![]() |
|
2004 US Presidential Election: Kerry
November 25, 2004Friends of John KerryThe Boston Globe reports that John Kerry plans to set up a federal campaign committee, Friends of John Kerry, which would allow him to seek a fifth term in the US Senate in 2008 while not precluding another run for president that year. The Committee will be a vehicle for fund-raising for either campaign. According to the Globe, Kerry transferred all the money from his previous committee to his presidential campaign committee after retaining his Senate seat in 2002 and Kerry could do the same should he decide against seeking reelection in favor of a second bid for the presidency. From California Yankee. November 17, 2004Kerry Campaign Slammed On Hispanic OutreachThe Associated Press reports that Simon Rosenberg, founder and president of the centrist New Democrat Network says, “John Kerry did not compete adequately for Hispanic votes, period. If we don’t reverse the gains that President Bush made, we can forget our hope of being a majority party again.” Rosenberg also complained that “the Kerry campaign and the DNC lacked a national strategy for Hispanics and did not spend enough money on advertising or enough time campaigning in Hispanic communities and did not employ enough people on the get-out-the-vote effort.” From California Yankee. November 11, 2004Clinton Blames Gay Marriage For Kerry's LossThe Utica Observer Dispatch reports that former president Clinton put much of the blame for Kerry’s loss on gay marriage:
From California Yankee. November 03, 2004Ted Kennedy Arrives at Beacon HillFox News is reporting that Ted Kennedy just arrived (at 10 past 2am) at Kerry’s posh Beacon Hill home in MA. Reporters spied Kerry’s daughter Vaness being consoled in the doorway… UPDATE: John Edwards: “We’ve waited four years, we can wait one more night…we will fight for every vote.” People Leaving "Victory" Party In BostonCNN’s talking head in Boston reports that the crowd that had gathered in Boston to celebrate Kerry’s victory is starting to thin, and that certain Kerry aides she’s been callling throughout the night are no longer answering their cell phones … November 02, 2004Zogby: Kerry with 311 Electoral VotesAt 5:00pm today, Zogby International made its final Presidential Election prediction. Electoral Votes: Why You Should Vote For Me Today : KerryFrom USA Today : For the past two years, people across this nation have welcomed me into their homes and communities and shared their hopes and dreams. They’ve told me they want nothing more than a better life for their children, but caught between rising costs and falling incomes, they always come up short. They’ve told me that they pray every night for our troops in Iraq, but they worry as things get worse, and when they pick up the newspaper, they feel less safe here at home. They fly the flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and love this country with all their hearts — but they worry that right now, the country they love is headed in the wrong direction. So today, in voting booths across this nation, Americans face a fundamental choice: Do we want four more years of the same failed course, or a fresh start for America? November 01, 2004Zogby: Young Mobile Voters Prefer KerryOne of the complaints about telephone surveys in the age of cell phones and PDA’s has been the lack of consideration given to young, mobile types who don’t have a landline. A new survey from Zogby tries to bridge that gap. Polling firm Zogby International and partner Rock the Vote found Massachusetts Senator John Kerry leading President Bush 55% to 40% among 18-29 year-old likely voters in their first joint Rock the Vote Mobile political poll, conducted exclusively on mobile phones October 27 through 30, 2004. Independent Ralph Nader received 1.6%, while 4% remain undecided in the survey of 6,039 likely voters. The poll is centered on subscribers to the Rock the Vote Mobile (RTVMO) platform, a joint initiative of Rock the Vote and Motorola Inc. (for more information: http://www.rtvmo.com). The poll has margin of error of +/-1.2 percentage points. October 31, 2004Did Kerry take direction from North Vietnamese Communists?On October 22, 2004, Swift Veterans and POWs for Truth researchers Troy Jenkins and Tom Wyld located two Vietnamese communist documents in the archives of the Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University, in the Douglas Pike Collection. Douglas Pike was a leading authority on the Vietnam War who collected over 2 million pages of original documents now archived at the Vietnam Center. James Reckner, Ph.D., Director of the Vietnam Center at Texas Tech, verifies that the documents in the Pike collection are original and authentic. The Circular and the Directive are listed as items numbered 2150901039b and 2150901041 respectively. The fifth paragraph of this document makes clear that the Vietnamese communists were utilizing for their propaganda purposes the activities of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. The protest described as occurring from April 19 through April 22, 1971 coincides directly with the