Obama And Clinton Raise Big Dollars

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:28:27 AM EST
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By Big Tent Democrat

Although Barack Obama is significantly outraising Hillary Clinton since Super Tuesday, raising 7 million since Super Tuesday to Clinton's 4 million since yesterday, honestly the Clinton campaign has to be breathing a sigh of relief. This kind of online fundraising has never been a Clinton campaign focus so this was semi-uncharted waters for them. That they have raised 4 million dollars in the course of about 36 hours is a heck of an effort for them. There is deeper and more committed grassroots support for Hillary Clinton than many of us, probably including the Clinton campaign realized.

Clearly Obama has the fundraising edge, but if these trends hold, it is not THE decisive edge. This campaign will not be solely decided by Obama's money if this holds.

In the end, this is really good news for ALL Democrats. The candidates have supporters, not opposers of the other candidate. While it is clear that the Media and the Establishment blogs give Obama support based in large measure because of their dislike of Clinton, it is good to see that both Obama and Clinton draw their grassroots support as a result of ACTUAL support, not opposition to the other candidate.

< Obama: Cult , Evangelicalism or Political Campaign? | Hillary Clinton Raises $4 Million in 24 Hours >

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Obama And Clinton Raise Big Dollars | 28 comments (28 topical)

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Good news/bad news (5.00 / 6) (#1)
by Steve M on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:29:59 AM EST

The good news is that I found someone who is willing to match dollar-for-dollar any contribution I make to the Clinton campaign.

The bad news is that it is my wife.

: Heh (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:34:45 AM EST

: Heh (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by BDB on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:34:56 AM EST

So We're Back to Where We Were (5.00 / 2) (#6)
by BDB on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:37:52 AM EST

I had thought money might make the difference, but it looks like we're right back where we were at the end of Super Tuesday. Obama will have more money, but Clinton will have enough to do what she probably needs to do in her campaign.

And I agree that's a good thing. Given the strong popular support for both, it would be a shame for one of them to win simply because they could swamp the other in money. I admit I also feared that Clinton's money problems would tempt the Obama folks to run negative ads, knowing she wouldn't be able to respond. With this infusion, I don't think they can risk that now.

: Exactly (none / 0) (#16)
by andgarden on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 12:00:50 PM EST

In fact, if Hillary didn't have this, ahem, surge, I was going to put her campaign on death watch.

If they can spend it as efficiently (5.00 / 2) (#19)
by Ben Masel on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 12:26:26 PM EST

as I did the $662 in my Senate Primary last year, they'll each get over 2 billion more votes.

: Re: (none / 0) (#20)
by Steve M on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 01:03:43 PM EST

Maybe you could give Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney some lessons in efficiency!

Note: no requirement, at least on (none / 0) (#2)
by oculus on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:32:26 AM EST

HRC's website, that the donor state why the donation is being made.

why (none / 0) (#5)
by Jgarza on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:37:19 AM EST

would you state why you are making it?


That wasn't my point, hich . (none / 0) (#10)
by oculus on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:41:22 AM EST

was to respond to BTD's post.


ohh to point (none / 0) (#13)
by Jgarza on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:48:19 AM EST

out you could be donating because you are against another candidate?


: Yep. That wasn't my motivation, (none / 0) (#14)
by oculus on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:53:37 AM EST

but can't speak for anyone else.

As a former Edwards Supporter now Hillary Delegate (none / 0) (#7)
by katiebird on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:38:15 AM EST

As a former Edwards Supporter now Hillary Delegate (supporting her Health Care Plan) I gave her $50 yesterday.

I'm happy to see her reaching out to include the netroots (or those of us in her camp) in fundraising.

Her campaign didn't reach out to (none / 0) (#11)
by oculus on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:43:33 AM EST

me for money. I learned via news that people were working for her campaign for free and she loaned her campaign $5 mil.

P.S. I'm really, really happy my donation yesterday did not result in an in box full of campaign e mails today. Classy.


I got 1 fundraising letter yesterday afternoon (none / 0) (#15)
by katiebird on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:55:43 AM EST

I got 1 fundraising letter yesterday afternoon asking for money. And one thank you note. And nothing else.

I think her grassroots fundraising abilities have been underestimated. She'll do just fine.


Oh, you are including snail mail, (none / 0) (#17)
by oculus on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 12:05:04 PM EST

which I never even open.


