AN OUTLANDISH CHALLENGE (Dean Trying To Raise $40 Million In Third Quarter!!!)

MSNBC.Com ^ | September 17, 2003 | Felix Schein

[PJ-Comix]

It is the most outlandish challenge of this campaign season. A threshold, which if achieved, would completely alter the race for the presidency, likely result in the first dropouts of this campaign and rewrite political history. Yet, it also is a mark that the Dean campaign seriously (99.9%) doubts it can reach, calling it more of a challenge and a call to action than a realistic or achievable ambition. The challenge - raise $40 million in the third quarter. Can the Dean campaign get anywhere close, and if so, how close? He is behind the target. In an open letter (posted on the campaign’s Web site), Campaign Manager Joe Trippi notes that if all 400,000 of the Dean for America Volunteers were to send $100 dollars to the campaign, Dean for America would raise $40 million dollars this quarter. While this observation alone doesn’t mean much, the associated challenge does. In his letter, Trippi says that “now is the time” and that “these next fifteen days will be the most important days of our campaign,” raising the bar and setting this aggressive and ambitious tone for the campaign: “If you and every other person receiving this e-mail makes an average contribution of $100 by September 30th, we will have raised $40 million … I cannot overstate how critical the next fifteen days are.” For good measure, Trippi promises to put up a “bat” on the Web site during the last 10 days of the month to count down until the filing deadline, reflecting how much the campaign raises. But is this more than bluster and does the campaign have any shot at raising $30 million dollars more than the original target? The campaign says no, clearly stating that the original target of $10.3 million still stands, but may be surpassed, albeit not by $30 million. Instead, it is said, this is a letter designed to show the potential strength of a grass-roots movement and to challenge the other campaigns. Nonetheless, publicly stating one’s potential ambitions has been known to backfire in political circles and this is certainly a risky proposition. Thus, there must be some confidence that this will turn out to turn heads. A few points to keep in mind: Past challenges have been met — the $1 million dollar effort during the “Sleepless Summer” tour, registering 450,000 volunteers (likely to be met) and significant second-quarter fundraising. No other campaign has been this public about its fundraising abilities or targets. The Dean crowd seems to be able to afford $100 dollars (observations suggest that most Dean supporters are middle- and upper middle-class individuals). This undermines the efforts of other campaigns to inflate the Dean campaign’s fund-raising projections. Even if half the $40 million is raised, it would shatter prior fund-raising records and all but destroy the hopes of a number of other candidates.

[PJ-Comix]

This is sure to send Ketchup Boy into panic mode. Maybe he will hit up Mrs. Heinz for $50 million.

[South40]

This is sure to send Ketchup Boy into panic mode. Maybe he will hit up Mrs. Heinz for $50 million.

He didn't marry her for her looks!

[Miss Marple]

This poses an interesting question: how is Dean getting all this money? Normally the democrats are not very big with small donors. You can't convince me that this is legit.

Money deposited into a cooperating bank, which would then distribute the funds into a LOT of small credit card accounts which could then be automatically loaded at a predetermined time to donate to the Dean site...that's my guess.

All donations to be UNDER the $250 limit in which the FEC requires names and addresses. A big donor from a foreign country could do this with the help of a foreign bank, and who would know?

[pointsal]

PING.......WHERE'S THE IRS?

[Congressman Billybob]

Dean won't make this extraordinary goal. Nor will he make history by getting half of that. And fortunately, whatever he does raise will end up with him "wasting away in MikeDukakis-ville." One part of the story is correct. Dean is putting his financial hopes and needs for volunteers up front for everyone to see.

That one part I can agree with. Have a solid plan. Tell people what you're doing. Then do it. I've done that; and maybe, just maybe, I'll put volunteers and donations to better use than the "Good" doctor.

Get in touch with me.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "An Open Letter to Howard Dean," discussion thread on FR. Article is on ChronWatch also.

[Pukin Dog]

Common sense suggests that Dean would not be doing this, if the money was not already promised. Either that, or it is a HUGE PR gamble. I doubt it.

Dean's fundraising over the Internet is immune from public vetting and reporting. He could be getting money from outside the country just as easily as from inside the states and there is no one asking him to track the origin of those donations.

Laundering money through various sources would be very easy. Dean could have also been underreporting his fundraising to save up for a big PR moment when he announces that he has raised the 40 million. Great strategy, because no one would be the wiser.

[Miss Marple]

I agree. In fact, I think this is a HUGE loophole in fundraising, and Dean and his people are arrogant enough to trumpet this as if he is the great hope of the "little people" and that is why they are giving him the donations.

What I hope is that some terrorist money has found its way into his campaign coffers, and the feds have to look at the books.

[South40]

WHERE'S THE IRS?

Where is the IRS in investigating Je$$e and/or the hildabeast?

The beast stretches campaign contribution laws like she stretches the truth.

And Je$$e was caught in the act funneling tax-free money to his whore.

[deport]

Reynolds....... for sale or rent
Rolls to let, 50 cents..........

[Peach]

Look at the Peter Paul matter that is just now getting attention. The Clinton regime is famous for soliciting nad receiving illicit funds from foreign nationals and other unsavory groups.

Dean has probably taken lessons from former regime members on how to cheat and get away with it.

We should e-mail this story to some of the other candidates - not the Clark's - they won't do anything because they'll probably try the same thing.

Maybe Kerry? Edwards campaign people would definitely have the investigators to look into this (as an attorney Edwards has access to lots of investigators).

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

There is no way in hell there are 400,000 "Dean for America Volunteers"

My guess is if you visit the website your automatically a "Dean for America Volunteer" and even that wouldn't give you 400,000. It's probably the number of hits on the website which is a bogus number unless you're selling ad space.

[Miss Marple]

Pbbbt! At least I'm not over on the hurricane thread causing trouble! LOL!

[deport]

LOL........ Yep, I've stayed out of it mostly also..... but did have to make a couple of comments.. Lots of frayed nerves and will only get worse before it hits land...

Here's a way maybe that Dean could get a few bucks...... Indian Wampum... like McClintock

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/984547/posts

[ahadams2]

outstanding! it is my fondest hope that Dean and Rev. Sharpton coral all the money and all the votes right up to the demoncratic convention. I can hardly wait to see Rev. Al driving around in a tank, or Dean crying because somebody insulted a relative....

[Mo1]

Off topic a bit .. But wasn't it reported about all the money Hellary was raising at fundraisers???

If so .. where did all the money go to cause from what I can tell .. she doesn't have much


http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00000019&cycle=2004

Hillpac
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strId=C00363994&cycle=2004