APNewsBreak: Carson raises $20M for '16 bid in past 3 months

[brooklynite]

Source: Yahoo News

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Political newcomer Ben Carson raised more than $20 million in the past three months to fuel his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, his campaign said Wednesday, a haul of campaign cash that shatters records and sets a new bar for his GOP rivals.

As other campaigns scrambled to bring in final donations before the end of the fundraising period at midnight, Carson's senior team celebrated its massive haul at its suburban Washington campaign headquarters.

Two dozen staffers shared a red, white and blue chocolate cake topped with frosted numbers "$31,000,000" — the total amount the retired neurosurgeon's campaign has raised since he launched his White House bid in May.

"You know, the pundits all said that we would never be able to mount a national campaign for financial reasons, but here we are approaching 600,000 donations," Carson told The Associated Press while campaigning in New Hampshire. "The people have gotten involved, and that's something I think they probably never anticipated."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-carson-raises-20m-16-bid-past-3-224850361--election.html

[global1]

1. Can Anyone Here Explain Carson's Success With The Repugs? ....

I'm floored with the success of this guy. When I watched the debates - I didn't see anything that suggested that he'd break out of the pack like he has. He seems a little lackluster to me. Why is he resonating with the Repugs? Is it just because he's not a political insider? Is that what the Repugs are looking for this time around?

We hear and see a lot about Trump. He's explainable as to his success. Most of the others in the clown car have been around for a while in politics and we know them or know of them because of that.

Carson on the other hand - seemed to come out of left field. Any theories?

[davidpdx]

2. Maybe he's giving out free frontal lobotomies

[BumRushDaShow]

3. He is being paid to present a message

to the sector of the religious right who might not like the confrontational bombastics of a Huckabee or a Santorum (Carson is a Seventh Day Adventist). He has a "finesse" that even previous (religious) tokens like Herman Cain didn't have (recall 999 singing an ode to pizza and random "Amazing Grace" riffs). What brought Cain down was his multiple affairs. It seems of the whole clown car, he is probably the "cleanest" (at least so far) with respect to scandalous behavior (Adventists were often the "no drinking, no dancing, no card-playing" folks).

The one thing that the GOP has predictably done over the years - notably since Reagan, was to stoke them up and pander to them for the election, and then promptly drop their agenda to favor the corporate and neocon wings instead. This is partly why we saw a "social conservative" meltdown, internal civil war, and eventual takeover of Congress in 2010 and beyond.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

6. They think if they nominate a black man - all AA's will vote for him.

Another example of they "just don't get it".

[JCMach1]

8. come on now, you know jeebus put him on the intertubes for a reason!

[mountain grammy]

4. No fear here about the doctor.

In case you haven't noticed, he's an African American. His only purpose is to prove the party of racists aren't racists.

But good for him. It's a nice haul. He and his campaign staff will be well paid.

[Sake2Me]

5. In a 15 or so person field where the front runner isn't even raising money

Carson rakes in a record amount but in basically a 2 person race on the other side some are impressed by pretty much the same numbers.

Something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear

[PATRICK]

7. We got robocalled

by Carson. In New York. A registered Dem household. It shows a pretty big or reckless net is being cast for those donations.
Of course my wife usually gets to hang up on these calls so I don't know how many campaigns are essentially spamming the world for donors. It must pay off despite costs and I suppose targeted GOP households must be the main source of funding the themselves or the campaign is in implosion mode.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

9. IMO

His positions, his demeanor, his education all appeal to moderate R's hiding from the Tea Party. Members of my family, admittedly more (much) conservative than I, also like his religious appeal.
I can't see him surviving, he has zero government service experience and will be eaten up before or during the primaries.

[WestSeattle2]

10. And yet has no idea what he'd do as president when a Cat 4

hurricane threatens the East Coast. Apparently he doesn't know what the "F" in FEMA actually stands for.

A real winner.

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. The Islamophobes seem to like him

"Carson's fortunes surged even as he faced tough questions in recent weeks for saying he would not support a Muslim president. His position drew condemnation from Republicans and Democrats and he clarified that he wouldn't support a radical Muslim who did not support the Constitution. His campaign raised roughly $700,000 in the 36 hours after he made the comment, Bennett said."

I think he appeals some of the evangelical Christians more than Trump. One would think that Huckabee would be their man, but he just comes off as so angry. Carson is so nice and mild mannered.