Obama Raises $52 Million In June
From an email to supporters from Obama campaign manager David Plouffe:
We have some big news we want to share with you.Because of your generosity and commitment, we're reporting to the press today that this campaign is in a very strong financial position.
In the month of June, supporters like you helped raise $52 million.
But more impressive than the number is how you did it. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people contributed to building our campaign for change. Many were first-time donors, giving only what they could afford -- and the average donation was just $68.
Fifty-two million dollars raised with an average donation of $68 is undeniably impressive. Also, by our estimate, this puts Obama on track to achieve his goal of raising $300 million or more, since he needs at least $50 million a month to get there -- and the fundraising very likely will pick up even more when the conventions roll around.
Plouffe also warned, however, that Obama and the Dems still face a cash disadvantage: He and the Democratic National Committee have a combined $72 million on hand, he said, while the GOP and the Republican National Committee finished June with nearly $100 million.
Late Update: Obama spokesperson Bill Burton says there's an error in Plouffe's email: It turns out the campaign on its own has $72 million on hand. The DNC totals should be released today.
Late Late Update: More detail on Obama's haul right here.
$52Million!!!
This is excellent news for the Obama campaign and proves once again that unfounded rumours like the $23Million that was going around, is nothing more than another in the long list of right wing smears!
July 17, 2008 7:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is great news for Obama! That's better than the rumors of 30 million that we heard. We need to keep that number growing.
July 17, 2008 7:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Eat that WSJ and the other effing, ignorant media including TPMEC (for stoking the FISA fire).
This shows the voters couldn't care two nickels about FISA/Pizza but send them nickels where they count.
Yes, We Can !
July 17, 2008 7:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let me preface by saying that I donated $50 last month myself, and about $400 so far in 2008. I'm definitely a supporter.
But I get the feeling that you can't hate WSJ for this.
Remember, people were talking of a "$100MM June." I never believed it, but many did.
I think it's entirely possible that OFA used the WSJ as a patsy. They leaked a false number to them on backrgound to soften the ground a bit. And you could hardly pick a more deserving newspaper! Up yours Murdoch!
But even if somebody in the campaign didn't leak it, the WSJ article still had the same effect.
Now, instead of saying "Hey, that's good, but it didn't even match February, and it's far from the $100MM number" everybody on the left is happy and joyous and everybody in the right is put back on their heels trying to spin it.
The avg donation last month was $68. This just so happens to be the same price as a year subscription to the WSJ!
July 17, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
The FISA vote was in JULY, so that's the month to see if there was any impact from people upset about that vote, not that I think it will necessarily have any impact by the end of the month. I sincerely hope it does, though.
July 17, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
About 2 1/2 times what McCain campaign raised in June.
July 17, 2008 7:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
In its report of the $52M raised, the NYT report still manages to push the false WSJ article about Obama's campaign having fundraising problems in June. Here is the lede into the NYT report from their web site: "After signs that Barack Obama’s contributions had slowed after claiming the nomination, the campaign reported a strong month."
What were those signs, if not false reports in the media?
July 17, 2008 8:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
What were those signs, if not false reports in media ?
Exactly. That would be media back scratching or worse, hind licking.
July 17, 2008 8:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
You said it. I think the whole point of the WSJ article was to point out, as TPM summarized the "slowness of some of the Hillary big-money people to get behind Obama". I'm starting to think the true elite (not the "Obama elite") are are freaking out that their losing some clout.
Perhaps the idea of millions of $86 donors is threatening to some ;-)!
July 17, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
WSJ $30 mil + McBush $22 mil = $52 mil for Obama!
Coincidence?
Despite my opposition to the FISA bill, I or anyone would be completely insane not to still vote for Obama. This isn't the goose-stepping repug party, we are allowed, even encouraged to think for ourselves. Important question, when did Obama ever raise less than $22 million in a month?? Mcbush has hit his peak, the well will soon run dry.
July 17, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention that half of McCain's money in June was raised by only 500 bundlers. Though the number of donors is larger than that, it indicates bigger-money donors who will be tapped out, not small donors.
