The Atlantic: Clinton funds nearly tapped out, weighing personal loan to her campaign

[TheWraith]

So says Associate Editor Marc Ambinder, citing advisers to the Clinton campaign.

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/02/clinton_weighs_a_selfloan_to_f.php

[Cant trust em]

1. and Obama brought in 32 mil in January

"Heading into the next states ... Barack Obama has a money advantage," Borger said. "And now Hillary Clinton wants to debate every single week because she doesn't have the money to compete with him for paid media. I think we'll be seeing a lot more Obama and Hillary Clinton one-on-one."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/06/super.analysis/index.html

[rodeodance]

13. good, Hill is a great debater.

[TheWraith]

15. If she's expecting debates to help her, she's really in trouble.

The debates haven't been a big grabber for her this cycle, and the war vote usually manages to come up. It's not a terrible move, but not a good one either.

[Cant trust em]

45. Every debate is good for Obama

that way people can see that he's more than just hope and change. He has a lot of substantive ideas for policy.

[CoffeeCat]

51. That is true...but debates are also...

opportunities for vicious, win-at-all-cost bloodsuckers to play dirty
tricks and games.

If she's running low on funds and many of her supporters are maxed out, look
for signs of desperation.

I'd agree to a debate or two. If she wants to make up for lost media exposure,
because she doesn't have the funds, well--too bad. That's part of this contest.

Obama needs to take advantage of that. He's got tons of supporters who are still
willing to give him what he needs. It appears that her donors are bigwigs who
have been bled dry.

That's too bad for Hillary, but it isn't Barack Obama's problem.

He doesn't have to kow tow to her.

[Cant trust em]

58. Desperate attacks make us look bad

See the South Carolina debate for evidence of this. This backfires against both of them since it only reinforces the image of a shrill, witch that some people have of Hillary and chips away at the hope and change message of Obama. If she starts to use some dirty tricks it will be to her detriment.

[papau]

55. LOL - watch Obama now run from debates :-)

[CoffeeCat]

60. He should...

...it's a strategic move.

She lacks funds to pay for tv ads. He doesn't.

She's trying to compensate for her lack of exposure by suggesting weekly
debates. HA!

Obama isn't buying it, and I'm glad.

If Hillary Clinton doesn't have enough money for national exposure, she
shouldn't try to make that Obama's problem.

However, she will. He rebuffed her debateathon ideas, and I'm sure she'll
hit him back with something brilliant, like accusing him of hiding from the
American people.

I'm sure that will come off real well---as he criss crosses the country meeting
with millions of voters and talking with them one-on-one.

She's exposing some weaknesses right now. Obama just needs to ignore the volcano
of insults and distortions that will now bubble up from the Clinton campaign--because
she's just been told that she's not getting her way.

GObama!

[papau]

85. but...but... win at any cost? no "ethics" - no let the people decide not money? LOL

[rodeodance]

47. you are fooling yourself.

[CoffeeCat]

50. She wants those debates for EXPOSURE...

...because she doesn't have the money for the expensive television ads.

She's demanding one debate a week out of Obama.

This is where Obama shows that he has a backbone--and tells her to get bent.

One debate a week???? :rofl:

And a debate hosted by Fox News??? Why doesn't she just ask him to strap
bloody steaks to his legs and dive into a tank of sharks?

What will they talk about for three hours once a week? They'll be exchanging
recipes and reading out of the phone book!

Of course, if Obama doesn't meet her demands, she'll call a press conference
and formally declare that Obama is claustrophobic and unwilling to talk with
the American people..."and how can we elect such a neurotic, closed down
person who refuses to leave his campaign bus?".

All Obama needs to say is, "This election is about the American people, and
talking with them one on one. It's not about orchestrated debates. We'll
have another debate or two, but we both need to listen to those folks in
Nebraska, Louisiana, Main and Washington who really need us right now."

[CoffeeCat]

17. Did you also see on MSNBC last night...

...that Russert pointed out that the vast majority of Obama supporters
are "everyday people" who give $20, $50, $100, and that these people
are nowhere near the campaign limits that are imposed on them.

It appears that Obama has a wellspring of supporters from which he can
continue to get some serious cash.

It's interesting...because one of the commentators last night said that
Clinton wants Obama to do a debate a week with her. That sounds a bit
excessive to me, but it would explain a few things. She's not going
to have as much exposure if she can't afford ads. Also, she can manipulate
and orchestrate trouble in debates. I don't trust her.

