Edwards Donors Prefer Obama to Clinton

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http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002693385

Edwards Donors Prefer Obama to Clinton
By Jonathan Allen and Alex Knott, CQ Staff

John Edwards ’ former donors broke toward Barack Obama by a 2-to-1 margin over Hillary Rodham Clinton in February, the first full month after Edwards dropped out of the Democratic presidential nomination fight.

The analysis by CQ MoneyLine identified 287 former Edwards contributors who donated to Obama for the first time during his record-breaking $56 million month. Collectively, though, the former Edwards donors amounted to a small fraction of Obama’s haul, sending in $200,000. In comparison, Clinton banked $114,000 from 138 Edwards donors who had not given to her in past months as she piled up a personal-best $35 million in February.

“I looked at both the candidates and basically the reason I chose to shift allegiance over to Obama was how I perceived his message of hope,” said San Diego lawyer Blake Muir Harper.

“One of the things I think is wrong with our country is that the people have been left behind by big business, big corporations, big government, big everything. We need a return to ‘We the people,’ no exceptions. From my perspective, Obama seems to be more aligned with the people’s interest rather than big corporate interests and government interests,” he said. “Whereas Hillary is, to me, a vote more for the same old, same old, politics as usual.”

Last month was Obama’s best to date not only in fundraising but in vote-getting, as he earned a split decision with Clinton on Super Tuesday and then reeled off wins in 11 consecutive contests to close out the month with a clear lead in popular votes and pledged delegates.

For some, the migration from Edwards to Obama was natural.

“To me it was pretty easy,” said Corpus Christi lawyer Darrell L. Barger. “I think it is time for a change, and if Edwards is not the man to make the change, Obama is.”

Barger said Clinton might also be able to effect change, but that her political baggage could make that tougher.

“I think we need a fresh look at everything,” Barger said. “We need a fresh look at social services — more health care, more educational .”

Barger was one of more than 50 donors who made maximum allowable donations of $2,300 for either Obama or Clinton in February after previously supporting Edwards. The average amount contributed by all of these former Edwards donors was $750, and some were as low as $25.

Despite Obama’s edge among Edwards donors, February was also Clinton’s best fundraising month and she collected scores of contributions from givers looking for a new candidate.

Becky Curtis, a college professor and bandleader, said she finds Obama’s pledge to reach across the aisle appealing but believes Clinton has proven she can deliver on that promise.

“What Obama claims he can do, she has done,” Curtis said.

She also said news stories about Obama voting present in the Illinois Senate and exaggerating his role in passing legislation in Congress have led her to question his credentials.

Dallas lawyer Quentin Brogdon said he weighed his ability to predict what Obama or Clinton might do as president before cutting a check to Clinton.

“It was kind of a gut-level, who did I feel more comfortable with,” he said.

Four donors donated to both Clinton and Obama in February after giving to Edwards previously. For this study, CQ MoneyLine counted common donors as people who were listed by both campaigns under the same full name, zip code and similar or matching employers and occupations. It is likely that other common donors exist but were not counted because their contributions were below federal reporting requirements or because information about their identity was not disclosed properly.