Half Of McCain's Campaign Cash Came From 500 Bundlers

USA Today is out with some striking figures on the extreme concentration of fundraising in the McCain campaign:

Republican John McCain's elite fundraisers have helped collect more than half of his presidential campaign money, while Democratic rival Barack Obama has relied on his own top fundraisers for nearly one-fifth of his coffers, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

More than 500 top McCain fundraisers brought in at least $75.6 million, or about 53% of the presumptive GOP presidential nominee's receipts through June.

Obama, who also counts more than 500 people among his main fundraising corps, has collected at least $50.1 million through them. That's about 17% of the presumptive Democratic nominee's receipts through May. He has not released June totals.

The money from these fundraisers illustrates how McCain, who co-authored a 2002 law curbing the influence of special interests in campaign finance, is relying on a group of well-connected Republicans to fuel his bid. It also demonstrates that Obama has turned to wealthy donors to help collect cash -- even though the bulk of his donations are from contributors who give $200 or less.

The New York Times follows with a jab of its own:

Senator John McCain released an updated list of his top money collectors on Tuesday, revealing that nearly a fifth of those who have brought in the largest amounts for him, more than $500,000 each, are lobbyists or work for firms that engage in lobbying.

Comments

[tbone99]

05:44 PM on 07/16/2008

The Sunday NYT stated that Obama had not updated his "bundler" list since last Nov.....

[tel8034]

05:37 PM on 07/16/2008

Then why has McCain criticized Obama for not opting for public financing ............ Obviously McCain is getting most of his money elsewhere .................. WHAT A LYING HYPOCRITE!

[lynnn]

02:08 PM on 07/16/2008

Huffpo really needs to find out of Tom Noe is one of McCain's bundlers, bc if he is then McCain can kiss Ohio goodbye in a big way.

[PumaAnn]

12:55 PM on 07/16/2008

You're talking about the RNC in with the actual McCain campaign funds. 527s, in other words.

Well, Obama had an opportunity to take public financing and turned it down.

And he's the one who said no lobby money to the DNC, so the 4 million versus 59 million figure was a choice he made for the DNC.

Definitely, PUMAs aren't contributing. We'll be donating to our own PACS.

Good luck!

[loax]

12:56 PM on 07/16/2008

Here go the Republicans, buying the White House. Everybody better beware! Vote Obama 08!

[TheRebel82]

12:48 PM on 07/16/2008

This is the rich upper class's last hope in getting those tax cuts Bush promised them. They're putting everything in McCain hoping that he wins. He' s their last hope. Hopefully Obama wins and RAISES their taxes big time!!!!!

SOAK THE RICH BABY!!!!

[CyberGal619]

12:44 PM on 07/16/2008

Also check out Jed at http://www.jedreport.com/2008/07/mccain-raises-6.html for more info on how McSame worked the public finance loophole to his advantage and the pathetic media is (surprise!) ignoring it.

[chaz69]

12:15 PM on 07/16/2008

You are correct. He took a calculated risk supporting the FISA bill. We don't know WHAT he knows -- the inside information he is privy to -- with respect to what the Bushies are purporting about terrorist attempts/ threats. If something goes down, he'd be blamed, so he played his percentages.

His decision to forego public financing was predicated on the confidence that his millions of net supporters would continue to give at previous rates. I haven't sent him a dime of late. I still support him but my enthusiasm has been thwarted by FISA and his new propensity to exploit some of the maladies related to black fatherhood to make points with people who don't give a damn about the struggles of blacks or their children, or how many are languishing in prison or the dynamics that lead to that. Perhaps, he thinks he can win without his most loyal base. He's already GOT them, he figures.

It's a mistake for him to take the black vote for granted, trying to play Bill Cosby, and it's a mistake for him to let his handlers talk him into forgetting to dance with the one who brung em'. Nothing less than political FERVOR is what is going to win him the Whitehouse. A turned-off or lukewarm base is not to going to cut it. He's owned up to making mistakes in the past. Let's hope he doesn't have to own up to why 'playing the political percentages' cost him the White

[Heavenhelpusall]

07:23 PM on 07/16/2008

I have not heard any women of color chastising Obama for calling out fathers to be responsible and accountable. Could he have struck a nerve with men? Of course, these men who are so offended have a real good reason why they let their families down. A man who grew up fatherless has every right to take to task baby making machines who don't stay around.

[gevan]

12:06 PM on 07/16/2008

You call the "bundlers", I call them Ambassadors.

[CindyKay]

01:17 PM on 07/16/2008

Don't You mean Assbassadors ?

[theplaintrutho1]

11:59 AM on 07/16/2008

I see the writing on the wall. The book of Revelation makes mention of the up and coming rapture. True or not, we are fueling the demise of this nation that I live in and love.
The so-called Liberal blogs go out of their way to find fault with the candidate willing to make subtle-change, in favor of the people out to do us in. The ordinary people of the US of A. They claim self righteousness, while giving excuse why not to donate to the candidate of choice. Whether it be from the right or Clinton supporters, the Liberal bloggers are more destructive than any single Conservative/Republican that's come down the pike. Some are even suggesting to us to withhold our financial support, because it is what they are doing.
I'm beginning to believe they have hidden agendas, or are covert conservatives.
I watch the Republican so-called analyst on the cable BS stations, they never give in. They never find fault with their side, even when it is an "in their face" situation!!! They never sell out their side.

[BenMAF]

12:50 PM on 07/16/2008

I thought the rapture was an idea that was only about 200 years old --- popularized by John Darby, the English evangelical. Fun post, but I'm still not giving to Obama - he's a nice guy but doesn't need cash from me.