July 17, 2008 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looks like the DNC had a great month too.
And with an average donation of $68, Obama has many more trips back to the well.
McCain, with his $70,000 donations... not so much.
Small Donors = The Future
July 17, 2008 8:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
There's only one way to spin this:
Clearly Barack Obama has a major problem.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
July 17, 2008 8:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is excellent news!!! For McCain!!!
July 17, 2008 8:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
YOU FORGOT THE CAPS LOCK!!!!
July 17, 2008 9:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good that this was achieved without Markos' and the OpenLeft's folks and other prominent left blogosphere frontpagers' contributions -- they have made themselves as irrelevant to the money influence now, as they made themselves opinion-irrelevant in the last two or so years. I am thrilled that this is the case :-)
July 17, 2008 8:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good point! All their post-FISA vote huffing and puffing about "not rewarding bad behavior" didn't keep the greater community of Obama supporters from contributing when the need was obvious.
July 17, 2008 8:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Really. Post FISA huffing and puffing? Look, I support Obama. But I don't follow any "fearless leader" blindly. I am VERY disturbed when supposedly thinking people stop thinking and start chanting. Is the Constitution really that meaningless to you? Is it really OK for Obama to completely flip on such an important issue? I know he hasn't flipped on Iraq, I can read. But there is no explanation and no justification for his abandoning his principles, and OUR CONSTITUTION, on FISA.
Blind adherence to a man, ANY MAN, is anathema to Democracy. IT IS OK TO CALL HIM ON THE CARPET. Or are you now prepared to spin dissent as anti-Obama the same way Republicans spun dissent on the war ans anti-American?
July 17, 2008 8:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Cranial Rectal, for god's sake, you sure are attributing a lot to a simple comment. You have no idea how dear I hold the Constitution. My comment was really made with Kos in mind - I thought he acted like a baby throwing a public tantrum, making such a show of withholding his contribution, using the Bush administration chestnut "not rewarding bad behavior", and saying to his readers that if they don't agree, then "fuck you".
July 17, 2008 8:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
BTW, I lobbied Obama and my senators hard (lots of faxes, Emails, etc.) to try to prevent the passage of the FISA bill.
July 17, 2008 8:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Radha is not advocating "blind adherence" to TEH MAN. I agree with her -- and I also agree with the need to keep up pressure to protect the Bill of Rights. But if we have any chance of that, we have a tough task of convincing American voters (not the bravest bunch) to elect a dark-skinned man with a really funny name. Not going to be easy!
July 17, 2008 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, exactly so!
July 17, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
By the same token, it also makes a mockery of the whining of people who claimed to think that those who withheld contributions were going to help elect John McCain.
Having said that, the Iraq speech was pretty good, and may put me in the mood to resume kicking in a little money to Obama along with what I send to ActBlue.
July 17, 2008 8:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
It was a very good speech. His latest speeches have been incredibly substantive. Full of common sense, well-reasoned foreign policy. (Unfortunately, they're being drowned out by trivia such as Jesse Jackson's off-mike comments.)
July 17, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not only are small-time netroots nobody's like myself now irrelevant, a reader post also points out Nader's irrelevance this year.
This is actually liberating. As netroots, we can truly be ourselves now.
July 17, 2008 8:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yah, Radha!
I was so pissed at Kos's supercilious pronouncement withdrawing his imminent donation to Obama. There's only one question facing anybody this year: Who do you want to be president: McCain or Obama? Because it's gonna be one of them.
All equivocation is bullshit.
July 17, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly.
July 17, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
See? This is what happens when you buy a friend an Obama beer or two....or three....or four....
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/LisB
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/TPMObamaBeer
July 17, 2008 8:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think the "whining" from the left about FISA & etc. has been overplayed. I was deeply disappointed in Obama over FISA & I said so. It still rankles. But you know what? He has continued to get $100 out of every paycheck. The alternative is just too grim. And, in fact, my enthusiasm is coming on strong because Obama responded to his critics on the left by speaking to us like adults. I still disagree with him, but this such a refreshing change of tone that I am looking at the bigger picture. Another reason for enthusiasm: Obama has begun sharpening his attacks against McCain and the press. I like seeing a little Republican blood in the water, you know? Finally, I don't think it's a bad thing to have the left in general and the netroots in particular pulling on the candidate from the left. He has said as much himself.