And this "Fox News" debate. Obama needs to laugh at that one. Sorry, Hillary
not all of us just fell off the turnip truck, and not everyone feels that it's
necessary to bend to your ridiculous whims.

Obama needs to play his hand really well--as I'm sure he will do.

[Cant trust em]

20. $25 of that is mine

I gave $100 last year too. This is the first time I've given to a national politician. I love being a part of this campaign.

[CoffeeCat]

28. I haven't given $, but...

I have given lots of time.

I need to chip in some $.

Good for you for giving so generously. A great investment in our futures, right?

[Cant trust em]

44. As we'd say in the fundraising business

We hope that people can give their time, talent or their treasures. As long as you're doing something to keep the campaign alive you should be very proud of your contribution.

Thanks for everything you're doing.

[Tellurian]

26. Hillary's treasury will be flooded by tomorrow am..

she is far from broke..

http://www.taylormarsh.com/images2/hillaryclinton_wideweb__470x308,02.jpg

Madam President!

[TheWraith]

29. Right. What color is the sky in your world? NT

[Tellurian]

43. "denial"... has nothing to do with sky color..

:rofl:

[CoffeeCat]

33. Her reported lack of funds...

...and her strategy of one debate a week--says that she may not
be as optimistic as you are.

[underpants]

37. I agree- I am not buying this one bit

[TheWraith]

73. A Clinton camp spokesman has admitted that they already loaned the campaign $5M BEFORE yesterday.

This is very, very bad news for the Clinton campaign.

[underpants]

39. Is he counting sales of bumperstickers and tshirts?

There was some discussion about campaigns doing that about 6 months ago.

[GalleryGod]

40. I sent Obama a grand last night!

Glad to do it!

[CoffeeCat]

54. You rock!!!

That's awesome.

Wow, do you know what the max amount is?

Great on you for being so generous, and for being such a wise investor!

I'm confident you'll realize great returns on that investment. :)

[arewenotdemo]

62. Sweet!

:kick:

[adabfree]

71. I sent $500

will send more

[hogwyld]

75. I sent in $260. First time I've ever contributed cash. n/t

[cali]

2. interesting that she's in that much trouble

regarding campaign funds.

[sniffa]

4. And by interesting you mean, "oh shit!"

And granted, Kerry did the same thing... but he did it 2003 when his campaign was on life support, and Dean was the front runner, and about 5 Dems were leading him in polls and fund raising. This late in the game is a big uh-oh.

[cali]

22. yep, unless as someone suggested this is just a ploy

turn on the spigot. I hope it's a big uh-oh but I'm not convinced.

[TheWraith]

23. I would think the bad PR would outweigh the sympathy donations. NT

[CoffeeCat]

34. I agree...

"broke" and no longer lugging around her "I'm inevitable" meme--makes
her look weak.

[displacedtexan]

35. It worked for Kerry.

Remember when he loaned his campaign $6 million and became the underdog just before Iowa?

It's probably been a major campaign play for a long time, and I'm just
realizing it now.

[Sir Jeffrey]

42. Different dynamic now...

Kerry couldn't get heard because of the crowded field. Once he had some airtime to get his message out, he took off.

This is a war of attrition between two major candidates with maximum exposure. Clinton does NOT need this type of news coming out after ST, because it looks like she is going to have rough go until TX and OH. While Obama runs up the score this month, she is not only losing delegates but falling behind in money.

[sniffa]

53. Addressed in post 4

[Sir Jeffrey]

36. I agree with your analysis...

when a former "inevitable" frontrunner has to dip into personal finances, that is the LAST thing any potential donors would like to see...especially given that Obama is likeable and proving his electability. It isn't like he is a bad alternative to many Clinton fans (notwithstanding the hyperbole on this website).

People don't like throwing money into a sinking ship, and news like this gives off that impression. People like to give to a winner.

[kestrel91316]

30. sniffa, you fixed your "L"........it's just not the same around here....

[TheWraith]

8. Despite outraising Obama part of 2007, she has fewer donors, and the ones she does have are maxed.

Plus, he raised more money in January than she had in the previous three months. I think it busted a whole bunch of campaign finance records, and most of it was from small individual donors. They had a quarter million new donors just in January. That, plus she had to advertise heavily in CA and NY to hold onto her leads there, and those states are VERY expensive media buys. I'm not really that surprised that she's running on fumes.

[Debi]

52. Her 'outraising Obama' included transfering $10 million from her Senate campaign

funds into her Presidential campaign coffers. How many times can she do THAT?