dates of Dewey Canyon III, the Washington, DC, protest led by John Kerry, during which John Kerry’s testimony before Senator Fulbright’s Foreign Relations Committee was a televised centerpiece. The description of the protest activities in the Directive even include the “return their medals” ceremony in which John Kerry and other VVAW members threw their medals and/or ribbons toward the steps of the US Capitol, with several shouting threats of violence against their government as they did so. Further reporting of this research is available in this New York Sun article. ::Update:: As pointed out by Digger, InTheBullpen has an interview with Troy Jenkins on this topic (permalink busted, scroll down). October 30, 2004Kerry Has One-Point Lead In Reuters/Zogby Daily Tracking PollReuters reports that Kerry moved into a one-point lead over President Bush in the latest Reuters/Zogby poll released on Saturday. From California Yankee. October 29, 2004Kerry already making Cabinet selectionsTIMES ONLINE: Kerry to opt for the senator who copied Kinnock THE man whose presidential ambitions were destroyed when he plagiarised Neil Kinnock is set to become America’s chief foreign policymaker if John Kerry is elected President next Tuesday. October 27, 2004Kerry Takes Lead In ABC/Washington Post Tracking PollBloomberg reports that Kerry has taken the lead in the Washington Post tracking poll 50 percent to 48 percent. From California Yankee. October 25, 2004Kerry Regains Lead In Rasmussen Tracking PollRasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll This is the first time the Rasmussen tracking poll found Kerry leading since August 23. From California Yankee. Kerry Accuses Bush of IncompetenceFrom the AP via Yahoo! News: President Bush, presenting himself as the best candidate to keep America safe, was accused by John Kerry on Monday of “unbelievable incompetence” in the disappearance of hundreds of tons of powerful explosives in Iraq. “Every step of the way, this administration has miscalculated,” Kerry said in Dover, N.H. He spoke shortly before traveling to Philadelphia for a rally with former President Clinton, who was making his first political appearance since heart surgery nearly seven weeks ago. Kerry said the Bush administration had “miscalculated about how to go to war, miscalculated about the numbers of troops that we would need, miscalculated about sending young Americans to war without the armor they needed, without the Humvees they needed that were armored.” “And the incredible incompetence of this president and this administration has put our troops at risk and put this country at greater risk than we ought to be,” Kerry said. Running mate John Edwards, campaigning in Ohio, added, “After today, it’s hard to imagine that even they’ll continue believing things are going well.” The International Atomic Energy Agency said about 350 tons of highly explosive material had disappeared in Iraq, apparently stolen because of a lack of security at governmental installations. The central argument of Bush’s re-election campaign is that he can do a better job protecting America than Kerry, and polls show that voters trust Bush more on this issue. The Bush campaign dismissed Kerry’s criticism of the missing explosives without responding to the allegations. “John Kerry has no vision for fighting and winning the war on terror, so he is basing his attacks on the headlines he wakes up to each day,” Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said. “If John Kerry wants to spend the next eight days trying to explain his positions again, we welcome that debate.” The New York Times is reporting “Kerry Calls Missing Explosives One of Bush’s ‘Great Blunders’” October 24, 2004Security Council Members Deny Meeting KerryThe Washington Times reports that U.N. ambassadors from several nations are disputing assertions by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry that he met for hours with all members of the U.N. Security Council just a week before voting in October 2002 to authorize the use of force in Iraq. From California Yankee. Orlando Sentinel Endorses John KerryThe normally Republican Orlando Sentinel has endorsed John Kerry for President. Four years ago, the Orlando Sentinel endorsed Republican George W. Bush for president based on our trust in him to unite America. We expected him to forge bipartisan solutions to problems while keeping this nation secure and fiscally sound. October 23, 2004BRAAAAAAINS!The LA Times wonders if John Kerry is too intelligent to be president of the United States. Sinclair Aires “A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media”Sinclair Broadcast Group aired “A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media” on 40 television stations around the country last night. The Associated Press reports that the program contained a few minutes from the documentary, “Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal,” as well as excerpts from a pro-Kerry documentary, interviews with veterans who support and oppose Kerry, and a segment on the impact of new media such as the Internet on politics. A history of the controversy