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Obama Had 5-1 Cash Advantage At Start Of This Month
Barack Obama had a simply astounding cash advantage over Hillary Clinton heading into this month, the latest FEC filings show: Obama had $42.5 million on hand for the primaries, compared to Hillary Clinton's only $8 million.
Clinton spokesman Jay Carson insisted that the campaign has had an upswing in donations since March 31, but it's hard to imagine them not being at a serious disadvantage. The next question: What will the money race look like after Pennsylvania, assuming Barack Obama has spent heavily there and Clinton has just gotten a big win?
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Actually, with all of her debts, it looks like HRC is about $10 million in the red.
April 21, 2008 8:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Must we assume a "big win" for Hillary?
April 21, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
How quaint. You want to wait for the voters to actually vote before projecting what happens next? Tsk tsk. How elitist of you. Err ... or something...
April 21, 2008 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Big win or squeaker for Clinton, the money race will look the same as it ever was. Obama hasn't even gotten close to tapping out his donors.
April 21, 2008 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
"What will the money race look like after Pennsylvania, assuming Barack Obama has spent heavily there and Clinton has just gotten a big win?" Iam going to guess... Obama having lots of money and Clinton having very little.
April 21, 2008 8:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
To your last point: It will look exactly the same as it does now. The Clinton campaign will be deeply in the red and Obama, still the presumptive nominee, will enjoy a massive cash advantage.
Clinton's supporters will still be maxxed out for the primary and Obama's will be ready to donate again. This is not meant to be snarky. This is simply what will happen.
April 21, 2008 8:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. Biased much, Eric?
April 21, 2008 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't the Clinton campaign say that "most" of the $20 million they had raised in March was for the primary? Since when did "8" become "most" of "20"?
April 21, 2008 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
I thought they were full of it too. I haven't seen the numbers on how much was limited to the general, but the reports from February reported $21.5 million was off-limits and the current reports are saying "about" $22 million was for the general. So it sounds like they were able to funnel most of the money to the primary.
April 21, 2008 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
You elitists obviously don't understand basic math.
April 21, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yea, you are really smart! You think all the money Hillary raised in March is for use outside of March. What a bunch of idiots here!
April 21, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
"You think all the money Hillary raised in March is for use outside of March."
Yeah, based on that sentence, I wouldn't be tossing around the word "idiot" too much.
April 21, 2008 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you for living up to all my expectations.
April 21, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama's average donation per person is around 150 $ (total amount/number of donors). That's a deep well to tap if needed.
April 21, 2008 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
You losers think since Obama raises a lot of money from you losers, he is entitled to win. Look! Look how much grass root support he has. Oh, yea, McCain should look at Obomb's fundraising figure and simply gives up. You losers seem to forget you need people to vote for you to win. How much Obomber outspent Hillary in Tx and Oh? He got beaten. He would have outspent Hillary 3-1 in PA and his ass will still be wiped out. Look what your money has got for you? Your man cannot close the deal. Working class people are not gullible and they are simply not buying his snake oil no mater how much his marketing budget is. Losers! LOL
April 21, 2008 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow...some people just shouldn't be allowed at a computer without their meds and adult supervision.
I realize you don't understand how this works, so take a deep breath into that paper bag, and then calm down. I'll be happy to help you.
Obama's outspending Clinton because he can - and because he has to in big states where she has built-in advantages. PA is a good example. Clinton came in with endorsements from the governor, the state Dem Party chairman, the mayor of Philadelphia, the mayor of Pittsburgh, and one of Congress's most powerful members (Murtha). If Obama hadn't dropped millions here, he'd lose by 25.
Besides, the money spent here isn't wasted, as he will have a leg up in PA when he's the general election nominee. :)
April 21, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
that's very interesting observation. He seems to do just fine in states such as ND, ID, or MN. What makes PA different?
April 21, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pennslyvania has a closed primary and machine politics rule in PA. Hillary has the PA political machine in her corner.
April 21, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wait, who did you say won Texas?
Working class people are the ones donating to Barack Obama. Working class people are the ones voting for him. Working class people are the ones volunteering for him. Obama has garnered more votes than Hillary or McCain thus far.
