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DEL.ICIO.USObama rolls in big
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We just got off the phone with a jubilant Kirk Dornbush, who is heavily involved in the fundraising for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and had just received word of the Democratic presidential hopeful’s first quarter numbers. You’ll be seeing fuller reports later, but at first wink the numbers are eye-popping.
Obama raised $25 million, only a mill off Sen. Hillary Clinton’s record haul of $26 million and two million more than Republican Mitt Romney first-quarter take. That means Obama raised close to three times what any previous presidential candidate had raised at this time in the cycle, and the details are even more impressive for a relative newcomer to the national stage.
Clinton’s campaign so far has not said how much of the money it raised was designated for the primary campaign, and how much for the general. Dornbush said $23.5 million of Obama’s take is primary money, leading him to confidently predict Obama will have financial parity with Clinton in next year’s huge Feb. 5 primary. If that proves true, the impact could be massive.
Obama’s money came from 100,000 donors - twice the number reported by Clinton. In fact, Dornbush said, the number of internet donors to Obama was greater than Clinton’s total of 50,000 contributors.
And he outraised her on the net: $6.9 million to $4.2 million. Dornbush said 90 percent of the internet money was in contributions of $100 or less, and half of it was in checks of $25 or less.
If it says nothing else, this latest first-quarter report is a clear sign we’re in for the most expensive presidential campaign in history. One story we saw about Romney’s first-quarter report called it “astonishing.” After Obama’s report, maybe we should hold the adjectives until we see what the next quarter brings.
Comments
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By Charles
April 4, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this
People in the 1930s -1960s used to say that African Americans did not have the institutions needed to support themselves because too many were submerged in abject ignorance. I don’t think it was true during those decades. It’s definitely true in the 21st century.
Can anyone show what advantage is there to the masses of African Americans should Senator Barack Obama become president? It would make sense if African Americans had institutions and businesses capable of feeding, clothing, sheltering, educating, and employing themselves. They would be capable of manipulating the system to work in support of African people in all areas of people activities, economics, education, entertainment, labor, law, politics, religion, sex, and war. The political system from this vantage point could work to the advantage and not the disadvantage of African masses here and around the globe.
It makes sense for Europeans Americans to render economic support to Senator Barack Obama. Most of the businesses and institutions in the United States is owned and controlled by white people. This simply means that they can get the system to work even more to their advantage and selected others while overlooking the many needs of our suffering masses. They can also demand that an African American President take a heavy handed approach to Africans and others around the globe. This scenario would be similar to how black governors and mayors govern in the United States. They govern to the detriment of the African Americans masses.
Some African Americans will simply not understand my comment. Other groups of people will choose not understand because they do not want to surrender power. Empowering the masses of African Americans reduces other groups’ power and control over the African American masses.
Meaningful power for any given people is not found in elected office, money, fame, or knowledge. These are the results of a people having true power, and oftentimes bribes given to selected members of a group of people to influence the masses to forgo the pursuit of true power. Real power for African Americans is found in owning businesses and institutions capable of meeting the basic needs of the African American masses and hopefully others.
By MrLiberty
April 4, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this
Please explain to me why money raised should be so important. All these donations just mean that he will be proposing programs that steal money from me and return it to the folks who donated to him. I mean, we know that he has no underlying principles related to upholding the constitution or its limits on government power. Just look at his existing voting record. Don’t get me wrong, neither does Hillary, or virtually all the clowns from the republican or democrat sides.
If money is the only factor, they why do we hold elections? Why not just see who can raise the most and be done with it? That’s all the media cares about. They don’t care what a candidate stands for - and heaven forbid they stand for small government and constitutional limits on power.
Don’t waste any more of your time on the crop of losers that is currently getting the spotlight. America is blessed to have Congressman Ron Paul running for president. He has been reelected to congress 9 times, takes his oath seriously, and has never voted for any bill that he feels violates the constitution. He has consistently voted against the war, has offered up constitutional alternatives, voted against the Patriot Act, and has a voting record that is beyond reproach.
While Mr. Obama is black.
Check out Ron Paul’s site : www.RonPaul.org to find out more about this truly great man. He is finally what this country needs.
By Tara Isom-Smith
April 5, 2007 2:02 PM | Link to this
As an African American, I can honestly say I understand your perspective in terms of our economic development as a whole. There are many changes that need to be done within the race to provide a more positive, productive environment. However, I don’t think the majority of Americans are so in favor for either Hilary or Obama because of their race. The bottom line is Bush is and has done one of the worst jobs at increasing our economy overall. People are tired of the spike in foreclosed homes, gas and other depression era-like resemblances. It won’t matter who gets elected, as long as we can make a comeback to make us the strongest country, as we once were. You made a comment, and I quote, “It makes sense for Europeans Americans to render economic support to Senator Barack Obama. Most of the businesses and institutions in the United States is owned and controlled by white people.” Then is that the reason children dropping out of school at an all time high? What about the unemployment rates? If Caucasians have so much power, why is our country in so much crisis? Not too many people have the guts to verbally attack and point out all of the mistakes that Bush has made, but if Obama becomes president he will be under a microscope simply because he is black. That’s not what this should be about. Ignorance is rampant among us. That’s why people voted for Bush the second term. Whether it is Obama, Hilary or some other candidate, I just hope serious changes will be made, because I for one am worried about our future.
By Charlene
April 9, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
Well Said Tara, and I agree, the bottom line is “whoever becomes the next president - that they have a problem-solving attitude towards some of the main social issues that are fragmenting our society today”, i.e., employment, housing, healthcare, gas prices and crime are among the many! However, it is also true that the “Bush” administration has a proclaim ignorance and arrogance that “WE ALL” will continue to pay for if he remains in office!