Hickenlooper fears DNC fund shortage

[El Supremo]

Source: The Rocky Mountain News

Mayor John Hickenlooper revealed today that Denver and the host committee are struggling to raise the money they need by June 16 for the DNC.

The contract with the DNC Committee calls for them to have $40.6 million in the bank by next month.

Hickenlooper has been going around the country raising money for the DNC for the last year and a half - in fact, last week he was fund-raising in Minneapolis, the site of the Republican National Convention.

He said Denver has about $25 million in the bank. However, he added that the city has about $5.5 million in firm commitments.

Read more: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/may/13/hickenlooper-fears-dnc-fund-shortage/

---

If we had a candidate, there would be more contributions. The uncertainty is putting the Convention into big debt.

[papau]

1. My contribution last year will be the last made to the DNC if Clinton not on ticket

[DJ13]

3. Bye then

[benddem]

8. why blame the dnc

what did they have to do with the votes?

[LisaM]

2. Untrue, IMO.

I think the reality is that Howard Dean has messed up, and I also think that there are many, many people who identify with Obama, but not with the Democratic party. I have trouble getting people to agree with me on this, but I simply do not see Obama as someone who cares deeply about the party, except as it relates to him. My mother in Michigan has been a reliable donater for years. Now, when the DNC sends her a request for money, she sends back the envelope with a note, "if you didn't want my vote, why do you want my money?"

I donated to both Kerry and the DNC, because Kerry represented the party to me. Obama does not.

[madfloridian]

9. You are saying Obama does not represent the party? Is that what you are saying?

Correct me if I am wrong.

[LisaM]

13. Sort of, yes.

Compare his and Sharpton's speeches at the 2004 convention. Obama was all about "purple" America. Sharpton was a love note to the Democratic party. I see a vast difference with how each identifies with the party. In reality, I don't think that Obama's party identification is strong. The Democratic party is probably the best vehicle for his ambitions, but I don't recall, for example, his being out in Washington state (where I live) in 2006 raising money for the party or other candidates (Hillary was here).

This is Democraticunderground and presumably those who post here consider themselves true BLUE (not purple) Democrats. I am not sure you can say that of Obama's base as a whole. I think that a large faction of them consider themselves independents, and have no intention of donating to the DNC. A friend of mine was a caucus chair, and she said that when delegates committed to Obama, they were quite surprised to learn that they were supposed to also represent other Democrats, that they agreed to work for them, and that they also needed to work for the party platform.

And I'm not donating to them either, unless they figure something out about Michigan. DON'T give me baloney about rules. This is about real people, in a real state.

[madfloridian]

34. Wait....you are saying Obama is purple and Sharpton a love note?

I will read that again.

[DU9598]

10. We wanted her vote

That is why the party made rules - unfortunately leaders in Michigan messed up. That is not the DNC's fault.

[gratuitous]

12. Your mother in Michigan is misinformed

It was the Michigan state democratic apparatus that didn't want her vote to count. After all 50 states had agreed to a primary schedule in meetings in 2007, the state parties in Michigan and Florida decided they wanted to jump the line, apparently so their primaries would carry more weight, and they'd get more attention.

When their tactics - which would make a five-year-old roll his eyes in disgust - backfired, they spent a great deal of time and energy trying to blame everyone except themselves for their fix. The state parties in Michigan and Florida have been shamelessly abetted by the Clinton campaign, and helped along by a national media that remains willfully ignorant of the facts.

Your mother didn't get to vote in the Democratic primary not because of anything done by the national party, but because of the childish machinations of her own state's Democrats. That's where her anger should properly be directed.

[LisaM]

14. My mother has worked in party politics in Michigan for over 40 years

and she was a delegate at the last convention. She has held elected office for 12 years, and has run for Congress. She sat on her county party's executive committee. She is NOT misinformed and i can't believe you would make such an ignorant statement.

Howard Dean blew it. The Republicans had the same problems and managed to work them out.

[Pastiche423]

19. Your ignorance is astounding!

Anyone that cared to read, knows exactly what happened in Michigan and Florida. Howard Dean did not make the decision to move the states' primary date, the Dem leaders in both states did.

They voted one way in 2007, as did all of the other states, then said FU to the voters in those states by reneging on their original votes.

[LisaM]

22. And the Republicans did the same thing and the Republicans worked it out

I do know what happened. We may disagree, and we clearly do, but I am well aware of what happened. I also spoke vociferously (here) well before any primaries on the reasons why I thought Michigan deserved an earlier shot at helping choose a nominee. I don't like the stranglehold Iowa and NH have had.

[Pastiche423]

24. Speak as vociferously as you want

that changes nothing, as you are not a Dem leader in either Michigan or Florida.

This not a disagreement. It is very clear what transpired. If the Michigan and Florida Dem leaders did not want to have their primaries on the date they voted for, they should not have voted that way.

They screwed themselves! (Along w/the voters from those states.)

