Presidential Politics

I read that the top six contenders; Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Romney, Guiliani, and McCain raised over $100mm in the first quarter of 2007.

Those are my numbers as I added up what I read about each campaign.

Not a dime of that $100mm came from the Gotham Gal and me. We've met and given to Hillary and Edwards in the past. We've voted for Guiliani but don't plan on making that mistake again.

I've been reading Obama's book about his roots, called Dreams From My Father. I've not had the pleasure of meeting this man, but I will tell you that he can write. I am not done with the book but its better than anything I've read by Clinton (both of them) and Gore.

I've got Obama's other book in my nightstand at home. I'm doing my diligence. I'll let you know where I come out when I'm done.

Comments

[Tom Labus]

There's some sort of bizzare law in effect here. The more money raised during presidential campaigns equates to less said by candidates.

[Andy Swan]

Tom is right on. I have joined Obama's website and read as much as I could about him---I still have yet to figure out anything specific he stands for....other than a good looking black man with a "fresh voice for change" :)

[Steven Kaplan]

Agreed...I've read both of his books and thought they were great. If you really want an experience, go to audible.com and download the Audiobook. You can listen on your iPod and the best part is HE READS IT.

[hockeydino]

Fred you are killing me again.

Obama's book is going to say what? How tough his life was, how great this is, how great that is, how he walked to school carrying his sister on his back barefooted...how he snorted his dad's ashes...blah blah blah. That's not due dilligience, that's the same old stuff!

Due dilligience is figuring out if this guy understand economics. If this guy is going to stand for principles, or cater to the lobbyists.

Stop giving money to all these bozos. Root for the candidate that acutally cares, and is truly grass roots.

The status quo sucks - its more bush, its more clinton, its a potential hilary! Who in their RIGHT mind would want that?

Come on people...free your mind!

[Darren Johnson]

The numbers are in:

Over 100,000 donors
Over 25,000,000 raised (23.5 for primary)
Over 50,000 online donors, 9,000 blogs and 4,000 online groups on his website

I believe Barack is the real deal. He practices what he preaches and it's evident in every one of the speeches he's given over the last month.

I watched his live webcast on healthcare reform yesterday, and his approach to the process alone is revolutionary compared to the status quo. He plans to do these on every issue leading up to the campaign - there is still plenty of time to get into the details of all of his plans.

And his stance on any particular issue is only part of the equation - I give AT LEAST 50% of the weight of my vote to the ability to bring together different groups of people and arrive at a solution, and the ability to INSPIRE and LEAD. How great would it be to have a president that actually inspired you and compelled you to make the world a little bit better place?

This is going to be a great race, that's for sure. I think this is a real defining moment for us as a country.

[Eddie]

'rudy' and 'mistake' in the same sentence -- nah.

[jason scott]

i think Barack is the real deal as well. Classic contrast with Hilary is his experience as a grassroots community organizer. He really did the work, Hilary just wrote about it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/
article/2007/03/24/AR2007032401152.html

is a truly insightful piece.

It will take a while for him to fully articulate all of his positions but I think hes got the beef.

[michael]

I'm with hockeydino. Barack is refreshing for someone mired in the sludge that is the two party system, but that machinery defines them all first and assuming otherwise is willfully naive (follow those mountains of cash). That is not to say Barack goes along willingly, but analyze Gore and the dramatic shift in his public statements while he was tethered to the party and its funding machinery (through the 2000 election) vs now. The muzzle of his benefactors is blatantly obvious. For that kind of genuine candor and integrity you have to look at Kucinich or Paul (yet more evidence that the 2 parties are barely distinguishable to the astute observer not listening to all of the divisive crap that we accept as "news"). Of course, they are but a footnote, and we willingly allow the time we allot to pay attention to the circus go to the front runners. Let's spend two weeks debating Edward's wife's health and Barack's black authenticity.

Utter nonsense while the treasury continues to be looted by the highest bidders.

[Chris]

I'm 280 pages into "Dreams...," I read "Audacity of Hope," and I have donated to Obama -- proudly so.

You can claim that "Audacity" was a campaign-tailored book, but "Dreams" is far too raw -- Obama wrote it at age 33, and you can draw a straight line from lessons he garnered in "Dreams" to the campaign trail's words he says today -- that's tough to fake, I don't know how it gets more "real deal."

I posted on A VC previously that fundraising "Doesn't Matter," at least for leading candidates, and those who rise to the top will have no trouble raising funds. Obama's "surprise" $25mm to Hillary's $26mm is early evidence of that.

Fred will come around to Obama -- anyone that follows Obama and this blog *has* to know that, or at least I feel strongly that there's a "fit," whatever that means.

Agree Obama's a great writer, although very unpolished in "Dreams," and when offered a chance to edit "Dreams" for its re-printing, Obama chose against doing so...I'm not sure what it takes to earn authenticity these days, but Obama's gone above-and-beyond.