Why doesn't Kerry's website have a $$ Donation Graphic? What is he hiding?

[sleipnir]

I noticed that he doesn't have some slick "up to the hour" graphic that shows the progress of the donors. Odd to say the least, or what is Kerry hiding?? Is it perhaps that if he had an "Average Donation" statistic the truth will come out, that most of his donations have been for four-figure amounts? Or is he afraid that he won't reach $2 Million by next Tuesday? Humm...any ideas? Come on, Clark/Dean/Kucinich have/had graphics during "cash drives" and they weren't afraid to let their numbers out into the open and challenge their supporters to give more.

Perhaps I've got my tinfoil hat on too tight tonight, but something seems kinda fishy with the lack of a donation graphic, in the same manner as the rest of the candidates.

If anyone has some good legitimate reasons, I would honestly like to know. Thanks

[retyred]

1. Maybe donation = ego isn't as important

as it is to some of the others? :shrug:



retyred in fla
“Good-Night Paul, Wherever You Are”
So I read this book

[Kathleen04]

2. There was one the other day

and they met goal.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. What is your candidates current fundraising goal?

[sleipnir]

5. Last I checked, Kucinich was at around 3/4 mil!

Go Dennis!

[NNN0LHI]

4. I'm sure it is a plot. Everything is a plot. You should know that by now

[Tinoire]

6. Murdoch & company? Telecommunications? (Articles here)

And mind you, Kerry used to be my number 2 :(

Media chiefs back Kerry campaign

Owen Gibson
Tuesday February 10, 2004

<snip>

As John Kerry's campaign to secure the Democrat nomination - and with it a crack at the White House - continues to gather pace, it has emerged that it is being bankrolled by key executives from News Corporation, MTV-owner Viacom and Sony.

<snip>

Mr Chernin, one of Mr Murdoch's most trusted lieutenants, is among several media chiefs who have pledged to raise between $50,000 and $100,000 to support the Vietnam war veteran's campaign for the White House.

Others who have pledged to raise more than $50,000 include the Viacom chief executive, Sumner Redstone, and Sony chairman Howard Stringer, whose name has recently been linked with the vacant chairmanships at ITV and the BBC.

Most of the money raised from these contributors will have to be raised through business associates, relatives and friends as individuals can only give a total of $4,000 each to presidential candidates - $2,000 during the primaries and another $2,000 during a general election.

<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0%2C13918%2C1144797%2C00.html

===

Now Kerry must face up to those tough questions

Republicans will focus on senator's love of lobbyists

Paul Harris in Washington
Sunday February 15, 2004
The Observer

John Kerry, the Democratic favourite to face George Bush in the US presidential elections, has taken millions of dollars in financial backing from special interests and lobbyists. Kerry, who has made fighting special interests a key part of his campaign, has also backed legislation favouring some of his donors and written letters on behalf of corporate backers.

<snip>

Kerry - like Bush - has recruited an army of 'bundlers' who skip around strict campaign finance laws by gathering $2,000 cheques from friends and employees into bundles of $50,000 or $100,000. Kerry has 32 $100,000 bundlers and 87 $50,000 bundlers. They come mainly from powerful law firms, real estate companies, financiers and lobbyists. Kerry has received more money from lobbyists over the past 15 years than any other serving senator. Some of Kerry's close links with lobbyists have raised eyebrows among supporters used to his campaign slogan: 'From the moment I take up office, I will stand up to special interests.'

Kerry has strong ties to lobbyists for the telecommunications industry. Michael Whouley, a top Kerry political aide, is a registered lobbyist for telecoms giant AT&T. Kerry has also taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from Boston lobbying firm Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky. Kerry's brother Cameron is a lawyer for the company which represents communications firms and the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association.

Between 1999 and 2002 Kerry sponsored two law bills and co-sponsored six more that were seen as advantageous to CTIA's interests. One of Kerry's main bundlers, Chris Putala, is employed as a lobbyist by the CTIA. 'We are beyond the point of whether he takes money from special interests, but rather what, if anything, has been done in response to the funds,' said Steve Weiss, spokesman for the Centre for Responsive Politics watchdog.