[LisaM]

25. I actually knew Andy Stephenson personally

I'm not trying to make you mad, but I find it ironic that you would use Andy's name in a post where you are trying to justify knocking two large, important states off the rolls.

I fully understand what happened. I disagree that it couldn't have been fixed somehow.

[Pastiche423]

29. How dare you bring Andy's name into this conversation!

He was my dear friend for years and I refuse to allow you to use him like you are trying to do.

You are disgraceful!

[LisaM]

31. I didn't - I saw it in your logo.

and I said that I wasn't doing it to make you mad. I think it's important to enfranchise. I think it's very sad that we have two important states that didn't get a chance to participate. Toss blame however you want, but it's a sad situation.

I was at Andy's funeral; I met his little dog ballot. I am not trying to "use his name" in a bad way. I just think what happened in Florida and Michigan is messed up.

This thread is about why the DNC is having trouble raising money. I think conversations like this illustrate the problem.

Please don't think I am dishonoring Andy Stephenson's name. Heck, when I met him, he was still "God_Bush_n_Cheney". I remember when he ran for AG and used to call into Mike Webb's show. Sadly, they are both gone now, but I think they would have wanted a full participation election.

[Pastiche423]

38. Again, you are a disgrace to Andy's name!

Btw, Andy did not run for AG. He ran for Secretary of State.

Buh bye.

[LisaM]

42. Sorry, I remember the run, but I got the office wrong.

I don't think wanting to enfranchise everyone's votes dishonors anyone who worked hard on voting rights, but we just see it differently.

[madfloridian]

35. Why should MI get to butt? What reason?

[gratuitous]

30. Who moved up the Michigan primary?

It wasn't Howard Dean; and it wasn't the state parties in the other states. It was the Michigan state democratic party that unilaterally decided (as you yourself admit in another post) that they wanted more "relevance" in selecting the party nominee. Every other state agreed to the primary schedule, every other state agreed to get in line and wait in line. The alleged "dominance" of Iowa and New Hampshire notwithstanding, it was not and is not up to Michigan alone to make decisions for the national party. The Michigan Democrats put themselves into this fix, not Howard Dean, not anyone else.

If Dean had acquiesced in the power grab by Michigan and Florida, he would have compromised the agreement reached by the other 48 states, and as dreadfully important as Michigan and Florida are, they aren't the sum and substance of the nation. 48 states followed the rules, two states didn't. Those states were warned over and over again not to break their agreement; they ignored the warnings, and as far as the rest of the country, which did abide by their agreement, is concerned, they've been suitably rewarded.

You and your mother are entitled to your own opinion about how defensible Michigan's actions were; you're not entitled to your own facts.

[madfloridian]

36. Michigan and FL blew it. They did it on purpose. They blamed Dean.

It was planned it was organized. It was a pathetic attempt at dividing the party.

[CANDO]

17. I don't care about the Democratic Party!

I'm a liberal, a Teamsters Union member, a Navy Veteran, and a "white working class" voter who supports Barack Obama for President. The United States of America is more important to me than any political party. The Democratic Party most closely represents my interests, but I am in no way more loyal to it than I am to the ideals embodied in the US Constitution. I support Barack Obama because of what he represents, not because he's a Democrat. In a major flip-flop on my part, I now must admit that if the nominee were Mrs. Clinton, I would indeed vote for her.

[LisaM]

18. Of course I think country trumps party BUT

This is supposed to be a web site for Democrats. I value unions highly and hope that you choose to identify yourself as a Democrat going forward, but while I think country trumps party, in my view, party trumps candidate.

Our caucus had a lot of resolutions we were supposed to vote on to send on to the state convention on behalf of our precinct. We got through FOUR. Then people tired of it and wanted to move on to the nominee. I don't think they understand why you caucus in the first place. If it's just to cast a vote, we should have had a primary (I would have preferred that). If you are going to attend a two-hour caucus, I think you should spend most of that time building a platform of shared Democratic values.

[CANDO]

27. I am a registered Democrat

But it's like the saying, "what have you done for me lately"? Well, since the days of Jimmy Carter and his capitulation on deregulation and a host of other conservative leaning economic issues ever since, they haven't done much. And I'm damn sick of it. The reason I will never vote for Hillary in a primary is because of what her DLC husband did to us on NAFTA. If Barack somehow doesn't win the general this fall, I will not vote for Hillary in 1012 either. Simple as that. I vote issues, not personality or gender or race.

[LisaM]

28. As you should. I wouldn't expect too much on NAFTA from either

The person who wanted to scrap NAFTA was Edwards, and he is long gone, either by coincidence or design. I hate NAFTA, but I have no illusions that Obama will scrap it or even change it. I live where I get Canadian news and it was pretty clear from the brouhaha that ensued a few months ago that someone in the Obama camp HAD spoken to a Canadian official. It kind of got hushed up after that.

