Bush spent $50 million in March - a record for any month in a campaign

[lancdem]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1963&e=8&u=/ap/20040420/ap_on_el_pr/presidential_money_3

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) spent a record of nearly $50 million last month, digging deep into his campaign fortune to roll out his first wave of campaign ads and counter John Kerry (news - web sites)'s surge as he emerged from the Democratic primaries.


Bush raised $26.2 million in March and about $52.9 million for the quarter, setting a presidential campaign record for a three-month period, a campaign finance report filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission (news - web sites) shows. Kerry's campaign raised about $50 million for the quarter, a Democratic record.


In all, Bush has taken in at least $185.7 million and spent $99 million since he officially began his re-election effort last May.


Bush's March spending marks the most ever in one month by a presidential campaign.

My God, this is more than any president spent in any month - even during the general election season!

[Not Me]

1. And he got an ever so small blip for it!

I never thought I would say it, but I don't think he has enough money to get the votes he thought he could get.

[xray s]

2. Nice to see Kerry raised almost as much as Bush

very nice indeed!

[Brotherjohn]

3. This is good news!

The Press surrounding the CNN/Gallup and WashPost/ABC polls out in the last few days has all involved headlines like "Bush has maintained and/or strengthened his support, despite the 9-11 Commission revelations, the bad weeks in Iraq and the Woodward book".

Well, forget the fact that the Woodward revelations are coming out too late to affect these polls. I'd say these headlines should read:
"Bush approval STILL at record low despite rare press conference to assure citizenry, and despite spending more money than any presidential campaign EVER in one month"!

Let's be honest. The only reason Bush has remained stable lately (and Kerry has fallen a bit) is the non-stop anti-Kerry attack ads. I can't go a day without seeing one here in FL. But even Bush's huge war-chest can't afford to keep doing that. $50M in a month? That'll bankrupt his campaign, and the payoff hasn't been near what I'm sure Rove was hoping for.

PLUS, Kerry is now raising as much as Bush in campaign contributions, and he really hasn't even started to spend it yet!

[lancdem]

4. I imagine Rove's plan to blow Kerry out of the water

That most certainly has not happened.

[Brotherjohn]

6. Yes, I look at the amount they spent, and the nature of the ads...

... and it is obvious to me that their plan was to EARLY ON define Kerry as tax and spend liberal weak on defense.

I am sure they thought Bush would be back well over 60% by now, and they'd have double-digit leads on him in the polls.

Sorry, Karl? I hope you kept your receipts.

[Hippo_Tron]

7. Don't underestimate Rove

As much as we hate the guy, he's a political genius. If Kerry stays on his toes and stays in the media we should do fine. But if we let our guard down, Rove will find a way to make a comeback.

[Brotherjohn]

8. I don't think he's a genius at all. He's working a very easy room, so to

... speak.

It's easy to scare people and manipulate a base that's already staunch and will support anything you say or do.

As far as the remaining 60-70%, I think he's run out of tricks.

He didn't win the last election... hardly a genius.

[rasputin1952]

5. No bang for the buck...

this is very good news indeed...:)

bush is going down, and hard.....:bounce: