Kerry's "hammer" ?

[sfecap]

Looks pretty lame...

In five days, Kerry's hammer has managed to collect $81,000.

In ten hours Dean's bat collected $97,000.

Kerry is fading fast with the entry of Wes Clark in the race.

Weather we like it or not, the primary race is about the ability to raise funds. Dean will be the clear leader this quarter. And he'll be the nominee.

[Pepperbelly]

1. nope ... not quite ....

the primary fight will be over who can get the most people to vote for them. Everything else is secondary.

[virtualobserver]

3. money gives you free media attention and the ability to run ads

People won't vote for you if they haven't seen you.

[Pepperbelly]

17. but ultimately there is ...

no direct correlation between votes and money. There is a threshhold amount for buying time, paying rent, etc. but after a point, the votes cast for money spent ratio goes down, down, down.

[virtualobserver]

18. of course...

and free media is always better, but big money is the sexiest story that the media can imagine.

[Pepperbelly]

20. not quite ...

What they really like are BLOW JOBS!

Whoo-hoo!

But who doesn't?

:evilgrin:

[sfecap]

8. Well....

Historically, it's been the candidate who can raise the most money becomes the nominee.

The one who raises the most usually gets the most media attention, has the assets to buy media spots, and can finance the most effective campaign.

Dean will have a very big quarter. It will get him lots of attention.

[tsipple]

13. The Exception That Proves The Rule

Phil Gramm, Republican Senator from Texas. He raised tons of money -- more than any other candidate in that race. And he got about two votes, I think.

That said, my man Dean's fundraising is impressive. (Yes, I sent some more cash for this bat. Fun stuff! Love that bat!) Money isn't everything, but raising this kind of money from tens of thousands of small donors is just, well, unbelievable. And he's spending it VERY wisely, too.

On edit: Here's the current bat...
On double edit: Corrected spelling of Gramm's name.

[virtualobserver]

16. I can't remember....

Did any actual humans give money to Gramm.

As a Texan, I have had to endure so many politicians like him.

[virtualobserver]

2. my wife and I were laughing about that this morning

That hammer is a pretty pathetic graphic, and it is pretty odd conceptually as well.

Poor execution in every way.

[JI7]

5. probably done by non professional

they take many things done by individual supporters for the website. whoever did it got the idea from "dropping the hammer" which many of kerry supporters have been saying on his site for a while.

[virtualobserver]

10. It was a bad idea...

because right or wrong, it leaves the impression that Kerry has no grass roots support when you compare him to Dean.

The Kerry online supporters graphic hasn't changed much either, while Dean adds thousands per day.

Kerry has put two things on his site that invite comparisons but illustrate lack of support, rather than strength. It is a very bad strategy, don't you think?

[JI7]

11. i'm a kerry supporter

and i haven't given him any money, so i don't really look at it that way.

[clar]

4. It's true

that the nominee is usually the one who wins the money race, but I don't think money alone, particularly this early, is the sole determinant of the race. I'm a Dean supporter, but there's a way to go.

And I feel badly about the hammer, and hope the Kerry people can pick things up.

[EagleEye]

6. Did Thor's hammer cause lightnig....

..or just thunder?

[Ediacara]

7. what a rip-off of the bat!

[scoelhoMA]

9. John Kerry

Don't count him out. It is a long time from September to March. He is steady and smart. He would make a great president. It is not a popularity contest. Match ability to ability and Kerry comes out on top,boys and girls.

[Ediacara]

12. hey

I like Kerry, but that hammer thing...... it IS a total rip off.

[virtualobserver]

14. a ripoff yes, but [sarcasm]incredibly effective[/sarcasm]

don't you think

[curse10]

19. Like Dean didn't find "inspiration" elsewhere?

[clar]

15. He'd make a fine

President. To date, he hasn't been able to pull off a top notch perfomance as a candidate. His time is running out. New Hampshire isn't in March, it's the end of January, Iowa's even before that. Kerry has another six weeks or so to start gathering momentum.