Romney Raises $6.5 Million in One-Day Blitz

[rodeodance]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/08/AR2007010801710.html?nav=hcmoduletmv

Romney Raises $6.5 Million in One-Day Blitz

By Chris Cillizza
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 9, 2007; Page A06

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney raised $6.5 million for his presidential exploratory committee yesterday, sending a powerful message to his potential opponents about the seriousness of his bid for the Republican nomination.

Romney gathered about 400 of his largest financial backers for an all-day call-a-thon at the Boston convention center. The group included politicians such as Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, former Massachusetts governor William F. Weld and former lieutenant governor Kerry Healey, as well as deep-pocketed fundraisers such as Utah billionaire Jon Huntsman Sr., eBay chief executive Meg Whitman and Tennessee money man Ted Welch.



Ex-Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, with volunteers Dieter and Ursula Kuster of San Diego, works the phones at a fundraiser for his possible presidential bid. (By Neal Hamberg -- Bloomberg News)



The politicos and fundraisers hit up friends and colleagues, and many of them wrote their own checks to contribute to the day's total. Less than four hours into the effort, Romney had surpassed his goal of raising $1 million; 90 minutes later, he announced that more than $2.5 million had been collected and urged callers to "keep on dialing for dollars." The day's total included actual contributions and what a Romney spokesman called "signed pledges."

Romney has said he hopes to raise $100 million in 2007 to support his presidential aspirations. An internal campaign document for former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, which a rival campaign leaked to the media last week, set the same goal. By comparison, then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush collected $69 million in 1999 for his campaign.

[aquart]

1. Desperate Republicans Seek Any Port in a Storm.

[MasonJar]

2. He would be a ghastly president; if the dems lose, I'm out of here.

[Jasmine21]

3. The Mormans are very wealthy. No question from where is contributions will be coming.

It's ok with me. May the best person win. But this rarely happens.

By the way, I just fininsed viewing "The Hunting of the President" Startling that Ken Starr, a few judges and several lawyers are not behind bars. People, this is what true fascism looks like...complete control.

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

4. Anyone see Susan Estrich column

She seems somewhat confused about the negative reaction people have to the Morman faith and Romney as president.

http://www.creators.com/opinion/susan-estrich/the-mormon-question.html


"In public polls, as many as 37 percent of all voters have said they don't think they could vote for a Mormon for president — a higher number than you get when you ask the same question about whether people could vote for a woman or a black. The conventional rule of thumb about such questions is that the real number is always higher. For every one who is willing to admit their bias, there are others who share it, but won't tell. In short, 37 percent is a stunner.

Romney had his friends and his foes in Massachusetts, but there's no evidence that the fact that he believes in things many Christians find strange — that Jesus came to America after he was resurrected, and that God was once a man, for starters — had anything to do with his handling of the Big Dig or the Massachusetts economy. Why would it? What does belief in the trinity have to do with balancing a budget?. . ."

[Demeter]

5. Soak the Rubes and Waste Their Money!

This is one aspect of political reality that public financing of political campaigns would eliminate, which may not be a good thing.

I'd rather have very strict policing of what is done with that money (illegal uses), and for those who opt into public financing, very limited budgets.

[cosmicdot]

6. couldn't campaign finance reform be in the 2nd 100 hours?

imo, along with paper ballots/hand counts, it should be in the first 100 hours of any serious 'new direction'

'as is', the system will remain the same and keep producing similar results - the wrong direction

what exactly did McCain-Feingold achieve?

how much more money do some politicians have over others?

best democracy money can buy