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Top Dems: Attack Ads Against Obama Will Just Bring In More Donations
Two of Barack Obama's top surrogates just offered a pretty strong response to the RNC's new round of ads attacking Obama on energy policy: This only encourages his supporters to donate more.
On a conference call with reporters this afternoon, Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio said that they were not worried about Obama's decision to ask donors not to help out with independent expenditure efforts, noting that he has enough supporters to fight back on his own.
"Because Barack Obama has so many small donors," Brown said, "these kinds of ads are just gonna make them want to participate that much more and send another $25 a week, instead of just the $25 a week they were sending."
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Democrats can't get complacent. We actually have to send real money to Obama. Assuming we will, as these elected officials suggest, is a mistake. It will take a concerted and regular effort by campaign to re-energized the donor base.
July 7, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would be interested in knowing whether this is a real phenomenon -- whether the republican ads really do provoke more backlash donations than, say, Hillary attacks did.
July 7, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm suspicious that they were actually citing any empirical evidence, or just spinning.
July 7, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Small donations were and will be more correlated with fervor for the Obama candidacy. It seems excitment among the base (which are also his major small donor pool) has frizzled quite a bit in the last month, for some apparent and for some not-so-apparent reasons.
Obama has to keep people excited and hopeful about his candidacy, for his supporters to not only donate large amount of small amounts but also do engage in grassroot level volunteering and participation.
His 75,000 convention gala will not be a mere gloss but may actually help re-triger excitment which in the past seemed like a movement.
When repugs attack it will be his base who will come to his rescue, provided they don't feel snubbed.
July 7, 2008 3:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a definite possibility, if they ask for it. There was a period of time after Howard Dean was elected DNC chair that donations spiked every time there was a high-profile GOP attack on him, and the effect was real enough that they pretty much stopped hitting him directly in any serious way. I don't expect Republicans to abandon negative attacks in a presidential race (since it's all they've got), but we do have the power to make it hurt them.
July 7, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
You betcha. I had a standing promise to myself to send in $5 every time HRC got unnecessarily snotty. I'll do the same for McCain until I hit my $2300 limit.
July 7, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope this gambit pays off, and isn't subject to the somewhat dimishing enthusiasm, post primary.
July 7, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
My, Jennifer Granholm has certainly changed her tune these days.
She's a hell of a team player, I'll give her that.
I think they're right - the attack ads could have the opposite effect and cause his donations to go up.
Perhaps someone could start an organized response to attack ads with fund raising...-
July 7, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just doubled-down. Who's with me?
July 7, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I ordered two new tee shirts this weekend for a total of $50 . . .
July 7, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess that's what we could call "A Change of Clothes We Can Believe In".
Alright you whipper-snappers, quit your groaning.
July 7, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
By the way Jim Webb just now categorically rejects any VP offer. He does not want to be considered for Veeps.
July 7, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Really?
I like Webb, that is a shame.
July 7, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just as well. Without really knowing either man, it still seems to me that they are too different temperamentally to make that work.
July 7, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see the reason why he must make a public statement at this point, saying he doesn't want to be considered for VP. Interesting timing, considering MSM is all over Obama accusing him of flip-flopping on Iraq.
July 7, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I had not linked those two things- Webb's statement and the GOP attack on Obama's Iraq position. It is curious that he felt the need to make a public statement - maybe there's something we don't know.
July 7, 2008 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Webb said the same thing a month or more ago. He believes he would better serve in the Senate. He may have reiterated his position because of MSM talk, who knows. I had the impression at one point that he might have reconsidered, but sounds like he hasn't.
July 7, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's b.s. Yes, in the height of a real battle, I can see this working. But if it doesn't look like the Obama campaign is both responding vigorously and attacking in its own right, I think there's a real possibility the ads could depress donations. Democrats are conditioned to expect the GOP to attack and their guy to respond lamely. Obama needs to go on the offensive. Then the money will roll in.
July 7, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
James Webb should be our next Secretary of Defense. He has the know-how to handle the tough job of redeploying our combat troops out of Iraq.
July 7, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think too many people are thinking "Okay, he's won already. No need for more support. No need for any more enthusiasm. Now we can get to work picking apart his positions and screaming in outrage and applying pressure to get him to shift his policies in the direction we want, maybe not the best for his campaign or the decision he would make on his own."
