Obama attracting more small donors

[TomCADem]

Source: LA Times

esident Obama's next major fundraising filing will show a dramatic increase in the number of small donors so far this year compared with 2008, his campaign said Saturday.

"We had 180,000 contributors at this point in the last campaign; now it's well over 300,000," said spokesman Ben LaBolt in an email previewing the upcoming filing. LaBolt declined to elaborate except to say in his note that the filing will show "small dollar contributors back in greater numbers."

His email came a day after the Los Angeles Times/Tribune reported that the campaign had ramped up its efforts to lure large donors, including a new program called Presidential Partners that asks wealthy individuals to commit to giving $75,800 to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint project of the campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Obama set a high bar in 2008, raising nearly $750 million. Back then, the campaign boasted of the number of small donors who were participating.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-small-donors-20110626,0,6028236.story

[progressoid]

1. Since he's the only D candidate,

there isn't any competition. So wouldn't that naturally facilitate increased numbers?

[Wilms]

2. Plus four years ago he was still thirteen months from the nomination.

So this story is about what? That he's not in the bankers pockets?

[No Elephants]

36. Exactly. People know they are donating to the Democratic Presidential nominee.

[MadMaddie]

27. Not necessarily! It was entirely possible to have the same 2010

response right? I think many are seeing the devastation the Repugs want to continue and they are starting to understand what we are facing.

[No Elephants]

32. Who ran for President in 2010?

You really cannot compare a Presidential election with a mid-term.

[sendero]

39. I see the complete and total uselessness..

... of the Democratic party in Washington and I know what we are facing.

At this point the Wizard of the Universe could not fix this country so who cares who is elected.

[bluestateguy]

3. So much for that meme about alienation of the grass roots base

Oh well, try again with a new meme and hope it sticks.

Toodles!

[Dept of Beer]

5. See reply #1.

[boppers]

8. So, the grass roots for the other candidates are now the grass roots for this one?

Was that your point?

[Dept of Beer]

9. See reply #1.

HE has no challengers. No competition.

[No Elephants]

35. Seems as though the point was, Democratic donors and voters have nowhere else to go.

They can not give at all or give to Obama. Those are the only alternatives.

In 2007=2008, I'm pretty sure I gave over the legal max for individuals giving "hard money." I believe in the EMILY's List acronym (Early Money Is Like Yeast), so I gave close to the legal limit early in the primary and general campaigns. However, I could not stop myself from donating again whenever McCain seemed to be pulling ahead. I figured I'd rather risk jail or a fine than a McCain victory.

This time, I'll consider myself a very loyal Democrat if I make it to the polls and hold my nose with one hand while I fill out my paper ballot with the other. Which I will do, but only because of the Supreme Court.

And, I'll probably kick myself as this country continues to go further to the right, as Republicans vie to "out right" Democrats so voters will be able to tell them apart. Yesteryear's far right conservative is not so very different from today's "moderate" Democrat.

But, what can I say? I ain't brave enough to risk helping put more Scalias on the high court, even it my cowardice hurts my country in the long run. At DU, maybe that makes me okay. In my conscience, I'm not so sure.


Anyway, old habits die hard and I've never voted third party in my life. (Voted for a nutty Indie once, but only because I was very sure he was going to lose.)

[AnneD]

10. I will not be donating this cycle...

Worked OT last time on top of phone banking ect.

I voted for change and all I got was change. He has been nothing but GOP lite. All my time and money goes to local real DEMS. It is the same story with all my teacher friends. Yes, there is a very large disaffected base. I will be voting for the turd in the DC punch bowl.

[savalez]

21. I will and I'll pick up your slack.

Because the political process is and always will be slow-going. Progress takes years and years. Regression, however, is a bit faster and that's all we'll get with R's in charge.

Think you're pissed now? Ha!

[Demonaut]

24. true, I know a great many are less than enchanted but

his second term gives him more time to work on his promises without worrying about reelection...we still need to get back the house too and when that happens I hope we see more change
He's accomplished much...I just wish Harry Reid would use all the tools and means he has at his disposal

[MadMaddie]

28. If we can get true majorities in the House and Senate

He can get everything we want done. Having the Repugs in charge of the House has been devastating.

[No Elephants]

33. It will be a very long time before any Party has the majorities the Dems had 1/2008 to 1/2009 + WH.

Such a shame that opportunity was blown so very badly.

[AnneD]

38. And true change....

Comes from the roots up. Will I stop give....NO.

But I have not seen change that I voted for on the national level. The local level has a greater impact on my life. We have managed to create a series of blue oasis in a very red state because of this. Just the sheer size and number of our reps are having a greater impact that those gelded (word play intended) dems in Washington.

