Defense Industry Embraces Democrats, Hillary By Far The Favorite

The defense industry this year abandoned its decade-long commitment to the Republican Party, funneling the lion share of its contributions to Democratic presidential candidates, especially to Hillary Clinton who far out-paced all her competitors.

An examination of contributions of $500 or more, using the Huffington Post's Fundrace website, shows that employees of the top five arms makers - Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop-Grumman, Raytheon and General Dynamics -- gave Democratic presidential candidates $103,900, with only $86,800 going to Republicans.

Senator Clinton took in $52,600, more than half of the total going to all Democrats, and a figure equaling 60 percent of the sum going to the entire GOP field. Her closest competitor for defense industry money is former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R.), who raised $32,000.

Insofar as defense workers making political donations reflect the interests of their employers, the contributions clearly suggest that the arms industry has reach the conclusion that Democratic prospects for 2008 are very good indeed. Since their profits are so heavily dependent on government contracts, companies in this field want to be sure they do not have hostile relations with the White House.

The strong support for Clinton indicates that a majority of defense industry executives currently believe Clinton is a favorite to win the Democratic nomination and, in November, 2008, the general election.

In the 2004 presidential race, defense company workers, almost all of them upper-level employees, gave George W. Bush $819,358, more than twice the $366,870 received by John Kerry. Similarly, in House and Senate races over the past 10 years, the defense industry has favored Republicans over Democrats by a 3-2 margin.

Republicans holding public office almost always provide much stronger support for weapons programs and other Pentagon spending than do Democrats.

In an unexpected development, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee and a decorated Vietnam War veteran, raised just $19,200, barely more than the $18,500 collected by Texas Representative Ron Paul (R.).

No other Democrat came near Clinton's totals. Running second to her in the competition for Pentagon contractors' cash was Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn), who raised $13,200, almost all from executives of General Dynamics which has a major submarine building facility in Groton, Conn.

Former Senator John Edwards (D-N. Car.) raised $12,200 and Illinois Senator Barack Obama (D) took in $10,000.

Clinton's major industry benefactors - donors who gave the $4,600 maximum allowed by law -- include Roger A. Crone, Boeing's president of Network and Space Systems; Stanley Roth, Boeing's Vice President for Asia, International Relations, $4,600; Anne Sullivan, a Raytheon attorney; William Lynn, Raytheon's Senior Vice President for Government Relations; and Michele Kang, Northrop Grumman Vice President for health science solutions.

Comments

[ConcernAmerican]

The title of this news is MISLEADING. Why reporters can't make the title accurate? It is the employees of the company giving a lot of donation to the campaign of Hillary Clinton. These are individuals giving a few hundred for her campaign.

If I only read the title without reading the content, I would believe its the company giving donation directly to Hillary.

Please don't mislead the readers.

[WindyCity]

Maybe it's something more elementary, my dear Watson, having nothing to do with a seismic shift in how the defense biz regards either party. A Democrat who works in the defense biz is reasonably likely to give $ to Hillary at this stage because she's right now the ranking nominee and/or because the donor LIKES her. A Republican who works in the defense biz is, we have to assume, more likely to be undecided and is taking a wait-and-see before giving to ANYBODY in GOP. And/or because none of the GOP candidates are appealing. As far as I can see, there's no apparent evidence that any party CROSSOVER is taking place, only that one race is more in-play than the other.

[TankerRat]

Very, very, very astute WindyCity. Indeed an excellent analysis. Than You.

[ryanjones2006]

Glad to see our next president has the support she needs to combat Terrorism from infiltrating American ground again.

This should help us sleep easier at night.

[CarlyCorday]

"Glad to see our next president has the support she needs to combat Terrorism from infiltrating American ground again.

This should help us sleep easier at night."

By "us" you don't mean troops and troop families, of course. How nice for the rest of "us," though. Not that we are safer, but that we sleep good, thinking we are. That alone is worth 900 troop-lives a year till the end of time, easy.

[TankerRat]

"She" ryan. I think not. The R's are lying low right now but if you'd care to look around a bit you might discover that "she" is in big time trouble. And deservedly so. As a previous poster said. No More Dynasties.
Bush in a Skirt will not become POTUS. You can place a large bet on that.

[Giordano Bruno]

Here it is once again. Evidence of huge conflict of interest. She is not a candidate for a new direction. Just new rhetoric. She is a harsher and more hawkish liberal. The military industrial complex feels comfortable with her. Kind of makes me want to run for the hills. Wake up America. We cannot afford another proponent of the status quo. Fundamental change is needed, and frankly, I don't see Mrs. Clinton as even close to that threshold. Smarmy is the descriptive terms my teenage patients use which seems to be the best description of HRC. Giordano

[otispfudpucker]

Hi Giordano

check this out
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/10/sandy_berger_and_the_real_hill.html

Otis P:)

[jdfast]

Good read. Almost sounds like Rudy's neocon advisor list doesn't it.

[SensibleAmerican]

Bruno and otisfudgepacker, you really have to stop quoting the Nader playbook and try something new and authentic ... really ... ok, just try ...

[Giordano Bruno]

SensibleAmerican. Sounds like you are kind of an oxymoron based on America's recent "sensibilities". Nevertheless, Otis and I have room in our tent for the likes of Ralph Nader. If you are a Hillary groupie, I have nothing against that. This country is full of good people who are swindled by slick politicians who purposely use ambiguous rhetoric to avoid offending various stakeholders. The only trouble is that politicians who are afraid to offend eventually end up being custodians of the office, and are rarely leaders. I think both Otis and I are looking for leadership. Mrs. Clinton is a follower, not a leader, and her campaign staff demonstrates that she has surrounded herself with some questionable cronies. Hillary, meet George, Kettle, meet pot. I think Mr. Obama might have been too kind by calling her Bush Cheney light.

Giordano

[OhPlease2007]

Uh, yeah, ... why do you think Hillary is so hawkish in her neocon enabling political stances ???

Give up ? I'll give you a clue ... Read on!

U.S. Arming of Israel: How U.S. Weapons Manufacturers Profit From Middle East Conflict

"Israel's relationship with the United States is unique in a number of ways. And one of those ways is that essentially the United States provides 20% of the Israeli military budget on an annual basis, and then about 70% of that money that is given from the United States, from U.S. taxpayers, to Israel is then spent on weapons from Lockheed Martin and Boeing and Raytheon. Most other countries don't have that sort of cash relationship, where they go straight to U.S. corporations with U.S. money to buy weapons that are then used in the Occupied Territories and against Lebanon."

- Frida Berrigan, Senior Research Associate with the Arms Trade Resource Center at the World Policy Institute, 07/21/06

SOURCE: Democracy Now! (U.S. Arming of Israel: How U.S. Weapons Manufacturers Profit From Middle East Conflict, Friday July 21, 2006)

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/21/1432202&mode=thread&tid=25

[otispfudpucker]

Well it is for the United States of Israel.
Didn't Sharon say "Israel owns America"?
They also own Killary
check this out
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/10/sandy_berger_and_the_real_hill.html

After you check that out then I dare for any one to say she is not Bush like or worse.

[plages]

Just like the communists in Yugoslavia, one day an avowed communist, and the next day, a republicon . . . Its all about cash, isn't it!

[HumeSkeptic]

Shame on HuffPost.

The great Progressive and the anti-war movement that gained momentum from 2004 to 2006 and contributed to the Democratic win in November 2006, seems to have fizzled.

HoffPost is now totally obsessed with the election money game, just like the MSM that it derides, and with sleazy news about Craig and meaningless bloopers by the Republican candidates.

Following HuffPost like "dittoheads", the majority of posters are focussed on Hillary and Obama, and their donors.

It is a shame that after all this work, and after HuffPost promising to provide a sounding board for progressive and liberal voices, it has become a vehicle in reinforcing the inevitability of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee.

Where is the discussion of ideas by Kucinich and Gravel and Dodds on important issues of the day?

Where is a thread on healthcare, and on strategies for troop withdrawal, and on education, and on gay marriage?

Where?

Have we thrown in the towel?

Are we again going to have a choice between two warmongers in 2008, Hillary and Giuliani?

Has it all been for nothing?

[plutorage]

Hume,

The answer to your last question is "yes".

I think we have to admit to ourselves that the poll numbers rule. It is not for nothing that every politician takes polls and follows them assiduously.

I think we also have to realize that the corporate media is pretty good at skewing the polls and Hilary Clinton's machine is a dam good partner in the opinion shaping business.

I actually believe that the answer is to make contact with planet beltway, and persuade them that corporate America, and journalists individually will be better off with progressive politics rather than the current leaking, sinking ship of fools.

Yesterday I saw G.Bush leaning over the lectern for extra emphasis asking the White House press corps, rhetorically, "would it not be better to make sure Iran does not get the knowledge to make an atomic bomb?"

Knowledge to make an atom bomb?? Huh??

[fact finder]

Knowledge to make an Atomic Bomb? That Knowledge was on the Internet for years and in some places, college lib rays in foreign countries, and other books it is common knowledge. BUSH IS A TYRANT AND A DICTATOR AS WELL AS A TATOR DICK.

[Kungfublood]

War forever! That's her motto!
Grease that death machine baby, more children's blood we need more blood from babies now! Vote Clinton for more dead babies!

[lornejl]

What if Hillary picked Joementum to be her running mate ? She's not that stupid, but damn, there is no way I could vote for that ticket.

[RavagesOfTime]

The fix is in.

Last name politics wins again.

[mawrm]

I think that's the part the just ticks me off the most and folks just seem to be oblivious to it all. Folks act as if Clinton is winning this thing all by herself, nevermind the vast political machine she inherit from her husband whereas most all the other candidates have had to build theirs from the ground up. Might as well become a monarchy at this rate, since political family dynasties seem to be the preferred choice!

[Deltaforcevd196047]

Out Of The 48 Comments Made In This Thread I'll Bet It's Not One Of You Who's Actually Served In Any Branch Of Service But You Have All The Answers To What We Should And Should Not Be Doing,This Does Not Surprise Me Because When We Came Back To The US From Vietnam We Were Refered To As Women & Baby Killers.Un­fortunate As It May Sound It's Sometimes Nessasary.­Before Any Country Enter's Into A War There Is A Such Thing Called By The Administration At Hand An Exceptable Casualty Rate.Bush Is Only Doing What Al Gore If He Were Elected In 2004 Would Have The Balls To Do.This War Is Not Over Until What We're Their For Is Decided,My Hat's Off To Bush.And I Wouldn't Put My Efforts On An Obama General Election Because He Hasn't Known What The Hell He's Been Doing Since He Decided To Be A Part Of This Race.But You Go Ahead And Vote For Your Obamaseechange Because If For Some Crazy Notion That The Latter Happens,Then We Won't Have To Go To Iran,Iraq,­Afganistan­,Cuba,N. Korea,Or Any Of The Remaining Communist Countries,Because Your Mr Obama Will Invite These Cronies Into The White House,Unco­nditionall­y,And Be Made A Part Of His Administra­tion.And By The Way I'am A African American That Happens To A Hilliary Fan So Don't Even Try The Race Card,Or Player Hating For As That's Conserned.

[MoNut]

Your headache may be caused by your manner of typing.

Your buying into Hillary is probably result of lack of reading.

This empirical freedom dust fantasy war in Iraq was not necessary.

And most of the countries, including old Iraq, are not Communist.

[otispfudpucker]

Listen grasshopper, first off get your spelling correct. Second. I am a veteran of the USAF. Served during the Viet Nam war.
Yes we were baby killers as well as killers of mama's and daddies and brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts uncles, grandmas, and grandpas, you name it we killed every one.
It was not right but we were doing a job that we were told to do.
Told to do by a bunch of DC bastards that never served nor did their children.
If you fought in Iraq or Afghanistan, it clearly your choice to do so. Not because you were drafted and had no choice.
Yes I do believe you are a racist, and i do not think you are black. I think you are some little Hillary/Killary eggplant.
Most black people that I know have pride and you obviously don't fall in to that category. It is also obvious that you lack any knowledge about MIC.
So go away grasshopper and study your lesson.

[VivaZapata]

this is why i'm an otispfudpucker fan. great response.

[fact finder]

Deltaforcevd196047; You might be believable if you could spell. By the way VD stands for VENEREAL DISEASE. "Of or relating to sexually transmitted disease." As Far as Your Ethnicity, Race , That should have no bearing on your beliefs. Unless of course you are a bigot. Are you.?

[ManipulatedByMedia]

Yes Delta, we should vote for Hillary because of her distinguished service in the military? You make no sense at all....

[TankerRat]

Well Delta, how about this.

"B" Co.
5th Tank Bn
5th Marine Div.
67-68

1st Marine Division (Rein) FMF Pac WestPac
11th Marine Regt.
"The Cannon Cockers"
VietNam
68-69-70

307th Bombardment Wing (H)
Strategic Air Command
307th OMS (KC-135A Tankers)
"Send More Receivers"
Utapao RTNB Thailand
71-72

I'm a vet as well buddy. 100% Disabled from Agent Orange (Amongst other service connected things)

And I'm NOT a Hillary fan.

[Nonamnesiac]

Votes for the war. Refuses to commit to getting out of Iraq by 2013. 2013??????????? Votes for "Attack Iran" Kyl-Lieberman resolution. Darling of sycophant progressives AND the military industrial complex.
Of course she's also the darling of the military-industrial complex. But sycophant "good German" progressives ignore all of this, use Nader-baiting against true progressives who refuse to support her because those true progressives refuse to be complicit in the murder of our young troops and Iraqis, and delude themselves into thinking they're decent people. The sycophant progressives supporting her are the equivalent of the "good German" during the Third Reich and the missionaries who set Native Americans up for the slaughter.

[VivaZapata]

well said, nonamnesiac!

[Ramus]

agree with nonamnesiac too

[ManipulatedByMedia]

So true!

[John's Brown Body]

Draft Pete Stark.

[MoNut]

Ready for a hijacking like the Republican Party suffers, Democrats?

You can see it coming with the rabid force-feeding of Lieberman's left foot, Hillary Clinton.

Recall how the media shills were bragging and selling candidate George W. Bush so early back in 2000?

Same Blackwater.

Same suit.

Same games.

Passing the baton like a track and field team.

Are you happy being force fed and settling for Lieberman Light?

[VSamuels]

I take exception with your comment, Mr. Edsall that the Defense industry are giving these monies to the Clinton campaign based on their perceived notion that she has the best chance of winning the nomination. Such is speculation at best since, your article does not cite one of her donors who has gone on record saying this is their reason. While, it is true one could believe that Hillary has already won, the voters of New Hamsphire, Iowa and South Carolina have proven to be unpredicatable and not subject to be led by polls.

Besides, Hillary is the consumate insider as she and her husband have a clear and consistent record with curring the votes of special interest groups. If anything, many in the defense industry may see Hillary as their best candidate to continue and sustain conflict in the Middle East, which would mean that their industry would continue to reap profits. Firms give monies to candidates who expouse their views and who they believe will advance their industry, otherwise there would be no reason to give a single dime to the other side.

No doubt Hillary has been telling these folks--she has already won while assuring them of what they can expect at her table of taxpayer giveaways.

[dawlishgal]

Well said!

[Soulsurfer]

Hillary knows that to spurn these business interests is to lose the election, and possibly one's life. The campaign money listed in the article is but the tip of an iceberg of money and influence the defense industry controls. GE for example owns a major television network, and is also in the business of making war. I have always believed JFK paid the price for crossing these people, and now with the stakes (and profits) so high, she's learned her lesson and has agreed to play ball with them. Hence, a virtual blizzard of media play, favorable "polls", and cash.

[BeyondKen]

No surprise here.

The B-52 was initiated by President Truman and built by the Kennedy administration.

The B-2 Stealth was initiated by President Carter and built by the Clinton Administration. (Although the Bush Admin cut the B-2 program to only 20 aircraft)

Together these two warbirds provided the bulk of the effort to topple Saddam Hussein.

Democrats are the real pro-defense party.

[therealredstateblues]

The B52 is one of the most successful airplane designs ever

[TankerRat]

You ever seen one those things up close therealred­stateblues­. That is one hell of an airplane. Let me clue you.
And you just won't believe the bomb load one can carry.

307th Bombardment Wing (H)
Strategic Air Command

We had over 150 of them at UTapao.