Seeing, hearing about people and groups who supported him so far suddenly turning their back, calling him traitor, threatening to cut off support or vote for Nader ............ to those who are just now tuning in, it looks something like this:
"Oh, well. I was getting sort of interested in Obama - seemed like he was really different and hopeful, but so many of the people who were behind him and who know a lot more than we do are getting turned-off and say he a fraud, then I guess I won't bother trying to find out more. At least we know McCains been around a long time and pretty well respected. Better stick with what we know."
The election is NOT over yet.
July 7, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting observation. I hope that isn't happening.
July 7, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I haven't noticed it, myself.
But I'm not in the best position to judge; this part of northern New Mexico is owned lock, stock and barrel, by Barrack Obama.
I'll never forget the 4th of July parade in Arroyo Seco, where they were carrying life-size portraits of Obama. I was sitting next to this woman who told me she was from Wichita, KS - and she was yelling for Obama as loudly as the rest of us. She was not a young woman; she looked like a nice Republican lady from Wichita, KS. She may have started out that way, but on the 4th of July, she was on her feet yelling "Obama!" and "Stop the War!" and all like that cause that was the kind of 4th of July parade I saw this year.
*sigh* sheer fucking bliss.
July 7, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, Tena! The Nation has a big valentine for you, in the form of a story about Texas going blue!
Geez, those Republicans there sound like complete losers, you know?
link: The Nation confirms what Tena's been saying for awhile....
July 7, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
O thank you for that, CT, so much!
{{{{MWAAH!}}}}
July 7, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sigh -- What can I say? I work with a lot of moderate Republicans - appointive big-wigs and their staffs (and Pataki was in office a long time). But a lot of them are what I would consider very likely potential Obama voters. They're interested. No doubt about it. And impressed, enough to get beyond Rev. Wright even.
Unfortunately, they stay up with things enough to hear about the the FISA uproar (which did make MSM) .... and then they back right back off.
"Skittish" -- very skittish. (It may be the same for people who are suspicious of/uncomfortable with the idea of an African-American for president but attracted to Obama otherwise. I can't say there.)
You have to remember,these moderate Republican bought GWB hook, line and sinker back in 2000 (bi-partisan, commpasionate conservative, all that) and now they never mention his name. Probably feel guilty about not having voted for McCain back then. But I think they are ashamed for having supported Bush (and well they should be if they voted for him again in 2004!!)
In theory this should help Obama but it doesn't. I get the feeling they are twice-shy about voting for someone who is relatively new to the national scene and looks (to them) very new, promising. The one thing (they think) you can say about John McCain is that he's tried and true and with him it wouldn't be another case of high hopes that get shot down so very low. ---- And, I suspect, it was bad enough getting 'fooled' by GWB but to go to the extent of voting for a *Democrat* and then winding up with egg on your face? Utterly unthinkable!
Having his supporters NOT act like the election is won and it's time to scrutinize, chop and dice Obama would help a lot also. Certainly people are going to have criticism --- but petition drives? 7,000 member protest groups? That's pretty extreme and it's going to get play in the press.
These are truly nice, reasonable people. In fact, New York moderate Republicans are more likely to back him, more likely to be comfortable about backing him than actual Democrats in some other areas. But in recent weeks there has been a definite pulling away ....... and it sure isn't because McCain is suddently doing a crackerjack job of being exciting and persuasive.
July 7, 2008 5:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
The fad is just about over. BeanieBabyBama is soon to be gathering dust in the basement and sold on eBay for pennies.
It'll be a nice irony that Obama and Ferraro wiii together share footnotes as "firsts".
Clinton's looking pretty good right about now.
July 7, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, particularly Clinton's awesome campaign staff and her phenomenal fund-spending (but sadly, not fund-raising) abilities.
July 7, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Standard Obamic delusion. Money will not buy this election. McCain will equal or better Obama on that point.
Pet Rock Obama is headed for the Clearance bin.
July 7, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Money talks and bullsh*t walks. Time to put on your travelin' shoes, my friend.
July 7, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
How can McCain match Obama in fund raising when he took public financing with a cap of $85M and Obama is on pace to accrue more that $30M a month.
A little research before commenting might be helpful with an effective arguement.
I don't think this election will be bought either but it will be won by the commitment of the millions of donors who Obama will continually pick up. People are fed up and they are putting their money where their mouth is and when the people are energized and mobilized, they will win.
I think Hillary has already got a taste of it and you are tasting it also. This is something you have to get over to be effective yourself, but you might be comfortable with "false" hope. This is what Clinton was counting on with name recognition. Basically, hope without effort equates to the side line collecting splinters, but Obama supports are winners and don't want to sit down or rest until the game is over. These Obama people never rest and you can know what it feels like to win with the type of hope that is backed with a punch.
July 7, 2008 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I agree, her repeated calls for Dems to unify behind Obama are heartening, the mark of a mature team player! :)
“If you care about the issues I care about…then you have to stay with me in the Democratic Party.”
-- HRC, 6-24-08
http://thepage.time.com/excerpts-from-clintons-interview-with-reporters-on-her-first-day-back/
July 7, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
“If you care about the issues I care about…then you have to stay with me in the Democratic Party.”
-- HRC, 6-24-08
Yes....for 2012.
July 7, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
You just showed us your real identity, Einstein. Your true candidate, McBush, will lose.
Your tears are delicious!
July 7, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nope. Don't like McCain...but he's going to win. Obama fucked the Democratic party.He's going to be begging Clinton to be his VP when no one else wants to go down with him and she will rightly tell him to go fuck himself.
You must be sucking someone elses face, sock puppet.
July 7, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
You don't fool me, McCain troll. No true Dem would have an offensive avatar like your gem from months ago making light of slavery (i.e. that "owned" shit).
Slurp!
July 7, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Somebody needs to tell Sherrod a lot of us are having a hard time with $25 a month!
This economy is killing us!
July 7, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure no one expects anyone to give more than is comfortable- perhaps you should take it down a few dollars a month.
$5 or $10 works just as well if things are tight. And by god, let's elect Obama, so maybe the economy can get back onto solid ground, at least. Right now I sense the economy hovering in the air over an abyss, having just run off a cliff, but still having not realized it quite. Like Wile E. Coyote.
July 7, 2008 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah. Like you know anything. Still waiting for your $2.00 gas to come back.
Idiot.
July 7, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Yeah. Like you know anything."
and somehow we're supposed to believe YOU do?
July 7, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tonight i'll be donating $ 5 which is the new minimum allowed to donate on the Obama website. Thank you McCorps for lying, pivoting and being such a bore.
July 7, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
The new minimum? Bwahahaha!
That's a sign right there. The fad is over.
Next!
July 7, 2008 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
On behalf of everyone who will suffer under a McCain Presidency, we salute you. Your faithfulness to a cause greater than our nation - butthurt feelings, keeping darkies out of the White House, and/or maybe because you're just a giant douche - is a beacon to us all.
July 7, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
seriously. you're worse than the idiots who bought W's crap the second time around. the first I could possibly excuse because maybe they didn't know any better. but the second time around... that's just dumb.
but here's this guy coming back for THIRDS!
what a freaking idiot!
fogu2, are you one of those few people who actually are doing better now than eight years ago or are you just another one of the millions of idiots going against their own interests for some 'principled' wedge issue or another??
July 7, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
You left out curtain no. 3 - fogu is a troll.
First fogu trolled for Clinton. Now fogu simply trolls against Obama.
July 7, 2008 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
with no money, no energy and no nothing, all they have left is trolls like fogu.
July 7, 2008 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
you are the only troll I like to respond to because rather than your infantile name calling...I enjoy it when you state the facts straight from your twisted mind...so I can knock them down...I guess w/ your candidate McFuddle's performance today you can only come up with name calling because you don't have any facts to offer up.
I hope you so are much worse off today and perhaps it will only get worse for you when you can no longer keep up the FACT that before long everyone will see thru your FACTS and know as troll you have failed yourself!
July 7, 2008 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Obama camp hasn't released a donation tally for June yet, have they? I suspect there is been some tapering off in small contributions since the primaries ended. If so, they'll probably pick up again around convention time.
July 7, 2008 4:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just made a contribution today and signed up for a monthly.
When you are playing the refs as well as the opposing team you need all the help you can get.
July 7, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course this will all be offset by the lowering of small contributions due to Obama's sudden adoption of right-wing policies.
July 8, 2008 12:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
elizabeth..u nabbed it!!! that is exactly what it seems like to me.....we act as if obama is already CIC...foolish to say the least and presumptively pompous at best!
July 8, 2008 8:40 AM | Reply | Permalink