If there’s a better analogy for the Obama presidency, I’d like to hear it. From a New York Times article over the weekend:
President Obama has spent more campaign cash more quickly than any incumbent in recent history, betting that heavy early investments in personnel, field offices and a high-tech campaign infrastructure will propel him to victory in November.
Since the beginning of last year, Mr. Obama and the Democrats have burned through millions of dollars to find and register voters. They have spent almost $50 million subsidizing Democratic state parties to hire workers, pay for cellphones and update voter lists. They have spent tens of millions of dollars on polling, online advertising and software development to turn Mr. Obama’s fallow volunteers corps into a grass-roots army.
The price tag: about $400 million from the beginning of last year to June 30 this year, according to a New York Times analysis of Federal Election Commission records, including $86 million on advertising.
Let’s see: Unprecedented rate of spending? Check. Large amounts of money for sexy but as-yet-unproven technology? Check. Subsidies to the states? Check.
All to produce a lead, while Mitt Romney is caught between depleted primary funds and restricted from spending his significantly larger general-election funds, that is more or less within the margin of error. And the Obama campaign has not persuaded donors to contribute more heavily to it: July, the third complete month since Romney’s GOP challengers ceded the field to him, was also the third straight month his campaign has out-raised Obama’s.
So, we also have: Ineffective? Check.
Yep, that about sums it up.
– By Kyle Wingfield
286 comments Add your comment
Dirty Dawg
August 7th, 2012
9:55 am
Hey Kyle, when you gonna question the motivations of the gazillionaires like Adelson and the Kochs to give millions and millions to beat Obama? The former is to ‘buy’ him a new Justice Department so he won’t have to spend the rest of his sorry existence on earth in prison for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the latter so they can continue to pour millions of tons of pollution into the air from their coal without worrying about even trying to clean it up…or the guy in Texas that wants to use all his property in Texas as a nuclear waste dump. Tell those stories Kyle, or would you have to give back too much money you get for your role in the right wing echo chamber that’s responsible for fueling the ignorance of the Right that pumps up the hate and bigotry that, ultimately, results in still more massacres of innocents for no reason other than they ‘think it’s a good idea at the time’…or are you just happy to oblige?
Erwin's cat
August 7th, 2012
9:58 am
Pats by 3
Dirty Dawg…you should look no further than a mirror
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
10:00 am
td has yet to provide anything about the pollsters using flawed info. but he still thinks if he goes from blog to blog each day and post the same tripe,that the outcome will change.
Hahahaha
Good morning
skydog
August 7th, 2012
10:07 am
Yeah, td and Lil Sean are a waste of air.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 7th, 2012
10:19 am
obozo is the Grand Wizzard in an organization that hates white people and only tolerates others for their votes and they haven’t changed their minds/ teachings on that yet.
Nor do they plan on it.
md
August 7th, 2012
10:37 am
“What a bunch of idiots on the right, Mitt dare these fools to ask for his tax returns and has convince the far right wing nuts,its ok not to follow previously candidates who are running for the highest office in the land to come clean. ”
Previous candidates? Like McCain or maybe some guy that won in a landslide like Reagan?
McCain released 2 years and Ron released 1 year……never really an issue in either race.
One should ask themselves why so much attention this year? It’s merely a distraction and those that follow it are being played…..unemployment going UP, recession in the EU will hurt us, tax rates the dems refuse to alter keeping 2Trillion out of our economy, credit card bill that raised everybody’s rates (many still clueless on this one), and huge tax increase on the middle class hidden in the aca bill……….
But let’s worry about Romney’s tax returns. If there was a problem folks, we have this little bureaucracy called the IRS……….if it’s because the guy is rich….well, we already know that.
Oblama
August 7th, 2012
10:44 am
This election is about the economy and the Fed debt. It’s not about race warfare/ class warfare/ sex warfare/ age warfare/ victim warfare/ —— it is about the ECONOMY. On ECONOMY 101 Obama got an “F”. Smoke and mirrors is Obama’s campaign strategy – bait and switch. When the ads starting showing Obama’s failure on the economy – there will be minds and hearts changed. Obama will fade at the wire. UPSET!
skydog
August 7th, 2012
10:48 am
I Report,
I`m white and I don`t sense the “hate” you speak of. Maybe Obama just hates you?
Republicans control the house. Where are the job bills?
Oblama
August 7th, 2012
10:48 am
1% ? YES Obama is a member of the 1% club………. and you thought he was like you and me? He has 4 “Mansions” across the U.S. with maids and gardeners and you thought he was like you and me? He’s a card carrying member of the 1%
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
10:48 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45TzZa_wEnE
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
10:50 am
Oblama
What cities are these mansions in?