: Oh, no -- sorry. Not snail mail..email letter nt (none / 0) (#18)
by katiebird on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 12:15:08 PM EST

Good or bad? (none / 0) (#25)
by herb the verb on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 01:59:34 PM EST

I donated $250 online Feb. 1 and haven't received an email or phone call since.

Meanwhile, I've received 5 Obama calls (4 after I told them to take me off their calling list) and 2 Republican calls.

IMHO the HRC campaign has to do better outreach.


Maybe the media will start (none / 0) (#8)
by ding7777 on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:39:31 AM EST

giving Hillary positive notice since Obama is not the underdog anymore

Could be bad news for Dems (none / 0) (#9)
by cannondaddy on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:41:17 AM EST

People are literally investing themselves, higher passion at a brokered convention, more anger when their candidate loses.

cannondaddy (none / 0) (#12)
by Kathy on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:45:33 AM EST

You are right. I fear that, too.

I think that Hillary asking folks for help has been a good thing, though. A lot of people I've talked to have said, "we didn't realize she needed us." They just assumed that the fundraising train would chug on.

I think, though, that Obama's people were smart to charge for campaign buttons and such, which no dem has done that I know of. If 10,000 people go to a rally to see Oprah, or go to a concert, and 5,000 buy a button or a bumper sticker or whatever, then you've got 50K right there. Add in tee shirts and such and the money gets even bigger.

I do think, to add this back into the "cult" talk, that this certainly jibes with what the super churches do.

: To clarify re buyers/donors (none / 0) (#21)
by Cream City on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 01:15:05 PM EST

as I understand it -- I read this but could be wrong -- the innovative step in the Obama campaign is to count purchases of buttons, shirts, posters, etc., as donations and the buyers as donors, so as to claim more donations and donors.
I haven't read of that being done by the Clinton campaign. But if you don't have a Clinton office nearby to get cool stuff, you can go -- as I did, even with a office here now -- to www.hillarygear.com. (And just as with my donation yesterday, I haven't gotten flooded by emails, other offers, etc., just a thank you and an invoice.)

: student support for Obama (none / 0) (#23)
by ascendingsumo on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 01:26:10 PM EST

Like what you were saying, Obama's campaign is extremely smart to charge for buttons, T-shirts and the like because just looking around at my college on Super Tuesday looked like at lest $5,000 in donations for Obama. And if that trend holds up for other colleges then its no wonder why he can out raise Hillary.

fundraising success (none / 0) (#22)
by Mike Pridmore on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 01:17:42 PM EST

Howard Dean, an anti-war candidate, raised more money than anyone four years ago. And imploded almost overnight. War supporter John Kerry borrowed money in December 2003 and almost got laughed off the planet for his ridiculous campaign. When he started winning in 2004 he suddenly looked like a genius.

I dont understand you BigTent... (none / 0) (#24)
by Raheem on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 01:52:51 PM EST

You support Obama... yet all of your posts are pro-Hillary and you even bash Obama... and most of the comments here are so pro Hillary/anti Obama that I have even read some racist comments on here... comments that have been allowed... completely strange... unless you are trying dupe people, which is still strange

Oh please, (none / 0) (#26)
by herb the verb on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 02:14:26 PM EST

Not to pick a fight, but BTD has often (very often) self-described as a "tepid" Obama supporter. I'm taking that to mean the feeling is Obama is the better candidate but not the second coming. The posts here (if not the comments) are primarily objective about the state of the race as it stands in the subjective opinion of BTD and Jeralyn.

The problem you have is that if you come fresh from sites like DKos, where the "fever" is burning hot, it is the equivalent of jumping from a jacuzzi to a swimming pool. It's not hell, it only feels like that to you.


: re: (none / 0) (#27)
by Raheem on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 03:44:55 PM EST

You really should not assume that I do this or that... I don't particularly like Daily KOS... trust me on that...
But their is one thing to be "tepid" in support, its totally different to come out and constantly bash the candidate that you have "tepid" support in... his posts do not seem fair and impartial, and shows a slant to the other candidate... makes no sense to me...

I Couldn't Believe This!! (none / 0) (#28)
by LetMeDoIt90 on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 04:33:47 PM EST

Know matter what it comes down to the votes and if they keep their promises. I just came across "The Leagues" FaceBook page. They ask you to vote for your favorite presidential candidate and your three top issues. After you vote they give you the result of your city. The result surprised me. I thought that my city were complete democrats. Check this out heres the link Apps.facebook.com/theleague