that erupted following reports of the upcoming program was also given, including assessments such as “before anything had been decided, spin alley had become a superhighway.” Kerry did not appear in the program, but comments he made on the issue on the campaign trail were presented. October 21, 2004New York Times Review Of "Stolen Honor" - It Should Be Shown EverywhereThe New York Times review of “Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal” states that the documentary should be shown in its entirety on all the networks, cable stations and on public television. From California Yankee. Christopher Reeve's Widow Endorses KerryAP: Christopher Reeve’s Widow Endorses Kerry Sen. John Kerry on Thursday accused President Bush of slowing scientific advancement after earning a special endorsement from the widow of (Okay, okay… unfair… Paul Wellstone’s wife died in the plane crash with him, leaving his son and Ted Kennedy to use his coffin as a pulpit to thump while campaigning.) October 19, 2004Democrats seek "Sex and the City" WomenAgence France Presse reports Democrat strategists are trying to get “Sex and the City” women to vote for Kerry. The “Sex and the City” women are single women from 18 to 88 who did not vote in 2000. The group includes whites, Afro-Americans, Latinos and numbers about 22 million. From California Yankee. Franks Denies Hunt For Bin Laden Was "Outsourced"Agence France-Presse reports that Retied General Tommy Franks, the former commander of US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, has denied Kerry’s claim that we “outsourced” the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora:
From California Yankee. October 18, 2004Palestinian Authority expresses support for KerryJERUSALEM POST: Palestinian Authority expresses support for Kerry The Palestinian Authority made its first open statement Monday expressing support for US democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. October 17, 2004Kerry - Illegal ballot collection in Florida?Early news from Drudge: As early voting begins Monday in the sunburn State of Florida controversy has already developed around a Democratic National Committee/Kerry-Edwards election manual. Florida Papers Endorse KerrySouth Florida Sun-Sentinel - “President Bush has failed the test of leadership. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board recommends voters on Nov. 2 replace him with John Kerry.” Miami Herald - “On the basis of experience, a strong campaign and command of the issues that make this such a crucial election, The Herald recommends JOHN F. KERRY.” St. Petersburg Times - “President Bush hasn’t lived up to his promise to be a uniter at home and in world affairs, and he shows no evidence of having recognized, much less learned from, the mistakes that have left this country less united and less secure. John Kerry isn’t a perfect candidate. No one is. But he is an intelligent, principled leader who has demonstrated his commitment to his country on the battlefield and in public service. The Times recommends Kerry as the candidate best equipped to fulfill the promises George W. Bush made four years ago and failed to keep.” Palm Beach Post - “There are many reasons to declare George W. Bush a failed president. We frame the election in terms of why people should vote for Sen. John Kerry.” Daytona News-Journal - “America’s prosperity doesn’t entirely depend on a great president. America’s future does. John Kerry’s distinguished service has prepared him to be the leader this country needs. The world, as much as America, would benefit by his intelligence, integrity, courage and compassion in the Oval Office. It especially needs his perceptive restraint.” Bradenton Herald - “It comes down to this simple question famously asked by Ronald Reagan in 1980: Are you better off today than you were four years ago? The answer, clearly, is no. Ultimately, that is why we recommend John Kerry as president of the United States in the Nov. 2 election.” Florida Today - “America needs new leadership, and John Kerry can bring it to the White House.” October 16, 2004Kerry: Potential Great for Return Of DraftKerry, in an interview The Des Moines Register published Friday:
From California Yankee. October 15, 2004Most Condemn Kerry Debate Comment About Cheney's DaughterABC News reports that its latest tracking poll found that likely voters, by 2-1, call it inappropriate for Kerry to have noted that Vice President Dick Cheney’s daughter is a lesbian. From California Yankee. October 14, 2004DRUDGE: Charge voter intimidation, even if none existsMatt Drudge in a WORLD EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS has posted a page out of the DNC Election Manual that suggests that operatives launch “pre-emptive strikes” charging voter intimidation where none has been reported… 2. If no signs of intimidation techniques have emerged yet, launch a “pre-emtive strike” (particularly well-suited tio states in which there [sic] techniques have been tried in the past). Who’s the Fear Campaigner now? What ... No Blogs?This K/E campaign email came through just after last night’s debate: Dear Supporter, What … no call to troll the blogs? Clinton: Off The BenchThe Guardian reports that Bill’s back in the game, recording radio advertisements for Kerry / Edwards. Lynn Cheney Upset With KerryThe Associated Press reports that Lynn Cheney accused Kerry of pulling a “cheap and tawdry political trick,” for invoking her daughter’s sexuality in his debate with President Bush:
