Obama Raised Over $500 Million Online During Campaign

Washington Post:

Barack Obama raised half a billion dollars online in his 21-month campaign for the White House, dramatically ushering in a new digital era in presidential fundraising.

In an exclusive interview with The Post, members of the vaunted Triple O, Obama's online operation, broke down the numbers: 3 million donors made a total of 6.5 million donations online adding up to more than $500 million. Of those 6.5 million donations, 6 million were in increments of $100 or less. The average online donation was $80, and the average Obama donor gave more than once.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[bighillaryfan]

While this sounds impressive, it has to bring into question the sources. Shoot, I don't trust the internet to purchase items with my credit card.

I had read last night on DIGG that the FEC is considering reopening an investigation into Obama's contributions. That scares me. What if they did find impropriety?

[Kassandra]

always use Paypal....it's like a vault

[mcantwell]

I see the RedState and Rush/Hannity lovers are back at HuffPo in full force.

[nochange]

if you have a legit point make it or sh ut up

[PensacolaTiger]

Flagged as clueless dittohead.

[lisakaz2]

Take your own advice.

[jeanrenoir]

If Obama succeeds, and is thus truly wildly popular, this fund-raising revolution will be by far the most important part of his legacy, since it implies the potential evisceration of the power of rich lobbyists in the White House, especially AIPAC, by the way. That's why the wealthy, neocon Jews behind Hillary were so determined to stop Obama by any means necessary, why Lady de Rothschild weirdly switched from Hillary to McCain, and why the neocon Jews in general, Democratic and Republican, so heavily favored McCain. Sure, with Hillary and McCain, they knew they had a candidate who would bomb, bomb, bomb Iran for them, taking the spears for Israel, which knows how unprecedentedly angry the world will be over the economic fallout of bombing Iran. That said, what AIPAC and the neocon Jews in both parties (as opposed to the large majority of American Jews who are liberal supporters of Obama, as well as the huge segment of the Israelis who would like for Obama to stiff the neocons and Likud and make peace by following the suggestions of Olmert in his farewell address to the nation) fear most is the literal end of their power to basically control American Middle East policy in the White House with the threat of all the money at their disposal to support or defeat any presidential candidate before Obama, in either party. If you take away the threat of their money, the neocons are simply dead meat politically.

[nochange]

OBAMA wants to bomb bomb pakistan and afganistan instead......and he hasnt takin iran off the table ..........those poor innocent people have no idea do they?

[PensacolaTiger]

Neither do you.

[nochange]

also.....hes hiring hillary isnt he??? so you dont make sense

THEY ARE ALL THE SAME

[PensacolaTiger]

Flagged as clueless dittohead.

[oscartucker]

Proofread! Very early to bust a gaskit.

[ohiomark]

How much of that money came from overseas?

We will never know because Obama refuses to release his donor list for the people who donated less than $200. McCain released his list.

I wonder how much of George Soro's money was split up into little donations of $200 or less?

Careful what you wish for Libs.

[tangelan]

I donated twice for a total of $60. I'm from Georgia, the state, not the country. I got a yard sign and a t-shirt in return. You guys are going to keep spouting these talking points while your
cann!balizes itself. It's a law that donations of $200 or less don't have to be reported. Don't we have McCain-Feingold to thank for that? Barack is a billiant man. I think he'll figure out a way to return donations made overseas. You know, he graduated from Harvard. I hear that's a pretty good school.

[NoVA forObama]

What difference does it make? I have many friends living overseas, they are Americans eligible to vote and they donated...I looked at McCain database...it didn't have much information, and fields were incomplete...what good is crappy info?

[ohiomark]

I'm not talking about citizens living overseas. I'm talking about people like the ones in the Gaza Strip who were raising money for Obama.

[pupbayer]

Just think what all of that money could have done to actually help people all over the world. It's just criminal and time for limits on campaign financing.

[americanalien]

I would have paid anything to help get Obama elected, even if it meant selling my house and car and moving into a shelter with my family. The good that a US President can do for the rest of the world, far outweigh any good my single contribution to a charity could have made. If Obama was President for the last 8 years instead of Bush, there would not be so much suffering, the world be a far better place today. My contribution to Obama was well spent and I'll do it again if I have to contributing even more.

