Sarah PAC steps into the big leagues

Politico ^ | July 11, 2010 | Kenneth P. Vogel

[Al B.]

A new financial report filed Sunday evening showed Sarah Palin’s political action committee has taken its fundraising to a higher level – and suggests that she has begun building a more sophisticated political operation in place of a bare-bones organization powered mostly by her rock star status and scrappy on-line presence.

The report, filed with the Federal Election Commission, shows that Palin’s political action committee raised more money in the second quarter of this year – $866,000 – than it had in any previous three-month stretch since Palin formed the group in January 2009.

The committee, Sarah PAC, also spent nearly twice as much – $742,000 – as it had in any previous quarter, the lion’s share of which went to the type of list-building and fundraising (including its first major direct-mail campaign) that typically undergird top-tier political committees. It also reported its biggest-ever round of donations to candidates – $87,500 – and its highest outlays for travel costs, including $17,000 on private jet fare to crisscross the country for high-profile political speaking gigs, and speechwriting. It also showed continued payments for that speechwriting as well as foreign and domestic policy consulting, and its first ever payments to a scheduler.

In short, for the first time since the 2008 campaign when she was the vice-presidential running mate to GOP presidential candidate John McCain, Palin is supported by a political operation befitting someone considering a presidential run.

[bamahead]

All you people ever do is emit childish attacks. And when that fails to arouse, you resort to the personal and private, based on whatever percieved ‘dirt’ you can dig up.

As a monthly donor, I for one am HAPPY to see you get called out on it.

I think I’ll drop in another $10 a month.

[rabscuttle385]

You're a shitehead

You're welcome. ;-)

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

So when will she announce? I’m hoping for the end of November.

[NeoCaveman]

I like the idea of her announcing in February on Reagan’s birthday, in Illinois.

[stephenjohnbanker]

God Bless America!

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I presume it's Ankle Biter shift change and you are taking over.

ROFL *snort*

[Impy]

It seems to me that a hypocrite is the last thing Rabs is. From what I’ve seen he’ll give it to anyone who does something he opposes, consistently and without bias.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Well said. Seeing things in ‘black and white’ is a fundamental philosophy.

[Rufii]

Obama vs Palin? I’d have a hard time convincing myself that there was any reason left to vote at all.

So you couldn't bring yourself to vote for Sarah Palin over Obama? On FR, you are certainly a rare bird.

[Melas]

So you couldn't bring yourself to vote for Sarah Palin over Obama? On FR, you are certainly a rare bird.

Lest your comment be misunderstood, I wouldn't vote for Obama over Sarah Palin. Faced with Tweedledee vs Tweedledum I'd just save myself the aggravation and not vote. Sorry, I've said it before, but it obviously needs saying again. This woman is not presidential caliber material.

[Rufii]

I wouldn't vote for Obama over Sarah Palin. Faced with Tweedledee vs Tweedledum I'd just save myself the aggravation and not vote.

Tweedledee vs. Tweedledum? How so? Sarah Palin and Barack Obama are almost complete polar opposites--and not just in political philosophy. In terms of their weltanschauung, religious views, lifestyle, and educational and professional backgrounds, it is hard to find two people who are more different.