Just Like Every Other Month For Our Campaigner-In-Chief

A Fundraiser Every Two Days

February: 15 Fundraisers / 29 Days = At Least 1 Fundraiser Every 2 Days

The White House Claims “Obama Has Remained Focused On Governing,” Yet “The President’s Schedule Is Increasingly Being Taken Up By Campaign Events—Most Notably Fundraisers.” “When it comes to Election 2012, the White House professes to see no campaign, hear no campaign and speak no campaign. Eight months before Election Day, as the Republican primary has dragged on without producing a clear front-runner, Obama has remained focused on governing, aides insist. Yet despite the administration’s protestations, the president’s schedule is increasingly being taken up by campaign events — most notably fundraisers.” (David Nakamura, White House: Obama Still Not In Campaign Mode For 2012 Election, Washington Post, 3/1/12)

• Obama Is A “Full-Fledged Campaigner.” “Friday marked another stage in president Obama’s springtime metamorphosis into full-fledged campaigner: his first daylong trip out of the capital devoted solely to fund-raising.” (Mark Landler, “Obama Parries Criticism As Fund-Raising Eats Into His Schedule,” The New York Times,3/17/12)
• Obama’s Schedule Is “Increasingly Crowded By Fund-Raisers” So That It Becomes “Harder And Harder” To Deny That He Is In Campaign Mode. “The White House insisted this week that Mr. Obama still spends ‘the vast preponderance of his time on his official duties.’ But with his schedule increasingly crowded by fund-raisers and speeches that could easily double as campaign rallies, that case is getting harder and harder to make.” (Mark Landler, “Obama Parries Criticism As Fund-Raising Eats Into His Schedule,” The New York Times, 3/17/12)

“He Has Stepped Up His Fundraising Events In Recent Weeks, Taking Swings Through Several Different Regions For More Than 40 Events In 2012.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama’s High-Dollar Donations Lagging,” The Washington Post, 3/18/12)

Obama Has Attended 43 Fundraisers This Year, 109 Since Filing For Re-Election. “It’s the 43rd fundraiser Pres. Obama has done this year, the 109th since filing for re-election. Has raised $300-million since then.” (CBS’s Mark Knoller, Twitter Feed, 3/19/12)

• NOTE: Over The Course Of Bush’s Entire Reelection Campaign, He Attended A Total Of 97 Fundraisers, 57 Of Which Were For His Reelection Campaign. “According to CBS White House Correspondent Mark Knoller, the unofficial keeper of White House statistics, Bush at this point of his reelection campaign had attended 49 fundraisers. And over Bush’s whole reelection campaign, from May 2003-November 2004, he attended a total of 97 fundraisers, of which 57 were for his Bush-Cheney reelection campaign and the rest for the Republican National Committee.” (Paul Bedard, “Obama’s Numbers: Vacations 16, Golf 90, Fundraisers 100,”Washington Examiner, 3/1/12)

BUT THERE ARE SIGNS THAT OBAMA MAY NOT BE THE “OVERWHELMING FINANCIAL JUGGERNAUT” HE WAS FOUR YEARS AGO

Obama’s Fundraising Levels Are Lower Than In Previous Years

“For The Second Consecutive Month, President Obama Has Fallen Off The Record-Setting Fundraising Pace He Set Four Years Ago.” (Devin Dwyer, “Obama Fundraising Slips From Record-Setting Pace,” ABC News, 3/19/12)

The Obama Campaign Is “Lagging Behind” Its February 2008 Totals And George W. Bush’s 2004 Fundraising. “For some Obama supporters, the presidential campaign’s fundraising totals, released Monday, might have left something to be desired. While Team Obama surpassed its 
$29 million fundraising haul in January, racking up more than $45 million in February, the campaign is lagging behind its February 2008 totals. Obama has also fallen behind George W. Bush’s fundraising pace in the 2004 election cycle, raising some worries from donors.” (Amie Parenes, “Some Obama Donors Need To Pick Up Fundraising Pace,” The Hill,3/19/12)

• “In February 2008, Obama Raised $56 Million.” (Devin Dwyer, “Obama Fundraising Slips From Record-Setting Pace,” ABC News, 3/19/12)
• Obama Has “About Half As Much” Campaign Cash As Bush Had Ahead Of His 2004 Reelection. “That has left Obama with about half as much money in the bank as Bush had eight years ago ahead of his successful reelection.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama’s High-Dollar Donations Lagging,” The Washington Post, 3/18/12)
• Obama Donor: “We’re Going To Need To Pick Up The Pace.” “‘The fact is, I think we’re going to pull this off in the end, but I think we’re going to need to pick up the pace,’ said one Obama donor. ‘We’re going to need to do a whole lot better to compete with what promises to be a tight election. But I think we will.’” (Amie Parenes, “Some Obama Donors Need To Pick Up Fundraising Pace,” The Hill, 3/19/12)