From Caslifornia Yankee. October 13, 2004Mystery Surrounds Kerry's Navy DischargeThe New York Sun reports that Kerry’s discharge is surrounded in mystery:
From California Yankee. October 11, 2004"Terrorism ... a nuisance?"CNN reports that President Bush’s campaign plans a new ad based on what Kerry is quoted as saying in a New York Times Magazine article about “what it would take for Americans to feel safe again:”
From California Yankee. October 07, 2004AP Poll: Kerry Regains LeadA new Associated Press poll finds that Kerry leads President Bush by 4%. Likely Voters The poll was taken October 4-6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent. From California Yankee. October 05, 2004NRA Targets KerryThe Los Angeles Times reports that the National Rifle Association is launching television commercials and newspaper ads criticizing Kerry as an opponent of gun-owner rights:
The Associated Press reports that the National Rifle Association also uses a sweater-wearing poodle with a pink bow mocking Kerry’s attempts to portray himself as friendly to gun sports and saying:
From California Yankee. October 04, 2004Did Kerry Violate Debate Rules?The Drudge Report is carrying this video clip that seems to show John Kerry taking notes from his breast pocket. The debate rules read: No props, notes, charts, diagrams, or other writings or other tangible things may be brought into the debate by either candidate…. Each candidate must submit to the staff of the Commission prior to the debate all such paper and any pens or pencils with which a candidate may wish to take notes during the debate, and the staff or commission will place such paper, pens and pencils on the podium… October 02, 2004Newsweek Poll: Kerry LeadsMSNBC reports that in the first national telephone poll using a fresh sample, Newsweek found the presidential race statistically tied among all registered voters, in a three-way race. Registered Voters The poll was conducted among registered voters between September 30 and October 2 and has a margin of error is plus or minus 4 percent. From California Yankee. September 29, 2004Kerry Acknowledges "Inarticulate Moment"The Associated Press reports that Kerry acknowledges an inarticulate moment when he tried to explain his vote against the $87 billion for the war in Afghanistan and Iraq by saying:
From California Yankee. Kerrry Says We Should Not Have Gone To War In IraqABCNEWS.com has posted a transcript of an excerpt from Diane Sawyer’s interview with Kerry, which is being broadcast on ABC’s “Good Morning America:”
From California Yankee. September 27, 2004No European Help For KerryThe Financial Times reports that French and German government officials say they will not significantly increase military assistance in Iraq even if Kerry wins the election. From California Yankee. September 19, 2004The Local Stump: Moblogging EdwardsHi everyone. Apologies for my sparse participation over the past week … my high level of activity during the conventions resulted in a nearly non-stop set of work since. But I’m back, and today will be posting something a bit different. The Kerry campaign is making stop today in my locale as John Edwards hosts a “block party” in the next town over. I was sent tickets (from the DNC connection, I assume), and I’ll be attending and moblogging from my Palm Treo 600 during the event. I’ll start around 11:30 AM EDT. September 14, 2004Kerry After Action Reports Now Posted HereThe Fox Baltimore servers are getting hammered, so I’m posting copies of the reports here. To reduce load time under a heavy server load, I’ll posted each page seperately. Each is a .jpg file. Incidentally, the Kerry campaign has had his “spot reports” detailing his injuries in action online for a while … you may see them here. September 08, 2004Text of Kerry Speech on Iraq WarSenator Kerry spoke this morning in Cincinnati, Ohio, seeking to commemorate the 1,000th American death in Iraq by laying out his position on the war there. I’ve excerpted the text of his foreign policy remarks, which his website captions Remarks on Bush’s Wrong Choices in Iraq That Have Left Us Without the Resources We Need at Home: Yesterday in Iraq, we marked the most incalculable loss of all. Yesterday, we reached a tragic milestone. More than 1,000 of America’s sons and daughters gave their lives in service to our country. More than 1,000 sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters who will never come home to live the lives they dreamed of. We honor them, we pray for them and for their families, and we owe it to their memory and all our troops to do what’s right in Iraq. I also want to speak directly to the more than 150,000 troops currently risking their lives as far away as Iraq and Afghanistan. Your country is