From Deseret News archives:
Money is this campaign's real hallmark
It's money.
"The amount of money being spent is obscene," says Dan Jones, the renowned Utah-based pollster who has monitored every presidential campaign since 1962.
For instance, Obama has raised a total of $237 million since he began his campaign, smashing the previous record of $185.6 million raised by President Bush in 2004. And we've still got eight months to go.
How much money is that? Let's put it this way: You could buy a pretty good outfielder with that moola.
According to Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics, if a candidate wants to raise $100 million in a year, he or she must raise $250,000 every day or, in other words, collect five of the legal maximum $2,300 individual contributions every single hour of every single day, including weekends, for one year.
Keeping that in mind, in 2007 Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama raised a combined total of $208 million from individual contributors.
In a way, the man they seek to replace in the White House has only himself to blame. President Bush started it all. From 1976 to 2000, every major party nominee accepted public funding, which meant candidates were legally limited as to how much money they could raise and spend on their own.
In 2000, Bush decided not to accept public financing for the primary election, figuring he could raise much more than the almost $50 million the federal government was offering. He was right and then some. He raised more than $110 million more than double the public funding that Democratic rival Al Gore had at his disposal.
Thus the floodgates were opened.
In 2004, none of the major presidential candidates accepted public financing for the primary election. John Kerry and Bush each raised some $260 million.
The stakes have been raised again for the 2008 campaign. Obama raised $55 million in February alone. That same month, Clinton and McCain raised $35 million and $11 million, respectively.
Recent comments
When you cry about the election money think twice about the billions...
Anonymous | April 8, 2008 at 2:29 p.m.
Doesn't look good for McCaine as we always seem to elect the one with...
Dave | April 8, 2008 at 7:30 a.m.
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I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
You have summed up my feelings precisely.
Harline is still open. Collie is still open. George is still open....
Hall to George, who walked into the endzone. No defense. BYU Beats...
2nd place is better than 3rd place, which is where Utah finished in the MWC....
Andrew's still open!!!!
Actually he does have the right to say it. It's called freedom of speech....
This was a great audio presentation to listen to. The new Christmas CD...
...but it's a shame Boise St. is still undefeated. TCU, Utah, BYU, and maybe...
fun game. BYU was one play better this year in a flawed game by both sides,...
George is still open. BYU WINS!! Think before you... HA!!!


