Dean, Kerry, Clark: Which One Did NOT Accept a Soros Fundraiser?

[WiseMen]

Of course, John F. Kerry, the "I don't do deals" Real Deal, is the only one who did not accept a lucrative Soros Fundraising event.

Of Course, under strict campaign financing rules, Soros is restricted to directly giving individual candidates no more than $US2000.

However, he has organised very succesfull fund-raisers for both Wesley Clark and Howard Dean. He has offered, in the past, to do one for John Kerry.

When Kerry was down and almost out, he preferred to write himself a check.

As a senator Kerry is famous for avoiding even an appearance of conflict of interest. Few senators have maintained a record so widely regarded as above reproach. John Kerry’s legendary indifference to special interest initiatives has been widely slammed as arrogance, aloofness and even as neglect of his “constituents.”

Good for Kerry. To date, I have seen nothing in his past to be
ashamed of.

[Sensitivity]

1. Pride goes before a fall. Nothing is wrong with a fundraiser.

[ShaneGR]

18. I'm really amused by the "My candidates fundraising" threads

Personally I really don't care what sector they get their cash from. You could combine all the shady contributions (All of them have some) of the Dems, and they still wouldn't equal Herr Bush's corruption.

[MercutioATC]

2. Ummm, isn't Soros one of the good guys?

What's wrong with a fundraiser?

[sallyseven]

3. Then he owns him

[MercutioATC]

6. Throwing a fundraiser means you "own" a candidate??

That's a rather extreme position. I don't know of a candidate that hasn't had a supporter throw a fundraiser for them...

[Lefta Dissenter]

26. I hosted a fundraiser for Clark

that means I own him? WOWSER!

[Sensitivity]

4. Time to Contact Soros to do Another Dean Fundraiser. I am out or cash.

[WiseMen]

5. A Lot of Dean Supporter Don't Realize How Much Dean Got Via Big-Bucks

Connections that held these kind of fundraiser. Nothing wrong with it, but there is such a pretense that Dean did not cater to these
big-wig types.

[Bozola]

7. You, know, it's funny you should mention this...

From OpenSecrets, from data released 12/8/2003

% from Donors who contribute $2,000+

Bush, George W
73%

Dean, Howard
13%

Kerry, John
55%

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/donordems.asp

[Bozola]

9. Bwahahahaha! Furthermore!!!!

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Soros%2C+George&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&Order=N

SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUNDS MANAGEMENT/INVESTOR
3/31/2003
$2,000
Kerry, John



Of course, after seeing who Soros donates to, on the referenced page, I think I'm really begining to like the guy.

[Raya]

10. 'Of Course, requesting check "just less than $2000" has been found to be

a practice at Dean fundraiser and online. As well as requesting
multiple smaller checks rather that just 1 with the $2000 max.

[mikehiggins]

11. There is a $2000 limit on a donation, no matter how it is broken up.

Any candidate would prefer a lump-sum payment; it makes everything much easier. Dean, and Clark, have a lot of supporters who can't write checks that big. They are living from paycheck to paycheck and scraping together money for a contribution represents a real sacrifice to them, not a decision as to whether they should get fabric seat covers or leather in their new limo.

Over half of Kerry's contribution come in lump sums? That should give you a clear idea of who they are coming from.

[MercutioATC]

12. I've contributed numerous times, and have never had such a suggestion.

[Raya]

14. It was reportedly done at Hollywood Fundraisers by the Archie Bunker Guy

Don't think that was unique.

[MercutioATC]

15. Maybe not, but I've never heard of it...

[Raya]

8. Now Kerry is off the Ground He can talk to Soros on his own terms.

Hopefully encorage him to drop 100 mill on education and poverty programs and not just high-brow beat-bush groups.

[Jack_Dawson]

13. Who cares?

Politicians need money and Soros has it. I'm not sure I see where you're going with this.

[Raya]

16. Anyone who thought that Kerry was spending time chasing big-money

rather that focusing on this campaign and a vision for the future.

[DebJ]

17. "When Kerry was down and almost out, he preferred to write himself ..

a check." And that makes me extremely uncomfortable. 'camel through the eye of a needle' thing, I guess. Makes the oft=repeated 'son of a mill worker' sound comforting to me, and yet I don't support Edwards for other reasons. I guess this sounds like Gee I can just buy myself the presidency without help from others ... like voters.
I wish all campaign advertising was declared illegal, and the only information given on candidates was in debates on public tv and radio, and in hourly talk sessions by each candidate, uninterrupted, on public tv and radio. This is PUBLIC TV, make it serve the public.
And when I say debates, I mean real debates, like you see on CSPAN in Parliament in Britain, where each side has a huge book full of facts and dates and refers to it quickly and knowledgeably. What we have seen is not 'debates', but just Q&A by right wing interviewers. How much money would a candidate need under these rules? Just travel funds for personal appearances? Dean can stay at my house anytime!

[WiseMen]

19. Hope the "Son of a Mill-Worker," Net worth $50 Mill, does well.

[mzmolly]

20. Well I guess when your worth about 700 million you can write yourself

checks...

[quaker bill]

21. High shame threshold perhaps?

Is there actually a side of the Iraq issue Kerry has not been on?

1991, anti-war
1998, pro-sustained attack on the regime
1999, pro time of military confrontation / regime change
2002, pro IWR
2003, anti Bush using IWR as written
2003, pro results of war, anti giving Bush* credit for them.

and on and on..

How about 20,000 dead civilians for no good reason?

[incapsulated]

22. Soros is a good guy and I would take his money! :)

This counts for nothing. A fundraiser thrown by a rich guy whose mission is to get rid of Bush and put a Democrat in office. *shudder*

I'm glad Clark wasn't so silly.

[hellhathnofury]

23. This is really really really really weak.

[Myra]

24. I have every reason to believe that Soros is the real deal, and there is

no good reason to reject his help.
We fight fire with fire, and money with money.

Please don't speak down to us and imply that accepting funds
from a rich man taints candidates. Kerry is hardly the candidate
of campaign finance purity. He's opted out of matching funds
because he's a fabulously wealthy man and appears confident that
he can purchase the presidency. He is hardly taking the high road.
He is certainly not "above reproach."
So don't try to fool us into thinking otherWise(Men).

Kerry is hardly the candidate of ideological purity in general.
He's a classic insider, a filthy rich member of the Yale Skull &
Bones blue blood elite, a shape shifting politician, a senator
who puts politics over principle and personal ambition over
the public good, who exercises politics of convenience.

He is what he is.
I don't like what he is.
And no amount of spin will make him something I do like:
a populist, a man of by and for the people.

[Raya]

25. Like Edward, I think Kerry did not grow up rich. You sound like Coulter.

What's up. Kerry is the son of a hard-working middle-class guy who worked early a flyer and later made it into the foreign service. His mom is blue-blood but they did not have much money when Kerry was
growing up.