Robert Schlesinger

Barack Obama's $150 Million September Put Into Perspective

October 21, 2008 RSS Feed Print

Let's pause a moment and put Barack Obama's $150 million September into perspective.

Over in Data Points today (in the center column of U.S. News's Opinion page), we've got some comparative figures. John Kerry spent $310 million in the 2004 election, for example, or about twice as much as Obama raised last month. George W. Bush and Al Gore combined to spend almost $240 million in 2000. And they were big spenders: Bill Clinton and Bob Dole (or as I like to call him, John McCain version 1.0) combined for $239.9 million in 1996.

If you really want to get weirded out, consider that Obama raised more in September than Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale spent all told in 1984 ($103.6 million) and roughly as much as Jimmy Carter (two runs), Reagan, and Gerald Ford spent in the 1976 and 1980 presidential campaigns combined.

The mind reels.

Tags:
presidential election 2008,
campaigns,
Barack Obama

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WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM, THE MIDDLE CLASS AND LOWER INCOME? I WORK A 40 HR WEEK MIDDLE CLASS AND I SURE DONT HAVE IT TO DONATE. GET REAL WHY DONT YOU CHECK OUT WHERE IT IS COMING FROM YOU MIGHT BE SUPRISED.IF ALL THIS MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR CAMPAIGNING WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A DEFICIT? LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY HAS SOME EXTRA POCKET CHANGE LAYING AROUND. IF HE IS ALL HE SAYS HE IS WHY DOES HE HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON ?????? WHAT??????

SHARON of FL 4:34PM October 26, 2008

And this is the guy who said he doesn't take money from lobbyists?

Maybe he can bail out Wachovia

John Patnor of NJ 2:13PM October 22, 2008

So tired of McCain whining about Obama's fundraising capabilities. Middle-class America, it is your tax-dollars that are paying for John McCain's dirty campaign; your hard-earned dollars fund his negative ads and robocalls because he accepted public funding for his campaign. At least Obama gets his money from his supporters, all you Obama-haters, your tax-dollars aren't supporting him. As to how Obama makes his money, everytime McCain and Palin do something stupid, I, an average Jane teacher, sends Obama $50 dollars. There are millions of average Joes and Janes donating to his campaign everyday which is how he earns $150 million in September!

Jeri of MA 1:30PM October 22, 2008

Robert Schlesinger

Robert Schlesinger

Robert Schlesinger is managing editor for opinion at U.S. News and World Report, overseeing all opinion editorial content. He is the author of White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters. E-mail him at rschlesinger@usnews.com. Follow him on Twitter: @rschles.

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