July 17, 2008 8:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, this is excellent posture to maintain -- I'm focused on getting the GOP out of the ever-expanding Executive Branch, but I'm looking forward to the tenor of the debate shifting left again after we restore basic sanity (e.g., habeus corpus, a real EPA, etc.)
July 17, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just amazing. Truly amazing. Can not wait to see the victory this fall. Will be working hard for it. Already changed five lifelong Republicans to Obamacans by discussing the issues civilly.
That is the challenge I give to all of you. Get five people you know that are on the fence to commit to voting for Obama.
July 17, 2008 8:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg:
Please see the following from Jack Tapper. The $72 million combined was wrong. The Obama campaign ALONE has $72 million cash on hand. Tapper is reporting the combined total is about $92 million.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/07/obama-more-than.html
July 17, 2008 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah....saw that. Also the AP article on Yahoo has the corrected figures. So 92.3 million is a lot better than 72.3 million. That puts them in rough parity.
The problem for Obama is he has to continue to fundraise at high levels through October while McCain gets a free 84.1 million from the government. The RNC also keeps a chuggin along.
July 17, 2008 9:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm, do I smell a retraction over at the WSJ, whose concern trolls wrung their hands about Obama's "underwhelming" performance in June?
I won't be holding my breath...
July 17, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Insightful comment Yoda makes. Breath not should be held (as Yoda would say).
July 17, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
This was BEFORE he voted to kill the 4th Amendment (with the full purpose of giving HIMSELF the power to illegally spy on Americans, journalists, human rights activists, lawyers, business persons for personal gain, etc).
Those who take glee in this while erroneously thinking that it occurred in spite of his illegal and immoral vote FOR killing the 4th Amendment...what the f*ck are you thinking? Your thinking is "The Bill of Rights doesn't matter! Hoorah!" Is that it?
Leave the country. Now. We don't want nor need you here. We already have quite enough authoritarians and fascists.
July 17, 2008 8:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Uh dude, you get out of the country. I disagree with Obama that it was a right vote, and that criticism is welcome, however, outright objections or hinderance to his candidacy is ridiculous. Would you prefer McCain? I'd much rather have Obama in charge of the Fisa court than McCain. Yes, there is a choice. It's quite evident based on your statements that you want McCain in the white house, because that's exactly what will happen if you don't fully donate to Obama and fully support him. Again criticism is one thing, but what you're doing is counterproductive.
July 17, 2008 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, stop being such a drama queen.
July 17, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Second this.
July 17, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your "icon" says all that needs be said about you: Blind worship (literally) of Obama (do you have Obama posters tacked up in your bedroom too?). No different than the 20% hardcore GOPers that literally worship Bush and his every bodily eruption.
Pathetic (and dangerous).
July 17, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
I bow before Thou, the Purist Czar. (or may be a repug troll - either way I don't care about your rants)
July 17, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Quick question easy to answer with one number.
How many candles do you have burning around your home shrine to Obama?
July 17, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
About 52 million ! Happy ? Now, scoot.
July 17, 2008 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Me thinks ye might be a transformed neo-con.
July 17, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Woo hoo! That's fantastic news. I was a little worried there but I'm glad I had no reason to be.
July 17, 2008 9:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Once again people, this money was taken in BEFORE he proved to be a fascist and voted for illegal and unconstitutional spying on Americans without warrant (or even probable cause...just because he wants to spy on you).
Keep your timelines straight. The FISA atrocity occurred in JULY. The money was taken in during JUNE. June:July - different. Before FISA (and his anti-woman abortion cave and his "I hate the separation between church and state" official announcement) was June. Ok, one or two of those atrocities occurred in LATE June before there could be any impact. You can cheer the death of the Constitution officially when/if Obama keeps raking in money from those who just don't give a f*ck about the Bill of Rights, etc.