Also the fact that Obama could raise $500 million from average Americans over the internet just show what a great democracy we have. God bless America.

[nochange]

No it shows how beat up and desperate we are for change.........

but you need to wake up!! OBAMA is no better his policies are the same

he just voted for the bailiut that robbed this country blind....and will send us into a depression ....
THEY ARE LL THE SAME JUST DIFFERENT FACES....

SORRY

[PATina]

And now that he's in office and will put money back in the hands of us citizens... we will be able to give that amount and more to those suffering all over the world (including those in our own backyards).

[nochange]

this guy is a fraud .......he spent 2 billion of our money to get a job that pays 400 000
that makes sense.......he voted for the bailout that has cost us 2 trillion so far .....
the banks have stole from us and .......he needs to get it back

OR HE IS IN ON IT

[BLinCincinnati]

You're an idi0t. That is the lamest argument constantly used. If he was in it for the money he'd have stayed a lawyer. And he had nothing to do with Bernanke's 2 Trillion dollar back door loan scam.

[nochange]

he voted for it "id0t' and hes not saying anytihing about it now is he????

HE VOTED FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nochange]

NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY??

GROW UP!
OR WAKE UP OR BOTH

[hillpill]

Do not encourage illitrolls.

[SeanGardner]

Internet fundraising will never be the same.

[Anciano]

Question: What happens to the left over money?

[eva belle]

what about 2012? he is still going to need it, ei!

[macbabe]

-7M to pay off Hills debt to be SoS... ugh

[ckfan]

He cannot use HIS CAMPAIGN FUNDS to pay off Hillary's debts. It is not allowed according to the rules. That's why he has tried to convince his contributors to give directly to Hillary's campaigns.

She had 18 million cracks in the ceiling so let them reduce her debt.

[Kate4Change]

I donated about $900 and it was worth every single penny! Go Obama! In one day after electing him, the world smiled and suddenly the USA had our country back.

[Carolab]

We shall see.

[HurryUp1212009]

We already have seen.

Hey: Can you imagine where Social Security would be today if Bush had succeeded in privatizing it in 2004, instead of being blocked by the Democrats???

Get a life; your guy lost and America is better the Rethugs are finally out of power; get over it....

[ProudMormon]

He was able to raise 650 million for PR just by chanting "Yes we can, yes we can".

Just think how many billions he should be able to raise to help fund all his new spending, just by chanting sweet slogans into the ears of his credulous disciples.

Why raise taxes when you've got volunteers willing to pony up the dollars?

[Carolab]

Actually Yes we Can and the Internet small-donor idea came about because of the Dean revolution. And his slogan was "si, se puede". So there is a huge progressive backlog of grassroots behind this entire victory. And the Obama team needs to remember that and remember it well. I read some not too nice comments over at the Democratic Underground from some in the DLC wing of the party about the progressive netroots/g­rassroots-­-the attitude was we were to be "used" for donations and GOTV and then rather unceremoniously cast aside in many of the major policy decisions. Look how they've treated Dean. He was considered by just about everyone as a guaranteed secretary of HHS. Instead, we have a DLCer, Tom Daschle. Dean's entire presidential campaign in 2003 was centered on universal health care reform--something he actually implemented in Vermont as a five-term governor. Is that what we can expect for our "support"?

[HurryUp1212009]

Proud Mormon? Your so-called religion is all about being a credulous disciple. So, you've been well-trained to swallow every day's right wing kool aid without bothering to think.

[reggieb]

borrow and squander republicans should pony up and pay off the deficit

[CR46]

Yes a campaign based on hope and change for our great country won over a campaign that was filled with bigotry and hate, image that!!! And yes I chose to give to Obamas campaign and my tax dollar paid for McCains nationwide Klan rally. This darn internet, darn these democrats for using it to organize a political 50 state political campaign. Maybe you can help your mormon buddy Larry Craig organize his next campaign ( I think he'll need some help). LOL!!!!

[PATina]

What I find so.... disturbing?... is that people like you don't realize that before we cast our electoral ballot... we the people voted w/ our wallets. We gave to the candidate that we felt best represented us. Now... I will admit... we'll have to see if it will work out the way some of us thought it would... but I think the entire concept of having actually "publically" financed your campaign because so many people believed in you is true democracy in action. I hope we get rid of that fake 'public financing'... and can get all candidates to raise money through individuals citizens willing to give their hard earned money for something they believe in.

