Kerry Campaign has $2.4 million on hand

[mobuto]

KETCHUM, Idaho (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. John Kerry's presidential election campaign reported on Sunday it had collected $8.4 million last month, well shy of the $13.7 million haul of rival President Bush.
Kerry's latest take, disclosed in a filing with the Federal Election Commission, barely outstripped his spending and pushed his campaign war chest up only slightly to $2.4 million.

In contrast, Bush's re-election campaign had $110 million on hand at the end of last month.

--continued--

There's really no good way to spin this folks. Donate!

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4613704

[jpak]

1. Get out the checkbooks people

I put my measly Bush faux "tax cut" to good use...

I donate it to Kerry every payday..

[Voltaire99]

5. LOL, not so fast

As I tell the Democrats at length whenever they call, I shan't be giving one penny to Kerry until he develops a reasonable position on quitting Iraq. You won't support an illegal occupation on my dime, regardless of your party.

It's simple: if and when Kerry sees the light, he'll see some dough.

[swag]

6. I'll give an extra $50 on your behalf, Voltaire99

Good for you for sticking to your principles.

As a special reward, I will pony up an extra $50 this week (in addition to the $50 I had already budgeted.

I urge other DUers to kick in on Voltaire's behalf!

http://contribute.johnkerry.com

[jpak]

11. Done

$50

[Hav]

13. rofl

That is good.
People here should make a habit of that. Would piss of some peeps royally who don't feel like supporting right now.

[fearnobush]

2. I'll will donate an other $10 this week.

So far I gave $35, it's penuts but, it's something. Donate now...everyone, or go home.

[calimary]

21. "donate now...everyone, or go home." And I would add - Shut Up!

You are so correct, fearnobush. Do we want to fight, or don't we? Do we put up, or shut up?

How about this, then - it's December. bush has won, or was close enough to steal it again. Your donation to Kerry might have made a difference, to help him buy even just one more TV ad. Feeling vindicated now?

[Imalittleteapot]

3. Please contribute today!

Even the smallest donations help us to fight the Bush war chest.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Now that he's sealed it it will go up

I will donate more, but I think it is interesting that Kerry has been able to do so much with so little.

[jenk]

7. I'll pass along another $20

Still, 8.4 mil in a month isn't too shabby.

but I thought he'd have more, we wasted too much in the primaries on our candidates.

[jenk]

10. on the kerry website

they have a come together, 10 mil in 10 days campaign running.

they've raised almost 4.5 mil so far, 6 days in

[pfitz59]

8. C.R.E.E.P. redux..........

Bush* and company have so much money they can do just about every dirty trick imaginable! I know one that's going on: call ins to "Washington Journal" and other such shows. (As well as on-line polls). Guaranteed GOP tricksters have a call center with people dedicated to getting their message out via "neutral" channels. On today's Washington Journal every single Bush supporter appeared to be reading a script! "Bush* is strong, moral leader who has done a FANTASTIC job as pResident!" Its up to us, the unpaid, politically aware, internet saavy folks to act as debunkers! I don't have much money to give Kerry, but I can sure patrol the net and other media and pass the word on to Kerry's staff. (I'm sure one or two lurk on DU!) Money isn't everything. To paraphrase Stuart Smalley: "We're smarter. We're stronger and gosh darnit, people like us!"

[AP]

9. I'm not spinning. This is the truth:

campaign fundraising isn't about having the most in the bank. It's about getting the most votes. If you have to spend money to get votes, then having no money is the bank can be the sign of success.

It doesn't matter how much Kerry has in the bank, so long as he's leading in the polls.

He should be spending every penny he has. Also, it doesn't matter what you have. It matters that you keep getting money so that you can spend money to get more votes, and you get money by doing well in the polls.

So don't freak out about the cash on hand number. Focus on cash flow and polls, and Kerry looks to be doing pretty well on those fronts.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

14. Thank you...finally a voice of reason.

[Merlin]

15. The problem is he's not RAISING it a an acceptable rate.

At his current rate, he'll raise less than 1/3 what Bush has.

Kerry has not excited or energized this campaign. He is putting no effort into reaching out to the Democratic base, to the supporters of his opponents, and to the Democratic mainstays like the Clintons. He is coming off as sphinx-like, smug and arrogant. That's the image he's had all along: too good to communicate with us regular folks on a person-to-person basis. Always preaching from a pulpit.

Godam it! He supposedly learned these lessons before Iowa. Now it looks like he needs to learn them all over again, but there's no Dem contender to force him to do it this time.

I just wish he'd get off his damn horse and get real with us. There's no reason in the world why a Dem presidential candidate can't raise $200 million exactly the way Howard Dean said: 2 million people giving an average of $100.

[AP]

17. It's early. He'll never raise more than 50% of Bush's money, but that's OK

Bush doubled up Gore, and it still wasn't enough to win. He still needed the Surpeme Court.

There is nothing to worry about as far as Kerry and money goes. Just keep giving. So long as he's in the black and the poll numbers look good, he's doing the right thing.

Cash on hand isn't votes. The winner isn't the guy with the most money in the bank when it's over.

[peacebuzzard]

12. Just did. Again. Several times this month.

when I linked on the free bumper sticker.

[Zynx]

16. March fundraising has been far better.

He took in millions before the current drive. We probably have far more than you think.

[Terran]

18. Just sent $50

First time in my life I have ever contributed money to a political campaign.

[Yavin4]

19. I Donated $100 on Friday

And I'll donate more if I can.

[calimary]

20. We really have to put our money where our mouths are.

I sent a contribution last week. Soon, I shall send another.

Folks, if you can, do it. Even a small amount. Look at the noise Dean made with HIS small amounts.

[goclark]

22. Just sent $100

[wonkie]

23. money

I made a vow to give al o my disposible income to the democrats this spring and summer. i won't be buying any of the stuff i usually buy; no new plants for the garden no new summer clothes, no books or cd's. i have given about a thousand over the last two months to various campaigns. by the way there's an interesting new website -- welcome wes clark democrats which is a clearinghouse and fundraising center for democrats all ove the us. i live in a sfe demo congressional district so i'm donating to campaigns outside my district.
we are trying to save our lives, folks.

[newyawker99]

25. Hi wonkie!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[calimary]

26. Yay, Wonkie!

And welcome to DU! You make a great point. Reminded me that I can give up my lattes and bank that money to send to Kerry. Let's see... 3.50 a pop... starts to add up, doesn't it. I'd like it to add up to a NEW PRESIDENT!

And thank you, goclark! Excellent job! Excellent donation!

[osaMABUSh]

24. I will give at least $50 a month - I will not allow * to win

When I go to bed on Nov. 2nd I do want to feel like I did four years ago. I want to win FLA and OH and all the blue states and wake Nov. 3 and realize we Dems came together to take back our country.

I don't want to hear any coulda, woulda, shoulda.

Everyone of us has the power to take this country back. (Hell, I'm sounding like Howard Dean (which is good)).

Give a little money, give a little time, publish the message of Bush's failures any way you can (emails, letters to the editor, drop fact sheets in public places) - fight the good fight.

Have no regrets come Nov. 3rd.

[calimary]

27. You make SUCH a righteous point, elbayl. You've made several

that I've noticed, here.

Yeah - picture this: It's December. bush somehow got close enough to steal it, AGAIN. You did nothing to help John Kerry, and maybe one more TV ad buy might have made the difference if he'd had the money. Howdya feel?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

28. Behind schedule for a million per day

[4dsc]

29. I am donating every paycheck

I know its not going to be alot, $25 to $50 every two weeks, but I have never given much in the past.. I am making an exception this time though.