Tag Archives: campaign

$1-billion campaign in reach for Obama – latimes.com

Obama and Plouffe set a new record in campaign fundraising for presidential elections back in 2008.. surpassing $750 million.. and largely through small donations and online funding….

Now they’re closing in on the goal of $1 billion for this cycle…..

That’s a looooooooooot of money……. a huge industry all of its own….

$1-billion campaign in reach for Obama – latimes.com:

$1-billion campaign in reach for Obama

President Obama

President Obama campaigns recently in Milwaukee. (Scott Olson / Getty Images / September 22, 2012)

By Matea Gold

October 2, 2012, 2:13 p.m.

WASHINGTON — President Obama is on track to be the first $1-billion candidate.

The notion seemed almost astounding two years ago, when Republican strategists first predicted Obama could raise that much money for his reelection bid. For their part, Obama campaign officials discounted the idea that they were aiming that high, telling donors that their goal was to bring in “north of $750 million.”

Obama surpassed that mark by Aug. 31. By then, he had raised $766 million between his reelection campaign, the Democratic National Committee and two joint fundraising committees, according the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute.

In his 2008 bid, Obama raised $745 million through his campaign and several joint fundraising committees, and more than $100 million more in conjunction with the DNC.

To reach $1 billion this cycle, the president would need to bring in $117 million in both September and October. That seems well within his reach: Obama’s campaign and the DNC together raised nearly $115 million in August. Their take was likely even bigger in September, thanks in part to the Democratic National Convention, where campaign manager Jim Messina urged supporters to embrace a new method of donation via text messaging.

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The Plouffe Fingerprints.

Just a short reflection today – on the baffling campaign of Obama this year – seemingly doing everything right and disciplined so far. From framing the opponent during the summer season, to staying on message, to good planning and timing with ads and rebuttals, to keeping expectations low towards November – to getting out the vote and letting folks feel the fear of more Bushonomics and possibly pointless wars overseas.

And this has the feel of David Plouffe fingerprints all over it. He ran the brilliant campaign in 2008, and then went on leave for two years, which led to the disastrous midterms. Now he’s back, with a low profile, but probably doing most of the strategic work – which shows in the absence of gaffes and crises. Well done.

McCain smacks down Huma’s assailants.

Wow – this is strong and good stuff from McCain. To the rescue of Hillary’s aide Huma!

The allegations are crap.

From his speech:

“Mr. President: Rarely do I come to the floor of this institution to discuss particular individuals. But I understand how painful and injurious it is when a person’s character, reputation, and patriotism are attacked without concern for fact or fairness. It is for that reason that I rise today to speak in defense of Huma Abedin.

(..) “Put simply, Huma represents what is best about America: the daughter of immigrants, who has risen to the highest levels of our government on the basis of her substantial personal merit and her abiding commitment to the American ideals that she embodies so fully. I am proud to know Huma, and to call her my friend.

(..) “To say that the accusations made in both documents are not substantiated by the evidence they offer is to be overly polite and diplomatic about it. It is far better, and more accurate, to talk straight: These allegations about Huma, and the report from which they are drawn, are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable citizen, a dedicated American, and a loyal public servant.

(..) “I have every confidence in Huma’s loyalty to our country, and everyone else should as well. All Americans owe Huma a debt of gratitude for her many years of superior public service. I hope these ugly and unfortunate attacks on her can be immediately brought to an end and put behind us before any further damage is done to a woman, an American, of genuine patriotism and love of country.”

Some smackdown of Michele Bachmann – and possibly a part of a much larger game within the GOP, about who gets to decide the agenda, and what kind of stuff is fair game from now till November.

Read full statement..

Romney laying civility aside.

After the first rounds of “disappointments” and call for apologies – the Romney folks are now ramping up new character assassination plans on Obama.

Hitting back – but the target is different.

From the camp:

“[Romney] has said Obama’s a nice fellow, he’s just in over his head,” the adviser said. “But I think the governor himself believes this latest round of attacks that have impugned his integrity and accused him of being a felon go so far beyond that pale that he’s really disappointed. He believes it’s time to vet the president. He really hasn’t been vetted; McCain didn’t do it.”

“I mean, this is a guy who admitted to cocaine use, had a sweetheart deal with his house in Chicago, and was associated and worked with Rod Blagojevich to get Valerie Jarrett appointed to the Senate,” the adviser said. “The bottom line is there’ll be counterattacks.” 

The problem with this might be – that Obama is very well liked, while Romney is not. Negatives on a well liked person could more easily backfire, and besides – this is old stuff that plays into the hardcore base of already loyal followers. A third thing is that Romney’s problems are tax returns and SEC filings, which is very concrete stuff – still unanswered.

And then you have this:

“[Obama's] policies have been such utter failures, the only thing he can do is to try to destroy a decent man and his wife,” the adviser said. “So he gets some hack political adviser from Chicago who has nothing to point to in her own life, and tells her to call him a felon… When did our politics get to that point? I mean, it’s Nixonian.”

“Nothing to point to” in this context would be generally offensive to many folks who have other priorities in life than careers. And it just reinforces the Romney narrative of distant, unlikable rich guy.

And the Nixon reference is already taken – by Axelrod – pointing to Romneys secrecy and inconsistencies.

Read full story..

Message getting better.

Obamaabc

Build America.

It seems like the message machine for Obama is getting better oiling these days.

From the Hill:

“We’ve gotten a taste of Mr. Romney or Mr. Gingrich or Mr. Santorum’s theories,” Obama said. “We’ve tried it for 10 years. And it resulted in a huge crash that lost us the most jobs since the 1930′s.”

He also said that his proposal to tax millionaires is a “recipe for a fair, sound approach to deficit reduction and rebuilding this country.”

“I think whether it’s Romney or Gingrich or Santorum or any of these folks, the question to ask them is we now have the lowest tax rates in 50 years. We’ve seen the highest increase in income for the very top echelons since the 1920s. And if, in fact, we’re going to reduce our deficit while still investing in those things that we know make America grow, somebody’s got to pay for it,” Obama said.

And even the Laffer Curve, which is in part the whole basis for this “tax cut” mantra – postulates that too low or too high taxes are equally hurtful for the economy.

Obama2012 – still not decided.

From PWire:

In an interview with National Journal, President Obama signaled that he will seek reelection and dismissed as “completely unfounded” reports that he might replace Vice President Biden with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on the 2012 Democratic ticket.

Said Obama: “Obviously, I haven’t made any formal decision, but I feel like I’ve got a lot of work left to do.”

Told that his answer sounded like he was saying “yes,” Obama nodded, then broadly smiled. “Take it as you will,” he said, laughing.

It will probably – as in ’08 – depend on the alternatives, in both parties.

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