Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

2016 Postmortem

flpoljunkie

(26,184 posts)

14. Barack Obama only raised 1/3 of his campaign funds from grass roots donors in 2008

Reply to Jefferson23 (Reply #13)

Mon Feb 8, 2016, 05:12 PM

Feb 2016

The Internet Age has dramatically changed fundraising in the ensuing 100 years—or has it? On one hand, then-Sen. Barack Obama was able to tap nearly 4 million individual donors in 2008. On the other, when it came to actual dollars donated, the share coming from small donors was a similar one-third.

Why did these supposedly liberal champions take all this corporate money? Well, there is the little matter of winning. In the 2012 campaign, the first of the Citizens United era, Mitt Romney and his allied super PACs spent just over $1 billion trying to win the White House. How did Obama survive? By spending the same amount, making sure his message could not be drowned out. And as good as Obama’s small-donor base was, it couldn’t produce $1 billion by itself.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/02/08/why_its_ok_to_accept_wall_street_campaign_cash_129584.html

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

20 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Why it's OK to Accept Wall Street Campaign Cash [View all] flpoljunkie Feb 2016 OP

I'd take Eugene Debs over Woodrow Wilson any day. Tierra_y_Libertad Feb 2016 #1

Because influence peddling is really a unicorn and only Bernie supporters believe in it? Motown_Johnny Feb 2016 #2

Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha! MrMickeysMom Feb 2016 #18

When Wall Street crashed in 1929 did the tax payers have to save the banks and allow them liberal_at_heart Feb 2016 #3

Not a year or two before you are planning to run for president cali Feb 2016 #4

Agree it was very poor judgment of Hillary to accept obscene money from Goldman Sachs for speeches. flpoljunkie Feb 2016 #7

+1. n/t Jefferson23 Feb 2016 #9

And, Bill Clinton needs to STFU! flpoljunkie Feb 2016 #17

Third rate intellectual drivel, terrible appeal but he is GREAT for cynics...woohoo. Jefferson23 Feb 2016 #5

Is there anything he said about FDR, Teddy and Obama that's not true? flpoljunkie Feb 2016 #6

You're kidding right? Jefferson23 Feb 2016 #8

Compromise is necessary in a divided government. flpoljunkie Feb 2016 #11

Oh, you mean the compromises to social services during budget deals? No thank you. liberal_at_heart Feb 2016 #12

They do not have to take the money, the recipient is NOT in a better position to Jefferson23 Feb 2016 #13

Barack Obama only raised 1/3 of his campaign funds from grass roots donors in 2008 flpoljunkie Feb 2016 #14

Bernie is proving this wrong. We the people are funding his campaign. liberal_at_heart Feb 2016 #15

Sanders is doing fine, no corporate money. When they take that money they are not Jefferson23 Feb 2016 #16

K & R SunSeeker Feb 2016 #10

WOW The ignorance showing here. Sure, wall street gave FDR $, then they realized the mistake & RiverLover Feb 2016 #19

Both Obama, FDR lost Wall Street support in their second terms. flpoljunkie Feb 2016 #20