As a longtime dem, this admin has been a great disappointment. It has served to prove that there is not a dimes difference in the parties on the national level. I know that may not sit well on this thread but based on this admins actions, they are just dinos, soon to be as extinct as the rinos.

[No Elephants]

34. Hard to overestimate how many low info voters are out there, both with small $ and with big $.

Every liberal I know who actually keeps up with what goes on is saddened.

But, yes, they will either vote for Obama or stay home because, as Reply 1 implied, Democrats have no other choice. "Lesser of two evils," and all that.

It will be a while before voters clearly say to corporatists "A plague on both your houses."*** (No pun intended.) Meanwhile, they will continue to throw out incumbents from the House and Senate, in the mistaken belief that voting out incumbents will make voters' lives better.

Me? I'll vote for Obama, just in case some Supreme Court Justices dies or retires during the next four year, then hope like hell Obama appoints more liberal. Or, better yet, than whatever "moderates" Obama appoints will do a Justice Stevens.


*** *The small percentage of Americans who ever bother to vote--or even register to vote--however, tells us many Americans have simply given up.

[IntravenousDemilo]

4. And every donation, no matter how small, represents one more vote. n/m

[Tarheel_Dem]

6. I made my first donation of the season, just moments ago. Plan to give monthly...

until I max out. :bounce:

[jasonberlin]

7. GREAT! One of the best presidents ever.

He's an amazing man who's done amazing things. And could do so much more with FAR fewer Republicans in Congress, and more actual Democrats who are not corporate shills.

[deacon]

14. I agree. n/t

[Hotler]

31. Obama is bought and paid for just like the rest of them.

If he was not he would not have so many from Goldman Sachs and GE etc. running the show. Obama and his family is set for life. To hell with the little folks. Flame away.

[McCamy Taylor]

11. The incumbent has a tremendous advantage and I am shocked at how many self described "Democrats"

want to throw that away. As if starting over with some candidate that no one knows from Adam would give the party an advantage over the GOP which will be rolling in soft (foreign) money.

I want a candidate who can win.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Politicub]

18. You must be pretty comfortable with the thought of GOP rule, then

Voting is a right that people can chose to exercise or not.

Hope it works out for you.

For me, the consequences of the 2012 election are deadly serious. We have so many gains that could be lost in a blink.

It would be impossible for me to stand idly by. Not sure how someone whose concerned with justice could do that, actually.

[placton]

20. Please!

spare me the tired argument, that if we don't support GOP LIte, we support GOP with heavy syrup.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

23. And exactly who are being supported if you don't support the current dem president

and to call him GOP lite says a lot methinks but not about him.

[treestar]

26. GOP court picks?

How will that work out for you?

[MadMaddie]

29. 2010! GOP with Heavy syrup!

Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey.....

[deacon]

13. Great! This is important! We don't need no president bachmann. n/t

[BiggJawn]

15. I'm not donating this time.

It's obvious to me he didn't hear the voices of us 5-25 dollar donors because we were being drowned out by the $10,000 "speech" of Raytheon, Boeing, Goldman-Sachs, Pfizer, UHC, etc...

But I'll vote for him, Because a president who's to the right of LBJ is better than one who's to the right of Oliver Cromwell.

[mistertrickster]

16. "More small donors"? That's because they used to be big donors, but

thanks to Republicrat economic policies, they lost ground . . .

[Politicub]

17. He's attracted this donor (again!)

Obama 2012!

:kick:

[placton]

19. Yawn

more press releases for the masses - and of course, no one will report how many who gave last time around (me!) won't give this guy the time of day, much less money or time

[John Paul Jones]

22. I have heard more than one person say that Obama will be the first $Billion candidate....

Romney is pretty good at raising money too. If he gets the nomination, it could very well be a $2 Billion race...

[madrchsod]

25. i won`t send him a penny.

my congress critter needs my penny more than corporatist obama does

[MadMaddie]

30. That works because we need majorities in the House and Senate.

This is how we ensure that things get done.

[Doctor_J]

40. We will never again in your lifetime have bigger majorities than we did in 2009-2011

And they didn't get a fucking thing done. Donate if you want to, but please cut the crap.

[No Elephants]

37. Me, neither. Not him nor the DNC nor anysubdivision of the DNC. Liberals in primaries will.

Not that I will be donating a fortune. Wish I could outgive the Koch brothers, but, alas, my father never got a fortune from Joe Stalin, as Poppy Koch did. (talk about irony!)