[CANDO]

37. Edwards was my first choice

Barack has set himself up for some monumentally disappointed supporters if he doesn't deliver some fairly concrete goods if elected. I think he knows that. It's what sets him apart from other candidates, I think. He says right up front he wants to change how politics is practiced in DC. From the get-go, all we'd have is partisan warfare if Hillary were to make it. Just as W governs for the benefit of only half the country, I think Hillary would do the same. Barrack wants to be a healer, if you will. I'm sure he will compromise on things I disagree with. But I hope there won't be the political warfare of the past. Call me naive, perhaps. I'm willing to give him a chance.

[EFerrari]

21. So your DONOR mother blames the wrong people

and you project all over Obama. That must be awful for both of you.

[Hawkeye-X]

4. As I read this, there are already two posts refusing to support DNC

if Obama's the nominee. Way to support the Democratic Party, guys!

:sarcasm:

I'll be sending in a check this week to DNC. I want this convention to be a success here in my hometown of Denver.

See y'all in the Pepsi Center!

Hawkeye-X

[sharp_stick]

5. No shit

I'm amazed how fast some dolts are able to hijack a thread to threaten everyone that they are taking their ball and going home if they aren't immediately declared the winner by some just made up rule.

[MaineDem]

6. This is the Denver Host Committee. not the Democratic National Committee

The title is a bit misleading.

[madfloridian]

7. The DNC and the DNCC are suffering

There are some who don't want to see Dean's plan for the 50 states succeed. In fact Hillary Clinton's big money donors have threatened Dean several times.

Some have even gotten their money back.

Obama is using the DNC voter files, paying the states for their use and replenishing them with new voters. Hillary is not doing that very much. She is using Harold Ickes' Catalist, a private database which does not benefit the DNC.

And since Denver was the choice of Dean's leadership at the DNC, that is hurting in fundraising as well.

Go for my jugular, call me names, prove me wrong, whatever. But fundraising has been down because of FL and MI and threats to Dean, and the convention committee is paying the price also.

This same group of large donors even threatened Pelosi.

True faces of the money men behind the curtain are showing now...threats to Dean and Pelosi.

Prove me wrong. Feel free.

[EFerrari]

23. After DU's fundraiser, maybe Skinner will let us raise money for the DNC.

I haven't forgotten -- the timing is important, though. We'll be fine, with a little effort and the tanking the Republicans are going to indulge in over their fit about McSame.

[Kittycat]

26. Obama is also launching his new voter/fundraising drive with the DNC.

Where's clinton on that?

ETA: The question becomes from all sides (as individuals) - Are you a Democrat, Clintoncrat, Obamacrat - or other? I think Obama has made it clear where his loyalties lie, with the DNC. Where does clinton stand?

[madfloridian]

33. That was the meeting where her big donors walked out on Dean.

Because he would not pander to them on Florida and Michigan.

Read all about yet. They left in a huff.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1970

"After Dean's initial remarks, Bernard Bergreen, a Hillary bundler, rose and said that Dean's address left out any discussion of Michigan and Florida, which was the critical bone of contention between the two campaigns.

Dean said that in his view, the question could be settled only after the primaries had finished in June, and after the superdelegates had made their decision.

At that point Clinton campaign finance chair Hassan Nemazee spoke up. He said Dean's response sounded to him as if the DNC chairman were "essentially trying to kick the can down the road" and that the chairman was not exhibiting the type of leadership one would expect. Nemazee said that since the campaigns obviously could not reach a solution on their own before June, Dean's argument amounted to passing the buck.

Dean then responded, heatedly, that in his experience, those who sought the intervention of party leadership were motivated by their own particular agendas. And that was not the sort of leadership he intended to provide."

And there's more at the link.

[DFW]

11. I gave the DNC a serious (for me) check last month.

It has nothing to do with Florida, Michigan, Obama or Hillary.
It has to do with Howard, Andy, the Party, and the fact that
I am of the firm point of view that "if not now, WHEN?"

[barnel]

15. cant one of the 'New Democrats' pass an H-1b increase bill?

like giffords (D-AZ) did 2 months ago?

that ususally gets some funds rolling in

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LisaM]

20. HUH?

I am about as committed a Democrat as you will find. I have been a precinct delegate, canvassed for candidates, and worked on many, many campaigns. I worked at the Democratic party bingo all through high school for free. I also donate regularly. Because I think the DNC mishandled the situation in Michigan and Florida does not make me a troll (I'm also a Lions' fan, BTW).

[madfloridian]

32. You said Obama did not care about the party. Yet he is the one working with them.

Not Hillary. He is the one replenishing the voter files and working to help the DNC fundraising while the race is going on and Dean is being battered for following the rules.

That infuriates me when you say that.

[pnwmom]

39. I think the problem is that we DO have a candidate, and people would rather

give directly to him.

[pnwmom]

40. Hickenlooper? HICKENLOOPER?

Love that name.

:rofl:

[paulk]

41. This is about the Democratic convention

not the Democratic National Committee.

There was always a worry that Denver wouldn't be able to raise the money needed for the convention, so I doubt this has anything to do with our lack of a candidate.