The Reality of Kerry's Money (It was Good Finanacial Management)

[mdguss]

I am tired of the Kerry-bashing that says, "How could you have that much money left over?" Kerry had 16 million left over after the elections; Gore had 8 million left over in 2000 (it is money that was later given to the Democratic Party; and, because of the Florida recount, it was viewed as too small of an amount to have left over). The headline that Kerry had "45 million dollars left over in his account," is misleading.

John Kerry raised over two-hundred million dollars in his campaign or the Democratic nomination. He raised most of this money after the Super-Tuesday primaries which locked up the nomination for him. He spent the money on things all candidates spend money on: television commercials, direct mail, literature, signs, rent for office space, staff, etc. Kerry also raised record amounts on-line during the Democratic National Convention.

If you take federal funds (as Kerry did), federal law states that you cannot use primary account funds in a general election. A candidate gets a check for 75 million dollars from the federal government after he/she is nominated, and a candidate cannot spend more than that amount after being nominated. Because Kerry raised a large amount of money immediately before accepting federal funding, there was bound to be a large surplus in his campaign account.

Kerry transfered 30 million dollars to the Democratic National Committee 3 weeks before the election. If Kerry had made the transfer before that, there would've been hundreds of headlines that read, "Republicans accuse Kerry of breaking the spirit of campaign finance laws." The money Kerry sent to the DNC went to help all Democrats running for office in 2004. The 16 million dollars that Kerry had left over in his account was prudent: if there was a recount, he'd have to spend a fair amount flying lawyers to the disputed state, lodging them, feeding them, providing transportation to them, and paying court fees. Sadly, most of that money wasn't needed--I don't know, but I imagine some of it was used to research what happened in Ohio.

So next year, Democratic candidates for state and local offices may see a check cut to their local parties and/or campaign committees. In 2006, some of the money will be used to help Democrats get elected to Congress, Governorships and state legislatures.

The reality is that this story is a smear campaign being peddled by people--both Republicans and Democrats--who harbor their own White House ambitions. They know John Kerry would be a very strong candidate in four years, and so they've taken to criticizing him for prudent management of his campaign's resources. I hope John Kerry becomes President; and if he does, I know that there will be surpluses instead of deficits in the federal budget.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. One thing I wish they had done: Exit Polls

I wish they had done their own exit polls in Florida and Ohio.
How much could that cost?

[mdguss]

2. 100 to 400 million for a nationwide Exit Poll:

Exit polls are very, very expensive.

[blm]

3. Noone with a serious understanding of the system believed the storyline

promoted by the media. Their entire mission the last 5 years has been to divide the Dem party for Karl.

[mdguss]

4. It was some Democrats too:

I'll keep the names to myself. But there were some Democrats who were pushing the story too. It was clear which camps they were coming from.

[blm]

5. Brazille has a weird Rove fetish if you ask me.

.

[emulatorloo]

6. NYT did a story on Rove/Brazile friendship - loves Grover Norquist too!

Gone from their site, but I'll post a little; If you google around you can probably find the whole thing:

<snip>

February 21, 2003


Frustrated Democrat Makes Friends in G.O.P.
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

WASHINGTON — Two years ago, Donna Brazile, then Al Gore's campaign manager, was engaged in daily combat with Karl Rove, then George W. Bush's top campaign strategist.

Today, they chirpily exchange e-mail, chat on the phone and write letters, indulging in their shared zeal for the inner workings of politics.

"I like her a lot," said Mr. Rove, now ensconced in the West Wing as President Bush's chief political adviser.

Ms. Brazile, a committed Democrat who was the first black woman to manage a presidential campaign, has built similar relationships with other Republicans, like Grover Norquist, an influential conservative strategist. And her coziness with them comes as she is deeply frustrated with her own party for what she calls years of taking African-Americans for granted and for failing to organize for elections in a coherent way.

<snip>

[LittleClarkie]

7. She's gone to the Dark Side

Quickly, get her a priest!

What is that about "failing to organize for elections in a coherent way"? Surely part of the blame for that would rest on her shoulders.

She sounds like someone who just likes to be on the side that's winning.

[blm]

8. And she said that in 2002. Yeesh.

Anyone who likes Grover Norquist has to be declared mentally incompetent or one of THEM.

[mdguss]

9. It wasn't just Brazile:

There was Martin Peretz's article too. It was clear to me who was doing the dumping on Kerry, and I thought it was uncalled for.

[blm]

11. The only Democrat Martin Peretz ever tolerated was Al Gore.

But even that was more a personal friendship. Peretz is a hardliner on Israel and likes Bush's warmongering in the Mideast.

[The Flaming Red Head]

10. Without investigating fraud/ intimidation those checks mean nothing

that's what he should be doing now.

"if there was a recount, he'd have to spend a fair amount flying lawyers to the disputed state, lodging them, feeding them, providing transportation to them, and paying court fees. Sadly, most of that money wasn't needed--"