Hillary Clinton Strikes Gold in Bush Country

[wyldwolf]

This summer, Hillary Clinton is reportedly rolling in dough. New York's junior senator has amassed a $12.6 million war chest for her re-election bid next year, raising half that amount from April to June alone.
Clinton's latest campaign reports, filed on July 15 with the Federal Election Commission, became public on July 28. Her second-quarter contributions totaled $6,108,413. Combined with interest and refunds, the campaign took in a total of $6,145,305 during the period. More than $5.8 million came from individuals—65,691 in total. Those filings sprawl across hundreds of pages, so finding out exactly where her money came from in that round will take some time.

But her filings do show how broad her appeal has grown, as this politician from the bluest of states collects the greenest of dollars from, of all places, Texas. In fact, the heart of Bush country has ranked second this year only to New York in filling her coffers, contributing $458,874, from 456 contributors. Compare that to what she has got from the solidly Democratic California, which donated just $311,900, from 234 people.

Back home in New York, according to campaign reports, the senator has collected $1.7 million, from 1,020 supporters.

The Texas contribution list reveals a surprising gold mine for Clinton. Plenty of Austin liberals have embraced her, from Ann Richards, the former governor (who gave $1,000), to Luci Baines Johnson, the president's daughter (ditto). Clinton's base extends far beyond this progressive island to Houston, Dallas, and the Rio Grande Valley. A poor area along the Mexican border, the valley accounted for nearly half of all contributions, most of them at less than $1,000 a pop.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0531,lombardi,66389,6.html

[clydefrand]

1. Great article. Thanks for the link.

[katinmn]

2. She's getting a lot of help from the media, too.

Every word she utters gets picked up and they invite the opposition to comment on all the talk shows. She's the DLC's choice.

[rniel]

47. Yes they really want to help her

to a glorious loss in the coming election.

[DancingBear]

3. Boy, I hate to throw cold water on this, but...

Doesn't anyone get a WEE bit suspicious when Hillary money is coming from Texas??

Sorry, but I may smell a rat here -a beady little bastard rat, actually.

[katinmn]

4. Yep. They want to see her face off with Condi!

[paulk]

7. but the article says that most of those Texas contributions

are coming from small donors in poorer areas of the state...

or places like Austin, that are predominately liberal -

I don't
think you can make the criticism you have based solely on the money coming from Texas...

[Texas_Kat]

53. Hillary is not that popular

"Texas. In fact, the heart of Bush country has ranked second this year only to New York in filling her coffers, contributing $458,874, from 456 contributors."

That's an average of $1000 per contribution. People from 'poor areas' my foot! (insert any other anatomical appellaton you care to here)

This writer is shilling for Hillary. If Kerry lost the Texas 2004 general election by the widest margin in history.... Hillary will do worse.

[Pithy Cherub]

5. California is not fully embracing Clinton with $$$$.

There is plenty of money here that is staying neutral because the DLC ideology and appeasment strategy is not beloved here! Look at Arnie who tried that whole centrist/moderate thing... Democrats have fought back and are now regularly kicking his moderate centrist ass! And our beloved Boxer re-elected as a progressive with a HUGE majority. HRC should be cleaning up here - and she's not...

[Writer]

6. Arnie's failing because Arnie's a bad governor.

And that is all.

[Pithy Cherub]

8. Arnie has damaged moderation as a philosophy.

Mayor Villaraigosa proud Progressive and the $$$$ flowed - Big. Boxer huge approval numbers, Newsom beloved by Progressives. The very wealthy Left in CA is not spending money for moderates right now.

[Writer]

10. Hmmm... really now...

How many wealthy San Franciscans want anything right of Noam Chomsky, anyway? Newsom? Hell, yes, his city supports him. I do recall his taking a stand for gay marriage. A rather important topic for San Franciscans, don't you think?

Please - Arnie hasn't hurt moderate beliefs any more than before. Centrist logic has never been on the menu over there.

[Pithy Cherub]

11. And the all important LA is throwing no love to moderates either.

Hahn, the ex-mayor...