[ProudMormon]

For PR. For an election campaign. For TV ads to propagandize the voters. For renting a dedicated satellite channel to spread the Obama gospel.

If you're willing to throw 650 million down the rat hole to accomplish NOTHING, why wouldn't you be willing to put in 5 or 10 times more to actually do some GOOD?

Would you rather have your donations go toward propaganda and PR or to fix the problems in this country?

[ProudMormon]

How much of it came from untraceable pre-paid debit cards? How much of it was sent from overseas through domestic proxies?

We already know that roughly 50% of his donors were never disclosed to watchdog groups, since they fell through the >$200 loophole.

It's disappointing that his fundraising will NOT be audited by the FEC, while McCain will be raked over the coals by auditors for taking public dollars.

I think every cent he raised should be tracked down and verified precisely BECAUSE it was such a new phenomenon. What better time to do a thorough investigation and see whether online fundraising is secure enough to maintain the integrity of the election or not?

[Carolab]

I agree with this. If we are to have clean public financing, we should know exactly what went on and who sent in the money. It's vital to understanding Obama's base of support.

[Colmore]

You mean just like you did to find out who Bush's base was? I can tell you, straight from the horse's mouth "The haves and the have mores" Straigh from the horse's er - mouth!!

[Tinshed]

Really. Well, let's see how your 'church' discloses where it gets its money from and where it goes to. I suggest you get over it, move on ...you lost, we won. To the victor, the spoils. You wouldn't be saying this if McCain won.

[HurryUp1212009]

The cult you belong to is notorious for getting it's brainwashed peeps to pony up mega $$$ to its "elders" who can spend it as they wish. How about an audit of the Mormon cult's finances??

[Colmore]

Maybe auditors could be brought in. After they track where the BILLIONS "lost" in Iraq went, then they could investigate people like me. I gave to Obama in increments of $25 several times. Worth every dime. We have hope again, after 8 years of destruction, both in Iraq and the US. Heckuva job, Georgie!

[CR46]

Yeah I'd like to see how much Haliburton and Blackwater have earned?! through this war.

[rodhemeon]

''As Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States''
Palin the ''Maverick'' grabs her shotgun....If she and McCain begin to spiral downward in the polls....as they will.......The rich and powerful may very likely create a major international incident.....To allow John McCain to come to the rescue..........

Republican or Democrat....
You will feel a cold chill running down your spine....as McCain and
Palin assume control of the nuclear trigger...­..........­..

" Rod Hemeon, Nova Scotia....­..........­.......

So Obama ..............I spent hundreds of hours putting this through the net.....to get you elected.......so you could put ''The Clintons'' in charge of ...Foreign Policy

Now I am feeling a ...''cold chill''

[Carolab]

Feelin' a little left out in the cold? You're not alone. There's a lot of chill in the air toward the Progressive wing of this party.

[boycottrightwingthings]

Imagine how cold that chill would have been if Palin had been our VP. Thats what kept people donating from the women's side, and at least Hillary Clinton and the people from the Clinton days have good experience with a successful president, and if you don't take comfort in that, well you are just a sore LOSER. Spending time and money myself, I am greatful to Obama for giving someone who helped him win (Hillary) a place in his cabinet. It's the right thing to do, as she is intelligent, has experience, and is very worthy.

[suuzie]

Since Hillary wants her debts paid from the campaign and he is nominating her for SOS, I think he can afford to refund my $2,300, because I can really use it round about now. Once again, I am so through with you Obama. I have never been so disappointed in my life. Hillary for SOS after what she put you through, along with all your supporters and she hasn't stopped yet. Later for this, I am so through with you.

[boycottrightwingthings]

Aww, big baby gave money and now wants to tell President elect Obama what to do, and if she doesn't get her wittle way wants her money back. awww, poor baby!

[bigbenny]

I supported Obama from the beginning. I sent money, I phoned, I almost got in a fight because I opened my mouth in the wrong place but now I'm having some problems. I noticed something is glaringly missing from his new site, Change.org. What's his stance on the drug war? What's his position on medical marijuana or decriminalization? Is the DEA going to keep blowing up peoples lives? He supports choice for women but what's his position concerning choice as far as drugs are concerned?