[CtJean]

12:55 PM on 07/16/2008

Excellent post. I hope the far left and Clinton supporters get a grip. This is too important to leave to chance because you feel you've been wronged. Obama is our last hope for survival as a nation. If the repugs get in again, we can say goodbye to beloved country.

Please -- Obama 08 and 12

[BenMAF]

11:48 AM on 07/16/2008

The term 'lobbyist' or 'Special Interest' mean nothing to me unless I know who they lobby on behalf of --- is it big oil, the insurance industry, a union, the Human Rights Campaign, Wal Mart, NAACP, Teachers, Trial Lawyers, Mothers Against Drunk Driving...etc. There are good lobbyists and bad lobbyist but they shouldn't ALL be cut out of the process like Obama did.

"We’ve been lumped into that sad phraseology called 'special interests.'" - Ann Richards, 1988

[jacqmac]

02:01 PM on 07/16/2008

I CAN tell you that the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) doesn't have MILLIONS to throw around. Individual MEMBERS of groups like HRC, Planned Parenthood, MADD, the teacher's union, etc. CAN give all that they are allowed to under the LAW. Let's focus on the facts a bit more carefully. We're talking about people who can write a CHECK for-say-FOUR OR FIVE THOUSAND dollars without postdating it or sweating out the processing time. You CAN check out HRC's 'income-for 2007 it came to $7 million. I've checked. HRC is HARDLY even on the screen when it comes to 'big money, special interests. Oh-and to 'hedge' thier 'bets-these large interests have donated funds to BOTH candidates in the past-see stats from 2004. Obama isn't taking $$ from OIL COMPANIES, INSURANCE companies, or any of the "BIG' interests that will come back to tap the next President on the shoulder after the election. Obama's 'beholden' to the PEOPLE. And-since Obama is quite literally the Leader of the Democratic Party-the Democratic National Committee has followed suit. Of COURSE the Obama campaign is hurting. So is the DNC. However, this election on the DEM side-at least- will NOT be run by the Oil Interests---Isn't THAT slightly refreshing?

[BenMAF]

04:34 PM on 07/16/2008

I don't agree that all lobbyists and interest groups in Washington are "bad" as they are portrayed. I have worked with and for several of these organizations and they are doing work that helps protect Americans' wages, workplace safety, and civic rights. I expect a presidential candidate to know the difference between the two

CLINTON: "A lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans, they actually do...They represent nurses, they represent social workers, yes, they represent corporations that employ a lot of people.”

OBAMA: “They are not spending that just because they are contributing to the public interest,”

[trollsbwild]

11:41 AM on 07/16/2008

This GE is class warfare, plain and simple. The rich GOP, with support from the ultra elite and corps versus Obama, supported by millions who come predominately from the middle class (what's left of it) and the poor.
A GOP win will signal an end to any chance of getting our Democracy back. Fascims will be here to stay, complete with being able to be taken away in the middle of the night and never to be seen again.

[nellie]

11:40 AM on 07/16/2008

Thanks to USA Today for covering this issue. Wide circulation, broad demographic, politically diverse readership.

[bygollymissmolly]

11:31 AM on 07/16/2008

That's about 17% of the presumptive Democratic nominee's receipts through May. He has not released June totals.
--------------------
The fact that O'bama has not yet released June's fundraising amounts is troubling. I suspect it's because his numbers are way down and I also suspect that July's numbers are going to be even worse. Many of his net roots supporters have withdrawn their financial support due to his FISA vote. That is going to end up in being a bad mistake on his part.

[DXM]

12:05 PM on 07/16/2008

While Sen. Obama's potentially bad fundraising numbers for the past couple of months might in some part be because of his FISA vote or apparent shifts on some issues, there are many other potential explanations as well:

1) The primary season is over and the election campaign has yet to begin so donors aren't out there donating.

2) Somewhat related to #1, it's the summer and people have other things on their minds.

3) The economy sucks. Inflation is skyrocketing and people are losing their jobs as well as homes. Since the "common folk" are the bulk of Sen. Obama's contributors, the economic situation will disproportionately affect him.

Personally, while I donated to Obama's campaign during the primary's, I'm forced to hold back on making any additional donation in part because of #3: My living expenses are skyrocketing and my job is currently at risk - at this point I don't have a lot of cash to spare.

[liberalghost]

12:15 PM on 07/16/2008

Yes, I suspect Obama never grasped the point his supporters actually expected him to erase the bad of the Bush-Cheney administration. That was the "change" everyone was expecting. Obama thinks the "center" is a hill of voters.....I think today it is a valley. Voters are bunched up on the left and right; question is which bunch is higher (see Bush's approval rating).

Obama is throwing the election away by "compromising" his way into the empty center. As he "compromises" some of the people bunched to the left will begin sliding to the center, back to the right. Obama is now creating voters in the center,

[ibsteve2u]

11:31 AM on 07/16/2008

"Senator John McCain released an updated list...nearly a fifth of those who have brought in the largest amounts for him, more than $500,000 each, are lobbyists or work for firms that engage in lobbying"

That was a foregone conclusion to anybody who has watched the transformation of the entire Republican Party over the last 30 years into a wholly-owned subsidiary of "K" Street.

[hank48188]

11:45 AM on 07/16/2008

Obama is trying to get cash from all those Lobbyists as well. I think he has about 800 bundlers and Obama is the favorite of the big money on wall St., not to mention the ultra-rich Internationalists like George Soros.