The Buzz
- John McCain portrays himself as a candidate with strong ethics and someone who stands opposed to the big-money politics that has come to dominate presidential campaigns, but a peek by the Washington Post at some of McCain’s more interesting donations yields some questions about the integrity of that promise. A story in WaPO today finds that McCain mega-bundler Harry Sargent - also a close personal and political friend to FLA Gov. Crist- has been doing an excellent job of bundling loads of smaller donations and funneling them into the McCain campaign in lieu of Sargent’s own cash. But the real intrigue begins when you look at some of the names and, more importantly, the occupations of Sargent’s donor groups. The records indicate that a Rite Aid store manager and a mechanic both gave either $2300 or $4600 to McCain via Sargent’s “bundling” activities. Sargent also had worked to raise funds for the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani last year. Amazingly, some of the same folks who gave to both Hillary and Rudy also turned up on Sargent’s list of donors to McCain this March. And every donor gave the maximum amount allowed. This is obviously a report that could prove troublesome to McCain. But the campaign itself is shrugging it off, saying that they will look into potential problems with donations only “when flags are raised.”
- Something that slipped through the cracks yesterday was an announcement by the Obama campaign that Hillary Clinton would be back on the trail - solo - campaigning for the Dem nominee in Las Vegas this Friday and in Florida later in the month. Isn’t a Hilary announcement newsworthy anymore? Anyhow, HRC will be out on the trail for the first time sine inside reports from the Obama campaign revealed that Hillary was officially off the Veep short list and that her only role in the campaign would be as a roving surrogate and a big speaking engagement at the Denver convention. Ad then there’s always Bill and his bizarre interview with ABC. That’s another instance this year that she’ll be facing the heat in a messy situation created by her husband.
- There is an Op-ed by Hillary in today’s Wall Street Journal that takes on the Bush administration for “crisis exploitation.”
- Today is the day for Evan Bayh as Obama comes to northern Indiana for hours of campaigning and chat time with the IN Senator. The speculation that Bayh would be introduced as Obama’s running mate was wild last week and over the weekend. And why not? Obama was making a previously unscheduled stop in Indiana over the course of two days (he arrived last night) for a big rally with Bayh. But the rumors are not true and, barring some major last-second change in plans, Bayh won’t be on the ticket as of this evening. But it is an indication of just how high Bayh has soared in the Veepstakes and how he is considered a vital tool by the Obama campaign in trying to win Indiana from the GOP.
- Another effort to change Michelle Obama’s image? She is meeting with military spouses in Norfolk, VA today in a well-publicized campaign event. But is Michelle’s raucous rep even a problem for the campaign at this point? That seems so…June.
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Hillary is only newsworthy whenever her Clintonista Freedom Fighters scream out Obama’s middle name… But coming soon to a political theatre near you, Sen Clinton will be speaking: “……………we Democrats will fight for you………..…we’ll die for you…………….we’ll even down a few more shots of whisky for you…….. I (Hillary) am supporting Sen Obama for POTUS because like a good Democrat, his leadership and vision will bring urban revitalization to our dying communities across this land - in Canton, Youngstown, Cleveland, Springfield Mass, Detroit and Flint…………………. and parroting Sen Obama’s Iowa speech, my hardworking (white) Americans, we are one people, one nation - all across America, “yes, we can, yes we will….”
The counter intuitive New York Times gives the flip side of Obama’s campaign: in a nutshell, “Given his decision not to accept public financing, Mr. Obama is counting on his bundlers to help him raise $300 million for his general-election campaign and another $180 million for the Democratic National Committee.
An analysis of campaign finance records shows that about two-thirds of his bundlers are concentrated in four major industries: law, securities and investments, real estate and entertainment. Lawyers make up the largest group, numbering roughly 130, with many of them working for firms that also have lobbying arms. At least 100 Obama bundlers are top executives or brokers from investment businesses: nearly two dozen work for financial titans like Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs or Citigroup. About 40 others come from the real estate industry.”
Still hedge my funds on Evan Bayh….the other half of the battle has to do with images and perception - so, you can’t get more all-American than with a Bayh family photo op. Selecting Gov Kaine may be an open invitation by the Republicans will slam Obama hard on the elitism card - too Harvard, too educated, and “not like us”…..
Are you going to draw attention to the embarrassing retraction The Washington Post made to the article about McCain donor bundling? Turns out it was seriously incorrect, in fact, one of the contributions was to Hilary!
Darn it, enough about McCain! What about The Breck Girl and his love child!