Kerry's front-runner status turns up online dollars

[Feanorcurufinwe]

John Kerry's front-runner status helped him raise more than $500,000 over the Internet in the two days since his New Hampshire victory while his cash-strapped rivals for the Democratic nomination await their next checks from public financing. Kerry's best day of Internet fund raising before his Iowa victory last week brought in just $50,000 to $60,000, spokesman Michael Meehan said. In all, he has raised more than $1.6 million online since the caucuses Jan. 19.

Before Howard Dean lost Iowa and New Hampshire, his Internet fund raising had dwarfed that of Kerry. From Wednesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon, Dean raised roughly $200,000 online.

<snip>

Dean campaign chairman Steve Grossman said the former Vermont governor needs a win within the next two weeks to keep even his most devoted online small-dollar donors giving.

"They'll keep coming in as long as we deliver, and I think Howard knows himself that he's got to deliver in these next couple of weeks" for the campaign to remain competitive financially, Grossman said. Despite his record fund raising, Dean has less than $5 million on hand and bills to be paid. To cut costs, he has withheld staff salaries and decided not to air ads in any of the seven states holding delegate contests Tuesday.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/01/29/politics1618EST0698.DTL

[sistersofmercy]

1. Congratulations Senator Kerry!

[displacedtexan]

2. Here's what disturbs me about this Dean money deal:

Each campaign has internal polling going on in every state almost daily. (Think Marly Matlin on West Wing.)
Today, Dean announced that he didn't have to win next week to remain in the race.
That means that his internal poll numbers must be lower than he thought.
Here's what I find disturbing: Dean is still encouraging his supporters to send him money and lots of it. And they are.
Dean's supporters are honest, hard-working people, who probably can't spare much (like the rest of us).
If Dean has spent $40 million and has to lower his expectations, I think his supporters deserve some answers.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. Well you

can't blame people for being loyal, even if it looks from the outside like the loyalty is misplaced.

[Skwmom]

4. Here's what I find disturbing

When our country is in crisis Kerry can't keep from engaging in sleazy politics as usual. He doesn't care if he fractures the party or not because it's all about Kerry. It's the kids of those hard working people who will be going off to war if Bush is re-elected (not the kids of Kerry and his rich friends) yet all Kerry cares about is emerging the victor.

[isbister]

5. What?

Are you talking about... now its Kerry's fault that Dean spent all of his money?

Why doesn't Dean do what Kerry did and throw some of his own money on the line?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. It's Kerry's fault.

Whatever it is -- it's Kerry's fault.

Bush fails to fund NCLB:
Kerry's fault.

Bush invades Iraq:
Kerry's fault.

Dean hires a con artist to run his campaign, and suddenly tens of millions of dollars disappear:
Kerry's fault.