If successful fundraising translates into a successful campaign that translates into votes, then Hillary Clinton is on course to be the Democrats' presidential nominee in 2008.
WASHINGTON -- Two Democratic presidential candidates broke previous fundraising records during the first three months of the year, with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton setting a high bar of $26 million in new contributions for the quarter.
Former Sen. John Edwards raised more than $14 million since the beginning of the year. Clinton also transferred $10 million from her Senate campaign account, bringing her total receipts for the quarter to $36 million.
Unlike Edwards, Clinton aides would not reveal how much of her total was available only for the primary election and how much could be used just in the general election, if she were the party's nominee. By not breaking down the amount available for the primaries, the Clinton camp made it impossible to assess how much of an edge she actually has over Edwards.
...[T]he total raised by each candidate outdistanced past presidential election records and set a new bar by which to measure fundraising abilities.
Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois — sandwiched in public opinion polls between Clinton and Edwards — had yet to reveal his totals. Obama was expected to be among the top Democratic fundraisers.
Add together the campaign war chests of Clinton and Edwards and you're looking at $50 million.
Tally up the funds of Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, and Joe Biden and you come up with millions more.
Although Barack Obama hasn't disclosed his totals, according to The Washington Post, he has raised upwards of $20 million.
[Obama's spokesman] Bill Burton, said: "We're humbled by the tremendous grass-roots support we've received from individuals all over the country. But the numbers that the American people truly care about are the number of troops we still have in Iraq, the number of Americans who still have no health care and, importantly, the number of people who truly believe we can transform our nation by changing our politics."
Certainly, the American people care about other numbers than the staggering sums raised by politicians for their campaigns.
It's hard to comprehend the loads of money being directed into the coffers of politicians.
I can't help but think that the money could be better spent.
It's such a waste.
Candidates rationalize the fundraising and the spending by convincing themselves that the country needs them. To be elected, a candidate must have big bucks.
All this money being raised to fund campaigns is rationalized as necessary for the realization of a candidate's agenda, as though there's something noble about spending so much money to win elected office.
I don't think it's justifiable.
Think of what could be done with that money besides producing slimy attack ads and paying sleazeballs to dig up dirt on opponents.
The candidates brag about their grass-roots support, as they shake down the poor to "pony up" and contribute.
Remember Obama's pitch to an audience in Cleveland?
They're shameless when it comes to asking for cash.
With Clinton and Edwards, and likely Obama, smashing fundraising records, I wonder if it's possible to put a lid on the out of control race for the money.
I'm not suggesting that people stop making contributions to candidates; but I think it could be scaled back.
I'm not for banning people from supporting candidates. People should have the right to do what they want with their money and make financial contributions to anyone they wish. I just think they should consider donating less to politicians and more to worthy charities.
How does a candidate claim to be a voice for the poor while sitting on a pile of tens of millions of dollars?
America is supposed to be a country where anyone can grow up to be president.
That's a myth. Opportunity, at least in terms of the presidency, is related to the efficiency of one's moneymaking, political machine.
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The Democrats aren't the only ones smashing fundraising records.
Republicans have done the same.
WASHINGTON -- Republican Mitt Romney reported raising $23 million for his presidential campaign during the first three months of the year, a surprising tally for a relative newcomer and an amount rivaling the total reported a day earlier by Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Meanwhile, the GOP front-runner in the polls, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, said his donations totaled $15 million — including more than $10 million during March alone.
Want fair and balanced?
Apply everything I said about the Dems to the Republicans.
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