Obama raises more than $70 million

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By KEN THOMAS

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's campaign raised more than $70 million combined for his re-election and the Democratic party during the summer, an amount that gives him a clear advantage over his Republican rivals but is less than his initial fundraising effort.

The fundraising total announced Thursday exceeds a goal set by the campaign of $55 million combined for the July-September fundraising period but is about $16 million less than Obama raised during the April-June quarter.

Obama has dealt with declining poll numbers and a weakened economy during the summer, prompting the president to recently call himself the "underdog" in the presidential race. Campaign officials had said they would raise less because of canceled fundraisers during the summer's debt ceiling negotiations and a typical summertime lull in raising cash.

Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in an e-mail to supporters that more than 600,000 people donated to the campaign in the most recent quarter, more than the previous three months. He said more than 980,000 people have given money to the campaign, and in the most recent quarter, 98 percent of the donors gave $250 or less, with an average donation of $56.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20111013/D9QBCDS80.html

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President Barack Obama greets audience members after speaking at the White House Forum on American Latino Heritage, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011, at the Interior Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

[Firebrand Gary]

1. He is raising less than he did at this time in 07.

Thats not a good thing in a post Citizens United era. I wonder where Romney is at on funds?

[MrMickeysMom]

2. He didn't get any from me last evening...

... I got the call...

The under 26-year old, sweet girl phoning and asking was so happy that her "life was saved" on healthcare under her parent's health care benefits, I decided to congratulate her on that... THEN, please think beyond that carrot to what has happened (or, should I say, what has not happened, as expected) for the rest of us under-employed, un-employed working professionals, skilled workers, and working poor, who have not gotten a hand up, or have not seen this President put on those pair of comfortable shoes to walk with us in these times.

They've done little more than lip services, which is exactly what my spouse expected, while I expected more.

Now, they can win the old fashioned way...... get unlimited corporate sponsors, or steal the election... Isn't that what it's all come to, anyway?

Nope... can't believe I'm opening my pockets and hard work effort this time.

[bigworld]

3. Who are these people?

Maybe I'm just hanging out with disillusioned former supporters, but there are very few out there I've encountered who are really supporting the President right now. I don't think he's gained any new supporters since 2008... who are these people?

Can't wait to see the FEC database.

[BenzoDia]

5. I think a lot of his support comes from people who didn't pitch in for the first campaign.

Young people who are becoming politically active and older people who didn't participate the first time.

[rury]

6. I'm one of "these people" and there are lots of us

All of my friends, relatives, members of my local Democratic group and most of my co-workers are Obama supporters as well.
The fact that he has so much support and raised so much money has really got a bur up your butt, hasn't it?
GO BAMA!
OBAMA 2012!

[bigworld]

11. I guess I just don't see the passion out there

I gave big last time around, and yes, I'll vote for him again, I guess I just don't have the enthusiasm that I did four years ago. I just see him as giving in to Republicans every single time and that's not the kind of President I thought he would be.

[FedUp_Queer]

18. There's only one problem.

He doesn't have "so much support." Have you seen the polls (gallup says 40% approval, 53% disapproval http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/gallup-daily-obama-job-approval.aspx)? Then there's this:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/bundlers.php?id=N00009638

Note where so much of his money is coming from in the way of bundlers. As for me, yeah, I have bur up my butt. Why is that? Because he has broken so many promises, has taken the national security further than Bush ever did, has killed more civilians in Afghanistan than Bush ever did, now claims the unfettered right to murder American citizens without a trial. If people like you can enthusiastically support someone like that? Then this thing we call the Democratic Party of does not adhere to Democratic values. How anyone can enthusiastically support someone who is so much like George W. Bush (especially those who call themselves Democrats) is beyond me. The fact is that there is nowhere near the enthusiasm for him now that there was in 2008. He has done a good job for his corporate masters. It's not that they don't like him, it's that they like the prospect of even more of a puppet in Romney or Perry even better. Make no mistake about it, they are two sides of the same coin.

You feel enthusiastic about another right-wing corporatist? Knock yourself out. As for me, I will stick to voting for actual liberals.

[young but wise]

7. Is this a bad thing?

[Politicub]

9. I'm one of "these people" and am proud to give

I'm 100% behind our President.

[bigworld]

12. 100%? Really?

There's nothing that he's done that you would like him to have done differently?

I'm not trying to stir up stuff, just genuinely curious.

[FedUp_Queer]

19. So, you favor Bagram's expansion? Torture?

http://www.thiscantbehappening.net/node/272

http://pubrecord.org/torture/7620/cross-confirms-second-secret-prison/

[fasttense]

4. My guess is his pushing 3 more job killing free trade agreements

got him some money from corporations.

As if 17 job killing free trade agreements weren't enough proof of how bad they are for the economy. He has to push through 3 more to make his corporate funders happy.

[FarLeftFist]

8. Who are these people? Well his approval rating among Liberals is 83%

And there are lots of wealthy Liberals. Not to mention look at his batshit insane opposition. I think people are donating to keep us away from the crazies.

[Che Billy]

10. slow evolution

If we truly want a REAL democracy, we need PUBLICLY FUNDED ELECTIONS. Wall Street owns all the Republican presidential nominees and, to hedge their bets, own Obama as well.

It would be a dream come true for me if a TRUE progressive were to run against Obama in the primaries. I just can't stand the thought of appearing to give a show of support by voting for a politician who's been so weak on issues that truly matter to the left.

The only good thing that can come from our current fucked up financial mess, in my opinion, is that it opens the doors for some real progressive reform put in place by politicians voted in by those who have been fucked over the worst. A weak-willed "liberal" like Obama only stands in the way of this happening.

I wonder if the ever-growing popularity of the Occupy movement will cause Obama to utter something like "my view on financial justice for all is slowly evolving" just as he did for gay marriage when it appeared obvious that it would not be a political liability. I wouldn't be surprised...

[CountAllVotes]

13. A weak-willed "liberal" like Obama

I do not agree with this statement at all. Pres. Obama is anything BUT weak-willed and he is most certainly not a "liberal".

A liberal is a Democrat like Ted Kennedy FYI, not someone that says one thing one day and something else the next day. That there is what I happen to call a hypocrite. !!

:dem:

[FedUp_Queer]

20. Bingo!!!

He duped us into thinking he was a liberal at all. The proof, being in the pudding, shows he's a moderate to conservative corporatist Republican.

[alp227]

14. Corporations are not people, and money is not speech.

Movetoamend.org - please urge your state legislators to ratify the amendment to roll back the Citizens United decision!

[truthisfreedom]

15. When I consider the alternative...

I can do nothing but offer my vote, my verbal and online support, and my hopes that Obama is re-elected.

I will not, however, be giving thousands as I have in the past. My days of serious financial contribution to the machinery of politics are over. It's my personal protest that things have simply gone wildly out of control.

[Scurrilous]

16. Good news.

:thumbsup:

[BlueIris]

17. What a waste. nt

[red dog 1]

21. It doesn't matter how much he raises, he'll lose next year because of pot raids.

"Obama Administration's Medical Marijuana Policies Now Worse Than Bush and Clinton Policies"

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/10/california_medical_marijuana_crackdown:ph