Trade away everything, wont you, to see your religious idols placed into authoritarian power over you to "keep you safe"? How very very (ahem) admirable. The Founders would be SO proud.
July 17, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
You diminish the impact of your comments with such stupid language as "fascist".
July 17, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Really? How is what has been happening under Bush and the Democrat Congress NOT fascism? Corporations bailed out on the People's dime, normal people screwed under the same circumstances, more and more BIPARTISAN erosion of liberties in the name of government power/elite power. Privatization of virtually EVERYTHING in government (with the FULL blessing of the Dems) so that corporate profits are maximized while actual service is minimized.
Where is there NOT fascism in there? There's no daylight betwixt fascism and what has been going on (with the DIRECT support of the Dems) these last 16 years - that's right, it started in earnest under Clinton).
July 17, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOUD NOISES
July 17, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your hyperbolic statements are quite boring. YAWN . . .
July 17, 2008 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
"YAWN". Hyperbolic eh? Yesterday the 4th Circuit codified that the Prez CAN detain anyone, citizen or no, indefinitely in a military prison without charge, without any of our so-called basic rights. That's yawn-worthy eh?
Simply TRUST your President Obama NOT to use such powers himself. He's a god, he'd NEVER abuse a single "unitary executive" power that Bush/Cheney have successfully claimed (with both the active and passive blessing of the Dems). Why, just earlier this month, the Dems, including Obama, voted to give the President, the DNI, the head of the CIA, the head of the FBI, or the head of the NSA authority to spy on your phone calls, emails, letters, etc, without a warrant just because they WANT to. No court review, no oversight. Obama voted FOR this. Why, one wonders, would a person seeking the Prez position seek to give ever more powers to that position before he takes over? For PURE and GOOD reasons, no doubt.
Ignore the problem and kiss the ring.
July 17, 2008 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. praedor joins foghat, goatlife, and sfcwallace in my "automatically scroll past unrequired reading" list...
July 17, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, and don't forget Michele B as well. The intermittent use of CAPS is a dead give away. You know...this could just be another incarnation of said trolls.
July 17, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
politico is reporting that Plouffe emailed a correction -- Obama himself has $72 million. The DNC raised $22 million, making the Dem total $92 million nearly equal to the Republican total of $95 million or so.
July 17, 2008 9:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
May be if we wait for few more hours, we will hit 100 mil, going by this hourly "corrections".
July 17, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nothing clarifies the idea of sending money to Obama more than a McCain or Bush sound clip. Give and give again, although I know it is getting tough out here. My commuting costs were getting out of hand. Fortunately, I switched to a tax suported rural bus system. That's why we need Democrats. It's the "we take the bus" party.
July 17, 2008 9:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your need to take a bus wont change with Obama any more than it would with McSame. Gas prices are beyond their control and voting based on that would be ridiculous (but very American).
July 17, 2008 9:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't understand what party you're going for. By some of your statements "McSame", you appear to be an Obama supporter, but you are also attempting to diminish the numbers that Obama raised. So quite honestly, if I make a suggestion, stick with one party or get the heck out of the way.
July 17, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why must I "go" for either corporate party? No one, no party OWNS your vote. You are not obligated to provide your vote to either Democrat or Rethuglican.
Sorry to say, but after YEARS of a so-called Democrat majority in Congress what do we have to show for it? Continual funding for the illegal occupation in Iraq WITHOUT A SINGLE STRING. Fewer civil liberties and constitutional rights than when they took over. MORE money to rich bankers and corporate CEOs who fuck up (or commit outright fraud) while the People are essentially ignored. MORE privatization of core government functions (with less service as a result). MORE cronyism.
Last but not least: No matter what, impeachment is ever off the table. No crime is bad enough, no crime is worthy of impeachment. None of them are even worthy of a friggin' hearing. In fact, what (apparently) must happen under Democrat control is the swift passage of Bush or corporate-written bills (is there any difference) designed specifically to cover up very real crimes and ensure that what happened (and to whom) NEVER is found out by the People.
Oh, and torture remains technically OK (and not worthy of impeachment!).
Why the FUCK should I even begin to think about voting for a party that is 100% behind this stuff? How is this different than the GOP?
Keep something very much in mind folks: when the GOP was in control of Congress, they tried and failed to get telecom immunity passed. It literally took a Democrat-controlled Congress to come along to get that passed in spite of the strong opposition of the People. What does THAT tell you about the Dems (including Obama or lied, outright, to you when he PROMISED to filibuster any bill that had immunity in it)?
Vote one, vote the other, the result is the same, but with the Dems it happens FASTER.
July 17, 2008 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Are you planning to write yourself in on the ballot in November?
July 17, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kucinich (or, for "poetic" reasons, vote for Nader).
July 17, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder why the WSJ wrote a BOGUS article about $30 million? Are they trying to push the narrative that the enthusiasm for the Obama campaign has ebbed because of his supposed "moving to the center" (which isn't true) and his FISA vote which angered the left?
All polls show that enthusiasm for the Obama campaign is still MUCH MUCH higher than for the McCain campaign. I wonder what their alterative motive was?
The narrative pushed last week by the MSM was that Obama only raised a paltry $30 million, his base is leaving him because of his "flip flops" and FISA vote, and polls are in a dead heat which was illustrated by the BOGUS Newsweek poll which only asked questions about Obama but not McCain.
Because of this narrative, the Obama campaign decided to take their own media narrative BACK thus the OpEd in NYT about Obama's Iraq policy as well as major speeches about Iraq/Afghanistan and nuclear proliferation and now polls are showing that Obama is ahead 4-10% over McCain and also Obama raised $52 million.
It appears that the Obama campaign is finding their sea legs for the general election. Now they need to go on OFFENSE.
July 17, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if I would be too excited because this month should have shown a fair amount of Clinton supporters making donations. I think Obama really hurt his fundraising when they were talking about the possibility of raising $400M-$500M while it was roundly reported that McCain would be handcuffed with $80M in public money.
I think they really need to get out the fact that the RNC money + the McCain public money + potential 527's will be formidable and get across the point that McCain is using primary money right now (albeit illegally?), and that he won't touch his public money until after the GOP convention in early September. Meaning he'll have two months to spend his public money and until that time will keep spending uncapped private primary donations, and exploiting a loophole that raises the maximum donation for $2300 to $70,000.
At least that is my understanding of the situation.
July 17, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Because you all believe in rewarding bad behavior with abject worship, nothing will really change if Obama takes over the Kingship of the former republic. Why SHOULD he change his corporatist-pandering ways when you will continue to polish his knob NO MATTER WHAT?
Bush does it, it's baaaaaaad. Obama does the same damn thing and it is goooooooood. You just have to "trust" his imperial majesty.
Not the way this country used to be designed to work.
July 17, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Fifty-two million dollars raised with an average donation of $68 is undeniably impressive.
Averages can be misleading. Anyone know what the median donation was in June vs. May vs. April? (And similar data re McCain would be illuminating as well.)
July 17, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since there were no doubt many more small donors than large donors the median amount would most likely be smaller than the mean (average).
July 17, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Averages are easily distorted by outliers (compared to medians), so it could be misleading if the average was high (the old one about a group of you, me, and Bill Gates having a high average income), but not if it's low. The median is almost certainly lower than $68, since there are a lot more possible amounts higher than 68 than lower.
The one thing we can derive from the 52 mil /$68 numbers is that there were more than 760,000 donors in June!
July 17, 2008 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Praedor,
The point is that because of the Democrats I actually have a bus to take!! I certainly don't
expect gas to ever ever be cheap again.
AlwaysTip
July 17, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder how the WSJ got it so wrong...
July 17, 2008 9:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Leak" from the Obama camp. I think the lowball number would help future donations by highlighting that Obama isn't some money printing machine who doesn't need my lowly donations when everybody else is carrying the load and my car needs gas and it also lowered expectations so the number announced to day could be celebrated to an extent.
July 17, 2008 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
And yet, I heard the brain trust on Morning Joe talking about how the $52 million was just $2 million more than the $50 million he'd need to stay competitive, so in that sense, the number wasn't so impressive.