[woodleydem]

16. The fact that San Francisco liberals are somewhat cool on Hillary is

actually an advantage for the NY Senator. Those individuals, God bless them, are not viewed by mainstream America as, well, in the mainstream. And Hillary is a fundraising machine, so realistically speaking, she doesn't need their money.

[Pithy Cherub]

30. HRC write off ALL of CA , the electoral dream state. heh!

Nope, she wants our cash! Go up and down the coast and the money is NOT flowing into her coffers from here the way it has in the past. That is a warning sign that you ignore at yours and HRC's peril.

She was here with Obama (non-DLC) for the last big fundraiser. Trust me, the big donor money is being sat on right now. You should ask Warner how well he did when he was out here recently, too. If you need political cash, no one in their "left" mind writes off the big guns in CA, ...anywhere in CA. :rofl:

[iconoclastNYC]

42. Well lets see how far she goes with no energized base.

Hillary shoudl realize that fat cash and the corporate blessing do not win it for a candidate, it is grass roots energy and devotion. If she doesn't get the activists in her party excited, she's going to lose.

[Capn Sunshine]

17. No, he's failing because we fight him tooth and nail

Despite the council of those who want to be "moderates"

They were wrong in this instance.

[Writer]

19. I'm a moderate, and I don't like him

Because I think he's just a little TOO far right.

Know what I mean? ;)

[mrdmk]

15. Arnie is not a moderate by any means, He is the media darling

bubbles do burst.:nopity:

[theboss]

39. The Clintons don't need the small donors in CA

They make their money in California with the Spielberg crowd in Hollywood. When the time is right, she'll have a few $10,000.00/plate dinners in LA and the "soft money" will roll in.

[Pithy Cherub]

41. That's the money that is being sat on right now &

the beleif that in the past they gave to one is now gone. There will be several candidates given to in these arrangements not Hillary only. Leveling the playing field a bit. So it is not solely hers, HRC used to have a lock on it.

[Clark2008]

9. And?

It still doesn't mean the average person will vote for her.

Just because the media and certain members of the party have endorsed her doesn't mean that Joe and Jolene Doe will vote for her in the red states.

I think her nomination would be an endeavor in futility.

[Rainscents]

26. You're right!

She must go through primary process, which most states don't vote with machines on primary. I believe, it's call, "Caucus". In a Caucus, most Democrats are pretty liberals who vote in it. They're the one, who decide.

[NoPasaran]

44. That;s how we ended up with that bleeding heart liberal Kerry

Isn't it?
:sarcasm:

[wli]

12. very interesting; if she's going to be a winner, I'm for her

I'd still rather Clark, Boxer, or others prevail in the primaries, but if Hillary's going to be a winner, so be it. We desperately need a winner.

[CTyankee]

13. Thank you. I was waiting for someone to say it

Look, I don't know how this thing is going to play out but Hillary has a chance, I think. Shehas satisfied me on the choice issue by basically coming out on a solidly prochoice side that mirrors the position held by Planned Parenthood (more medically accurate sex ed and better access to contraception reduces abortions -- since when is prevention and education anti choice?). There are, however, troubling issues with HIllary, most notably the bankruptcy bill. I want toknow why she voted for it. On the war I think she probably felt that Bush was lying but since there was no way to know for sure she didn't want to be caught with pants down. The bottom line: if we can't get elected we can't get off this insane Planet Republican.

[election_2004]

20. on the Bankruptcy Bill

She technically didn't vote for it...she was the only member of the U.S. Senate who didn't cast a vote on the final version of it.

She claimed she couldn't be in attendance to vote up-or-down on its final pasage because of a "family emergency" (Bill in the hospital for heart surgery)...however, she managed to show up in the Senate chamber two days earlier to vote against cloture on it, even though Bill was in the hospital that whole week.

How *convenient*...

[Clark2008]

23. You're obviously in Connecticut

Try visiting the red states - even the marginal ones like Virginia and Arizona and New Mexico - and THEN tell me if you think she has a shot in the general election.

