Clinton Faces Largest Campaign Debt In History

With her campaign now officially suspended, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is confronting still another challenge: whittling down what is believed to be the largest presidential campaign debt in history.

Besides the $11.4 million of her own money that Mrs. Clinton lent her campaign, she had about $9.5 million in unpaid bills to vendors at the end of April, according to her most recent filing with the Federal Election Commission.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Jan6]

If enough kids sell their bicycles then she can get her 11 million back.

[ThatSharkeyGeezer]

Simple.

She just asks her "18 million voters" to pony up a dollar each, and gets Mark Penn to cut his wage bill from $5 million to $3 million, and that's it, right there. $20 million, debt paid.

Of course, none of those "18 million voters" are going to have buyer's remorse, are they?

And of course, none of them were Limbaugh Republicans who only voted for her in the hope that she'd defeat Obama, right?

What you waiting for Hillary? Get that internet campaign going! I'm sure your devotees are only to happy to throw a buck your way. You could call it "Hillary's Paper Cup" and show a picture of you sitting on a street corner with a sign around your neck "Will Smear For Money."

[ggmome]

With their income, and the longevity of her campaign, (self induced), I say this sounds lke a personal problem to me!

[JackNasty]

Why is Hillary pleading indebtedness now?

It turns out that Hillary has squirreled away $25 million in the bank to use during the general election that will not include her.

She can absorb the $25 milion into her Senate campaign account legally. Then she can appeal to the FEC to allow her to use those funds to cover her debts from the Presidential primary.

The only thing that is certain, pleas to send Hillary more money to cover her alleged primary debts need a more thorough explanation.

[ggmome]

Back in the day, that $25million would be coined 'walk around money'.

[RichLiberal]

It is up to Hillary's 18 million supporters, myself included, to help Hillary retire the debt. We don't want her dependent or beholden to the Obama campaign for anything. My suggestion is to contribute 20% of anything you contributed during the primaries, with the objective to retire Hillary's personal loan from the campaign debts. The rest can wait til later or not. 18 million people at 2 bucks apiece would do it. More realitic is 180,000 people at $200 bucks apiece.

We want Hillary to represent us in the Senate. She needs to begin to seriously campaign to control Congress. Congress is an equal branch of govt to the Presidency. If it is solidly controlled it is equal in power as well. This was demonstrated w the Nixon impeachment.

At the very least, the Senate can stop bad judges from being nominated, so if the Senate was effectively controlled by Hillary, a lot could be done regardless of whether Obama or McCain wins the election.

I suggest Hillary supporters start to look along this path. It means removing the disfunctional Dem Leadership who betrayed Hillary and supported Obama right from the start. A good beginning is being made on this course in Massachusetts where Edward O'Reilly is challenging John Kerry in the Massachusetts Senate primary:
http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_161213916.html

If we start challenges like this nation-wide, Hillary has run campaigns in all 50 states, we can control Congress and take the necessary political action.

[GingerB]

From your link: "But it was Kerry, who with about 78 percent of the vote, received the party's nomination."

Good luck with that.

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

Where are her 18 million devotees? Oh I forgot, they dedicated themselves and their ovaries to Walnuts McCain..

[GeorgeKaplan]

Rubbish.

[kate123]

I'll help retire Hillary's debt when she takes down all the comment sections on her website. Those are doing far more to divide the party than anything else. Time to shut those down. Obama haters can find other places to spew their hate. But if she really is supporting him, than those have no place on her website. Do that, Hillary, and I'll send you $20.00.

[RichLiberal]

Nobody wants your pathetic money nor hates Obama. Hillary supporters will retire her debt and strengthen her hand in the Senate so that she can prevent either Obama or McCain from getting either of their equally anti-middle class programs thru.

Hillary's supporters are clear on the fact that Obama is the stooge of the Democratic Leadership: Kennedy, Pelosi, Reid, Clyburn, Dean, Kerry, etc. They are the "anybody but Hillary crowd". They picked Obama to do their work and stop Hillary. Unfortunately, Obama has no experience and represents no one but himself. If we have the misfortune of having him become President, the Senate will have to keep him under control.

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

If she couldn't manage her funds or have the right people to do the job, how did she plan on fixing our economic problems?

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

Whether we get to pay a bit more tazes, it will be worth it because OBAMA seems organized and can picture FEMA doing their job, people getting the things they need.

Obama will need to raise taxes in order to offset the hell the bUSH admionistration put us through.

[funnyguy]

She owes $5 million to Mark Penn? His advice was worth ten cents.

[XME]

Guess should have asked for a money-back guarantee! = )

[Maxiesid]

I want to see an agreement that she has signed online that states that the first debts that will be paid out of any donations will be the vendors that she owes. Once that debt is retired, then she can take anything that is left over and pay her good friend Penn and the rest of those supporters back their loans. As for her paying herself back, I still am not sure how that is even reasonable. If I or anyone else here goes out and spends our own money doing something that, if successful, will bring back more than enough to recoup that money, it is usually referred to as an investment, not a loan. Also, if you invest in something and it isn't successful, then you lose your investment. Period. You don't get to ask to have yourself repaid, do you? I am sure there is some way this can be explained, but not in a way that makes any sense.
So, as a former 'anyone but Hillary voter' who is now an Obama supporter, I will gladly donate to help her.. but only when I see that signed agreement...... hmm.. come to think of it, never mind the agreement, I saw how the one about Florida and Michigan went. But in the spirit of unity, yes I will give my $1 donation.