You do know that you are either lying or were gullible enough to believe that bs, right?
He is a 1%, but the rest is bs, but keep lying if that makes you feel good
md
August 7th, 2012
10:50 am
” On ECONOMY 101 Obama got an “F””
Unfortunately, sometimes folks need a 2×4 upside the head and lots of misery to see the facts. Greece finally got the message after it was too late, now they respond by burning the place down (good solution huh). I’d lay odds that the US now has more people that don’t know what they are voting for and will only find out once we go there…….and it won’t be pretty.
The rating agencies fired a shot across our bow and the narrative for this election is….Mitt’s taxes??
md
August 7th, 2012
10:54 am
“Republicans control the house. Where are the job bills?”
Really? Google can be your friend. They have passed several……Harry refuses to even put them on the floor for debate. That party of no is a matter of perspective………
skydog
August 7th, 2012
10:54 am
You are right Oblama, it is about the economy. The economy ya`ll tanked severely when you saw that either a woman or a black man was about to win the White House.
No way ya`ll are getting the car keys back this soon after wrecking things so bad.
td
August 7th, 2012
10:56 am
If it aint one thing it’s another
August 7th, 2012
10:00 am
Just for you to be educated this morning.
Quinnipiac University latest poll:
“* Florida: Obama edges Romney 51- 45 percent;
* Ohio: Obama over Romney by a slim 50 – 44 percent;
* Pennsylvania: Obama tops Romney 53 – 42 percent.”
Now let us look at the breakdown of who was polled:
Florida:
LIKELY VOTERS……..
Weighted UnWeighted
Percent Frequency
PARTY IDENTIFICATION
Republican 27% 359
Democrat 36 373
Independent 32 393
Other/DK/NA 5 52
Ohio:
LIKELY VOTERS……..
Weighted UnWeighted
Percent Frequency
PARTY IDENTIFICATION
Republican 27% 345
Democrat 35 397
Independent 32 392
Other/DK/NA 5 59
Penn:
LIKELY VOTERS……..
Weighted UnWeighted
Percent Frequency
PARTY IDENTIFICATION
Republican 32% 390
Democrat 38 408
Independent 26 322
Other/DK/NA 4 48
For the weighting in the poll:
Florida, unweighted: 31.7-30.5-33.4 (D +1.2)
Florida, weighted: 36-27-32 (D +9)
Ohio, unweighted: 33.3-28.9-32.9 (D +4.4)
Ohio, weighted: 35-27-32 (D +8)
Pennsylvania, unweighted: 34.9-33.4-27.6 (D +1.5)
Pennsylvania, weighted: 38-32-26 (D +6)
Now for you education purposes let us look at turnout in 2008 vs 2010 for the states:
Ohio:
2008: 39% D/31% R/30% I (D +8)
2010: 36% D/36% R/28% I (–)
Florida:
2008: 39% D/32% R/29% I (D +7)
2010: 36% D/36% D/29% I (–)
Pennsylvania:
2008: 44% D/37% R/18% I (D +8)
2010: 40% D/37% R/23% I (D +3)
If you look at the numbers then the poll is pretty accurate if you make the ASSUMPTION that the turnout in November will be the same as this year and in the same proportions as in 2008. If you took the numbers as they were in 2010 then Romney would be leading by a couple in Florida and in Ohio and behind by just a little in Penn.
For the Dems to reach the historic 2008 numbers then you will have to have record AA turnout and record youth turnout again and you will have to have 5 to 10 of the social conservatives/Tea party members to stay at home.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 7th, 2012
10:57 am
dog- “My grandmother is a typical white person.” “when white will embrace what is right.” “”if construction jobs go mainly to white males who already dominate the construction trades.”
Dusty
August 7th, 2012
10:59 am
md 10:37
You are absolutely correct about distractions by the Obama political camp. They want to talk about anything but Obama’s failing first term. Better we should talk about Romney’s quite legal taxes while the deficit hangs over this country like a glacier in warm weather.
But, as WWonka said @ 12:44am, “What is so terrible about spending?” Wonka didn’t know it but he has ;passed on the Democratic principle for governing America. Spending with no ending!
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
11:00 am
td
Keep believing all that hype.
Hold on man, hold on tight
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
11:02 am
td
You still have yet to produce any information that you asserted. You post something then you say it meets your assertion. Do you have any definitive information?
skydog
August 7th, 2012
11:05 am
I report,
I have no idea what you said @ 10:57.
md
August 7th, 2012
11:07 am
Here’s an “out of curiosity” question for anybody that wishes to explain it:
How exactly does a “trickle up” economy get started?
If the middle class has no jobs, has no extra money, prefers to work for others, how and were does it all get started??
Dusty
August 7th, 2012
11:08 am
skydog,
Did you eat bigots for breakfast or how did you get that way? We elected a man who calls himself black for president and a woman secretary of state.
Americans speak out when pleased or dsipleased with every president. If you like freedom of speech, quit knocking it. After years of blaming a white President Bush for everything from soup to nuts, you should understand how the system works. Face up!! Prez Obama aint perfect either.
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
11:08 am
td
Thinks every major pollster doesn’t know how to poll. To bolster his argument yesterday, he post info from Dick Morris. And Dick Morris has been a respected pollster how long? A campaign manager for Clinton and a Fox show analysts paid to cry about the Democrats dos not make one a valid and respected pollster, but td is holding on.
td
August 7th, 2012
11:09 am
If it aint one thing it’s another
August 7th, 2012
11:00 am
td
Keep believing all that hype.
Hold on man, hold on tight
Just as I thought and the reason I did not do the research and post this yesterday. You are nothing but a troll for the Dems and could care less about some real facts to debate.
Well I wasted my time with you and learned a lesson.
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
11:11 am
td
Speaking of trolls, you are a walking and talking pt for the right. The last person who needs to calling out someone else.
You keep carrying that water for Morris, you hear.
HOLD MAN, HOLD ON
You show Dick Morris and info from one poll out of ALL the polls that show Romney behind
What a clown
If it aint one thing it's another
August 7th, 2012
11:11 am
td
Run to the other blogs and post the same info again. You know like you did yesterday and this morning
hahahahahahah
skydog
August 7th, 2012
11:16 am
Rebuilding infrastructure would be a start.
Did you hear about the bridge that fell in Minn? The bridge didn`t really care if it was Govt or private money who didn`t pay. Both sides showed that bridge who ain`t gonna pay.
Have you seen our infrastructure report card?
Move quickly across the Hooch.
md
August 7th, 2012
11:21 am
“Rebuilding infrastructure would be a start.”
And that money comes from where? Some guy out of work??
td
August 7th, 2012
11:23 am
If it aint one thing it’s another
August 7th, 2012
11:11 am
Typical lib troll. You can not debate the facts because either you are not intelligent enough to do so or the information makes your side look not as good. Example: You could have looked at the data I provided and made a argument that dem turnout will be better then 2010 for a various number of reason.
But instead of debating the issue what do you do? Attack the presenter. Just makes you look unintelligent and a typical Obama supporter. Keep up the good work I am sure your messiah and chief is very proud of your efforts.
Dusty
August 7th, 2012
11:23 am
If it aint one thing its another,
Do you really get paid to run back and forth between blogs to try and outwit any conservative posters? What a life!
If you live in Dalton, Georgia I understand. They lost almost five thousands jobs last year. Maybe that’s why you are here goofing off for politicians. Nothing better to do. It’s a job!
skydog
August 7th, 2012
11:35 am
md,
The bridge doesn`t care where the money is coming from. They will fall unless we do something.
The money will come from taxes unless you have a golden goose.
I would rather have a safe bridge than a new F-22.
What do you propose? Just let the bridges fall?
md
August 7th, 2012
11:42 am
“The bridge doesn`t care where the money is coming from. They will fall unless we do something.”
And that seems to be the problem with the theology of the left…..they don’t care where the money comes from because they don’t know where it comes from……..
It comes from all those businesses that people “didn’t” start…….not from a bunch of folks in the middle class milling around wondering where the money comes from……..
skydog
August 7th, 2012
11:56 am
Is your answer let um fall and business will build um back? Good luck with the Hoover Dam.
kelly
August 7th, 2012
12:50 pm
The real story about this election is that Romney should be CREAMING Obama but is not. Romney’s business and executive background was supposed to catapult him to a huge lead in this economic climate but is not. Why? The American people just don’t like Romney. And the more they learn about him, the less they like him. He is proving to be just awful as a candidate. I saw some video of him this morning shopping in a hardware store and grocery store, and it was the most wooden performance imaginable. I don’t think the American people believe Romney is the answer, that’s why he’s behind in most polls.
md
August 7th, 2012
1:02 pm
“Is your answer let um fall and business will build um back? Good luck with the Hoover Dam.”
As I said, the problem is those on the left that don’t know where the money comes from. Business build them back? It was business that built them in the first place……it was business that had to generate the capital to pay for them……it is always business that has to generate the capital. The gov’t can’t function in a capitalistic society without that business generating said capital.
Same with the Hoover dam…….unless you think the feds just picked the funds of their money tree?
skydog
August 7th, 2012
5:21 pm
Keep being an obstructionist md.
This is not about whether we need a NEW bridge or not. This is about your family falling into the river when an old one falls. Doing nothing until business picks back up is not an option.