July 17, 2008 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
what did the wsj had to say
July 17, 2008 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, with FISA, what other options are there? National Security requires some secrecy, we can't have 100% transparency. FISA works so there is oversight and warrants required, it's the Bush Administration that didn't want ANY constraints on it's power. As for immunity, I'm okay with it for the companies. I think some people hate corporations a little too much. This immunity is for civil suits, not criminal acts. Also, the people in government are the ones who asked (ordered!) the telecoms to give this information and should be locked up. But Obama can't come out and say this, otherwise all the crazies in the GOP and media will say he wants a witch-hunt, etc. He wants to bring Constitutionality back to government. Let's go get those bastards after January 20, 2008.
July 17, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Beeep! Wrong-O. The corporations that you apparently co-worship with Obama CAN do wrong and usually do. In THIS case, the corporations in question not only helped write the ORIGINAL FISA law, they then KNOWINGLY violated it in this case to help spy on Americans all over bejeezus in contravention of that law. THEN they came in and wrote the NEW FISA amendment to give themselves immunity from the ONLY means of getting information (and just punishment) on their illegal acts.
The "this is immunity for civil, not criminal" is hogwash. The statute of limitations kills any chance of criminal probes about 2 months into the next President's term. It is IMPOSSIBLE for there to be criminal probes. It would take 2 months just to finish talking about considering conducting such probes. There will be NO criminal probes of the telecoms (or anyone else for that matter) because there isn't time. Of course, this also ignore the fact (I'll bet you on this too) that Bush will leave office with a BIG FAT BLANKET PARDON for all involved in this and other criminal acts. There will be NO criminal investigations of ANYTHING Bush/Cheney Co has done.
Get that fully implanted into your mind. The Dems SCRAMBLED as fast as they could manage (again and again) to give immunity to telecoms for their KNOWING and EAGER (except for QWest, which was subsequently punished by the Bush Justice Department) violations of the law they helped write in the first place! Immunity is NOT OK and never ever will be OK by any standard. Obama was against it before he became all-in for it. He flat-out promised to filibuster any bill with immunity in it...but where was his promise when rubber met road? His FIRST true act of leadership was to do what? Obey his corporate masters. THAT'S leadership baby! And a so-called "constitutional scholar" no less! My ass.
The lawsuits that Obama actively worked to kill were the ONLY means available to We the People to find out who was spied upon, WHY they were spied upon, what was done in response to the illegal spying, and what has been done with all the illegally acquired information since?
Bet you think the impeachment threat against Nixon was unjust eh? I bet you think an Obama with Nixon-like ("If the president does it then it isn't illegal") power is just fine and dandy so long as the trains run on time. Trust the man and forget the law and the Constitution is it?
This is NOT the "land of the free, home of the brave". Not by a LONG shot.
July 17, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
i'm sorry but the ron paul forums are that way ----->
July 17, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
This guy apparently just showed up today. Think (s)he's for hire?
July 17, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, that's not exactly what he said. See, one of the lessons of this past month is that you have to parse Obama's statements carefully; if you read anything into them that is not explicitly stated, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. And Obama will just say (as he already has), "You weren't listening."
What Obama said was that he would support a filibuster (someone else's filibuster, that is) if the bill included immunity for the telecoms; he never said he would lift a finger to mount a filibuster himself. He was only promising not to vote for cloture.
In the end, he didn't even keep that promise, because he did vote for cloture, but I expect that his escape clause for that is going to be that this was a different bill than the one he was talking about. It's not, really; the differences are largely cosmetic, but it's enough to provide a fig leaf for timid Dems who weren't all that eager to go toe-to-toe with the telecoms anyway.
July 17, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Funny how even with an "order" that they supposedly couldn't say no to (except that Qwest did manage to say no), the telecoms had no problem terminating the taps when the government failed to pay the bill for them. Never mind the Fourth Amendment or their customers' privacy rights, those aren't so important, but profit margins? Sacrosanct!
