Clark's Cash Came Quickly (NYTimes 1/11)

[KittyWampus]

Wesley K. Clark turned some heads when he announced a few weeks ago that his campaign had raised at least $10 million from October to December. It was less than the $12 million some aides predicted but enough to finance a serious challenge, and it was all engineered by a campaign created in a matter of weeks.

The fourth quarter fund-raising, though traditionally slowed by the holidays, was the general's first full quarter of seeking money. While some other candidates struggled to produce numbers so low that many would not publicly announce them, General Clark was able to chase what is often called the "easy money,'' contributions from donors who were naturally inclined to support him.

snip

Diana Rogalle, the campaign's 35-year-old finance director, said it had been far easier to raise money in the Clark campaign than in her years fund-raising for Senate Democrats. She said that in last few months, "I would walk into work every day, and there would be a number of voice mails piled up from people who are major fund-raisers."

Though Mr. Clark has the Internet to thank for about a third of his money, he has raised much of his money the old-fashioned way. He attended 28 fund-raisers in December alone, including events immediately before and after Christmas, Ms. Rogalle said. On a two-day swing through eight Southern states, he appeared at 11 small events.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/11/weekinreview/11just.html

[DeanIsAPitbull]

1. #2 won't cut it.

Go Dean :)

[dogman]

2. Clark gets matching funds too.

It's a good thing Dean returned them so they will be there for Clark.

[Jerseycoa]

3. That Howard

He's all heart. :loveya:

[xultar]

11. Isn't he though!

:loveya:

[maddezmom]

6. what a guy :)

[xultar]

13. He's done great with the Bat too! n/t

[xultar]

10. Dean has done a fantastic job raising money also. Congratulations!

[Lobo_13]

4. That explains alot

why Clark got such a small return on the matching funds.

Turns out he's just another big donor hack. That's a shame.

[dogman]

5. Two thirds is small?

Or are you just looking at the 3.6m from the first two weeks in the third quarter?

[Lobo_13]

7. One third

He got his matching funds on the first 250 of each donor, so only 1/3 of his 10 mil were from small contributions.

And let's be honest, that 3.6mil was raised over the summer during the draftclark portion of the campaign. He didn't get 3.6 in ten days.

[democratreformed]

24. 1/2

7 million is actually a little over one half of the 13.5 million raised. It actually may be more b/c I can remember the exact figures they gave out. I just remember it was 2 point something million on each of two more checks.

[bain_sidhe]

8. The matching funds

were from only two months of donations, not three. Only donations collected from January through the end of November counted.

[Lobo_13]

9. If that's true

then my math was screwed up.

Wait, not it's not, if you assume that he raised equal amounts in each of the three months.

And lest we forget that the initial 3.6 was raised over the summer, not in the ten days after he declared.

[xultar]

16. You are so right! Thanks for the math help! n/t

[bain_sidhe]

19. I'm pretty sure you have to be declared

to get matching funds. Not sure though...anybody know?

[dogman]

20. Your math is screwed up.

The campaign did not exist before 9/17 but maybe some people count pledges as real money. I don't think the bank accepts pledges though. He ends up for the year with approx. 16m.

[Lobo_13]

22. Please, allow me to retort

DraftClark was shilling for donations all summer and got a sizable amount in pledges in the event that Clark declared. Once he did, those pledges came due. So, the initial 3.6 mil was largely from people fulfilling their pledges, not new money.

[democratreformed]

12. Campaign person in charge of fundraising has said

they will get a little over 2mil in matching funds two more times. I forgot the dates when he said they would get the checks. He said that during Monday's meetup.

[bearfartinthewoods]

27. will he get the rest later or doesn't thr fourth quarter count the same?

[xultar]

14. But Dean isn't a big Doner hack! He's got the midas touch! n/t

[democratreformed]

15. Small return?

Over three million after the first of January, a little over 2 million on the next two checks. 7 million or so is not something I would call small. Of course, it might be to you.

[Lobo_13]

18. Considering

Dean was primed to get the max 18.7 mil in matching contributions when he was at 25 mil, that kind of raises the bar.

And that still leaves another 20 mil to raise by the beginning of March.

[Ilsa]

17. I need help with the drudge claim about Dean & Clark & MoveOn.org.

The claim that they were accepting foreign campaign contributions through MoveOn.org.

I explained to this person that MoveOn.org has never had an ad endorsing Clark or Dean; they have only had ads critical of the President, and those have not aired yet. SHE said the links between their sites means they are accepting money. I explained that people have LINKS to other sites, not funding to their campaigns.

Close enough?

(Edited for content.)

[Lobo_13]

21. move on is not a foreign source

Any contributions (which are extremely limited) that comes from the MoveOn PAC comes from the pool that they have. Where that money comes from is irrelevant.

[revcarol]

23. I'm waiting to see the donor lists.

With only 1/3 of his contributions eligible for matching funds, it seems like there are a lot of big donors. Is he tied in with the same big bucks people who supported Clinton?

We shall see.

[Lobo_13]

25. It woudn't surprise me

especially since Clinton said Clark was a rising star in the Democratic party even before he was a Democrat.

[democratreformed]

26. 1/2 (+ or -)

See #24