishop on October 24, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Is the RNC ever going to start that 160 million dollar ad blitz? I feel like I hear more McCain stuff on the radio lately; but since it’s been nothing previously, the occasional commercial isn’t sparking my hope.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:50 PM
I wonder if anyone will take the public financing ever again?
Kafir on October 24, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Who’s gonna make him refund bogus donations?
W? He won’t even tell Mukasey to get off his spreading butt and go after ACORN.
The FEC? See above.
The election may not be in the bag, but the money sure as hell is!
MrScribbler on October 24, 2008 at 5:51 PM
I know where you are coming from. Believe me. I’m stunned by the amount of money Obama has raised. I didn’t think it was possible – and I suspect a lot of it is fraudulent and done from overseas. Also I suspect there are a lot of prepaid cards being used to donate to Obama. Prepaid credit cards are untraceable and their AVS cannot be determined through terminals; so, theoretically, Soros could buy $500 million in prepaid credit cards and instruct people to donate to Obama with them. Whammo. Money bomb.
If the list of donators was available (no $200 limit)
Campaigns had to ensure that AVS was YYY (with the CVV code)
Domestic cards only (no international cards and no prepaid visa cards)
And a way to ensure that some goofball didn’t use 10 different cards to donate $2300 each.
Then I’d feel a lot safer in the idea.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:54 PM
I think I said this yesterday……. Hmmmmm maybe someone is reading HA>
upinak on October 24, 2008 at 5:54 PM
He won’t have a choice to refund or not. The merchant will simply remove the funds from the bank account.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:55 PM
This is not an ordinary vendor we’re talking about. This is a conduit for a campaign that has laws it has to abide by vis a vis maximum contributions, foreign contributions, and so forth.
As for people not knowing where they live, no doubt ACORN knows exactly where they are and has them registered to vote.
Buy Danish on October 24, 2008 at 5:55 PM
No, Allah. You CAN’T.
Obama will discover that fact on November 4. Perhaps he can donate a few hundred million out of his campaign coffer for the rebuilding effort in the wake of the riots that will erupt that night.
ManlyRash on October 24, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Gee, potential credit card shenanigans, and Dear Leader Obamassiah’s pick for the VP slot is Joe Biden, D – MNBA?
Very interesting
rbj on October 24, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Obama is cloaked in plausible deniability.
They cannot determine who is donating, or willfully breaking the laws. It’s impossible. Yes, I do believe that they are getting a lot of donations from people that are well above the $2300 limit. But that’s really a problem is unfixable though, if you read about how the CC aproval process works.
At current, no merchant that I am aware of, can name check a card to see if the name matches what is on the card. Even Amazon, you can buy stuff using “joe blow” while the name on your card is “richard smith” – they are simply not capable of verifying names. If you knew how AVS matching worked, you’d be even more frightened :P
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:58 PM
I doubt that, actually. The charges are authorized, in almost all cases ostensibly, by the actual cardholder… just under fake names and addresses. There is probably very little risk of disputed charges.
DaveS on October 24, 2008 at 5:59 PM
Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover write the rules for processing. Not MBNA.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 5:59 PM
That’s primarily why I suspect prepaid credit cards being handed out to people. AVS cannot be matched. They are untraceable and no risk for chargeback.
Think visa gift cards you can buy in any mall. And you’ll get the idea.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 6:01 PM
Meh………….
Seven Percent Solution on October 24, 2008 at 6:01 PM
So what? The RNC spent $150K on clothes and makeup for Sarah Palin!
ctmom on October 24, 2008 at 6:02 PM
WOW!!!! Just imagine how many dresses that would buy!
Blaise on October 24, 2008 at 6:02 PM
Must have missed it when McArdle declared for the O-man. Another top conservative (or libertarian?) thinker, I guess.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on October 24, 2008 at 6:03 PM
ManlyRash: Unfortunately, as much as I would love to agree that we win this on November 4 and Obama’s supporters go nuts, I think we need to face the facts that the polls, the spending and the lemming-like attitude of voters this year, all are a perfect storm…. and it looks like we’re going to be washed out.
Down in PA
Down in Ohio
Down in Colorado
McCain folks pointing fingers…
Bad situation.
Republican on October 24, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Nice try…”Republican.”
ManlyRash on October 24, 2008 at 6:04 PM
She’s been all about Obama forever. Another libertarian pretender supporting a socialist.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 6:04 PM
I use Authorize.net for my online CC transactions. It’s configurable to turn off requiring CVV2 codes as well as address verification.
(CVV2)
Reject Transaction If Card Code value…
Does NOT Match (N)
Is NOT Processed (P)
Should be on card, but is not indicated (S)
Issuer is not certified or has not provided encryption key (U)
(AVS)
Reject
B Transaction was submitted without a billing address.
E AVS data provided is invalid or AVS is not allowed for the card type that was used.
R The AVS system was unavailable at the time of processing.
G The card issuing bank is of non-U.S. origin and does not support AVS.
U The address information for the cardholder is unavailable.
S The U.S. card issuing bank does not support AVS.
As well as a matrix to turn on rejection if various parts of the address mismatch.
Each of the above are specific options you can toggle.
p0s3r on October 24, 2008 at 6:05 PM
ManlyRash: Just because I am a bit skittish about the outcome doesn’t make me some DNC troll. I AM a Republican. I am out there working my butt off for McCain-Palin, but feeling a bit kicked in the gut with some of the crap out there right now.
Republican on October 24, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Why is it that John McCain can have the proper AVS system set up but Barry (and allegedly other Democrat candidates) can’t? Is Howard Dean behind this do ya think?
Remember when Barry said that McCain had no idea what he was up against?
Come Inauguration Day, the only people to be prosecuted for anything will be registered Republicans.
Buy Danish on October 24, 2008 at 6:06 PM
That and the bang up job he did with Ayers and the paltry sum of $161 million in the Chicago Annenberg Challenge–how does this guy rank as being better on the economy? For crying out loud, the guy paid Rezko’s wife $104,500 for a strip of land he had appraised at $40,500. I guess he was able to justify the gift given that the person who sold him his home knocked the price down from $1.65M to $1.35M.
Any way you cut, unless McCain pulls a rabbit out of his hat (or out of Barney Frank’s @##) this fool will part with our money.
BuckeyeSam on October 24, 2008 at 6:07 PM
What will happen if Obama is elected
ConservativePartyNow on October 24, 2008 at 6:10 PM
It’s not about can’t. It’s will or won’t. It’s a business decision. Nothing more.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 6:10 PM
The Powerline blog had an interesting article on this
problem today: “What Did Della Ware?” It seems the Obama campaign had to manually re-set the AVS security to the lowest level possible in order to let all these people through. Of course, when they are caught, sometime in December or January 09, they’ll be Stocked, Shocked I tell you. But hay, it’s all for a good cause, it seems electing the Messiah is worth a slap on the wrist now and then.
According to the Mark Steyn quote they used:
“…in order to permit fraud as easy as that which the Obama campaign is facilitating, you have to uncheck every single box on the AVS system, each one of which makes it very explicit just what you’re doing – ie, accepting transactions with no “billing address”, no “street address” match, no “zip code” match, with a bank “of non-US origin…”
Fred 2 on October 24, 2008 at 6:15 PM
I think this will backfire. Obama will be tiresome and annoying with all these ads and attention by the MSM.
The MSM are on full range attack mode against McCain/Palin.
Polls that are heavily skewed democRAT. People are noticing. We will have the last laugh.
jencab on October 24, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Prepaid credit cards = smoking gun
Kevin in Washington State on October 24, 2008 at 6:16 PM
I just found this little tidbit of encouragement, courtesy of Bill Kristol’s editorial:
If Obama wins, we wish him well. But for now, we can only echo the words of the 30-year-old Abraham Lincoln. On December 26, 1839, responding to the confident prediction of one of his political opponents “that every State in the Union will vote for Mr. Van Buren at the next Presidential election” and that Lincoln’s opposition to the Van Buren forces was therefore bound to be in vain, Lincoln responded:
Address that argument to cowards and to knaves; with the free and the brave it will effect nothing. It may be true; if it must, let it…The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just…Let none falter, who thinks he is right, and we may succeed. But if after all, we shall fail, be it so.
As it happens, the Whig ticket Lincoln supported won that 1840 election. So might the party of Lincoln again.
Full editorial here: http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/737mifbf.asp?pg=2
Republican on October 24, 2008 at 6:17 PM
Yep.
I’d love to see Visa/MC etal numbers on gift cards (prepaid cards) purchased over the past year or so. If they are out of line with normal trends.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 6:19 PM
This is not a business we’re talking about.
At the very least Megyn Kelly should ream Bill Burton’s sorry a$$ over this deliberate subversion on the part of Camp Obama.
Buy Danish on October 24, 2008 at 6:19 PM
It’s a business of trying to get Obama elected.
I’m not defending Obama here, to be sure. I’m just saying that their decision to either turn of AVS matching or ignore the NNN message is a business decision.
A lot of the problem really lies with Visa/MC/etal whose system of checking cards is like 20 years out of date, and is easily exploited by anyone with basic knowledge of how your 16-digit number is generated.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 6:22 PM
in NC obama radio ads run constantly
jp on October 24, 2008 at 6:22 PM
If so, then your initial post was the height of pusillanimity. Buck up, coward.
ManlyRash on October 24, 2008 at 6:24 PM
ManlyRash: I know… you’re right… sorry…. momentary lapse… the Lincoln quote was a good kick too…
Republican on October 24, 2008 at 6:26 PM
My CC knowledge is dated a bit, but that’s about how I remember it- just about everything was selectable for the merchant to decide if he wanted to verify against it or not.
Not verifying means risking a chargeback for bogus purchases, something a legitimate merchant would worry about.
My guess is, like others have suggested, that they are mostly pre-paid cards, or some other laundering scheme someone learned by watching “The Wire.”
dinobalz on October 24, 2008 at 6:26 PM
It is a “business decision” that allows Osama Obama’s campaign to subvert — if not outright violate — election law, and for that he deserves a pair of bracelets. With a length of chain between them.
MrScribbler on October 24, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Obama is annoying, period.
McCain saved his money to kick Obama’s ass at the last week.
To have such a close margin with McCain not spending much money, and Obama having the money he has, Obama is afraid. He is losing!
I am telling you McCain will win this election.
It is us conservatives and PUMAs against the MSM, socialists, Hollyweird, pollsters, and liberals.
We won 4 years ago, we can do it again!
Screw the media!
MCCAIN/PALIN 2008.
jencab on October 24, 2008 at 6:29 PM
That’s right. I’d almost forgotten about Barry’s little jewel of legislation called the Global Poverty Act. So, 95% of working families are going to get a tax cut. OK. But aren’t we all going to be hit with a massive tax increase shortly after to lift the entire world out of poverty?
Oy.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 24, 2008 at 6:29 PM
So a little while after we were assured that massive election spending is ipso facto evidence of corruption, Obama is spending more per hour than all of Palin’s wardrobe cost – and that’s not the story?
omriceren on October 24, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Is he spending that all on cocaine?
stonemeister on October 24, 2008 at 6:31 PM
CONFIRMED: MSM Of Barack Obama Attending Jew-Bash & Toasting a Former PLO Operative….Refuse To Release Video!
Ladies and Gentlemen….Meet Rashid Khalidi!
OSUBuciz1 on October 24, 2008 at 6:31 PM
Can’t we consider this the 2nd economic stimulus and forgo the Reid-Pelosi-Frank-Soros-Obama stimulus package?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 24, 2008 at 6:31 PM
It was a decision to skirt the law.
Here’s another opinion…
Obama’s Fundraising Fraud
He may now be running the biggest underground finance operation since Nixon deployed the plumbers as his key operatives in 1972.
Buy Danish on October 24, 2008 at 6:31 PM
I’m not disagreeing at all. But it’s there and is being exploited. Obama’s camp probably knows that it is being done. But they never have to admit to it. Cuz the donations are mostly under the $200 limit. Government created the holes, they are exploiting them, masterfully.
I doubt it’ll ever be uncovered, either.
I think some intrepid bloggers should take a look at Visa/MC’s quarterly reports and end of year detail analysis to see if disproportionate numbers of prepaid cards have been purchased. If so, that’s where the money went.
Furthermore, I wonder if Visa/MC could be pressured to release how much money from prepaid cards went to the Obama campaign.
If it’s a large number, then its massive fraud.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 6:32 PM
Clearly Barry is waiting for we taxpayers to lift his brother George out of poverty.
Buy Danish on October 24, 2008 at 6:34 PM
And they are making a big deal out of Sarah’s wardrobe???
WTF?
mindhacker on October 24, 2008 at 6:35 PM
The point being, that is not standard procedure, and you would have to purposely override defaults to make that happen. Hence the accusation of collusion from the credit card clearing house.
I just called a friend of mine in this business (setting up credit card machines).
Very rare, if ever would this be allowed by any reputable business. It gets to not only not only credit card fraud, but illegal purchases.
He and his company do not work with any of the porn industry or sites for example, that is one of the industries that would “pull the plug” on some of these defaults.
Most companies would shy away from a company that allowed this thing because of the legal (and money fraud) risk involved.
right2bright on October 24, 2008 at 6:35 PM
You know that at that rate, Obama is outspending most of the world’s governments? Seriously, at that rate, he is spending $5.6 Billion annually, which places him squarely in 110th place amongst the countries of the world in spending, beating more than half of them:
http://www.photius.com/rankings/economy/budget_expenditures_2007_0.html
Theophile on October 24, 2008 at 6:35 PM
I thought we were suppose to elect THE ONE based on how HE ran his campaign. You remember, when he slammed Governor Palin for being a Mayor of a small town in “Wasilly”. He offered up this vast amounts of money he had to handle and employees, etc.
Which one of these two candidates does it look like will be able to do MORE with LESS? If the economy is going to be tough, and belts need to be tightened, then which one of these two is currently showing how he can squeeze every last drop out of a dollar?
Anyone notice how THE MESSIAH constantly has his hand outstretched for MORE money? Some are saying he has already raised over $600 million dollars. Where did it all go, and why is he always asking for more? And why is he using fraudulent ways to get MORE money? Hmmmm?
freeus on October 24, 2008 at 6:36 PM
A suggestion for two slogans for the McCain-Palin Team to initiate.
McCain (the modest):
Barack’s just JImmy Carter… with a different brand of nuts.
(Punctuate onstage with e sly “Right?” i.e: “Wright“.)
Palin (the bodacious) :
OBAMA:- IN YOUR HEAD YOU KNOW HE’S RED
profitsbeard on October 24, 2008 at 6:37 PM
O/T, but on another thread I noted that a petition from “academics” in support of Bomber Billy Ayers (linked by Iowahawk) has a list of signatories. Number five is Rashid Khalidi, Osama Obama’s big pal….
MrScribbler on October 24, 2008 at 6:43 PM
If he gets elected, he’ll be spending 1000X that much every second.
jgapinoy on October 24, 2008 at 6:47 PM
no you wouldn’t. You’d just code it a little different. No defaults to over-ride.
It’s not about being allowed. It’s risk management.
Here’s my theory. They know that prepaid cards would get declined if they enabled AVS; so they disabled it, so those prepaid cards would always go through. Bada bing.
No industries ever get their plugs pulled. That’s a myth. Some industries (porn) have a hard time getting merchant accounts because there is a lot of fraud and charge backs. If you can manage to get an account, though, and your fraud rate is low. Ain’t no one pulling your account.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 6:53 PM
How were they distributed and by whom?
Buy Danish on October 24, 2008 at 6:56 PM
Judge rules that Obama is not a US Citizen
ConservativePartyNow on October 24, 2008 at 6:59 PM
I know it is a long shot, but please let Phil Berg and API come through.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 24, 2008 at 6:59 PM
I dunno, Soros? It’s just my pet theory. I’m not sure if anyone else has mentioned it; but if you wanted to manage millions of anonymouse donations, all under $200. Prepaid cards are the way to go. That’s how I’d do it. Easy as pie, really.
As someone investigating this, I’d probably ask myself:
Who benefited when the stock market crashed? Who was selling short?
Who will benefit when Obama wins?
Were there an inordinate number of prepaid cards purchased from Visa/MC during this election cycle?
If so, where did that money get spent?
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 7:00 PM
I got hammered on that before. It’s unsigned. Berg submitted that hoping that the judge would rule in his favor.
He was on Weiner Nation last night. Audio here.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 24, 2008 at 7:01 PM
My donation went through on the site but has never shown up in my bank account. I’ll keep watching the next few days to see if it gets processed. My card is a Visa debit card and my bank is really good about catching fraudulent charges, so, it may have been caught by them and not the Obama folks.
On the bright side, IB Hatin Obama got an email from Michelle Obama this morning reminding her to vote. ;)
JadeNYU on October 24, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Soros spent $35 million in 2004 and Kerry still lost.
It will be so cool to see him spend $1/2 BILLION and Obama lose in 11 days either outright or because he wasn’t eligible. With all those fraudulent donations, he must have hired ACORN morons to make them.
txdoc on October 24, 2008 at 7:06 PM
That campaign finance thing worked out pretty well.
BadgerHawk on October 24, 2008 at 7:09 PM
I’m not sure if anyone else has mentioned it; but if you wanted to manage millions of anonymouse donations, all under $200. Prepaid cards are the way to go. That’s how I’d do it. Easy as pie, really.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Nichevo on October 24, 2008 at 7:10 PM
Mr. Berg on Savage last night said that he thinks the reason the college transcripts haven’t been released is beacuse it states he was born outside the USA and thus received special financial help.
txdoc on October 24, 2008 at 7:10 PM
That’s a stretch — a real stretch. How about O just did really lousy, grade-wise, in at least one of those institutions, such as Columbia, so therefore releasing the records would make it somewhat difficult for Harvard to explain why they accepted him. Same theory with Occidental.
Nichevo on October 24, 2008 at 7:21 PM
Theoretically, for GOPers, it would be in some ways better, for this to come out after Nov 4. Now that may sound strange, but according the Constitution, if there is an election and the person elected is ruled ineligible, the person with the next most electoral votes is elected president, therefore, that would be McCain
ConservativePartyNow on October 24, 2008 at 7:21 PM
txdoc at 7:10 PM-
Democratic Congress meets over the weekend before the election to declare that one square mile of Kenya, from the years 1960 tthrough 1965, can now be revealed as having been a secret American military base, and thus Barry Obama was technically born in a zone of the U.S. even though he was birthed in Kenya, proper.
Joe Biden swears he served on that covert base an an O.S.S. officer.
profitsbeard on October 24, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Most of the time, the business doesn’t “code” the processing. There are defaults, such as name and address must match Yes or NO (keeping it simple), the default is usually yes, you have to purposely ask to have the name and address not match.
The merchant service contract doesn’t have the terms usually in the contract, however, VISA, etc. does.
If the merchant service has the defaults overridden then they are responsible for any losses. And it has to be contracted with a special form.
I suspect, a merchant service company set up the agreement with the “loose” requirements that overrode AMEX, VISA, normal requirements.
Look at any merchant service contract, and you will see that the merchant is charged back for any billing not properly processed.
Visa, et al, doesn’t allow just anyone with any info, they have standards, it is the merchant service account holder that changes those “standards”.
Regardless, someone has to purposely set this up as a unique merchant account, taking money without any matching information, way out of the norm, according to my merchant service friend. Highly unusual to the effect that he as done this for several years and never set up an account like that. He said bells and whistles would go off all over the company.
The interesting scenario would be if you set up a “revolving” credit with the phony info. Where every month $199 was taken out. You could set up dozens of these, and it would fly under the radar.
right2bright on October 24, 2008 at 7:32 PM
That would never happen, you would have to prove that Obama had intent, knew, ordered, was responsible, etc.
That would never happen.
I don’t think anyone has ever been forced to give up their elected office for voter fraud.
Scholars out there know of any?
right2bright on October 24, 2008 at 7:35 PM
You argue when their is no argument, my friends merchant account service company will “pull the plug” on any porn business that uses their merchant services. That is no myth, that is fact because of the legal and ethical problems they are faced with.
Yes, they can go to another merchant account and get served, but you have to find one that accepts that industry.
The bank I deal with would not do any merchant accounts for any website processing. So I had to go to another merchant account service and have them handle the website processing.
right2bright on October 24, 2008 at 7:44 PM
It’s amazing how much you can spend when you psyche your opponent and lie the nation about your financing.
marklmail on October 24, 2008 at 7:48 PM
Seems like a like of money to spend on a job that pays $400k/yr. doesn’t it?
Hmmmmm………I’m sure that doesn’t mean anything though… Nothing to see here folks, move along…….
KMC1 on October 24, 2008 at 8:07 PM
May it be for naught.
Entelechy on October 24, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Sadly funny. profitsbeard, what is the state of your political gut?
Entelechy on October 24, 2008 at 8:17 PM
No paymentech is NOT a co-conspirator here
Merchants can turn off AVS/CVS checks if they want to (it’s part of a banking industry compromise worked out years ago).
You can bet, however, on two things:
1 – that paymentech repeatedly warned the campaign that they are taking enormous, and unprofessional, risks; and,
2 – that the daily list of transaction attempts includes a lot of failed transactions.
FYI: the “we can’t do it because of volume” defense on not filing FEC data for small donations is 100% bogus. The paymentech stuff includes on line access to all transactions for the current and previous six months.
Paul Murphy on October 24, 2008 at 8:25 PM
I read the ’supposed’ legal opinion. It has been now 3 hours since posted and no news of this on Drudge, NewsMax, or here.
What gives? Perhaps a phony plant?
txdoc on October 24, 2008 at 10:03 PM
Let us never again accept public financing. The libtards were just whining about it because noone wanted to give money to Al Gore except Chinese Communists.
Speedwagon82 on October 24, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »