Sorry to read this about Biden's first day on the campaign trail.

[rgbecker]

"Mr. Biden spent his first evening as a presidential candidate at the Philadelphia-area home of David L. Cohen, a top executive at Comcast and a former political operative who is one of the Democratic Party’s leading fund-raisers.

Several prominent Pennsylvania politicians were listed as the event’s hosts, who also included Daniel J. Hilferty, the chief executive of the major health insurer Independence Health Group, the parent of Independence Blue Cross.

“It’s gauche to talk about money, so I’m not going to talk about money,” Mr. Cohen said at the fund-raiser, according to a recording of his remarks. “But all I’m going to say is that once again this group has produced an event that is off the charts, beyond anyone’s expectations.”"

Says a lot about where this 2020 race is heading.

As my old friend Kurt used to say: "So it goes."

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. Ditto.

[EveHammond13]

2. Biden can beat trump. Right now that is all that matters.

[Tiggeroshii]

22. He can beat trump, but not bring much coattails

Primarily for this reason

[sarabelle]

59. We bring the coattails. We must all be together on this. I'll be wearing my coat everywhere I go.

[My Name is Url]

24. +

Joseph Robinette Biden can and will defeat Putin's Viceroy in November of next year. This is the Alpha Priority!

[secondwind]

51. Correct! We need all the help we can get!

[UniteFightBack]

3. Are you really sorry though? I have to say the apple doesn't fall far from the candidate tree. nt

[Tiggeroshii]

23. Are you implying that you too are very affectionate and empathetic

Like Biden? If so, that's excellent!!

[EveHammond13]

49. +1

[guillaumeb]

4. Access is important.

And who one listens to is also important.

[ehrnst]

5. Well, at least we know who donated that money.

Other candidates benefit from dark money pacs...

At this point in history, we don't refuse any resources that are legal to defend against the greatest threat to our democratic institutions since the civil war.

[George II]

8. Dark money PACs and huge % of "unitemized" (i.e., anonymous to the public) contributions.

[NYMinute]

31. Like Our Revolution

with hidden donors.

[CentralMass]

29. What is the intent of the donors ? David Cohen has been pushing for a work around on net

neutrality. He is a Comcast exec and lobbyist and has been pushing a concept known as "paid prioritization". They have spent millions lobby against net neutrality with these clever work arounds.

It is not unreasonable for many to wonder what the top Democratic candidate in the field is doing at a $2800 a head fundraiser being given by this guy on day one of his campaign.

I'll vote for Joe Biden if he wins the nomination but this was a a polarizing opening move.

https://gizmodo.com/comcasts-compromise-on-net-neutrality-is-just-the-fcc-r-1824193601

[NYMinute]

32. Bernie and his devotees are making the same mistake as in 2016

Just because someone holds a fundraiser doesn't mean

A) They can donate more than the $2,800 maximum (No matter how much money they have)

and

B) They will get what they want in exchange for donating the money.

Rich people can care about America and want to restore normal order too.

Seeing corruption behind every bush and every person is at best jaded and at worst a deliberate smear.

[CentralMass]

43. I welcome sunlight and investigation of all the candidates financing..

A couple of points from something I am just reading. about.

Regarding Sanders and these recent Dark Money accusations in that Seven Days article.

But as he ramps up his second bid for the presidency, Sanders is drawing support from a "dark money" nonprofit run by close associates and funded, in part, by anonymous six-figure contributions.


I'm going avoid trying to go too deep with this because I suck at it.

However.Sanders has firewalled himself from the pac.
1. Though Sanders orchestrated the launch of Our Revolution in 2016 and raised early money for it, he formally separated himself from it after critics raised concerns about the propriety of a sitting senator working so closely with a 501c4.
2. The "shadowy groups" listed are.
a) A super PAC operated by National Nurses United was responsible for the $300,000 donation. The union, which did not respond to a request for comment, had previously spent nearly $4.8 million on pro-Sanders advertisements during the 2016 election, according to the Center for Responsive Politics

From opensecrets.org
https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/indexpend.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00490375

"Independent Expenditures, Communication Costs and Coordinated Expenses as of December 07, 2017:
Grand Total: $4,979,225
Total For Democrats: $4,979,225
Total Against Democrats: $0
Total For Republicans: $0
Total Against Republicans: $0ixteen Thirty Fund, another D.C.-based progressive nonprofit"

b) This "shadowy group" Sixteen Thirty Fund, that donate $100 000 is D.C.-based progressive nonprofit.

"The Sixteen Thirty Fund is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that serves as a fiscal sponsor for initiatives advocating for change."
How We Help
https://www.sixteenthirtyfund.org/how-we-help/
Their Projects
https://www.sixteenthirtyfund.org/project-directory/

About the Organization
https://www.sixteenthirtyfund.org/about-the-fund/

https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=Sixteen+Thirty+Fund&cycle=2018

I'll stop there and state that the campsign should address this article but these organizations are not dark and shady.

[NYMinute]

44. Firewalled

[CentralMass]

48. I dug up a considerable amount of info on this in a short amount of time.

Including links to opensecrets.org on the groups.

I was trying to quote the SevenDay article from memory.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/will-the-revolution-be-monetized-bernie-sanders-dark-money-org/Content?oid=27314628
The actual quote was."Even if Sanders himself is walled off from the organization, its leaders are surely acquainted with his plans and goals"

Lets take a peak at Comcast

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000461
LOBBYING: $30,382,000 (2017-2018)

REVOLVING DOOR
115 out of 131 Comcast Corp lobbyists in 2017-2018 have previously held government jobs

[ehrnst]

63. Can you dig up the identity of the donor "anymous anonymous" at Our Revolution?

Bernie was so "firewalled" off that Our Revolution "didn't know" that Bernie was planning to run for POTUS in 2020, and thought that he "needed to be convinced?"

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/bernie-sanders-draft-president-2020-primary

Because WHY YES, after all, it's not legal for a dark money PAC to coordinate with a sitting politician.

Shortly after the org "urged him to run" with a fundraiser, the sitting politician drafts the president of that org as his campaign manager.

As long as it's not a 'corporate' dark money pac, then I guess it's OK for the candidate to benefit from their spending. Got it.

Hypothetical question for you about a candidate's ethical culpability in accepting help from corporate dark money superpacs:

Karl Roves' Crossroads GPS coporate superpac runs expensive "issue" ads to smear Bernie Sanders in states to benefit a primary opponent - another Democrat who is making a campaign promise to not take corporate PAC money, and the beneficiary candidate refuses to denounce Crossroads GPS or even comment publicly. That candidate refuses to speak out when their supporters make those ads go viral on social media. We don't know if the beneficiary candidate changes their spending on ads in those markets due to the Crossroads GPS ads smearing the candidate for them - but let's say they didn't.

Would that Candidate truly be keeping their promise concerning monetary support from corporate superpacs, as long as the candidate doesn't say "Thank, you, Crossroads GPS?"

Would they still be above ethical reproach, knowingly benefitting from the corporate super pac without objection, and remaing silent while their supporters spread those ads on social media, because there were no $$ from Crossroads GPS that appear on their donor records?

[CentralMass]

64. No and again as i said i welcome investigations of all the candidates finances.

Including those embracing corporation like Comcast (who spent over $30 million on lobbying last year) right out of the gate.

[ehrnst]

72. So you are answering "no" to this question?

Would they still be above ethical reproach, knowingly benefitting from the corporate super pac without objection, and remaing silent while their supporters spread those ads on social media, because there were no $$ from Crossroads GPS that appear on their donor records?

You're saying that you think such a candidate in that above situation is NOT above ethical reproach?

This means that you think that the candidate is ethically suspect for their silence on such support from corporate superpacs like Crossroads GPS, even if it's not recorded their campaign financial records - as in the hypothetical situation with Bernie's opponent that I posited?

Just making sure that I understand you think that this standard should be applied to ALL candidates, even the one in the example whose financial benefit from Crossroads GPS ad buys would not appear in their campaign finance records?

Please let me know that interpretation of "no" is correct or not.

[LakeArenal]

78. Rec!

[ehrnst]

87. Any response?

Am I correct or not on my understanding of your answer?

[Instant Liberal]

53. 90%. of Biden's donations have been from single donors

of less than $200. Many much less than that so he can go back to that well again.

[roscoeroscoe]

57. Including me

Small donor here. Army enlisted, in other words broke. But I would pay to see Joe in action against Trump day after day.

[ehrnst]

62. So, you're saying a lobbyist took Joe out to dinner, so that means Joe must 'put out' afterwards.

[secondwind]

52. Amen!

[stonecutter357]

6. I'll take Joe Biden over most of the rest anyday !

[elleng]

7. Says only that he'll have resources from lots of places,

along with fact his first day's $$$ appears to have come from many small donors.

'Joe Biden’s presidential campaign announced Friday that it had raised a total of $6.3 million in the first 24 hours of his candidacy—the largest single-day tally for any 2020 candidate thus far.

“That’s more than any other presidential campaign so far,” boasted a note to supporters. The campaign said that 97 percent of online donations were under $200 and that the average online donation was $41. Additionally, they said that a total of 96,926 people contributed and some 61 percent of donations were new and did not come from pre-existing email lists.' https://www.thedailybeast.com/joe-biden-tops-bernie-sanders-first-day-fundraising-tally

[Eko]

9. "former political operative who is one of the Democratic Party's leading fund-raisers."

Sweet! Glad he is on Biden's side and ours!

[LongtimeAZDem]

11. +1

[Mars and Minerva]

13. +1

[rgbecker]

69. David Cohen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_L._Cohen

He'll be a great help. Seems to work for either party. Must know all the players.

[Eko]

71. Yeah, in politics there is sometimes the Bron character who gets things done.

Of course this is totally nothing like anything in the other group who have also voted against Democratic candidates, nothing at all like them. Nowhere close. For some reason or other. I mean you have our revolution and many other Sanders supporters going against Democrats and that is fine right? Right? I seem to remember that there are some people in his campaign now who voted against the last democratic presidential candidate, is that true?

[George II]

10. I'd be willing to be that not a single one exceeded the FEC maximum.

[TeamPooka]

12. Link for source?

[rgbecker]

15. NY Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/26/us/politics/biden-fundraising.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

[TeamPooka]

46. TY

[Indykatie]

14. Big Time Races Require Big Time Money and 2020 is the Biggest Race We've Seen.

Dems can not afford to be out spent. Until the money rules change for every one I'm fine with Biden raising $$$$ where ever he can wants. The purists can die on the campaign finance hill if they want in 2020. There are far scarier things to be concerned about right now.

[rgbecker]

16. Most of the Democratic Candidates have specifically rejected donations

from PACs and Corporate lobbyist.

Hope that Biden joins with the others so we know he won't be tempted to make policy based on money. Will be watching for his statement on this issue.

"Of the top tier of active candidates seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination ― usually identified by pundits to include Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Buttigieg, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) ― only Buttigieg is actively accepting donations from Washington lobbyists. Several lower-profile candidates, including former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, are also taking lobbyist cash.

It’s unclear whether former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading potential candidate who is expected to enter the presidential race soon, will take lobbyist money. A Biden spokesman didn’t respond to an email seeking comment"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pete-buttigieg-only-top-tier-2020-democrat-lobbyist-donations_n_5cbe09d6e4b0f7a84a73681d

Buttigieg announced since this article that he is joining the progressives and returning donations from lobbyists.

[Demsrule86]

26. And they will run out of money...Cuomo will also fund raise for Biden which is huge.

[leftofcool]

37. That is what fund raisers are for

There are good wealthy people out there who are not lobbyists/pacs that hold fundraisers for good candidates. Those candidates won't be beholden to Comcast or some union busting law firm or anyone else of that ilk. Money is not the answer to everything. not even in an election.

[Demsrule86]

39. Biden was in the Senate for years and did not profit on it...I have no issue with

Comcast...doesn't it own MSNBC?

[NYMinute]

34. A lot of them are not planning for the long haul

and probably need money for just a few states before they drop out.

Biden's primary money has to last till the convention.

[Demsrule86]

40. Indeed

[MyNameGoesHere]

50. I hope he takes in cash from anyone willing to part with it

I hope he has million dollar fund raisers everyday, I hope he takes them for every million they have. This is fucking war and it needs to be financed. Squeeze em till they bleed pennies for all I care. It doesn't mean shit and Biden or any of the candidates if elected are free to reject any request for consideration or quid pro quo. Outspend, outsmart, and outfuckery them. War is hell.

[Uncle Joe]

17. Do we have a list yet of who attended?

I'm wondering if credit card industry people were there?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/128793151

Thanks for the thread rgbecker.

[rgbecker]

19. I think they will show for the Delaware gathering.

LOL!

[Demsrule86]

41. I don't know has your candidate provided an itemized list of his contributions yet...

He has a habit of not doing so.

[comradebillyboy]

18. Did they eat canapes too?

[yardwork]

20. It's time for a lot of people to grow up.

[Skittles]

33. fat chance

[NYMinute]

35. I don't think growth is an issue here

It is a not so subtle attempt at an innuendo.

[highplainsdem]

21. Given our current campaign finance system, this does not bother me. I wish our system was

different -- I wish we had much shorter campaigns, with stricter finance limits and taxpayer funding, to level the playing field.

But we don't.

We need to beat Trump. So I hope Biden raises as much money as possible. I felt the same way about Obama's and Clinton's fundraising.

[Lisa0825]

27. Bingo. Nt

[Demsrule86]

25. Haha ...4th post about this...as long as United is the law, we need to raise money.

Sorry your candidate is number two or is it number three in the polls?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

28. If he has the best chance to beat Trump, I don't GAF where he gets his campaign funds

as long as it's all legal and accounted for. I feel the same way about all the candidates. If Bernie Sanders started partying with Goldman Fucking Sachs I wouldn't say a word. The GOP will always have more money and I don't want our candidate to be at a disadvantage on account of a desire to be "pure." Take their money and use it to buy ads, pay campaign staff, and beat Trump.

[EveHammond13]

54. THIS

[AlexSFCA]

30. anything that's needed to beat trump

nothing else matters. Turn down your purity tests, focus people! trump will have billions, enough to saturate all media markets. You need to match the fundraising by ALL means possible - nothing should be off the table. Biden is running general election day one, he is the only candidate who does that and that’s his main selling point. If corps start to coalesce around biden and not trump, it’s a good sign! Dems will vote in the primary for the candidate most likely to beat trump. End of story.

[NYMinute]

36. Laughable post

[Gothmog]

38. The only thing that matters is beating trump

We need to defeat trump.

Link to tweet

Voters who watch Biden’s announcement could picture Biden turning to Trump and scolding him that there aren’t “very fine people” on the neo-Nazi side or going after him for lying about a super-duper health-care plan and falsely promising that plants in Ohio wouldn’t close and that a trade war would be easy to win. The mix of disdain and disgust that Biden evidences when talking about Trump not only channels what Democratic voters are feeling but also serves as a coming-attractions reel for the general election.

One can imagine Biden needling Trump before the primaries even begin. “He complimented Kim Jong Un, and even reportedly told a U.S. envoy to agree to pay a $2 million bill from North Korea for “medical care” of American Otto Warmbier?! How weak, how pathetic is that?” or “Trump ripped little kids at the border from the arms of their mothers. How dare he!”

By putting Trump on defense, showing Democratic primary voters just how scrappy he is, using his foreign-policy credentials and displaying the empathy and decency that he is well-known for, Biden might provoke Trump and thereby make himself the de facto Democratic pugilist against Trump. If by some miracle Trump restrains himself, Biden will nevertheless show that he can land body blows and make it that much harder for Republicans to defend the president.

[Hassler]

42. Sorry going negative is the way to advance your candidate.

It's turning me off to Bernie.

[EveHammond13]

55. burning bridges. guess they can't help themselves.

[highplainsdem]

45. See this thread for articles on Obama going to similar fundraisers thrown by the same person:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/128793687

You wrote that Biden going there "says a lot about where this 2020 race is heading."

I hope it says it's heading toward a Democratic victory.

[betsuni]

47. I bet they nibbled canapes.

From now on Biden has to do everything the "donor class" and the "liberal elites" tell him to do, forever.

[NBachers]

56. There are those here who're beating the Comcast mule, and trying to get it to pull their wagon.

It really hasn't gotten any traction, so they'll just keep flogging it more in hopes that it will.

?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds

[honest.abe]

58. Why sorry??

Dont candidates need money to win?

[Laelth]

60. I'm not sorry.

If we simply keep the electoral college map from 2016 stable and then pull Pennsylvania, we win. Joe is a Pennsylvania native. I don’t blame him for launching his campaign there.

-Laelth

[Kahuna7]

61. Biden doesn't have to march to the beat of Bernie's drum..

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

80. Joe SHOULD, most of Bernies other fellow Democratic candidates adopted his views on campaign finance

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Kahuna7]

84. Whatever! You do you.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

85. No, youre right...thats why Bernie's fellow Democratic candidates have VOLUNTARILY followed his lead

on campaign finance.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Kahuna7]

86. Leave me alone. Okay. nt

[BannonsLiver]

65. You're not sorry, you love it.

Say what you mean. Btw, who is funding Bernie’s dark money group?

As for this cash, i hope it helps him make sure Bernie is not the nominee. Money well spent IMO.

[oasis]

66. 2 Trump appointed SCOTUS judges solidify Citizens United's hold

on U.S. Elections. Many of those who complain about money in politics, are the malcontents who refused to vote for the Democrat.

[Fresh_Start]

67. Didn't bother me at all.

I am not distracted by fake issues.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

68. My favorite part was the union-busting lawyer on the organizing committee.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

81. Don't get that one at all!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[LongtimeAZDem]

70. Sanders staffed his campaign with Jill Stein anti-Democrats, and you're upset about fundraising?

[MineralMan]

73. So, it's bad when people raise money for Democrats?

When did that start?

I thought we wanted Democrats to win elections. That's expensive. From your post:

"David L. Cohen, a top executive at Comcast and a former political operative who is one of the Democratic Party’s leading fund-raisers."

I like people who raise money for Democrats during campaigns. I do.

[rgbecker]

75. So, most of the other Democratic candidates are turning down money and some even

promising not to attend exclusive (Expensive) dinners because....?????

You tell me: They hate good food.
They don't need the money?
They think it looks bad?
They think it might obligate them in the future?
They want people to know they are going to work them for the rather than a bunch of insiders who have bought their attention?




David Cohen is very interested in influencing politicians in either party and very good at it. I think old school Biden is comfortable, like you, in taking his and his friends money and will find a way to make sure David knows he appreciates it.

[betsuni]

74. ...

[INdemo]

76. Obama used a lot of Wall St Resources and when he

was putting together his administration together, it seemed like half of Goldman Sachs just chartered a bus to the White House so Biden has learned from the best.

[rgbecker]

77. It will take a Revolution to cut the apron strings that connect Wall Street to Washington.

I'm hoping Bernie and/or Warren can get it done before we have a serious issue, one that will make 2008 look like just a run of the mill recession.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

79. You seem surprised.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[rgbecker]

82. On the night he announces!

It's like he just got out of the time machine. "What? People have a problem with this?" !!!!

Granted, his supporters on the DU seem to have no problems...."Where ever he can get the money, What do you expect him to do?"

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

83. I expect SOME cheerleading, but at least also admit wen your candidate doesnt meet SOME expectations

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!