Bush breaks record with March spending

[Judi Lynn]

April 22, 2004, 12:16AM

Bush breaks record with March spending
Los Angeles Times


WASHINGTON -- President Bush's re-election campaign spent nearly $50 million in March -- much of it on television advertising -- the most ever in one month by a presidential candidate, according to a report the campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission.

For TV advertising, Bush's campaign paid about $41 million in March to Maverick Media, a Texas firm run by ad consultant Mark McKinnon.

For campaign expenses overall, Bush spent more in March than his Democratic opponent Al Gore spent in the entire 2000 primary. Even so, the Bush campaign ended March with $86.6 million in cash. All told, Bush has raised $186 million and spent $99 million since launching his campaign last year.
(snip)

The Massachusetts senator declined to release his full March finance report until late Tuesday night, but a Kerry aide said he spent a small fraction of what Bush put into television ads last month. The campaign said Kerry had raised $42.8 million in March, well above the $26.2 million brought in that month by Bush.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2522377
(Free registration required)

[Judi Lynn]

1. Related Associated Press article: Kerry's ad air time now matching Bush's

April 22, 2004, 12:16AM

Kerry's ad air time now matching Bush's
Associated Press


WASHINGTON -- Just as John Kerry launched two campaign ads Wednesday intended to help voters become familiar with him, President Bush's campaign unveiled a commercial calling the Democrat more liberal than Ted Kennedy or Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Kerry says in one of his new ads: "My priorities are jobs and health care. My commitment is to defend this country."

In the other, the presumptive nominee says he would "reach out to the international community in sharing the burden" in Iraq.

The 30-second ads started running in media markets in 17 battleground states Wednesday, the first in a series meant to explain Kerry's proposals and present his biography as well as counter Bush's negative ads.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2522152
(Free registration required)

[symbolman]

2. Gee,

If Bush is so popular then why does he need to run 50 million bucks worth of commercials?

Must be for the same reason they clear NINE SQUARE BLOCKS in cities when he visits.. he doesn't want to be crush by admirers..

[radfringe]

3. :)

kinda makes you wonder that with all this money spent on Kerry-attack ads that his poll numbers aren't really that 'great'

he's ahead by a few points in some states, running neck-in-neck in others, and behind in still other states

if you look at his numbers through various polls, average them out -- he's been treading water at about a 47-48% favorability since end of January

[Amerpie]

4. What a waste

I'd like to see a list of what $50 million could buy in the way of socially responsible spending. How many kids could go to college? How many teachers could be hired? How much health care could be provided?

The system we have now, where wealth and membership in a certain class is almost always required for national office only perpetuates itself.

[MaineDem]

5. That's my thought too

* should be WAY ahead and he's not. A good thing.

:)

[trogdor]

7. It's funny.

I mean, it's really hilarious. It takes $50,000,000 to push the polls his direction ONE MEASLY POINT. That bullshit must smell so bad, it takes that kind of gigantic effort to sell it.

[dbt]

6. Damn. I'm so old I can remember when

The Pugs jumped all over Clinton and Gore for fund-raising all the time. They told me again and again and again and again how eeeeeeeevil it was!

Now. Regarding that "Texas firm run by ad consultant Mark McKinnon:"

A consultant is a man who knows 150 different sex positions but doesn't know any women.

:evilgrin:
dbt