Obama “Isn’t Going To Be The Overwhelming Financial Juggernaut That He Was Four Years Ago.” “The tightfistedness by the Obama campaign toward Hill Democrats reflects the harsh realities of the 2012 White House fight. Obama, who broke all fundraising records in his historic 2008 run, isn’t going to be the overwhelming financial juggernaut that he was four years ago. Obama still has a big edge in money raised and cash on hand — OFA and the DNC reported nearly $92 million in cash at the end of January after hauling in a combined $250 million last year, according to campaign records — over any Republican challenger.” (John Bresnahan, “W.H. To Dems: Expect No Money,” Politico, 3/5/12)

• “The Numbers Also Underscore Nagging Concerns Among Democrats Over Whether Obama Can Replicate The Kind Of Grass-Roots Enthusiasm That Swept Him Into Office In 2008.” (Dann Eggenand, “Obama’s Fundraising Tally Shows Downturn,” The Washington Post, 2/18/12)

And There’s Not A Penny To Spare For Fellow Democrats

Democrat Congressional Leaders Have Asked For $30 Million From Obama’s Joint Fundraising Committee With The DNC.  “Democratic congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, have privately sought as much as $30 million combined from Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee — a replay of the financial help they received from Obama in 2008 and 2010.” (John Bresnahan, “W.H. To Dems: Expect No Money,” Politico, 3/5/12)

• But The Obama Campaign Has “Rebuffed Requests From Congressional Democrats” For More Campaign Cash. “The fundraising push comes as Obama’s campaign has rebuffed requests from congressional Democrats to transfer campaign funds from the Democratic National Committee to bolster the party’s efforts to retake the House and maintain control of the Senate.” (Fredreka Schouten, “Obama Tops Recent Presidents In Fundraising Attendance,” USA Today, 3/7/12)
• “It Was A Stark Admission From A Presidential Campaign Once Expected To Rake In As Much As $1 Billion Of Just How Closely It Is Watching Its Own Bottom Line.” (John Bresnahan, “W.H. To Dems: Expect No Money,” Politico, 3/5/12)

Obama Is Facing An Uphill Climb Even Among His Biggest Contributors

Some Major Obama Bundlers Are “Having Trouble Drumming Up The Same Level Of Excitement” That Obama Had Four Years Ago. “Some major Obama bundlers said in interviews that they are having trouble drumming up the same level of excitement that surrounded his bid four years ago.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama’s High-Dollar Donations Lagging,” The Washington Post, 3/18/12)

• “Some Bundlers Have Decided To Stop Supporting Obama Entirely, Including Several In The Finance Sector, Which Has Been Hit With Stringent New Regulations Pushed By Democrats.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama’s High-Dollar Donations Lagging,” The Washington Post, 3/18/12)
• Obama 2008 Bundler: “There’s A Lot Of Disaffection And Buyer’s Remorse Among People I Know.” “’There’s a lot of disaffection and buyer’s remorse among the people I know,’ said one 2008 Obama fundraiser, who is no longer working for the president and asked not to be named in order to speak freely. ‘At the end of the day would they vote for him? Maybe, but they’re certainly going to be less active.’” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama’s High-Dollar Donations Lagging,” The Washington Post, 3/18/12)

At This Point In 2008, Obama Had Received Donations Above The $2,000 Mark From More Than 23,000 Supporters, While Just 11,000 Have Given That Much This Election Cycle. “At this point in the last election cycle, Obama had received such large donations from more than 23,000 supporters, more than double the 11,000 who have given him that much this time. President George W. Bush had more than four times the number of big donations at this point in his reelection.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama’s High-Dollar Donations Lagging,” The Washington Post, 3/18/12)

• “Which Could Signal More Worrisome Financial Problems Heading Into The General Election.” “But Obama lags behind Republican front-runner Mitt Romney in finding donors willing to give $2,000 or more — a surprising development for a sitting president, and one that could signal more worrisome financial problems heading into the general election.” (T.W. Farnam, “Obama’s High-Dollar Donations Lagging,” The Washington Post, 3/18/12)