I'm betting you'll come back with a different viewpoint.

I live in a "red" state and know there's no hope if she's the nominee.

I can see a couple of Dems pulling out a couple of red states, but not Hillary.

[CTyankee]

34. Then, who do you think she (or any dem) will be?

I just want to get a Democrat in. That's it for me.

[election_2004]

51. Possibilities: Dems who could carry some of the red states

Lincoln, Clark, Warner, Bredesen, Vilsack, Bayh, Henry, Edwards (probably)

Take your pick. Vote for who you think will deliver the best national message, based on their performance in the primaries.

[CTyankee]

54. Well, we'll see

Lincoln, Clark, Warner, maybe Bayh and Edwards. Just don't know where they stand, except for Clark who I think is a real comer in this debate.

It always looks like a governor because a gov. has had executive experience. I guess that has some legitimacy, because governors must oversee a state government. But I'd like some vision, too, beyond statehouse politics.

[Larkspur]

14. Hillary won't get any money, support, or a vote from me

She's a strumpet for corporations and supports an immoral war.

It's amazing that people will support someone like Hillary, who is part of the problem, not the solution. But then people supported Michael Jackson too.

[mrdmk]

18. I am not a fan of Mr. or Mrs. Clinton policies and especially the DLC

Personally I am all for limits of campaign contributions starting with if you are from a certain locality, you can only receive money from the area you represent. Hillary representing the state of New York and receiving money from Texas, bullshit!

[Greyhound]

52. Sorry, I already got fucked by a Clinton, never again. n/t

[Still_Loves_John]

21. Does this really prove anything?

I mean, all politicians get lots of money from Texas, just like all politicians get lots of money from New York. There's money there. Democrats will get lots of money from Texas because there are still plenty of rich liberals there, even though the state is red, just like Republicans get lots of money out of New York because there are still plenty of rich conservatives who live there. It doesn't reflect the nature of the states' populations as wholes.

[madfloridian]

22. Here's what happening, I think.

From what I can gather, sort of, from the closeness of Bill Clinton to Poppa Bush and other things.....

Looks to me like Hillary and the DLC just made a big power play to form or partially form basically another party to the right of the party.

I did not think so at first, but the facts in this article struck me odd, adding to that suspicion. Though she is a NY senator, her campaign is going strong thoughout the land. Even in the border areas of TX. Ok, fine. But is is midyear 2005. She still needs to run for NY office again. Where will loyalties lie?

From the moment, the very moment, that the DLC met in Ohio, the good news of the progress of the DNC was off the pages and out of the news very quickly. That was well done, perfect. It also turned out that about that time the lies about the war via Niger via Rove via whatever gate you want to call it....were off the news as well.

Meanwhile, if you notice, there are folks coming here to criticize the party from the left....and say time for a new progressive movement.

Hillary has made her move,I think, via the DLC, and it speaks volumes. I got some private mails about by Bredesen post, saying I was causing dissension in the party. If you look at the facts in what I wrote, Bredesen is acting very unlike a Democrat, and the memo shows that. This is how the DLC is making their moves through the states, and it needs to be pointed out.

I am suspicious of a lot of things, but I try to give credit where due. She stood beside McCain in Iraq, and she said the insurgency was almost over, that the suicide bombings were a sign of that they were failing.

I think they are going to split the party from the right, and progressive groups will do it from the left. And we all will stand around and say "gee what happened?" We were getting enthusiastic about growing our party, and bam we did not know what hit us.

Someone here a day or so ago told me I was a jerk. Ok, I can live with that. I am going to call it like I see it, so call me a jerk.

Someone said something about when the right keeps going right and the left keeps going left, pretty soon they will run into each other...very paraphrased, but you get the gist.

[Clark2008]

24. Can you link me to your Bredesen post?

I'd like to read that.

Particularly since I don't think Bredesen is acting unlike a Democrat. TennCare isn't exactly his fault. It's more the fault of the Republican General Assembly who won't vote for progressive taxation (income tax) in this state.

