Bush raised $132.7 million last year. And he still ain't spent a dime of it

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=4&u=/ap/20040131/ap_on_el_pr/presidential_money

Finance Industry Donates to Bush Campaign

WASHINGTON - The financial services industry is giving big to President Bush (news - web sites)'s re-election effort.


Workers at five financial services companies contributed more than $1 million of the record $132.7 million Bush raised last year for his campaign, according to reviews of Bush's 2003 campaign finance reports by The Associated Press and nonpartisan Political Money Line.


All have executives who rank among Bush's "rangers," campaign volunteers who raise at least $200,000 each for Bush, or who are "pioneers," collecting at least $100,000 for the Republican.


Employees of Merrill Lynch individually gave at least $360,000. Workers at PricewaterhouseCoopers contributed at least $310,000; UBS, at least $230,000; and Goldman Sachs and MBNA, at least $220,000.

more

[NNN0LHI]

1. This is why we need a nice long costly Democratic primary. Yep n/t

[rvgwinn]

3. campaign

He dosen't have to spend any money.He is using our $$ and our time by making useless appearances all over the country. The man has been campaigning since the day he took office.

[MidwestMomma]

8. Yes, let's keep them guessing

Much more costly for them to spend money attacking a group then allowing them to spend less targeting one individual.

Plus, the longer the primaries go on, the more the American public gets to here what's wrong with the administration and how our Party wants to fix it.

So then Bush has to spend time and resources not only targeting our candidates but defending his record.

It's a win-win situation for us IMHO!

Go Wes!

[HFishbine]

2. Small comfort

But team Bush actually has $99M in cash on hand.

http://www.tray.com/cgi-win/pml1_sql_PRESIDENTIAL.exe?DoFn=2004

[bushisagungrabber]

4. looks like an old fashioned shakedown to me since they can

imprison anybody without charges. What better way to eliminate corporate competition than by imprisoning them without a trial and taking their assets.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi bushisagungrabber!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ModerateMiddle]

5. Actually, they've spent $33 million already

according to FEC reports, they have $99 million left. The vast majority of the expenditures has been on printing and postage - i.e. fundraising efforts.

[NNN0LHI]

6. Not much of a consolation. $99 Million big ones. I stand corrected n/t

[mohc]

7. Isn't it scary?

When Bush has spent more for fundraising than most of the Democrats have even raised....

[ShaneGR]

10. Why should they spend money, too many Morans doing their job for em!

And those Morans aren't even Bush fans.

[windansea]

12. it's moron

morans come from the planet mora

[ShaneGR]

13. It's a DU thing, from a picture of a freeper holding a sign that says.....

Get a clue "Morans"

[andym]

11. It's not good, but put it in perspective

It's not good, but put it in perspective:

As president, * can get free publicity anytime he wants,
by doing something newsworthy. He can even get non-newsworthy
positive stories into print by doing something "nice" like visiting
a sick kid in a hospital.

This is probably equivalent to FAR more than $137 million dollars in primetime advertising. Now the nominee gets some free press too, just not as much.

How important is the press: just ask John Kerry and the value of his wins in NH and Iowa being reported near and far.

[morgan2]

14. jeez with that kind of money

he could buy a network for the entire month before the election.