Obama smashes money record
Adding to his record-shattering fund-raising, Barack Obama's campaign announced today that it brought in more than $150 million last month -- nearly twice the public funding that Republican rival John McCain will get for the entire general election.
Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, told supporters that he added 632,000 new donors for a total 3.1 million donors to date. The average donation for the month was less than $100, he said, and the average contribution for the campaign is $86.
Obama held the previous monthly record -- $66 million in August. Obama, who is the first major-party candidate to opt out of public financing, has now brought in a total of more than $600 million.
McCain, who has been far behind in the money race, raised about $240 million before accepting the $84.1 million in public financing.
McCain, who has criticized Obama for reneging on a pledge to accept public financing, responded to Obama's announcement by saying it could wipe out post-Watergate campaign finance reforms.
"I'm saying it's laying a predicate for the future that can be very dangerous," McCain said on "Fox News Sunday." "History shows us where unlimited amounts of money are in political campaigns, it leads to scandal."
Despite the money edge, Plouffe urged supporters in a video message to send in more money to help combat automated phone calls and "defend ourselves against these terrible McCain tactics," and to expand get-out-the vote efforts.
"When Barack entered this race, he put his faith in the power of ordinary supporters like you coming together and building a movement for change from the bottom up," Plouffe said.
"That's exactly how we got this far -- and you should feel proud of all we have accomplished together. But with just 16 days left in this election, we can't slow down now."
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So why is this still a 3 to 6 point race?
I am an ordinary citizen who has been part of the Obama campaign by volunteering for change. I have witnessed first hand the power of ordinary people working together, phonebanking, canvassing and making donations in whatever amount they can afford. I have sat at a table processing flyers with people who have left their jobs and families to come to our state to volunteer their time. It is ordinary people who account for the unprecedented amount of money raised to elect Obama. This is democracy in action. While McCain and Palin continue to smear and slander Obama. we the people will elect him!!!
Sarah McDonald wrote:
.....It is ordinary people who account for the unprecedented amount of money raised to elect Obama.....
Indeed. And it's exhilarating to be one of them.
Thank you for all you are doing! Let's put this visionary team in office!
This is NOT democracy in action- it is Big Money in action. Remember, Karl Marx (Obama's hero) said "it's not who votes that matters, but who counts the votes" and "if you control the media (CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, NY Times, Boston Globe Democrat, Wahsington Post [and on and on and on] you control the people."
Never has there been so clear an example in the mass hypnotism of PT Barnum's "There's a sucker born every minute." Obama and his propganda ministry remind me of the Nazi's.
Seems to me that campaign finance reform is intended as a protection against candidates receiving large chunks of money from corporations or special interest groups that expect their candidate to do their bidding once elected. When 3.1 million people donate an average of under $100 to a candidate's campaign, they are doing so because they want desperately to bring about change. I've never contributed to a political campaign before but I'm contributing to the Obama campaign this year. It's not much, because I don't have a lot. But it's worth it to me. Besides, my donation is a drop in the bucket compared to how I'll be affected monetarily by this awful economy and the Iraq war.
It's sad to see all this money wasted on meaningless campaign ads. It could have helped a lot of people in this country, perhaps those who can't pay their mortgages. I have been seeing Obama's face all over the media for many months. I am saturated. I hate his face...
Dear "MK", by electing Obama, we WILL be helping a lot of people in this country. He cares for the middle man, and I do believe he will work to protect the middle man. Don't dare tell me that my $150 that I donated to his campaign is a waste....it was my choice and I was thrilled to donate it, along with the money I donate EVERY YEAR to Rosie's place in Boston, and to the Jimmy Fund Cancer Fund. How about turning off the TV and volunteer your time to help someone less fortunate? You might feel better, and feel less "hate" for seeing a face that just might want to help YOU.
It's a lot of money being donated, but we should think of it more as a good investment in the future of the United States & Americans overall. He is the right candidate at the right time, & it will go down in history as one of the greatest tenures of any national leader in the world. I truely believe this, & obviously 3+ million donors believe it as well.