[Big Blue Marble]

3. So the headline will be: Bill buys the presidency for Hillary. n/t

[jlake]

5. Gross and sexist comment.

[tyne]

7. I honestly

don't think they'd reveal this. I think they're doing it so the press will report it and she'll get some moolah.

[Big Blue Marble]

12. It makes her look weak and they will have to report it at some time. n/t

[leftynyc]

25. And I think the press is making it up

where are the names attached to those advisors? Now everybody believes the infamous unnamed sources?

[TheWraith]

32. You sound really, really desperate when you say that.

Credible press doesn't make up sources.

[leftynyc]

46. Credible press?

I think I saw that in a museum once. I remember when people on this board were leary of unnamed sources. What changed?

[Big Blue Marble]

63. Does a Clinton spokesperson satisfy the bar of credibility for you?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4439758

It is official. 5 mill before Super Tuesday. What will she do now. :shrug:

[leftynyc]

67. Yes, it does

And your sarcasm is noted although please refresh my memory - when did unnamed sources (which this was until 5 minutes ago) become acceptable here? We used to be UNITED on this point.

[Big Blue Marble]

72. Well I read it first on Mark Halperin's blog this morning.

Does that work for you?

http://thepage.time.com/2008/02/06/the-clintons-of-chappaqua/

[leftynyc]

78. Unless there are names attached

I don't pay attention - and that's my point - until recently, neither did anyone else on this board. Nobody trusted the press (rightly so). All of a sudden, they (and polls) are gospel truth.

[TheWraith]

82. Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson admitted they've already done it, may have to do it again.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080206/cm_thenation/45281227

[Fran Kubelik]

16. Ha.

How many millions did she get paid for her book?

[TheWraith]

19. $8 million advance, I don't know if there were any added returns.

Their total net worth together is supposed to be $50 million, of which Bill is $34 and Hillary is $16, roughly of course. If they want to match Obama, though, they'd probably have to pony up at least $20M.

[karynnj]

66. If those numbers are accurate - they can't

They can only use her $16 million - just as THK was barred from giving millions to her husband.

[Big Blue Marble]

41. Most of the money is his.

Some is from their books, but he has been making money hand or fist in speaking fees.

[KittyWampus]

76. And we don't know where all his money comes from, either. They won't release their 2006 tax recordst

[CoffeeCat]

6. Do you get the feeling that Hillary Clinton planned...

to have this all wrapped up by NH?

Obama has truckloads of money, and he's got decent ground games in
all of the upcoming states.

Hillary never seemed to rely on her "ground game". Even in Iowa,
I saw Edwards and Obama supporters crawling all over the place, but
not one Hillary canvasser...ever. Same with phone calls.

I think Hillary anticipated a sprint, but this thing is a marathon,
and Obama has seems better equipped to win an endurance contest.

[TheWraith]

11. Yes.

Her entire campaign strategy through 2007 was to present herself as the unassailable, inevitable nominee, and that there was no primary. She expected to be able to ignore her competitors.

[CoffeeCat]

24. I'm in Iowa...

...and her campaign was a sham beyond belief.

I don't know if people remember, but she planted questions in Iowa audiences TWICE.
She was caught doing this once, after her campaign approached a college student
and demanded that she ask a question about the environment. The Clinton campaign
denied doing this, and apologized. Then, another woman at an event said that it
happened to her and she described the EXACT same modus operandi imparted onto her.

The nerve.

Hillary rarely took questions. Most of her campaign events were orchestrated press
events in which we learned very little about her. I got calls from Edwards/Obama
almost daily. Nothing from her, except the night before the caucus. I had
Obama people crawling all over my driveway and knocking on my door.

She thought she could just show up and go through the motions!

The Chief Political Director for the Des Moines Register wrote an op-ed column about
the candidates. He said that the Clinton campaign really strong armed and worked the
staff for that endorsement, but he said their main argument was that she was going to
be the eventual nominee, so it would be smart for the Register to endorse a winner. :wow:

She hasn't had a "Plan B" since she arrived in Iowa.

This will serve Obama, and his crushing army of dedicated volunteers--very, very well.

[tammywammy]

57. Interesting

That does bode well for Obama.

[arewenotdemo]

65. Amazing, isn't it?

Jeezus, what a mistake.

