Romney Racks Up Huge Cash Advantage Over Obama

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

Mitt Romney's cash advantage over President Obama and the Democrats more than doubled in July, as intense Republican fund-raising and heavy spending by Mr. Obama and his allies left Mr. Romney and the Republican National Committee with $62 million more in the bank than the Democrats at the end of last month.

Mr. Obama's campaign and the Democratic National Committee spent $91 million in July, significantly more than the $75 million the Democrats raised, underscoring the investments Mr. Obama made in technology and field staff as well as nearly $40 million his campaign spent on advertising that month. While Mr. Romney continued to husband his resources for the fall -he spent less than half of what Mr. Obama did on advertising -conservative "super PACs" and other outside groups stepped into the breach, spending millions of dollars on ads attacking Mr. Obama.

Read more: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/us/politics/romney-racks-up-huge-cash-advantage-over-obama.xml

[Monk06]

1. They can spend all the money they want at this point I think everybody's mind is made up.

The show is over all that's left is the encore.

[davidpdx]

2. I disagree

While money isn't the only thing that will decide the race, turnout will. We need to have a really good turnout of D voters. The R side has shown signs of apathy especially with the hard right wingers. Also there are a lot of independents which will be important.

My thinking is at some point the large amount of money and ads by Romney will backfire.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. I agree with you. People may start to tune out the ads. The bad side is that they also may tune out

the Obama/Democratic Party ads.

Let me put it this way: I live in Maryland which is a very BLUE state, thank goodness. However, we get ads targeted to Virginia voters. Every other commercial is an ad, and Robme ads outnumber Obama/Democratic ads by a very large ratio. And still, it's either tied in Virginia or Obama leads by a small margin.

If Robme is spending all this money in VA and it's STILL tied or Obama ahead, that tells me that money carries with it diminishing returns. There are only so many ads to be run. At some point, people get tired of them and start to tune out. I turn the station each and every time a Robme ad airs.

[davidpdx]

13. I would be so annoyed if I had to put up with that many ads

I don't know how you maintain your sanity. As I've said before, I'm overseas and only see ads occasionally on the news or if I decide to watch one online. Otherwise it's almost like being in a sound proof room given I don't have to put up with them.

[alp227]

21. Try watching the Baltimore instead of DC stations for Maryland ads.

[amandabeech]

22. I live in the Maryland suburbs of DC and I've tuned out or turned the TV off.

I just can't stand it.

I know it is important to win the senate seat and the electoral college votes, but my vote is secure.

I don't come into regular contact with folks from nothern va., but if they're like me, they've had it, too.

[Monk06]

9. Personally I think these campaign stops with small audiences and restricted media access are going

to trump (sorry for swearing), large dollar campaign ads. Romney is hopeless at pressing the flesh in small crowds. Truth is he just doesn't like being among average working Americans. To him it's like the CEO hanging out with the office staff.

His big attack ads after the convention will just make him look even more remote and out of touch.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

3. So, Robme has more money! So, what! Last week while working the ground in Virginia, I learned that

we have MORE people!!

Besides, they have more money, but shouldn't they be up on Obama by 5 points? 10 points? More?

They're not.

So, let's get out and work to get our people out to vote! Let's do all we can...

[RBInMaine]

4. Very good post.

[wordpix]

8. +10000

[cleduc]

11. There were a number of states where Romney

was behind in the primaries with 2-3 weeks to go

They blasted the area with nasty, dishonest ads and moved the needle enough for him to win - in some cases, handily.

I wouldn't get complacent. They're saving up for hammering Obama with so many lies as the election gets close, the Obama campaign won't be able to respond to them all.

When you consider what they're doing with voter ID, voting hours, etc, and a number of states that have GOP administrations, you can't even trust the polls.

Obama and the Dems need everything you've got in terms of effort, etc.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. I agree with you and don't mean to suggest that we don't have a tough road ahead.

I'm working in Virginia and it's tough. Sad to say and hard to believe, but it looks like Tim Kaine will lose to racist asshole. But, that's where we are. Virginia is a state that has started to celebrate the confederacy.

And while I admit that living in a Sea of Blue in D.C./Maryland sometimes insulates me about what's going on, I totally get it. When I step foot in Virginia to go door to door only to have people slam it in my face or sic their dogs after me, I know that it won't be easy getting Obama elected.

The voter suppression really terrifies me, not so much due to the laws themselves, but the possibility that people will become apathetic or give up, thinking that their vote won't count.

Yes, we must not be complacent. This is serious.

[daybranch]

18. Of course we have more people, we had more people on the ground in 2004 too.

At this point due to changes in techgnology , we need even more people. We must contact as many as possible. We must knocko more doors and change our canvasses to find those we missed last time. W must plan better, We each must help the inexperienced and must keep on building their enthusiasm . We must share and adapt the lessons of the past to improe the success of today. Start your get out the vote weekend sign up now. Start your vote by mail campaigns now to fight the voter suppression. Like business, we shoud have done everything yesterday. Well today is that yesterday, so lets do it now to reinvent tomorrow. Ohio for Obama and Sherrod Brown and for the people!!!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

20. See my post, #19. I'm very active in VA and in no way, shape, or form did I suggest

that we be complacent.

However, I still think that money is fungible and has diminishing returns. We are weak in the money game. We are not weak when it comes to the people on the ground. Even discounting the apathy, we still win in this area and that's why there is widespread voter suppression.

[Tom Ripley]

5. Well, they do have a very big hole to fill

[Drunken Irishman]

7. This advantage is pointless...

Look at the New York Times trying to spin it!

Obama is raising a ton of cash. Romney is raising more. But you reach a point where it becomes irrelevant. It only hurts a campaign when they're not raising cash to spend. Whether it's $100 million or $70 million, you can get to the point where you're spending just for the sake of spending.

Of course, the Times won't mention that because they want to drive home the narrative Romney is just absolutely destroying Obama in fundraising. Lots of people here will lop it up and freak out and come September or October, it's not going to matter. The money race is only a factor when your candidate isn't raising any and Obama is doing just fine.

[grantcart]

23. Not only that but

1) Media buy out

In many of the key swing markets they are reporting that all of the best times close to the election are already sold out.

Romney will be left with other less potent media buys.

2) Saturation.

They will be running ads at a time when eveyone, even DU will be so sick of it that they will click off.



They know this so what could be the reason that he is sitting on his cash?

Could it be that he plans to end the campaign with a huge war chest? He can't be that stupid, can he?

[lonestarnot]

10. I hope they waste their last fucking dollar.

[James48]

12. Mitt Romney campaign spent $500 at Chick-fil-A

Campaign finance reports say:

Mitt Romney campaign spent $500 at Chick-fil-A.

This was before August 1. Romney, of course, tried to distance himself from the whole thing- but it turns out his campaign spent it there.

See http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79912.html?hp=r1

[davidpdx]

14. I'm wondering how much of this is primary and how much is general election

Now that he is the presumptive nominee he can collect money for the GE but can't spend it until after the convention. Anyone have a break down of that???

[TrogL]

15. I'm confused. Two threads above this one on the front page it says Obama raised $9 million more

[emilyg]

16. Good - I'm confused, too.

[JNelson6563]

17. So which one's right?

This story or this story? http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014201305