[RichLiberal]

You are a typical Obama supporter. Coming from a mindless "anybody but Hillary" position you have gone to an equally mindless Obama position.

Nothing wrong with that. It just shows what a pathetic basis uneducated people use for decision making.

[GingerB]

Typical bitter loser.

[JoeBlough]

Other people have paid for their own Presidential runs over the years. Why is Hillary any different? You pay to run, she's earned 100 million in the last 10 years. She's got the money, so why do poor Americans have to be shamed into giving this elite, millionaire more of their hard earned money?

[NotMcCain]

What if Obama does an online fundraiser for her? Asks for $5 to help pay her debt?

Would you do it? I would.

Not to mention the postiive spin of OBAMA Democrats taking the responsibility for Hillary.

Maybe her site could collect, too. Kind of a competition, but no more than $5 per pledge.

It's not as much about Hillary or even party unity, though that's a part of it. I really feel bad for the vendors (Penn would have to agree to take the LAST $5 million pledged----not the FIRST).

Maybe the Clinton supporters would appreciate the symbolism (AND the cash). Or not. I don't know.

[CindyInIndy]

I am in favor of following the campaign pay-off precedent has been set in the past.

If campaign debts are paid by a special fundraising effort by the DNC, I'll be happy to contribute. As for money which has been donated to BO, it is good to learn (on here) that it cannot count toward HC's debt. I do feel that there has to be some sign of commitment and unity at this point, so count me in.

Here's my issue. The $11M she added of her own money should not be repaid. Yeah, I am sure it is apples-to-apples for some, but it's not to me. The contributions from the people she touts -- the kids who sacrificed for her, specifically -- are far different than the moneys gotten from her husband's chicken-dinner circuit and their book sales. At $500K a pop per speaking engagement, he would only need to speak 22 times. Plus, since it gets him out of the house, you know he'd be all for it.

[Braveheart1]

I like your idea and yes, I would give $5.00 to retire Hillary's debt. I am an Obama supporter and believe we need to heal our party so we can defeat McCain in the fall. There is too much on the line to continue the bickering back and forth. The economy is worsening, McCain wants to continue our occupation in the Middle East and the next president will select at least 2 Justices on the Supreme Court. We need those Justices to be liberals in order to help balance the court! If conservatives are selected, Roe v Wade will certainly be reversed. Please Everyone - let's come together now and heal! There is too much at stake!

[truthbrigade]

She is the one who dissed, marginalized, and belittled him; calling him unqualified to be Commander in Chief, while fully qualifying his Republican opponent. She is the one who put the 3 AM commercial to seed doubt that he can handle the security of this country; she is the one that hinted (wink, wink) "Hard working Americans, White Americans" are not inclined to vote for him; the same time she is the local Beer guzzling girl from Scranton. NO, we don"t forget and we don"t forgive.

And if this is too much for you, may I suggest you vote for old scar face and you can kiss goodbye to the Supreme Court and what we all have achieved in the last fifty years.

[GingerB]

When Hillary publicly releases her delegates, I will give more than $5 to help pay off her campaign debts.

[GeorgeKaplan]

What difference would that make? 0bama has all the delates he needs to win the nomination.

[gloriar8]

not one dime would I give these thus. 2,00 from 18 mil supporters should do it.

[SharonB]

I agree with those here who have said Mrs. Clinton's so-called 18 million fan club members need to come up with the money. They could hold bake sales, do some fun-runs, sell their blood....

They are the ones who encouraged her to keep on-keeping on... now they can pay the bill.

[RButler]

With supporters like you, Obama is going to have a hard time winning votes from Hillary's supporters. Keep up the ugly work.

[Tropiholic]

They could sell their eggs to fertility clinics! Oh wait they're powdered eggs by now, sorry.

[GeorgeKaplan]

"They could sell their eggs to fertility clinics!"

And they said sexism was dead.

[ariadne1]

tropiholic... that was great. i sent that line to everyone i know!

[GeorgeKaplan]

Right! Let's punish half of all the votes who WILL be voting in November. That will help put 0bama in the White House. I have seen many elections, but I have never seen a strategy like this one.

"18 million fan club" this is pure rubbish!

[Jan6]

Yes- they can take a day off work and stay home to bake cookies (for Hillary) ;D

[NightRider]

"$9.5 million in unpaid bills to vendors "

I hope these vendors don't moan about their bills not getting paid. You all were warned months ago about giving her credit. This is what happen when you don't heed the warning signs of a faltering campaign.

All the "Hillary supporters" need to learn from this act. It is not just your self interest at stake....it is the interest of the country. For y'all sake, i hope you get it.