GOP fears Obama's money machine

[Dardedar]

GOP fears Obama's money machine

Jeanne Cummings Thu Jun 5, 2008

With Hillary Clinton’s campaign coming to an end this weekend, Barack Obama’s rise as the Democratic nominee brings serious bad news to a new group — John McCain’s finance team.

A review of campaign finance data offers not one ounce of good news and barely any hope for the McCain campaign’s ability to compete with Obama’s fundraising prowess.

To make matters worse, Obama’s campaign, which raised $272 million through April for the primary, now is reaching out to Clinton’s fundraisers, who raised another $200 million through April, in an effort to unite forces and bury the historically deep-pocketed Republicans.

Take a look at some of the numbers:

• If each of Obama’s donors gave him a modest $250, he’d have $375 million to spend during the two-month general election sprint. That’s $186 million a month; $47 million a week.

• During the same September to Nov. 4th period, McCain will have about $85 million to spend since he has decided to take taxpayer money to help finance his campaign activities.

• The Republican National Committee, which is charged with closing the gap between McCain and Obama, has $40 million in cash. Obama raised almost as much — $31 million – from just his small donors in the month of February. His total for the month, $57 million, exceeded the RNC’s cash balance.

• Obama has more than 1.5 million donors; McCain has a few hundred thousand. If just a million of Obama’s donors sent him the maximum donation, $2,300, he could raise $2.3 billion.

Ok, that’s not going to happen. But campaign finance experts and Democratic fundraisers say a conservative estimate of Obama’s general election fundraising potential hovers around or above $300 million.

Such a massive financial advantage will allow Obama to compete in more states than McCain and force his rival to defend states that should rightfully be Republican wins.

Obama’s use of such tactics has already been on display in the primary.

Pennsylvania was a must-win for Clinton and, given its large population of working class Democrats and women, was a long-shot for Obama.

Still, he spent $10 million advertising in the Keystone State. Why? He forced Clinton to spend all her money and much of her time there to ensure she pocketed a ten-point win.

Meanwhile, Obama moved ahead of her to the next set of equally critical primary states. He pulled ahead of her in North Carolina, squeezed the gap in Indiana, and essentially ended any hope of a then-bankrupt Clinton to overtake him in the delegate race.

In the general election, Obama could afford to set up large operations in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, New Mexico and a host of other states – maybe even McCain’s own Arizona..

That would force McCain to pick the mid-size state battles he could afford while also trying to hold off a free-spending Obama in such essential big states as Ohio, Missouri and Florida.

“McCain has to make every dollar count in the general election and Obama will have money to burn,” said Evan Tracey, co-founder of Campaign Media Analysis Group.

The financial gap between the two presumed nominees was also on display during the primaries. Obama spent $75 million on television advertising; McCain spent $11 million, according to Tracey.

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[Barbara Fitzpatrick]

Unfortunately, McCain doesn't have to spend one dime to appeal to the lowest Americans out there, who will storm to the poles and vote for ANYBODY who isn't black. Outside the little oasis that is Fayetteville, we live in a region where folks don't even pretty it up by saying "black" when expressing their determination not to vote for a person of color. Obama is going to need every cent he can raise - fortunately he IS good at raising money - to pull off this election. And while I don't really care for him, I will be one of those donors because this election may be our last chance - at a sane economy, at democrasy, at civilized life on this planet for my grandkids. It's just too important - but it won't be easy (even though it should be).