Keep trolling without facts, Champ...
April 21, 2008 9:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama has won 28 nominating contests and Hillary has won 14. Remind me again who cannot close the deal.
Who is the bigest loser, the loser or the candidate who lost two of three to the loser?
April 21, 2008 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why do these repitive news reports on campaign earnings matter? To me they're just Hillary Clinton talking points on why her supporters should reach out more. Just listen to what she says in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKY8J_FYlbM
April 21, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting that this video dovetailed with a thought forming in my mind about Hillary's psychological make-up.
A couple of things from that video...1] Hilllary said the 'country is like a great big family", and 2] she pointed out a sign that read, "our mamas for the mama"
The thought I have been having is how much Hillary reminds me of one of those mothers [or parents] who will not allow 'their children' to cut the apron strings, to grow up and be separate and distinguishable and independent from the parent. From the oft repeated campaign message 'I will do this for you' to the constant reminder of 'look at all I have done all these years' to the fury and punishment at any who do separate [Richardson, MoveOn, etc], it does remind me of that characteristic of those parents who wish to forever be as the most important influence in the ongoing lives of their offspring.
I knew a mother once who actually said the most profound thing. She said, "I hope to raise my children so that someday they will be able to teach me."
April 21, 2008 10:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Regardless of how Penna turns out, I'm going to be donating to Obama again.
Regardless of how North Carolina and Indiana turn out, I'll be donating to Obama again in May as well.
I could find a calendar of the dwindling remaining primaries and spell it out for you. Or some other Obama supporters could pick up where I left off. The song remains the same: No matter how comical Team Hillary gets, no matter how far people want to drift from talking about the issues that actually matter to real people, no matter which scoundrels from which wing of which party try to swiftboat him, Obama still has the strongest support of the three remaining candidates for President. We will support him through thick and thin, through the primary, through the convention, on to November, and on to the White House.
That's how the money race looks.
April 21, 2008 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
If you have money, why don't you donate to your local charity? You will get much better return than get it wasted on some TV station. Obama will lose anyway. If not in the Primary, surely in the GE. Think about your investment or retirement. Be rational, not stupid!!!
April 21, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Having read your posts I don't think you should be telling anyone not to be stupid.
April 21, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Look who's stupid here! No matter you give not not give him money, he will lose states such as PA which does not have high African Population anyway. No matter he wins or loses, you still think he has the math to win the nomination anyway. Why do you give him money but instead giving it to your local charity? Your local charity is starving of money but Obama's compaign is overflown with money such that he is spending an insanely amount of money spreading lies about Hillary and debasing the only successful post-war two-term Democratic president. Do you think you have better use of your money?
April 21, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, the African population isn't huge, but there are some real pockets of immigrant communities in Philiadelphia and portions of western PA. But mostly, Africans are in Africa.
Of course, Obama has won by cheating, attracting exclusively African American voters, which as we all know aren't real voters, doing very well in heavy African American states like North Dakota, Minnesota,and Wyoming.
April 21, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Look who's stupid here!"
That would be you. Want proof?
"No matter you give not not give him money"
Well that makes sense. Want more proof?
"No matter he wins or loses"
Okay, so you are not bright, proven twice already.
"you still think he has the math to win the nomination anyway"
He does, the polls bear that out. Now I could pick apart your posting line by line and totally embarrass you, but what is the point?
As to my money being better spent elsewhere I disagree. This is the most important election of my lifetime. Before this election I never gave money to a politician, but I gladly give to Obama.
As to spreading lies about Hillary; most of the lying being done is by Hillary, not Obama.
He does. The polls bear that out.
April 21, 2008 9:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I appreciate your concern, but I don't really need you to advise me on how I spend my money. I'll keep my own counsel on that.
April 21, 2008 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
For starters, I'd ask just what a "big win" is, and if its anything like victory in Iraq.
To answer the question, the money race will look the same its been for the past month: Clinton tapped out with Obama bringing in the bucks. His supporters know this is a long game, nobody outside of the most ardent believers are expecting a win in Pennsylvania.
