It appears that Fred Thompson is not airing ads in Iowa because of lack of funds.
With all the fanfare with which he entered this race, the slow motion train wreck since has been mind buggering.
Category: Campaign Finance
FEC Rules No Matching to Act Blue
You can find the background here, but the bottom line is that The FED has ruled against ActBlue and similar organizations.
By not matching a worderful tool for small donors, this will push candidates off public financing.
FEC to Review Matching ActBlue Funds To Edwards
Well, it looks like the FEC will not be matching Act Blue contributions. The theory behind this is that Act Blue is a dingle entity, and hence no matching except for the first $250 from the group.
At least that is what the draft ruling says.
Of course, it is the individual donors who decide which candidate gets the cash with Act Blue. They are really more of a clearinghouse than a PAC.
Kos has more info. Comments must be in by tomorrow.
Romney Spreading “Walking Around Money” In Iowa
It appears that he’s paying for endorsements. Thomas Edsall, Ethan Hova report that Romney is making massive payments to various Republicans as “GOTV Consulting”.
The payments start at $500 a month, the base rate for student leaders, many of whom are chairs in the “Iowa Students for Romney” campaign organization. At a higher level, Joe Earle, former director of the Iowa Christian Alliance (the successor to the Iowa Christian Coalition) gets $4,000 a month, and Gary Marx, a top-level member on the Romney for President National Faith And Values Steering Committee, gets $8,000 a month.
Well, it appears that he gets votes the old fashioned way, he buys them.
It’s surprising that Giuliani is not doing the same, he’s got an even larger war chest.
Paul Set to Break $12 Million for Fund Raising for This Quarter
I believe that these sorts of numbers will place Paul in the top three in fund raising for this quarter.
If he spends this money, he could surprise people, at least in the primary states. The caucus states, with their structure being designed to reinforce party orthodoxy, are less fertile ground for him.
McCain: Campaign Finance Reform for Thee, but not for Me.
McCain is arranging for a large campaign loan, and coordinating (under the table) with 527 organizations.
Hypocrite
We Have Entered Bizarro World.
The first serious Republican candidate to to say “Out of Iraq” sweeps the table in the primaries.
That is what the message is here.
Well, that, and the fact that McCain is a sick old man who has sold whatever integrity he ever had to the Bush white house.
Ron Paul Tops McCain in Cash on Hand
ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos Reports: Though often regarded as a longshot candidate for president, Republican Ron Paul tells ABC News that he has an impressive $2.4 million in cash on hand after raising an equal amount during the second quarter, putting him ahead of one-time Republican frontrunner John McCain, who reported this week he has only $2 million in the bank.
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“I think some of the candidates are on the down-slope, and we’re on the up-slope,” said Paul.
Paul’s cash on hand puts him in third place in the Republican field in that important metric, although he is well behind leader Rudy Giuliani, who has $18 million in the bank, and Mitt Romney, with $12 million.
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Bloomberg: It’s About Greedy Political Consultants, Stupid
Who wants Michael Bloomberg to run for president?
The press, leaves the important information at the end.
YAHOO FOR MIKE SWITCHEROO: BUBBA
By MAGGIE HABERMAN
June 22, 2007 — Former President Bill Clinton congratulated Mike Bloomberg yesterday for quitting the Republican Party – and predicted his wife will still be the next president even if the mayor joins the race.
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Experts estimated that with a half-billion-dollar campaign budget, at least $300 million would be spent on television commercials, $75 million for direct mail, and tens of millions more for high-end travel arrangements and operations around the country.
“Bloomberg would want to try to put 60 percent of $500 million on paid advertising – broadcast, cable, Internet, minority outreach, radio,” said GOP consultant Scott Reed.
Yep, it’s the political consultants, who get 30%-40% of each media buy by a campaign.
Scott Reed is drooling right now like the ghoul he is.