proud of you. You are the most dedicated, capable military we’ve ever had. We are united as a nation in our support for you. We pledge to stand with your families as you stand on the front lines for ours. You are the best of America. And you perform magnificently every day. We thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Twenty-three months ago, President Bush came here to ask the American people for our support. And he promised then to make the right choices when it came to sending young Americans to Iraq. Here in Cincinnati, he said that if Congress approved the resolution giving him the authority to use force, it did not mean that military action would be “unavoidable”. But he chose not to give the weapons inspectors the time they needed to get the job done and give meaning to the words, going to war as a last resort. Here in Cincinnati, he promised “to lead a coalition.” But he failed to build a broad, strong coalition of allies and he rushed to war without a plan to win the peace. Here in Cincinnati, from this hall, on that night, he spoke to the nation, and promised: “If we have to act, we will take every precaution that is possible. We will plan carefully. We will act with the full power of the United States military. We will act with allies at our side and we will prevail.” But then, George W. Bush made the wrong choices. He himself now admits he miscalculated in Iraq. In truth, his miscalculation was ignoring the advice that was given to him, including the best advice of America’s own military. When he didn’t like what he was hearing, he even fired the Army Chief of Staff. His miscalculation was going to war without taking every precaution and without giving the inspectors time. His miscalculation was going to war without planning carefully and without the allies we should have had. As a result, America has paid nearly 90% of the bill in Iraq. Contrast that with the Gulf War, where our allies paid 95% of the costs. George W. Bush’s wrong choices have led America in the wrong direction in Iraq and left America without the resources we need here at home. The cost of the President’s go-it-alone policy in Iraq is now $200 billion and counting. $200 billion for Iraq, but they tell us we can’t afford after-school programs for our children. $200 billion for Iraq, but they tell us we can’t afford health care for our veterans. $200 billion for Iraq, but they tell us we can’t afford to keep the 100,000 new police we put on the streets during the 1990s. Well we’re here today to tell them: they’re wrong. And it’s time to lead America in a new direction. When it comes to Iraq, it’s not that I would have done one thing differently from the President, I would’ve done almost everything differently. I would have given the inspectors the time they needed before rushing to war. I would have built a genuine coalition of our allies around the world. I would’ve made sure that every soldier put in harm’s way had the equipment and body armor they needed. I would’ve listened to the senior military leaders of this country and the bipartisan advice of Congress. And, if there’s one thing I learned from my own service, I would never have gone to war without a plan to win the peace. I would not have made the wrong choices that are forcing us to pay nearly the entire cost of this war – $200 billion that we’re not investing in education, health care, and job creation here at home. $200 billion for going-it-alone in Iraq. That’s the wrong choice; that’s the wrong direction; and that’s the wrong leadership for America. While we’re spending that $200 billion in Iraq, 8 million Americans are looking for work – 2 million more than when George W. Bush took office – and we’re told that we can’t afford to invest in job training and job creation here at home. [I’m skipping the domestic-policy sections, but you can read the whole thing at Kerry’s site] Because of this President’s wrong choices, we’re spending $200 billion in Iraq while the costs of health care have gone through the roof and we’re told we don’t have the resources to make health care affordable and available for all Americans . . . . . . They’re charging 17% more for Medicare while making America pay $200 billion for a go-it-alone policy in Iraq. That’s the wrong choice; that’s the wrong direction; and that’s the wrong leadership for America. [snip] Because of George W. Bush’s wrong choices, we’re spending $200 billion in Iraq while we’re running up deficits that threaten Social Security. In fact, they’re raiding the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for their mistakes in Iraq. . . . [snip] And because of this President’s wrong choices, we’re spending $200 billion in Iraq instead of investing in making America energy independent. George W. Bush’s energy policy is to trust the big oil companies and the Saudis. In fact, a national news magazine just reported that a senior member of the Saudi Royal family said that as far as they’re concerned, in the U.S. Presidential election, “It’s Bush all the way.” I want an America that relies on its own ingenuity and innovation, not the Saudi Royal Family. We’re going to invest in technology and the vehicles of the future, so that no young American will ever be held hostage to our dependence on oil from the Middle East. That’s the right choice; that’s the right direction; and that’s the right leadership for America. Because of this President’s wrong choices, we’re spending $200 billion in Iraq while we’re told that we can’t afford to do everything that we should for homeland security. I believe it’s wrong to be opening firehouses in Baghdad and closing them down in the United States of America. It’s wrong to cut money for our first responders. It’s wrong to let 95% of the cargo that comes into this country get by without ever being physically inspected. That’s the wrong choice; that’s the wrong direction; and that’s the wrong leadership for America. As President, I will set a new direction. We’re going to defend this country here at home. We’re going to do all we possibly can to protect it from another terrorist attack. And we’re going to make homeland security a priority, not a political slogan. My friends, today we are bearing the cost of the war in Iraq almost alone – $200 billion and counting. Nearly two years after George W. Bush spoke to the nation from this very place, we know how wrong his choices were. He says he “miscalculated.” He calls Iraq a “catastrophic success.” But a glance at the front pages or a look at the nightly news shows the hard reality: Rising instability. Spreading violence. Growing extremism. Havens for terrorists that weren’t there before. And today, even the Pentagon admits, Entire regions of Iraq are controlled by insurgents and terrorists. I call this course a catastrophic choice that has cost us $200 billion because we went it alone, and we’ve paid an even more unbearable price in young American lives. We need a new direction. I know what we need to do in Iraq. We need to bring our allies to our side, share the burdens, reduce the cost to American taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. We need to train Iraqi military and police – we need to train them more rapidly, more effectively, and in greater numbers to take over the job of protecting their own country. That’s what I’ll do as Commander-in-Chief – because that’s the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home. [snip] Zogby: "Kerry On The Ropes"John Zogby, explaining that it isn’t an 11 point race, says: “Mr. Kerry is on the ropes.”
From California Yankee. September 06, 2004Kerry: Iraq "the wrong war, in the wrong place at the wrong time."Kerry at a Labor Day rally in West Virginia:
The Massachusetts senator, who has said he would have voted to give Bush the authority to use force if necessary against Saddam Hussein even if he had known at the time that the Iraqi leader had no weapons of mass destruction, has struggled to draw clear contrasts with the president. Clinton Tells Kerry To Stop Talking About VietnamThe New York Times reports that former President Clinton advised Kerry to stop talking about Vietnam:
From California Yankee. September 05, 2004Campaign Finance Reform: 60-day window is hereIn case y’all hadn’t noticed, we’re now within 60 days of the election, which means that in theory, 527 groups are now prohibited from running television and radio ads: Restrictions on “Phony Issue Ads” Run by Corporations and Unions (The Snowe-Jeffords Amendment). First adopted as part of McCain-Feingold during the Senate’s February 1998 campaign finance debate, the Snowe-Jeffords amendment addresses the explosion of thinly-veiled campaign advertising funded by corporate and union treasuries. These ads skirt federal election law by avoiding the use of direct entreaties to “vote for” or “vote against” a particular candidate. Under the bill, labor unions and corporations would be prohibited from spending their treasury funds on “electioneering communications.” “Electioneering communications” are defined as radio or TV ads that refer to a clearly identified candidate or candidates and appear within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election. This definition does not include any printed communication, direct mail, voter guides, or the Internet. It would also not cover issue advertising that does not identify a specific candidate or appears outside of the 30/60 day pre-election window. Update 9/6: Note that this restriction doesn’t apply to all 527’s, only those that are incorporated or take corporate/union money. If anyone knows a definitive source to identify which 527’s fall into this category and which don’t, please chime in. So the question becomes: what the hell are the 527’s going to do with any money that they’ve amassed but haven’t spent yet? One interesting theory is that 527’s may channel advertising dollars online. And hey, I’m all for that. Bring that dirty, filthy campaign lucre right on! But does anybody have any money left anyway? Easy enough to check, thanks to the invaluable OpenSecrets.org. I pulled down the expenditures and receipts for the top 50 527’s, added columns to show the percentage of their funds that has been spent and their funds remaining, and put it back in a chart again:
|