Buying The Presidency: The Democrats, Part 1

Who’sbuying the 2008Democraticpresidentialcandidates?Buying The Presidency: The Democrats, Part 1By Cliff Montgomery – June 29th, 2007With the 2008 presidential candidates having amassed more than $150 million after the initial three months of fundraising, you need to know just which big business groups are buying which candidates.We’ll run down the candidates for each party, going from the current front-runner to those unknown even by most of their own.Wednesday and Thursday we revealed who is buying each of the Republican candidates; now, it’s the Democrats’ turn.Today is part 1 in our study of who’s buying each of the Democratic presidential nominees; part 2 will be published on Saturday.The candidates’ numbers are derived from the most recent Federal Election Commission information released electronically by Monday, April 16, 2007.Hillary Clinton – The senator from New York raised almost $52 million between 2001 and 2006 for her Senate re-election campaign. About $10 million of her presidential funds is a lump sum actually left over from her lucrative Senate race.But even without those leftovers, Clinton has sold herself better than anyone else in the 2008 presidential race. She hopes to raise $75 million in 2007 alone–and she may reach that goal. She has asked each of her top buyers, dubbed the “HillBlazers,” to raise at least $1 million from other buyers–10 times the dollars that George W. Bush’s top buyers, the so-called “Pioneers”, were asked to raise for their product in 2000.Total Receipts: $36,054,568Top 20 Industries1. Lawyers/Law Firms …………………. $3,016,8352. Securities & Investment …………… $1,676,4503. Real Estate ………………………………. $1,384,2804. Retired ……………………………………… $1,326,6815. Business Services …………………… $881,6506. TV/Movies/Music ……………………….. $794,9587. Misc Finance …………………………….. $722,3008. Misc Business ………………………….. $707,4009. Education ………………………………….. $545,79510. Health Professionals ……………… $486,19611. Printing & Publishing ………………. $336,52512. Computers/Internet …………………. $264,02013. Commercial Banks …………………. $241,90014. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $236,60015. Lobbyists …………………………………. $234,55016. Retail Sales …………………………….. $228,71817. Insurance ………………………………… $226,45018. Non-Profit Institutions ……………… $211,15019. Civil Servants/Public Officials ….. $209,29920. Construction Services …………….. $149,050Barack Obama – The Illinois senator does show one impressive quality here: he has refused  money from registered lobbyists and PACs. This in itself is no proof of virtue; after all, Obama has proven to be a fundraising match for Hillary Clinton, bringing in almost as much as the New York senator in the first quarter. He’s selling himself all right, just not to the sleaziest buyers.But Obama’s clearly a serious contender. With his broad network of supporters, he will probably remain a top Democratic presidential contender.Total Receipts: $25,797,721Top 20 Industries1. Lawyers/Law Firms ………………… $2,915,2342. Securities & Investment ………….. $1,394,7913. Retired …………………………………….. $1,393,7914. Education ………………………………… $696,0765. TV/Movies/Music ………………………. $690,7356. Misc Finance ……………………………. $629,9027. Real Estate ………………………………. $611,6358. Business Services …………………… $582,5159. Misc Business ………………………….. $388,40210. Health Professionals ……………… $357,41711. Printing & Publishing ……………… $346,07212. Computers/Internet ………………… $207,93513. Civil Servants/Public Officials …. $188,29014. Commercial Banks …………………. $180,78015. Electric Utilities ……………………….. $169,01016. Non-Profit Institutions ……………… $137,90717. Other ………………………………………… $122,20018. Retail Sales ……………………………… $96,21019. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $90,65020. Insurance …………………………………. $88,598John Edwards – If the former North Carolina Senator and 2004 Vice-Presidential Candidate continues doing this well in the 2008 Democratic presidential race, he may have pundit Ann Coulter to thank. Every time the blond-headed loudmouth spews her rather bizarre, pathological hatred of Edwards, media interest in him swells and money fills his coffers.But right-wing paranoia may not be enough to keep Edwards at the top of the Democratic presidential pack. He’s sold himself well–Edwards in fact shattered a Democratic Party record for first quarter fundraising. But Clinton and Obama are simply selling more to bigger buyers.Like Obama, Edwards has sworn off money from registered lobbyists or PACs; but we’ll see if he keeps to that promise. Edwards will have to raise at least $35 million by the beginning of 2008 to be a real competitor in the early primaries.Total Receipts: $14,031,662Top 20 Industries1. Lawyers/Law Firms ………………………. $5,029,3602. Democratic/Liberal ……………………….. $1,323,5383. Securities & Investment ………………… $497,1504. Retired …………………………………………… $492,1005. Real Estate ……………………………………. $310,9006. TV/Movies/Music ……………………………. $287,6757. Business Services ………………………… $196,2008. Misc Finance ………………………………….. $171,9009. Health Professionals ……………………… $152,80010. Education ……………………………………… $140,30011. Misc Business ………………………………. $113,45012. Commercial Banks ……………………….. $100,35013. Printing & Publishing …………………….. $82,22214. Civil Servants/Public Officials ……….. $63,30015. Computers/Internet ……………………….. $51,25016. Insurance ………………………………………. $46,50017. Other ……………………………………………… $46,30018. Retail Sales …………………………………… $41,25019. Non-Profit Institutions ……………………. $36,10020. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $35,600Christopher Dodd – The Connecticut senator has been selling himself to the highest bidders for 34 years, having served in Congress since 1974. Initially a representative, backers bought Dodd a Senate seat in 1981, where he’s been ever since.As head of the Senate Banking Committee, Dodd sells himself to a select type of buyer: banking, insurance and financial firms. He has a special preference for Wall Street barons.Total Receipts: $8,795,706Top 20 Industries1. Securities & Investment ……………… $1,276,8502. Lawyers/Law Firms …………………….. $542,7903. Insurance ……………………………………. $405,5504. Misc Business ……………………………. $377,9955. Real Estate …………………………………. $372,6586. Commercial Banks …………………….. $268,6007. Retired ………………………………………… $164,8508. TV/Movies/Music ………………………….. $151,0209. Misc Finance ……………………………….. $143,00010. Accountants ……………………………….. $141,65011. Lobbyists ……………………………………. $117,82512. Defense Aerospace ……………………. $110,60013. Business Services ……………………… $103,40014. Education ……………………………………. $83,25015. General Contractors ……………………. $76,70016. Finance/Credit Companies …………. $58,85017. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing ….. $57,75018. Tobacco ……………………………………….. $44,20019. Casinos/Gambling ………………………. $40,70020. Pharmaceuticals/Health Products . $34,100Like what you’re reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of thee-newsletter for only $15? 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