Big money on Barack Obama as Hillary Clinton's donors defect

[JimGinPA]

Hillary Clinton's top donors are starting to jump ship, and increasingly they're paddling - checkbooks in hand - toward rival Barack Obama, a Daily News analysis has found.

The review of campaign finance data found that in March alone, some 113 top Clinton funders - namely those who had already given her the maximum $2,300 allowed by law - switched sides and gave to Obama for the first time.

The analysis, performed for The News by the Center for Responsive Politics, found only 26 Obama givers had forked over to Clinton during the same period.

While not exactly a gusher in the context of a Democratic primary that has already shattered fund-raising records, the trickle of donors away from Clinton is another sign of the former First Lady's sinking fortunes - and the likely cascade to Obama.

"Once people think they know who the nominee is going to be, money just streams in," said Stephen Weissman of the Campaign Finance Institute, noting that John Kerry went from being all but penniless to raising $1 million a day after he locked up the Democratic nomination in 2004.

"I think what happened with Kerry will happen with Obama as soon as it becomes clear - and I think it is clear - that he will be the nominee," Weissman added.

Obama's success in chipping away at Clinton's fund-raising base comes as he tries to convince undecided superdelegates that his nomination is inevitable.

Any sense that Clinton's top donors are abandoning her could provide Obama with fresh evidence that he's the candidate most likely to unite the Democratic Party, experts noted.

More at link

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/05/19/2008-05-19_big_money_on_barack_obama_as_hillary_cli.html

[tekisui]

1. I can't wait for April's money numbers.

I was hoping Obama would release them today, set the stage for tomorrow's big day.

[lisa58]

2. Any reason why it's taking this long to release the numbers?

It seems every other months' numbers were released the last day of the month - not April's - just wondering why.

[babylonsister]

3. My theory is

they had a boatload of money donated in April, but don't want to discourage people from contributing by releasing the number sooner than necessary. I've been waiting to hear the numbers, too. I also noticed the Clinton camp hasn't released theirs, but probably for different reasons.

[NotThisTime]

5. I think Obama's numbers are going to be lower than usual & that's why they're not releasing them

Every month they have released the first day of the next month, but this month is different.... it worries me, that perhaps the numbers aren't as high as they have been. I'm sure he's fine on the cash front however, unlike his rival who is 21 million dollars in debt.

[mamalone]

29. I don't think you should worry......

His April numbers were described as "astronomical" by someone in the know:D

[krawhitham]

36. He wants to wait until Wednesday to kill the KY lose in the media

[PoliticalAmazon]

43. I agree. There's a reason why they broke their pattern, and ....

having lower numbers seems to be the most logical explanation.

I know I've quit donating until he settles the issue of whether he will pay off Hillary's campaign debt or not. If he does, I hope he starts a separate fund so that his supporters who don't want to give Hillary any money for any reason will be assured that their donations won't go towards that end.

[roguevalley]

30. he thinks strategically. what a smart man. such a changeover from

the smirk, trying to sputter about economics on the teevee now. he's such a dumbass. :)

[tekisui]

4. They have to release by the 20th.

It is all about timing and controlling the news cycles. My guess is that Obama wants to wait for Hillary to show her numbers and then release his to blow hers out of the water.

[babylonsister]

6. I didn't know that. Thanks for informing. So we should hear soon. nt

[tekisui]

7. By midnight tomorrow....

[4themind]

18. It may also serve to blunt

positive press that hillary may get from Kentucky (similar to them releasing the 55 million dollar record after March 4th)

[tekisui]

20. He'll have Oregon to blunt any positive press from KY.

Tomorrow, KY will be called early, and it's in the East. Hillary will get positive attention for an hour or so, give her (money pitch)speech, then all eyes will be on Oregon's results and Obama's speech from Iowa. It will be all Obama from there. SD's will keep moving, the Pelosi Club will move, fundraising numbers will come out. Obama will trounce Hillary in money. And, we will have two weeks without any "good news" days for Hillary.

[roguevalley]

31. Oregon should count fast since they vote by mail. GO, OREGON!

[Lucky 13]

39. I think he's waiting for Hillary.

His numbers may be down SLIGHTLY from the massive fundraising he did earlier in the year. Compared to his own numbers, April's fundraising will look low. Compared to Hillary's fundraising, he'll look like a rock star.

Hillary's going to wait until the last possible moment to release those numbers hoping that she can trick KY and OR into thinking she's doing better than she is. Tomorrow or the next day I think the numbers MUST be released.

Just my $0.02

[AlinPA]

9. Is it some sort of requirement that they release the numbers or can she keep them quiet?

[tekisui]

10. It's required. And they have to release by the 20th of the following month.

FEC rules, I think.

[symbolman]

8. Bwahahaha!!

Couldnt happen to a nicer person..

Think the Media might finally notice that Clinton Supporters have NO Candidate? Hasn't stopped them so far from propping her up :)

[Rene]

11. i read a du fundraising thread recently where folks were saying they

couldn't send money to du because they were sending their meager $5 and $10 per month to the obama campaign.
That's despicable to take those people's monies thru automated money transfers from their accounts.

[wellstone dem]

13. I hate it when people spend their money the way

they want.

[OzarkDem]

16. and what if they change their mind?

Imagine the nightmare trying to get those withdrawals stopped, especially from an entity that isn't held accountable by law.

[Tatiana]

28. I did automated withdrawals for 6 months last year thru January.

I had no problem stopping the recurring withdrawal.

Now Hillary on the other hand....

[roguevalley]

34. you forgot when Hillary was stealing people's credit cards. Too

bad.

[OzarkDem]

14. Automated money transfers?

Is that legal in campaign financing? If it isn't illegal, it should be. Very, very wrong, but not surprising coming from the greedy, corrupt Obama machine.

[JimGinPA]

17. It Is - But Not Taking Money Without Permission Like Clinton's Campaign Did

[Tesha]

21. You've really lost touch with reality, haven't you?

We pledge to our state party using a monthly debit to our
credit card.

Tesha

[EnviroBat]

24. I'd mistakenly taken this clown off of ignore awhile ago.

But to post something some ridiculous is enough of a reason to put them right back on there. I'd rather read "ignored" than such complete BS.

[Tarheel_Dem]

26. Me too! And boy do I regret it. They offer nothing in the way of positive

support for their candidate, just slams against Obama. I'm sure Obama didn't take a little boy's bicycle & gameboy money. He doesn't have to. The poster lost touch with reality shortly before the OH vote, check the archives (LOL).

[MindMatter]

37. Don't make that mistake again

None of these trolls bring anything useful to the discussion. Leave them all on ignore. They will go away eventually, or not. Doesn't matter either way when they are on ignore.

[Warren DeMontague]

40. "They're coming to take me away, ha ha, hee hee, ho ho...

...to the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time..."

:crazy:

[roguevalley]

35. stolen credit cards. spin that.

[stillcool]

23. I give meager donations

to the Obama Campaign whenever I can. Who are you to judge how I choose to spend that $10.00?

[Independent-Voter]

25. You are a fucking moron. People can sign up and donate how they damn well please.

They (gasp!) can even stop their donations at any time.

[roguevalley]

33. you hate when people do something they want to do? What?

[Adelante]

42. The Clinton campaign doesn't take automatic money transfers?

Sure.

[OzarkDem]

12. More discrimination, more meddling by Dean

what a disappointment he's turned out to be.

What will they say when Obama loses to Clinton in Oregon or when his campaign collapses before he gets to Denver? The Dem party is beginning to look very foolish.

[cali]

15. Sorry, he'll beat her handily in Oregon. And this has NOTHING

to do with Dean. Keep up the distortions and falsehoods. You're time to do it is limited.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

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

[Warren DeMontague]

41. They'll say "Look at that leprechaun fucking that unicorn", that's what they'll say.

Because it's not going to happen.

[Tesha]

22. I don't know if we can "max out", but we're anxious for Obama to be declared the nominee

because we'll certainly be sending some money his way
the moment that happens. (This will be our first con-
tribution to him.)

(Amusing story: Very early in the primary season (back
in 2007), we wrote a $500 check to the Kucinich campaign.
They NEVER CASHED THE CHECK!. Maybe disorgan-
ization is one if the reasons Dennis never gets anywhere
in these campaigns? Well, that's $500 more that can now
be re-targetted to Obama.)

Tesha

[Zachstar]

27. I think it is going to be even worse for Clinton once April's numbers come out.

[Scurrilous]

32. K & R

:thumbsup:

[bvar22]

38. Sending money to the Hillary camapign is EXACTLY like....

...betting on Eight Bells in the upcoming Belmont.