Obama's Money Can't Buy Clinton's Honey

[rinsd]

By: Peter A. Brown
Jul 14, 2007 09:00 AM EST


Money, goes the old adage, is more important to those who don't have it. That might explain why the news media has decided Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's very impressive fundraising has greatly increased his odds of stopping New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s drive toward the Democratic presidential nomination.

As important as cash can be in campaigns, it has less clout in winning the party nod than longtime support among the primary electorate and decades of good will built up with party, union and Democratic-affiliated group leaders.

All this is a way of suggesting that we take a deep breath before deciding that because Obama is the king of fundraising Clinton is no longer the big favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Yes, it is impressive that he raised 50 percent more in the past three months than she did, especially given that Clinton has an enhanced version of the money machine that made her husband, Bill, president. But her $21 million haul doesn’t put her in the poorhouse.

Nevertheless, Obama's money numbers are not as impressive as the large lead Clinton holds among Democratic primary voters, who seem to view her in awe, much like the way Nancy Reagan regarded Ronnie when she put on that adoring gaze.

The idea that Obama is now on equal footing with Clinton because of his fundraising power is a great story. It certainly appeals to a news media that loves the storyline of the first serious woman contender against the first serious black contender for the presidency.

It makes a good story, but it just ain't so.

More at the link - http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/4910.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. That title is offensive!

And titillating!

:wow:

[aquart]

2. "Awe." These are our top tier, two most serious contenders.

I am just going to bathe in the glory for a moment and then just smile all day. My man is third, but this list is so pretty I don't care.

On edit: Just occurred to me, not once have I heard a word about Hillary's hair. Edwards' haircut, but not a damn thing about Hillary's hair. We're bitching about her policies, not her looks. This feels as good as the day I realized I was walking without my cane and hadn't noticed.

[AlCzervik]

3. crissakes what a headline filled with innuendo. Blech.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. Who is Peter A. Brown?

:shrug:

[David Dunham]

6. The author is absolutely correct. Obama's money won't buy votes.

[Tellurian]

7. Precicely!

Well said: :rofl:

"His (Obama's) major problem is that Clinton may well be unpopular with tens of millions of Americans, but not very many of them are Democratic primary voters.

The New York senator has even stronger support within the Democratic infrastructure -- party, union and Democratic-affiliated group-leaders -- than she does among the overall electorate.

And, among those teachers, government workers, environmentalists, lawyers, union members, single and working women, gays, and African-Americans who make up the core of the Democratic primary vote, she is very, very well-liked."

I guess, these are the Alpha-consumers that some nimrod spoke to me about in another thread. Apparently, they aren't ALL for the vacuous Obama!

[durrrty libby]

9. This morning on the Chris Matthews show, one of the panelists

had some interesting info on the number of Obama donors

He stated that every sale counted as a "donor." If someone bought a $2.00 bumper sticker.

that was considered a "donor"

Politicians are tricky

[wyldwolf]

10. yeah, I've dropped that little tid bit in several threads, but so far no one has challenged it

He padded his donor numbers like he padded his resume.

[TeamJordan23]

21. Maybe check out the FEC rules. Everyone campaign has to report it as a donor. nm

[Tellurian]

16. I've relegated Obama to a Snake in the grass...

because that is exactly what he is!

He's never done a ding dang thing for anyone, except for himself!

:puke:on Obama!

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

17. On a lighter note

Do you have a dart board with a picture of Barack Obama on it?

[Tellurian]

18. nope, just this one!

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

24. Why the hate for Eddie Murray?

It's obvious you don't like Senator Obama, but what did Eddie Murray do? You must be a Phillies fan then.

[Colobo]

22. She has a voodoo doll...

[Tellurian]

26. ....

[TeamJordan23]

19. Maybe you should read the FEC rules. It is a requirement by law. nm

[draft_mario_cuomo]

27. That cartoon...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Cameron27]

5. Offensive headline Mr. Brown.

[Ethelk2044]

8. Keep dreaming nor will Bill Standing by Hillary

People are tired of the same old Politics. She can not get invited to osme functions until Bill has to pull strings to get her invited. You ask yourself why? Because people are sick of her Pandering. People see it over and over again. People are drawn to Obama because they are sick of the tired old games. They thought Bill coming out the trail with her would get record numbers in attendance. It did not happen. They need to realize people are not fools and she is no Bill.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wyldwolf]

13. anything to this aside from your wishful thinking?

[durrrty libby]

14. Major delusion and lies going on in that post.. I see the rest of the

sewage you posted is gone.

[LWolf]

12. And neither his money nor her "honey" buys my vote, lol.

:rofl:

[GeorgeGist]

15. politico?

:rofl:

[Colobo]

20. What a sexist title.

[illinoisprogressive]

23. what a stupid title for an article ( I know the poster did not make it up.)

[DrFunkenstein]

25. When Clinton Starts Pulling Ahead in Iowa, Tell Me About the "Awe" Factor

The reason, supposedly, that fundraising is important this primary season is because it allows the candidates to survive losses. While a win in an early state will bring in a bunch of new cash, it doesn't have to be a death knell if the candidate has enough cash to hang in for the next round.

Edwards will be in it deep if he doesn't deliver in Iowa. Clinton and Obama can weather it at this point.

Reality check aside, this article is garbage on so many levels, most of them journalistic. For one, Mr. Peter Brown bemoans the "news media" who love "fundraising power" as a storyline, but his own article relies extremely heavily on national polls. I guess the "news media" doesn't like them as much. Its pretty much a horserace story whining about other types of horserace stories.

Did I mention that this guy is the assistant director of the poll that he cites as the most reliable indicator of Democratic sentiment?

[saltpoint]

28. Polling leads tend to be volatile.

Sometimes primary voters go with tried and true establishmentarians. Other times they go for the upstart.

We'll have to wait to see what happens.