Obama raises $150 million (!!!) in September

[J. J.]

I mean, there's no way that it would dominate the news cycle regardless.

But yeah, it probably hurts Obama more than helps him

Of course it helps, and on a day when there no other major Obama story, it would be the lead political story.

I'm struggling to get what your point is.

The Obama campaign delayed the announcement until today because they wanted to keep the donations coming in through October. It's difficult asking people to donate their hard earned money, especially in this climate, when you've just declared you've raised $150m.

Keeping the money coming is much more important than short term news buzz.

Instead of spinning this like it was poorly managed maybe you can just admit you were wrong about Obama losing the money battle and then maybe shut up?

People tend to contribute to a campaign when they think the candidate will win; they won't contribute to a losing campaign because they don't see any return.  A candidate well ahead in fundraising usually doesn't hide it for two weeks.  It does win another news cycle and it makes it look like the candidate will win on election day. 

I've got admit, however, that he won that gamble on the fund raising.

[Verily]

I mean, there's no way that it would dominate the news cycle regardless.

But yeah, it probably hurts Obama more than helps him

Of course it helps, and on a day when there no other major Obama story, it would be the lead political story.

I'm struggling to get what your point is.

The Obama campaign delayed the announcement until today because they wanted to keep the donations coming in through October. It's difficult asking people to donate their hard earned money, especially in this climate, when you've just declared you've raised $150m.

Keeping the money coming is much more important than short term news buzz.

Instead of spinning this like it was poorly managed maybe you can just admit you were wrong about Obama losing the money battle and then maybe shut up?

People tend to contribute to a campaign when they think the candidate will win; they won't contribute to a losing campaign because they don't see any return.  A candidate well ahead in fundraising usually doesn't hide it for two weeks.  It does win another news cycle and it makes it look like the candidate will win on election day. 

I've got admit, however, that he won that gamble on the fund raising.

Then why, oh why, do candidates receive boosts in fundraising when their opponent does something major? McCain got a huge fundraising boost during the DNC (and had to spend it all immediately). Obama got a major fundraising surge when Palin was announced, and when Clinton won each of Pennsylvania and Ohio and Texas. You're just wrong, J. J. People donate when they feel that their candidate needs their help, not when their candidate is riding high.

The difference may be that you're stuck in the old model where most donations are $1,000+ and meant primarily to influence policy in the new administration. In that case, yes, the big-money donors probably donate mostly to winning candidates. But the vast majority of modern donors, particularly those to Obama's campaign (averaging much less than $100 per donor), have no personal stake in having supported the winning Presidential candidate as opposed to the losing one. I agree that a candidate who is hopelessly behind, say, twenty points or so at this point in the campaign, would have dismal fundraising, but I submit that an Obama campaign running six points behind would raise more money than an Obama campaign running six points ahead (depending, of course, on the reasons for being six points behind, but that's the opposite in terms of cause-and-effect).

[freedomburns]

Obama is planning on spending $5 million on the ground in West Virginia in the final two weeks to flip this state.

Where'd you hear that?

I'd be hard pressed to go back and find the source of this information.  If you want, you can consider this a rumor you heard on the interwebs, but I personally think it is more than that.  It also makes tons of sense as a strategy.  If you have this much money, West Virginia has a smal population, and that much money could make a significant impact.

[J. J.]

Obama is planning on spending $5 million on the ground in West Virginia in the final two weeks to flip this state.

Where'd you hear that?

I'd be hard pressed to go back and find the source of this information.  If you want, you can consider this a rumor you heard on the interwebs, but I personally think it is more than that.  It also makes tons of sense as a strategy.  If you have this much money, West Virginia has a smal population, and that much money could make a significant impact.

A reasonable portion of that is in the Pittsburgh media market (some from the Ohio and VA markets), but the one place in PA that Obama hasn't been spending too strongly is Pittsburgh.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Wow. So this answers why it took him so long.

Hey J. J.:

No, it still doesn't make a great deal of sense to announce what is great news on a Sunday morning, when it's overshadowed by the Powell story.

You were constantly saying Obama  delaying his annoucement likely meant it was a disappointing figure. Clearly not the case. Suck it.

[J. J.]

Wow. So this answers why it took him so long.

Hey J. J.:

No, it still doesn't make a great deal of sense to announce what is great news on a Sunday morning, when it's overshadowed by the Powell story.

You were constantly saying Obama  delaying his annoucement likely meant it was a disappointing figure. Clearly not the case. Suck it.

I said that was only reason I could see for downplaying it.  I still can't come up with a reason to do it.  Bizarre.

It's like the announcement of Biden; I still can't figure out why it was done on a Saturday at 3:30 AM.

[Bacon King]

JJ, I think about a half dozen posts have pointed out now that Obama most likely delayed this announcement to the last minute to make sure people kept giving money this month. Do you just not have an opinion on this reasoning or what?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Wow. So this answers why it took him so long.

Hey J. J.:

No, it still doesn't make a great deal of sense to announce what is great news on a Sunday morning, when it's overshadowed by the Powell story.

You were constantly saying Obama  delaying his annoucement likely meant it was a disappointing figure. Clearly not the case. Suck it.

I said that was only reason I could see for downplaying it.  I still can't come up with a reason to do it.  Bizarre.

It's like the announcement of Biden; I still can't figure out why it was done on a Saturday at 3:30 AM.

Who cares? The main thing is he has over $150 million. How that's announced really doesn't matter. $150 million is a lot more important than any media coverage over that.

And also respond to Bacon King.

[LanceMcSteel]

GOP hacks are getting KO'ed left right and center my friends.

[Lunar]

How exactly does Obama spend 5 million dollars a day?  Oh right, by running commercials for Californian's watching VH1's 100 Hottest Bodies of the 90's - during which I may have seen some Obama ads.

[J. J.]

How exactly does Obama spend 5 million dollars a day?  Oh right, by running commercials for Californian's watching VH1's 100 Hottest Bodies of the 90's - during which I may have seen some Obama ads.

If he's smart, he pays off the local ward leaders in Philadelphia. 

[Lunar]

That's pennies though.

[Person Man]

I know, I know.

After him, the deluge. Right?

In this case, the deluge will be green-colored santorum that Mark Summers dumps on J.J.'s head when J.J. states that he doesn't know why all of his predictions have failed.

[J. J.]

JJ, I think about a half dozen posts have pointed out now that Obama most likely delayed this announcement to the last minute to make sure people kept giving money this month. Do you just not have an opinion on this reasoning or what?

Except, it doesn't.  Some people contribute to campaigns because they want to support the winner (some do it for ideology).  It can actually encourage people to donate and it can't be kept secret for the full month.  I think Obama's fund raising will increase after this announcement.

Under this theory it should drop off (and I don't expect that).  There is something else going on.  Maybe his polling showed that he drop if if he'd look like the front runner, so he's downplaying it.

[TheresNoMoney]

Under this theory it should drop off (and I don't expect that).  There is something else going on.  Maybe his polling showed that he drop if if he'd look like the front runner, so he's downplaying it.

No, there is nothing "else going on".  Your posts have been incredibly hackish over the past two weeks.

The truth is that most people don't have much extra money right now to donate to political campaigns. If you read that Obama raised $150 million in September, most people are going to say "He doesn't need my money!" That's just common sense.

[Aizen]

Does anyone here actually listen to J.J.? Seriously. Whenever he argues, I see no other Republicans rushing to his aid. They must be embarrassed of him. J.J. is quite the pathetic character. I almost feel sorry for him.

[cinyc]

Republicans are poor.

McCain isn't taking contributions.  He can't, because he kept his promise to take public financing for the general election campaign.  Obama said he would take public financing if the Republican nominee did, then backed off that pledge. 

[Aizen]

Republicans are poor.

McCain isn't taking contributions.  He can't, because he kept his promise to take public financing for the general election campaign.  Obama said he would take public financing if the Republican nominee did, then backed off that pledge. 

nobody cares

[cinyc]

Republicans are poor.

McCain isn't taking contributions.  He can't, because he kept his promise to take public financing for the general election campaign.  Obama said he would take public financing if the Republican nominee did, then backed off that pledge. 

nobody cares

I am just pointing out a fact.   Perhaps no "progressive" on this board cares, but some people prefer politicians who keep their promises.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Does anyone here actually listen to J.J.? Seriously. Whenever he argues, I see no other Republicans rushing to his aid. They must be embarrassed of him. J.J. is quite the pathetic character. I almost feel sorry for him.

I don't understand why he keeps insisting this crap that even other GOP hacks won't believe. It's not like posting it over and over again will make it come true. I also don't understand his deliberate density (example, his continued extreme misinterpretation of Vorlon's 80% comment despite being corrected a million times.)

[Lief 🗽]

Republicans are poor.

McCain isn't taking contributions.  He can't, because he kept his promise to take public financing for the general election campaign.  Obama said he would take public financing if the Republican nominee did, then backed off that pledge. 

Obama's campaign has been entirely publicly financed. Over 3 million people have donated to his campaign, and the average donation is less than $100. McCain/RNC have taken more corporate/lobbyist contributions than Obama.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Cinyc is still whining over the refusal of the federal funds which absolutely no one except GOP hacks cares about.

[cinyc]

Republicans are poor.

McCain isn't taking contributions.  He can't, because he kept his promise to take public financing for the general election campaign.  Obama said he would take public financing if the Republican nominee did, then backed off that pledge. 

Obama's campaign has been entirely publicly financed. Over 3 million people have donated to his campaign, and the average donation is less than $100. McCain/RNC have taken more corporate/lobbyist contributions than Obama.

You darn well know what I'm talking about, Lief.  Stop being dense.  Obama agreed to opt into the public campaign financing system in the general election if the Republican candidate did so.  He reneged on that promise.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Republicans are poor.

McCain isn't taking contributions.  He can't, because he kept his promise to take public financing for the general election campaign.  Obama said he would take public financing if the Republican nominee did, then backed off that pledge. 

Obama's campaign has been entirely publicly financed. Over 3 million people have donated to his campaign, and the average donation is less than $100. McCain/RNC have taken more corporate/lobbyist contributions than Obama.

You darn well know what I'm talking about, Lief.  Stop being dense.  Obama agreed to opt into the public campaign financing system in the general election if the Republican candidate did so.  He reneged on that promise.

What has two thumbs and doesn't give a sh!t?

*points to self*

This guy. As well as millions of other Americans and basically everyone who isn't a Republican.

[cinyc]

Cinyc is still whining over the refusal of the federal funds which absolutely no one except GOP hacks cares about.

I'm not whining about anything.  Just stating a fact.  If you don't like it, please put me on ignore.  This place can be as much of an Obama echo chamber as you want it to be.  Dissenting from the Obama party line isn't whining.