Celested9,
It is only a 3 to 6 point race in McCain's mind, and "he has them right where he wants them". It is more like a 10 to 12% lead. Just face the facts. McCain and Palin are both pathetic...pathetic. Horrible is a better way yo describe them.
NoFool, on the contrary, is s BIG Fool. Do you folks ever have original thoughts - other than what you hear on Limbaugh, Fox News?
This is a real shame. Americans are laid off daily from jobs they've had for generations. Millions are spent defending freedom in Iraq. Hurricane victims are still living in shelters. Cancer victims try to find the answer to live another day so someone somewhere will not have to suffer neddlessly. I truly cannot understand political contributions from anyone 'just to get elected'. How can you 'gloat' about getting these massive amounts of money to one person while our country is in such turmoil? Do you really think your candidate is going to solve all these ills because of what the other guy is not doing? I cannot wait for this friggin election to be over with so we can move on to more important things. Get real.
Dear Trissa, "it was my choice and I was thrilled to donate it"... couldn't agree with you more on that statement. However, that is the problem with the socialism that apparentely you and Obama like to espouse so much. All you liberals just don't get it and you never will. The government cannot save the world by taking "our money" and doing what they think is the best thing to do with it. I work hard for my money and I feel it is my right to do what I want with it. I donate money and volunteer for charities as well and that is my choice. The government however can take up to 40% of my money and decide how to spend it for me?? Give me a break! If politicians like Obama want to help me out (and I'm middle class), do me a favor and shrink our bloated government by 90% and let the hard working good people (which I'm sure you are one of them) make the country great. Big government does not make a country great. So go ahead and support Obama, but don't forget to tell him that you want to choose where you donate your money... hopefully he'll listen to you and let me choose where I want to spend mine!
So, NoFool, if the majority of people disagree with you, it's mass-hypnosis? The days of listening to talk heads (and voices) are over. Nice.
Actually, MK, the money spent by Obama's campaign WILL help the economy. All those ads you see represent someone being paid for their work.
I love how the Republicans jump all over campaign financing reform, when it is in their favor. Aren't the conservatives the ones arguing that campaign donations are a form a free speech? I guess it's only protected speech if you are an oil company, but if you are a regular person, donating less than $100, it's bad.
When people actually send money to a cause like Obama's campaign, to me it means it's really important. At least to the average person that doesn't have a lot of money. It means they really think it is important to get him elected. YES! IT'S "THAT" IMPORTANT! .
I have never sent money to a political campaign before and I am 66 years old.
This time it is different - People like me, all across America are giving whatever they can afford to help get Obama elected. For the first time in years I feel inspired by a candidate - He is connecting with the people, he is intelligent and I know he will surround himself with those who are informed and knowledgeable in ways to bring the United States back to being a GREAT country. I am a single, senior citizen who works every day and can barely survive, but I am one of the lucky ones because I still have a home, a car and a job. While inflation takes over and affects me on a daily basis, my salary has not gone up a cent in 3 years - Government cutbacks in education budgets!
For the first time in many, many years I have hope that my life will improve and I will be able to more than exist and survive when I am able to retire. America is a melting pot of many - There is no pure ANY race - It is time to unite as one and try to improve our chance and our children's chances to live in a safer more caring world.
A man who seeks to stifle his critics, spread the wealth, and rubs elbows with terrorists is a dictator in the making. OBAMA scares the Hell out of me and my family are considering moving out of this country should he gets elected.
McCAIN/PALIN!!!
Well, the ignorance of the American people never surprises me. Obama has the biggest money men in history supporting him with the like of George Soros, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. These men are have done nothing to help the average American. They are pushing for globalization as they have for years and it will be at the expense the hard working American that will make these clowns even richer. If these multibillionares are so concerned about the middle class they would be paying more in taxes themselves and paying their employees much more than minimum wages as it is many cases with the companies they own and run. Americans have become nothing more than pupets to the media and the extremely wealthy.