[Binka]

59. As A Marathon Runner & A Horse Handicapper

I'd have to say I like where Obama is at this point in the race. He has both lick and stick (that is SPEED & STAMINA) he is going be KICKING ASS at the eighth pole. :hi:

[book_worm]

9. I heard on MSNBC last night that Obama might raise another $30 million this month.

[Eurobabe]

48. I'll be donating this week

I've barely given anything to anyone this cycle. :hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

10. Not exactly keeping in the spirit of campaign finance reform...

Typical.

[TheWraith]

14. No, but it's not against the rules, either. Look at Mittens.

Of course, that wouldn't exactly be an encouraging analogy for Clinton.

[bicentennial_baby]

18. Oh, I know...and you're correct

Looks bad, any way you spin it. What happened to inevitability?

[TexasObserver]

21. There's always the dictator of Tizjerkastan

And his buddy, the billionaire oil man.

Bill better get his traveling clothes on. Time to sell out.

[BeyondGeography]

27. She's Ready to Self-Loan on Day 1 after Super Tuesday

Somehow, 35 years of experience taught her she'd never be in this position.

[cottonseed]

31. Book advance $20 million - "If I did it"

A tell all book from Bill and Hill outlining how they would do anything to win an election, not that they would, or did. The highlights would cover Nevada, Florida, Michigan, and much, much more.

[arewenotdemo]

68. OUUUUCH!

:rofl:

[GalleryGod]

38. SHE'S FRIGGIN' BROKE! Yes, indeed, I'll let her handle the National Economy:

NOT!!!!!!!:rofl: :spray: :rofl:

[MadHound]

49. This is the result of her misplayed strategy

She assumed that by loading up on cash early, and hitting this front loaded primary season with virtually everything she had, she would knock out everybody else by Super Tuesday and be able to coast until the convention. She was suckered in by the inevitability myth that had built up around her candidacy. It was therefore a rude shock that Obama stood up to her furious initial push, and has actually come out of Super Tuesday a bit ahead of the delegate game. Thus, her funds are fairly well tapped out and she's not only going to have to scramble for cash, but for a new primary strategy also.

[Adelante]

56. Ugh ugh ugh

It makes me ill. All of the money involved in this primary season makes me ill to begin with. That a candidate can raise as much as Clinton did and barely make it through a month of primaries is more than I can fathom. Campaign finance reform, please.

[hogwyld]

61. Well, as you've all known, I really have been non-commital

between the candidates. However, seeing as how she's managed to mis-manage a campaign where she had all of the advantages, I have, for the first time in my entire life, donated money to a politician. $260 smackeroos to Barack.

[bicentennial_baby]

64. Thank you!!

:hi:

[arewenotdemo]

69. Very nice!

:kick:

I'm donating, just less. In VA here, HRC will be campaigning here tomorrow and Saturday.

She may be counting on us next Tuesday, but she's gonna be sorely disappointed!

[Pastiche423]

70. That's awfully strange

When she was on The Letterman show, David asked how much her campaigned had raised. Her answer was over 100 million.

This was on Monday night before Super Tuesday.

Check at about 8:10 here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x91254

Where'd that 100 million go?

[TheWraith]

74. UPDATE: Clinton camp admits they already loaned $5M BEFORE Super Tuesday.

Not good for Clinton. That's about a third of her total net worth, and they're still strapped for cash?

[TexasObserver]

77. Not a third of their net worth. A little over 10%

They're worth over $40 mil. They have $30 mil in cash and bonds.

All made the past 7 years. Government been berry berry good to the Clintons.

[TheWraith]

79. That's their total net worth, NOT Hillary's. Only her money can be used. NT

[TexasObserver]

80. You're mistaken.

look it up yourself, it's available through the google

[TheWraith]

83. Then why didn't Theresa Heinz Kerry pour $300 million onto John's campaign?

As I understand it, only the candidate's own money qualifies for self-loans under campaign finance law. Their net worth is something like $50 million, of which $34 is Bill, $16 is Hillary. If I'm wrong, please provide a link.

[MzShellG]

81. If she's running of money before Super Tuesday.....

What does that say about her budgeting skills? Is that how she will handle the country's economy? Don't even mention the 'surplus'. That surplus was just a result of them kicking poor people off of welfare. Then when Bush came he ruined the so-called surplus, while the homeless/jobless rate sky rocketed. As the 'front runner' she shouldn't be having to lend her own campaign any money. Why is she really out of dough anyway? Did she blow her campaign money buying super delegates? Hmmmmmm.....Seems pretty suspicious to me. I'm not buying their excuses.

[KoKo]

84. That Second Post in years "gone by" on DU would have been Deleted.

I guess it's a new world when obvious blather like Post #2 stays up.