July 17, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
$52 million IS impressive. Don't let believe the media narrative that it isn't for it IS.
Obama needs to raise on average $50 million per month to reach half a billion dollars and he is on track to do that.
Don't believe the media hype. The media is only spinning this becaue they want a close race but $52 million is DAMN good.
WSJ is a right leaning newspaper and probably just made up the $30 million to try to push the narrative that the enthusiasm for Obama has diminished which it has not overall. Many are upset about the FISA vote but the vast majority are still very enthusiastic to vote for Obama.
July 17, 2008 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
But, but, but... Fogu2 told me that Obama's fundraising was lackluster and that proves that we had picked the wrong nominee. You do not mean to say that he and his fellow concern trolls were merely blowing smoke, do you? Perish the thought...
Seriously, though, I am pleased as punch at this news. I am, however, beginning to get an overinflated sense of my own importance here. In the months when I donate, the totals are impressive. In the months when I do not, the totals are anemic. Evidently everything hinges on me?
July 17, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
Well, from what we hear, your state has picked the winner for the last 100 years, so I think you're right that everything hinges on you! :)
Seriously, his giving up public money has made me more conscientious about hitting that Donate button on his site.
July 17, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Me thinks ye might be a transformed neo-con.
July 17, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree with Obama on his FISA vote, but I have to admit that he didn't skulk around in the dark of night like the current resident. He provided a forum for the debate on his own website. That gives me hope that the law can be changed to respect the Constitution. If John McCain is elected, there is not much hope for the Constitution.
July 17, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's going to depend on Congress to change the law. I wouldn't hold my breath.
July 17, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm stoked he's hauling in money, and I contributed myself.
But even I'm a bit curious about why they wait more than two weeks to announce their numbers. It makes you wonder how they might be "processing" them. If an Obama supporter wonders that, then the Right won't take much convincing that the numbers are exaggerated somehow.
July 17, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
they have made themselves as irrelevant to the money influence now, as they made themselves opinion-irrelevant in the last two or so years.
Opinion-irrelevant? I guess that's why they are hosting Netroots Nation down in Austin with speakers like Wesley Clark, Donna Edwards, Richard Clarke, Howard Dean, Paul Krugman, George Lakoff, Don Siegelman, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Sounds like they are quite relevant to some of the biggest power players in the Democratic Party.
True, Markos was a little silly in talking about withholding his donation, but a lot of diarists on that site also called him out on it. He also didn't tell anyone else what to do, only what he himself was doing. Kossacks are not lemmings, but generally thoughtful and pragmatic, and that is one reason why their influence continues to expand.
July 17, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think we are losing sight of the fact that now the TIA program oh, excuse me, TSP program is now back under the purview of the FISA court.
The affront to the Constitution that has already been committed will not be punished and that is what many progressives are truly angry about. And at any rate, some sort of surveillance was going to continue as well.
Public sentiment is still largely, 'better safe than sorry' on surveillance. Until we do a better job of convincing our neighbors that such devices are not necessary and/or we resolve 'the war on terra', surveillance is here to stay. That is really painful to type, but I think it is the case.
Finally, I've been around long enough to know that the telecomms were never going to have to pay. We're not going to get any perp walk. It's just not gonna happen; not for illegal wiretapping, or torture or any of the grievous affronts to our founding documents. It sucks. I'd like to see it, but it ain't gonna happen.
The best we can do is hope that Cheney can't convince Dubya to blow up Iran before January 20th, and then we can get busy on the hard work of drawing down an occupation in Iraq, winning the war in Afghanistan, bringing our economy out of a deep recession, ameliorating the housing crisis, working to get uninsured Americans quality health insurance, raising the minimum wage to help alleviate extreme poverty, fixing our schools, making college more affordable to all qualified Americans, helping put an end to genocide in Darfur, and perhaps most importantly and most challenging; weaning this country off of fossil fuels and truly addressing climate change.
Yeah... I think there are bigger fish to fry. I can live without a sense of justice against a big multi-national for doing the will of a criminally power hungry executive branch. For now anyway...
July 17, 2008 6:15 PM | Reply | Permalink