April 21, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your "next question" is pretty easily answered.
The 1.4 million Americans who donate to Obama will drop another twenty-five bucks, Hillary's "big win" will only be "big" to anyone who believes Hillary's "big state" theory (most of whom are tapped out), and we'll roll on to the next state.
To suggest that something will change financially when there is zero evidence to prove it will, and tons that says it won't, seems like exactly what Hillary would want us to do and exactly why we're running in circles while the McCain machine gathers strength.
April 21, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
As with many Obama supporters I'll make another donation the day after PA, no matter what the outcome. Most of us are nowhere near maxing out.
Just a little reminder to the DNC and the superdelegates that Obama's supporters are many and we're ready to keep on giving whatever it takes to elect him. Whereas Hillary is in a financial hole and willing to drive people out of the party to have her way, no matter what.
April 21, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think that's a VERY important point.
Do all of the Hillary supporters really think that the superdelegates, most of whom are elected officials, are going to want to throw Obama's fundraising network under the bus and hand the nomination to Hillary? It would be suicidal...especially considering the problems that McCain is having raising money.
April 21, 2008 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
I guess I don't understand Eric's question. A win for Hillary in PA is expected, and isn't going to change the basic math--that this thing is over. The DNC is not going to take the lead away from Obama to hand the nomination to the establishment candidate as--and I know this might be a controversial statment--they are not suicidal.This is not going to be a game-changer, just draw this thing out.
April 21, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
The real next question is... how much longer can Hillary keep her campaign going at this rate?
April 21, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good morning.
Please don't forget the million dollar a minute challenge today in favor of Senator Obama...Another $ 25 to Obama fund...
Thanks
Olivier
April 21, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary and Mitt Romney are experiencing that running for president can be an expensive hobby. Looks like Bill Clinton is sinking deeply into Future Sugar Daddy territory when it comes time to make good on Hillary's debts.
April 21, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am an Obama supporter who has donated money every quarter, and will continue to do so. I have also donated many hours of my time to Obama's on the ground operations in the primary states.
But, the most important consideration for me as an Obama supporter is that I expect to remain very involved and active politically throughout the general and during the years of his presidency.
There is a game altering political change that has been seeded and is sprouting with his candidacy. That change will need sustained concerted effort for a very long time in the years ahead to achieve a deep enough rootedness and growth spread to withstand the powerful status quo forces which will work to counter it.
I think long term to what I can do now to better the lives of my grandchildren.
April 21, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
The vendors who did work for the Clinton campaign will be left holding the bag
Bill Clinton's old campaign still owes -$319,630 !!!
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/cancomsrs/?_08+P20000642
Sen Hillary Clinton:
The campaign's biggest debt remains to be the $5,000,000 loaned to the campaign by Senator Clinton
The campaign, to date, owes Senator Clinton $10,879.89 in interest on the $5,000,000 loan (at a rate of 1.26%)
The Campaign's second largest debt is to Penn, Schoen & Berland Assoc. LLC
Amount: $4,577,820.61
Harold Ickes firm, Catalist, LLC, is owed $240,000. The firm provided no billable services nor did it receive payments during the month of March 08.
Top to-date Press Reimbursement comes from CBS News for a total of $112,016.27 on behalf of Fernando Suarez. Fox News' Aaron Burns is second with $107,173.41 and ABC's Eloise Harper is third with $98,948.05
Total Salaries paid: $1,589,226
Patricia Solis Doyle got paid $11,687 in March 08
Total Employee Benefits paid: $489,980.64
(Paid to Aetna Healthcare, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield)
$138,182 in advertising with Google. $2054 with Microsoft!
Phone Banking: $1,921,124
Mail Expense: $1,588,837
Polling: $1,348,000
Media: $885,434
New York Post subscription: $40.8
New York Times subscription: $25.6
Travel: $5,102,905
Debt too vendors
http://query.nictusa.com/pres/2008/M3/C00431569/D_DEBTS_C00431569.html
thanks to lizardbox for the preliminary breakdown
April 21, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink