Political Consultants Raked in $1.78B in 2004 Cycle ($150M to Shrum)

[DeepModem Mom]

Consultants Rake in $1.78B in 2004 Cycle
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 26, 2006

....During the 2004 presidential and congressional elections, $1.78 billion went to about 600 consultants with expertise in every facet of politics, according to a new study by the non-partisan Center for Public Integrity.

Candidates, political parties and independent advocacy groups paid the money to create ads, poll voters, raise money, operate phone banks and conduct direct-mail campaigns.

All in all, the study concluded, consulting is a growth industry that owes its expansion to the advent of sophisticated political technologies, hyperactive fundraising and consultants willing to charge all the market can bear.

In 1976, winning candidates for the House spent an average of $87,000 on their campaigns. In 2004, they spent an average of $1 million. For Senate candidates, who run statewide and must cover more terrain and advertise in more expensive media markets, the average cost of winning jumped from $609,000 in 1976 to $7 million in 2004. Already, candidates in this year's elections are set to break those records....

***

The two biggest beneficiaries of the 2004 elections were media consultants for the presidential campaigns of President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry. Maverick Media, led by Mark McKinnon, ran the media campaign for Bush and the Republican National Committee for a total cost of $177 million. Riverfront Media, led by consultant Bob Shrum, was paid $150 million to run the media campaign for Kerry and the Democratic National Committee....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Political-Consultants.html

[blm]

1. Interesting that McKinnon ran the media campaign for BOTH Clinton and Bush

Who would possibly do something like that, unless they were working for a HIGHER POWER?

[DeepModem Mom]

2. misspost -- sorry

[mod mom]

3. Just like Taft (disgraced Gov) family law firm representing Kerry in Ohio

[blm]

7. Much more of a difference. Lawyers in law firms have various loyalties.

McKinnon is a key figurehead common running BOTH campaigns.

[bluestateguy]

4. I'm glad May Beth Cahill is enjoying her cut

She probably even made enough to get one of those Bush tax cuts.

Hmmmmmmmm. Never mind.

[blm]

6. Cahill worked for Kennedy and Emily's list. She may have taken too soft

approach to the Swifts than we would have liked, but, it didn't hurt Dems as badly as Carville having Clinton wait FIVE YEARS before he spoke against the charges made against him on an issue as HUGE as terrorism.

The Dems are weak on terror because Clinton did nothing meme hurt every Dem running in 2002 and 2004 while Clinton stayed silent.


Shouldn't Carville have advised Clinton to speak out on these charges against him BEFORE the 2002 election?

[KoKo]

5. Repugs got more for their 177 mil than Dems did for the 150 mil.

Does that money for Dem Ops include what George Soros gave to GOTV?

[blm]

10. Corpmedia was never matching and QUADRUPLING Dem dollars the way they

did their inkind giveaways to the GOPs on an everyday basis.

[cybildisobedience]

8. all that money to Shrum

and he still can't bring himself to defend Dems on national tv -- as he did NOT do, once again, last night on Hardball. He leapt to the defense of Chris Wallace, though, calling him fair and balanced, and refuting Clinton's suggestion that he was operating with a hidden agenda.
Thanks, Bob -- thanks for nothing.
Go ruin another campaign now.

[cosmicdot]

9. and, I, fellow-citizen (now deemed 'consumer') advised pro bono

publico - for the public good

but, I'm sure this is what our Founders had in mind :sarcasm: