I have always given Barack props when it comes to campaigning and to his ability to get his base out to the polls. I never thought that we would have to face him in the general even with his incredible political skills. I always assumed that Hillary’s machine would turn out for her and propel her to the nomination. I was wrong.
Obama had a record January with $32M in donations from 170,000 different sources. It looks like he is set to repeat this feat this month.
Clinton had a stellar year last year with her fund raising, but it seems that those wells have already dried up.
Is this the writing on the wall? Can she self-fund against Obama until Pennsylvania (April)?
The big question is this: Can we complete with Obama after he kills Hillary in the primaries? I have a bad feeling that we ought to be getting ready for 2012 at this time. At least we can pick up some huge wins in the House and Senate in 2010 with a Democratic president..
February 6th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
The piles of cash being raised by the democrats is nothing compared to the problems McCain will have if he gets stuck with the public matching funds limits.
February 6th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
This has been my main point – McCain will not get the funding to keep up. His base of support in the republican party does not consist of the wealthy members (most of whom are fiscal conservatives). He will have to count on rurlal donors and military donors. He doesn’t have a prayer of getting anyhwere near what the dems have available, which means that he will not be able to fend off their attacks, and trust me, the attacks will be coming. This is the guy they have wanted to run against.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
The answer to Obama is one singular question…what exactly have you accomplished in your life?
Then a gazillion follow up questions (if you like) showing how completely brainless he is about the economy, Iraq and a myriad of other things.
If Romney has taught us anything, money can’t buy the love.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Brett,
I am surprised that you are coming to this realization this late in the process. I look back at the way our party has destroyed not only one another’s candidates, but at the way that most people on this site, and beyond, have ridiculed and destroyed the supporters of candidates. It is clearly evident to me that it makes no difference who we nominate, we are going to get destroyed by the Democrats in November. That is one reason I am glad McCain is going to be the nominee, and I hope he chooses Huckabee as the VP, because then, we will have 2 faces to lay the blame to when the GOP goes down in flames in the General Election. Hopefully the party will return to conservative values, rather than let electability trump what the party stands for.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
My 22-year old son, Joel, is an Intelligence Analyst in the Air Force.
He has never had much interest in politics and get annoyed with my obsession sometimes.
But he called me today and said he did one of the “match yourself with your candidates” test and he said that Mitt Romney was his first match by a large margin.
John McCain was way down on the list.
I wouldn’t even count on the military for McCain.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Agreed. Obama will probably win the nomination and decimate us in November.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
#4 Jared, you are right. Electability is what got the Democrats in trouble in 2004.
They chose Kerry because they thought he would win over the people who were strong on national defense.
John McCain is the Republican’s John Kerry.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
the question is, do we WANT to win with someone who would give such a big boost to the centrist, anti-conservative wing of the party?
February 6th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Overhead KILLS campaigns. It almost killed McCain. Her daily cash burn is enormous. The wheels are beginning to fall off of Clinton, Inc.
By the way, if I had known that 35 years of helping the po’, the children and the defenseless would put me in the position to drop $5 million to play politics, I would have tried that career myself.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
The Democrats are seeing that we are heading toward a McCain nomination and they know Obama can beat McCain in his sleep.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Obama is full of crap…I listened to him all weekend…he says absolutely nothing substantial when he talks…just butterflies and cookies.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
If electability was the issue in 2004, there is no way that the Dems would have nominated a stiff boring arrogant fool who called all of our troops war criminals on video tape.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
#11 – “Obama is full of crap…I listened to him all weekend…he says absolutely nothing substantial when he talks…just butterflies and cookies.”
Yeah, that pretty much sums up most conservatives feelings about the McCain/Huckabee campaigns as well. It looks like butterflieas and cookies for everyone.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
“I’m a leader. I commanded the largest squadron in Vie tnam40 years ago.”
That is all he has. He’ll get eaten alive. Jus twait until we see national commercials of McCain saying that Chelsea was ugly because she was the product of Hillary and Janet Reno.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Brett,
I heard them discussing this on the radio today. I guess Hillary has many wealthy donors, but they have given their limit, so she is in a pickle.
It has also not been a secret that the republicans hope to run against Hillary, which I expect is fueling the dem’s support of Obama. I think Obama is a nice guy, but I have serious problems with the fact that he hasn’t done a whole lot and I know it may be petty, but I also have a serious problem with the fact that he smokes and has taken drugs. I think it is a terrible example for kids today, and they might use it as an excuse to say they can do it too and then later become President.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
#12, Kerry wasn’t seriously vetted, he basically coasted to the nomination
February 6th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
14, that attitude is part of why Romney lost. You cannot disrespect his service and pretend that military service has no relationship to leadership.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
#17 – “that attitude is part of why Romney lost. You cannot disrespect his service and pretend that military service has no relationship to leadership”
That is a ludicrous statement! Romney NEVER disrespected McCain’s military service! I challenge you to find one link showing where he did.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
#17,
I promise that Rommey respects McCain’s military experience. I think it is obvious though that Romney has had to split the conservative vote with several people throughout this campaign, and that has seriously contributed to his loss. The same goes for Huckabee. If Rudy had been in this from the beginning, we might have seen him gain prominence. We will never know.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Can we complete with Obama after he kills Hillary in the primaries?
If McCain can make peace with conservatives, yes. He has shown that he’s very effective even on relatively limited funds, against Bush in 2000 as well as Romney this year in the primaries. Part of this is the open access he gives to the media; they love being able to sit shotgun on a campaign bus and riding along with the insurgent campaign, since it makes for a great story. A lot of conservatives fear that the “the media” will turn against the Republican candidate, especially if Obama is the Dem nominee. However, Barack has a reputation for being less than accessible to the media, and his advantage there might be nullified by McCain. Sure, Obama will get glowing coverage, but McCain will get better coverage than a lot of Republicans will, just because he’s willing to chat.
One way that McCain could help himself in the general is to pick a telegenic and accessible VP, which is why I think Giuliani (who is very comfortable dealing with the media after 8 years in NYC) would be a great choice. Sure, I’m a Rudy supported, but part of the reason that I am is that he loves to get out and explain his positions to the press, without backing down, which is something that the Republican party really needs. Huckabee is good in that way too, but I think McCain is trusted more on social issues and guns than he is on economic issues, so the need for Huck would be less. The worst thing that McCain could do would be to pick a boring or uninspiring VP, who would have trouble getting the free coverage that an underfunded campaign sorely needs. Having seen the “Mac and Rudy Show” in operation for the past week, truly enjoying the process of campaigning, I’d have a hard time coming up with a more dynamic running mate for McCain.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
good sensible post Brett…I’m actually shocked…it’s not a Mitt hit piece…what’s going on here? I feel like I’m in another dimension.
BTW – Huck’s main man Chuck was just on Glenn Beck…anybody see that? The guy looks very bad and extremely angry.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
McCain has had tons of free and favorable media, especially from Fox news, so I expect it will continue. I actually like Rudy, but I think picking Rudy would be a big mistake because although he has some fiscally conservative traits, many social conservatives would not vote for him becuase of his pro-life stance and his past personal problems.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
#21
maybe its a sign that Mc and Mitt made a deal and Huck is out
Hahahaha
February 6th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
18 and 19, I hear that attitude all the time on this blog. You may be right about it. My point is that you cannot have that attitude in public and win an election. Maybe that isn’t fair, but its true.
Romney has said again and again that he is the only one who has ran any organization of consequence.
I suggest that commanding a group of fighter aircraft probably is probably more of a management challenge than managing a group of stock speculators.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
#21,
I like the post too. I think it reflects the new nice McCain as well. He thinks he is going to win, and he has to make nice with the other kids.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
#24,
No doubt that McCain’s military experience was good, but Mitt has long time leadership experience in business, as a governor, and in turning around the Olympics, which really was a huge thing, since it was in shambles and almost couldn’t go on.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
So, here’s the plan. We put up John McCain and Mike Huckabee as human sacrifices to the political gods by High Priest Barack, to be eviserated in some Mayan ritual, which based on their open borders immigration position there would be plenty of people who know how to perform (ironic, no?)
That leaves 2012 open for … Mitt.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
26, that is what Mitt should have done: Talked about his experience rather than seeking to compare it to McCain and leave himself open to McCain’s counterpunch again and again.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
mike Says:
February 6th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Obama is full of crap…I listened to him all weekend…he says absolutely nothing substantial when he talks…just butterflies and cookies.
but honesly other than “my friends” and “footsoldier” what does John McCain really say?
February 6th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
I think picking Rudy would be a big mistake because although he has some fiscally conservative traits, many social conservatives would not vote for him becuase of his pro-life stance and his past personal problems.
He wouldn’t be at the top of the ticket, so I’d imagine the reaction would be muted, except for the most die hard among pro-lifers. Rudy was surprisingly successful in courting pro-lifers, and has brought along his conservative legal team to the McCain campaign. When it comes down to it, most pro-life conservatives would probably turn out for McCain over Hillary or Obama no matter who was on the bottom of the ticket. If the campaign looks like it will be terribly under-funded compared to the Democrats, it makes sense to choose someone who will appeal to the center and has some star power (but won’t try to overshadow McCain). I think Rudy fits the bill as well as anyone who is eligible to run (if Schwarzenegger were born in the USA he’d be a slam dunk).
February 6th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
#28,
I think the punches were mutual.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
31, that is what we call bait. Romney should not have taken it during the debates and should not have taken it the weekend before FL.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
#21 I’m actually shocked…it’s not a Mitt hit piece…
Why severe the corpse?
February 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I would not mind seeing Hillary take out a mortgage on the Chappaqua mansion and then have her default so the bank can foreclose. That would really give her a feel for the mortgage crisis. Its all about experience with her.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
And you know what, as long as Hillary is not in the WH, I could care less. People keep saying the Repubs should go out and vote for Hillary to give McCain a shot in November. For all the conservatives, I would argue the opposite. All change your vote to Dems and Obama in the upcoming primaries and you can have the best of all worlds – Hillary defeated, McCain destroyed, and a great shot at 2012. Given the choice, why would you put Hillary rather than Obama in the WH?
February 6th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Has McCain even raised $32 million TOTAL?
February 6th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Just thought I’d add that on ABCNews it was reported that the Clinton campaign staff is also now not being paid. Seems like they blew through their cash thinking they were going to knock Obama out by now.
There has been a lot of talk about managing. I think Obama should get credit for managing/overseeing the best campaign this season (taking into consideration message, strategy, ads, GOTV, fundraising, and recovery from the Clinton win in NH).