Only Kerry and Dean will be able to match/surpass Bush in fundraising

[CabalBuster]

Even if Edwards, Clark or Kucinich get the nomination, how will they be able to match Bush in fundraising? Is an Edwards/Clark/Kucinich nomination doomed to failure? Even though they're nice people they will lack the financial muscle to get their message across and will be blasted by relentless GOP propaganda. How can fundraising potential not define whether those guys are electable? Both Dean and Kerry can guarantee staying on message and competing on a leveled playing field in my opinion. This makes me very nervous.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

1. How Can You Say Kerry Will Outraise Clark?

Clark blew Kerry away in fundraising this past quarter.

Or are we back to the debunked federal matching funds argument?

DTH

[Lobo_13]

2. Off the top of my head

because Kerry can raise and spend more than 45 mil. Theoretically, anyway.

[CabalBuster]

6. Campaign limits

Once he hits the ceiling, he won't be able to raise much. Dean has raised over $40, I believe Clark won't be able to approach Dean's prowess no matter what. I may be wrong but somehow I don't have much faith in Clark's potential to allure the democratic base.

[poskonig]

3. Clark's spending will be capped until the convention.

Kerry and Dean will be able to at least fight back against Bush's massive warchest.

[slor]

4. Clark is still bringing in more money than Kerry...

and for what they are worth, more endorsements.

[KittyWampus]

5. Any WAY More Grassroots

[bearfartinthewoods]

7. nobody can come close to bushco

if we try and put it that the guy who has the most bucks wins we're screwed.

besides...a superior product doesn't need as much advertising and no one will be able to say money won iowa.

[SahaleArm]

11. Well at least someone agrees with me...

Bush will double the highest fundraising Democrat and he'll need all of it if we elect a superior candidate.

[Melodybe]

12. You say that until three out of every 5 commercials are negative

against our man. It will be easier to steal this election with that kind of airplay. Clark should have opted out, Dean and Kerry are the only two that can compete. I like Clark but only having 45 million will kill us.

[lastknowngood]

8. Kerry had to take out a loan on his house to stay in

what will he borrow against to make it through the election?

[jmaier]

9. No candidate is going to raise

Bush-like numbers regardless of theoretical limits/no limits. If either Clark or Edwards are the nominee then democratic supporters would be well advised to load up the coffers of the DNC which can still coordinate advertising and expenditures with a campaign while 527s like MoveOn cannot. I believe the DNC is currently planning on spending $20m in support of the nominee.

For the critical last 60 days, both Dem & Repub will be flush and on equal footing with matching funds.

[depakid]

10. The big white elephant in those campaigns is matching funds

and from any objective viewpoint, this will really hurt either Clark's or Edwards' ability to respond to Republican attacks and get their own message out over the summer- something Ickes' media fund and Moveon can't do for them. This will be a serious problem should either of them get the nomination and anyone who doesn't think so is being naive.

[Cuban_Liberal]

13. An excellent reason to not alienate Dr. Dean or Sen. Kerry.

We need to think AHEAD, folks, and a lot of people here are NOT doing so. Dr. Dean has shown an amazing ability to raise funds, and assuming we don't toally alienate his supporters, we could use that expertise, should he not secure the nomination. I wish people could see beyond the end of their personally-invested noses, and look at the BIG PICTURE, instead of devoting so much time to searching for flame bait and crafting that perfetct drive-by bash.