<snip>

But Paul Davis, co-founder of internet firm Predictive Networks, has seen the process of how fundraising and legislation mix. Kerry met a top Predictive executive on 25 July, 2000. A day later Kerry introduced a Senate bill that would allow internet firms to monitor what their consumers were viewing and that Predictive had been lobbying for. In February 2002 Predictive chief executive Devin Hosea threw a fundraiser for Kerry in Boston. Kerry was given a lift back to Washington DC in a private jet. Hosea threw a second fundraising party that summer. In the end Hosea become one of Kerry's $100,000 'bundlers' .

<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1148524,00.html

[sleipnir]

8. Thanks Tinoire, those Will be tough questions for Kerry to face.

And it does shed some light onto the "graphics" issue. Which I believe, though only seemingly superficial, speaks volumes about Kerry and his current campaign and backers.

On that note, $15 more to Mr. Kucinich!

[The Magistrate]

13. Do We Have Any Idea, Ms. Tinoire

How much the Murdoch employees have contributed to the Repuiblicans? That would be an interesting statistic, my friend.

It is worth noting these pieces are from an English newspaper, and that the fellow writing them has little grasp of the scale of monies involved in U.S. politics. He peddles the same utterly discredited "more money from lobbyists over the past 15 years than any other Senator" line, clearly without the least understanding of what he parrots. This figure refers to no more than one percent of the registered monies donated to Senators, namely that donated by persons personally registered to lobby the Congress. A large portion of these "lobbyist" donations come from environmental, labor and consumer protection groups. The great bulk of donations to Senators from special interests come from political action campaigns, and ninety of the current Senators have received more of this money than Senator Kerry. The bundled amounts indicated for Senator Kerry total about six millions, or about enough for one good Senate campaign. That is what it costs to run for office. The bundlers feeding the Republican administration have supplied some two hundred millions in just the last year, or about thirty times the monies given to Sen. Kerry. Of course, a visitor to our shores, from a different political culture, is unlikely to be too aware of these nuances, but simply regurgitate what is inhaled from a few newspaper accounts and press releases.

There is, however. little reason to take his comments too seriously: the Oakland Tribune would not be my prefered source for information on the ins and outs of Tory Party financing in London, either.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[For PaisAn]

7. Just my guess

Back in December he had a graphic up for a long period. It hardly moved up. I think the highest I saw it was at 50+K. Meanwhile Dean & Clark were raising tons of money. It was most likely embarrassing & demoralizing. The Kerry graphic was removed. Kerry doesn't take chances or risks. The graphic is something that is out of his control as far as image is concerned.

[revcarol]

9. If it took a big jump, we would know that mucho 'bundled' money

came in...in $50,000 or $100,000 chunks. :spank:

[ShaneGR]

10. I gave $350 in the last month, and the answer to your question is:

Because he's been respectful of his supporters pocketbooks, when they've needed they've asked and they've never thrown up a begging figure. Ever. Not once.

BTW, all of Edwards records are available through the FEC. Nothing is hidden. And if there was a problem you'd have heard about it.

[KittyWampus]

11. Seems Edwards Has Some Donations In Bundles

that he won't account for.

Sorry, Edwards sanctimonious nonsense about fundraising rings hollow.

[sleipnir]

15. I haven't heard that one yet...

I'll have to check up on Mr. Edwards. I hope it's not true, as he often pushed for honest campaign finance reform.

[The Magistrate]

17. So Has Sen. Kerry, Sir

This whole thing is a text-book definition of tempest in a tea-pot.

The fact is, running for office costs a good deal of money; since this cannot be simply levied from local householders at pistol-point in the grand old style, it must be securted by donation from people willing to part with some of their own cash.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[feistydem]

12. Despite having given $$$ to the Kerry camp myself...

I have only received a few fundraising goal-oriented e-mails. No one has hounded me. I appreciate that they don't try to copy the Dean camp with a bat or thermometer or other such graphic to illustrate their fundraising success. Afterall, most of the people who go to the Kerry site are there because they support him already... and then there are a few others who go looking for mud-slinging fodder.

[arwalden]

14. Sure Sounds Suspicious To Me... Wow, Another Drudge Headline??

Good grief!

Some folks would consider themselves lucky if Kerry's lack of a donation graphic was the ONLY thing they had to worry about.

-- Allen

[cindyw]

16. Kerry just met his goal. The new graphic is not up yet, but

I have gotten an e-mail saying it is 2 million by super tuesday.