Reply #29: number's aren't right there [View All]

[Vikingking66]

Dean has about 25 million total. The total for all the candidates is about 80 million, Bush has about 90 million. The idea is that since Dean is the only one whose fundraising numbers are appreciably rising (7.5 in the second quarter to 14.8 in the third) that he would have the best chance of competing with Bush.

This is a pretty sensible idea, given the fact that 54 million people voted for either Gore or Nader: if we can get a even a tenth of them to give 100 dollars, we can match Bush. Keep in mind Bush's fundraising has always been unconstested, and that 200 million is the projected total he will be able to raise, only 40 million more than he raised in 2000, when he lost by 500,000 votes. Gore raised 100 million in 2000, so we know at least that much money is out there. However, Gore couldn't tap into the same kind of hard money that Dean could potentially, if his campaign is expanded onto a party-wade basis.