But I'd still like to see what you posted.

[madfloridian]

25. Well, if your mind is made up already.....

then even the documents in the video and the statements he made about not allowing alternative proposals will matter.

The video is 29 minutes of documented fact. There are real people involved in this. Doesn't sound to me like it is GOP, sounds like he is determined.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1971822

And he told one woman she and other "liberal activists" they were to blame for not working for a company with medical coverage. She is very ill. He called her out in some newspaper,the WP, I think.

[Clark2008]

27. It's not made up.

But, sadly, I can't watch the video until next week when I get high-speed internet. A 30-minute video would take me days to download.

However, I'll go read what you wrote.

Thanks.

[Pepperbelly]

28. baloney ...

if there is a schism, it is from the left, not the middle or even the right of the party.

[Rainscents]

31. You're wrong!

Most States on primary goes through "Cusuas"... These people are very liberal and they're the ones who decide! Caucus don't use Die bold machines for anyone to hack!!!

[Pepperbelly]

33. what does that have to do with the topic or the post?

Hillary Clinton is not trying to divide the party to form another and that was the accusation.

[Clark2008]

29. OK... so now I don't understand why people would be sending

you PMs saying you were causing dissension in the party.

Most people here, on this board, anyway, hate or strongly distrust the DLC. I know there are a handful who don't and an even small handful who are DLC advocates; however, most of those people wouldn't PM you. They would just argue their case on the public board.

Are you saying that you believe "the fix" is in and that Hillary *IS* the nominee and there's nothing we can do about it? That others might tell us that we should "go along to get along?"

I hope that's not the case and I hope that we DUers, Kossacks and MyDDers will finally pick a fairly OK "consensus" candidate to challenge Hillary in the primaries (if she runs) and work our asses off to make sure we get a strong leader as the nominee - someone who A.) can win and B.) will bust Republican nuts.

[madfloridian]

32. I am saying I don't know.

:shrug:

Wish I did know. I think we need to be on guard and watch for beams in eyes.

[wyldwolf]

35. oh, god...

:crazy: :crazy: :tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

No, really.

The conspiracy theories here in regards to the Clintons are seriously close to surpassing those of the Rightwing.

[madfloridian]

36. Did I make your day?

}(

[wyldwolf]

37. nah, my day was made at dinner tonight

[theboss]

40. All she is doing is copying what Bill did in '92

Don't forget that Bill basically rode the DLC to victory. It's not a conspiracy. It's just a tried and true formula.

I still think if Gore had followed it instead of going half-cocked on some goofy populist agenda, he would still be President. Kerry gave it a shot, but he's been the liberal's liberal for thirty years so it didn't work exactly.

[madfloridian]

43. Then let her do it. It won't reach me this time.

I say let her go for the triangulation this time. I recognize it now, and I don't like it. I think I have allowed myself to be manipulated like that way too long.

[madfloridian]

38. Was Laura Flanders right? Did Chevron sponsor the DLC convention.

That just struck me as odd....Guess it is done all the time. Condi's old firm and all that.

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/071405/lobbying.html

"Chevron’s second outside ally in its quest for Unocal is Fontheim International, the lobbying firm founded by Claude Fontheim, a former lawyer for Akin Gump. Fontheim’s firm has lobbied as a foreign agent for Singapore and the Marshall Islands, and he has chaired the centrist Democratic Leadership Council’s project on America, the new global economy and trade."

Just thought this was an interesting statement. Hard to find the list of sponsors.

[Snivi Yllom]

45. Hillary is going to be the nominee in 2008

End of story.

[election_2004]

46. Go get your crystal ball repaired...

And take a Kool-Aid detox.

[Snivi Yllom]

48. I wish I was wrong

But the freight train is a coming.....

[election_2004]

49. So why are you wasting your time talking about it?

If Hillary's nomination is "inevitable," then what is your purpose behind regurgitating the news of that so-called inevitability?

[mmonk]

50. So I guess it's good

to get most of your money outside your home state from Texas? Texas does give us war on false pretenses candidates.