John McCain Raises $22 Million in June

by Todd Beeton, Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 07:51:50 PM EST

Another decent fundraising month for McCain.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain raised more than $22 million in June, his best fundraising performance of the year, and ended the month with nearly $27 million cash on hand.

That's nothing compared to what the Democrats routinely raised, of course, but the RNC's fundraising is actually putting McCain in fairly decent shape:

The Republican National Committee, which has been raising money jointly with McCain, collected nearly $26 million in June and had nearly $69 million on hand, officials said.

Marc Ambinder breaks down the Republican hopes leading up to the election:

The McCain campaign is betting that, in the end, the combined cash on hand tallies of the Republican National Committee and the McCain campaign will be roughly equal. [...]

Between now and the election, the McCain campaign and the RNC expect to spend about $200 million to elect McCain.

Paired with this is some buzz that Obama's fundraising has not met expecations. Both Ambinder and Sam Stein are reporting Obama's fundraising may have slowed and Ambinder even calls his decision to opt out of public funding a "gamble" and calculates that Obama would have to raise $75 a month to gain enough of an advantage to put McCain on defense in red states in any serious way. I suspect that Ambinder is being a little alarmist here and I look forward to seeing the Obama campaign and the DNC's combined numbers for June, but it probably doesn't hurt to dial back the expectation that we're going to necessarily rout McCain in fundraising leading up to the election.




Tags: 2008 presidential election, barack obama, john mccain, fundraising, june (all tags)

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Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (2.00 / 1)

Sounds like time to contribute, no?


by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 07:54:06 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (1.00 / 2)

Obama picked the worst time to demotivate his activist base by supporting idiotic policies and maneuvers.


by Yalin on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 07:55:33 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (2.00 / 1)

Don't carp, donate.


by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 07:56:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

I got the $450 I donated refunded actually, and I closed my coffers to Obama permanently due to the FISA bs.

Sorry, I don't reward the crappy behavior of politicians with unfettered support.


by Yalin on Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 10:30:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Well, consider yourself lucky.  I'm impressed that the campaign was so forthcoming.  So the election of a Democratic president doesn't weigh more heavily than your ideological purity on a single issue, specifically a bill that was, by all accounts, going to pass anyhow?  That is staggeringly short-sighted and emotive, to me.


by Shaun Appleby on Mon Jul 14, 2008 at 05:02:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Constitutional rights cover more than just FISA, and that vote just crapped on the fourth amendment in a big way.

I don't compromise on constitutional rights, particularly when dealing with a vote that just gave the President complete and utter immunity for the crimes he committed as well as expanded his powers.

I don't want President Bush or President Obama or President McCain to have those powers at his disposal. You call it short-sighted and emotive, that's your prerogative.

Lastly, when I see two people, neither of whom are willing to actually uphold and defend the constitution, then it doesn't mean a hell of difference to me who sits there.

The top job of the President is to uphold and defend the constitution. If neither will do it, what does it matter?


by Yalin on Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 02:32:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Not much, apparently.


by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 04:53:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

your commentary on this is really telling. power means more than principle apparently.

whatever.


by Yalin on Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 07:33:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Well, let's say the presidency probably is more important than one single issue, especially one where Obama has clearly indicated he will restore habeus corpus and the rule of law in a broader context when elected.  I give him a pass on this one, you are entitled to do as you see fit, of course.

Still, no need to berate either of us as 'unprincipled.'  Honestly, wouldn't we all have backed Kucinich from day one if our principles weren't tempered by the hope of electoral success?


by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 07:38:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

$75.00 per month?  


by agpc on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 07:56:24 PM EST

I think (none / 0)

that would be $75 million


Washington Woman

Progressive Blue

by kevin22262 on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:17:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (2.00 / 1)

I think the FISA thing is going to cost him.  Big miscalculation.


by Drummond on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:01:53 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)


by Shaun Appleby on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:51:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

As I said earlier (2.00 / 1)

It is Summer gas prices are high and less people are paying attention. Check out the blog traffic.

WE all need to start donating to the DNC as much as we do to Obama.

The DNC is what started the 50 State Strategy, which in turn helped Obama, and in some ways Clinton, during the primaries.

The DNC helps with the field offices and the local, county and state races.

WE must do better.

Please donate to the DNC and Obama


Washington Woman

Progressive Blue

by kevin22262 on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:16:51 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

When is the official June reporting deadline?


by danIA on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:22:30 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Anyone?


by danIA on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 10:03:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

The filing deadline for June, is July 20. But, because it fall on a Sunday, Obama has until the 21. If the numbers are bad, look for it on a Friday or weekend.


Restore America's Strength.
by RJEvans on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 10:31:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 M (2.00 / 1)

I'm more inclined to donate to the ACLU these days.  


by chiefscribe on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:23:10 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

anyone know when Obama's numbers come out?


by Lakrosse on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:31:22 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

my fear: what if a huge chunk of obama's money was anti-clinton and now that she's gone they are too.  can we get the anti-clinton to become pro-obama or did he screw himself on pub financing?


"Katie, i'd like to use one of my lifelines, i'd like to phone a friend." "governor Palin"
by Doug Tuttle on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:43:11 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!  AHHHHHH!!!


by Xris on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 08:57:08 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

I say we just wait to see what the numbers are when it's reported. And i don't know when they'll announce Obama's take, but I have noticed they've tended to do it later in the month recently.
by werd2406 on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 09:07:50 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (2.00 / 1)

I'm taking a haitus from giving to Obama until he cuts the crap.


by NealB on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 09:43:13 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

And what crap would that be?
by werd2406 on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 09:58:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Running away from the positions that made him the nominee.


Restore America's Strength.
by RJEvans on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 10:28:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

I don't see there being positions he ran away from? Yes, FISA but what else? Listen, i dont expect to agree with any candidate 100% of the time but I would rather help support a candidate getting into offive i agree with 98% of the time than i do with just 2% of the time.
by werd2406 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:24:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

If his numbers are not up to par then I would like to hear some theories as to why. You would think that after Obama won the nomination his fundraising would skyrocket past $50 million a month.


Restore America's Strength.
by RJEvans on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 10:33:47 PM EST

And it did. (none / 0)


by RandyMI on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 05:40:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Just an FYI: in the same story, Marc Ambinder said this:

"There are rumbles that their fundraising hasn't met expectations, but I don't think that's true."


by PeterR on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 10:48:45 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Kerry raised almost $50 million in his first month as the nominee, if Obama does not pass that, i think he has some serious issues.


by Bobby Obama on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 11:15:55 PM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

How much money did Kerry raise to win the primary?  How much did Obama raise to win the primary?

Our nominee is paying the price of a long primary.  


I voted for Hillary!
by deepee on Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 11:44:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Does... (none / 0)

Does anyone think if Obama doesn't raise as much as he hoped to, it makes it more likely Clinton gets on the ticket?
by werd2406 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:26:24 AM EST

but the Stein quote refers to Clinton fundraising (none / 0)

Obama clearly was talking about his donors paying off Clinton's debts.

Anyway, we should just wait and see.  I remember rumors that Obama didn't well some month and then he announced huge numbers.


John McCain is a Bush ally on Social Security.
by John DE on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:58:30 AM EST

Is McCain taking public financing or not? (none / 0)


Would someone please educate me?  I thought the idea behind public financing is that you get taxpayer money to run for President in return for CAMPAIGN SPENDING LIMITS.

McCain belched so much hot air denouncing Obama's opt-out that it seems unlikely he will opt out himself.  So his campaign, like his salary all his life, will be funded by tax money.  What is he raising money for?  His "primary" campaign??  And what good does it do him to raise private money if opting in to public financing means he can't spend it?

-- TP


by Rethymniotis on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:58:19 AM EST

Re: Is McCain taking public financing or not? (none / 0)

I may not have it all down pat but the general gist is... right now McCain is raising money for his "primary" season. Yes there aren't any other challengers but it's still his primary season so he can run ads promoting him self. Once Sept. 4th hits (the day he accepts the nomination, etc) it officially becomes the general election campaign for him and then he's restricted to the $85 million or what have you. Obama, since he opted out of the system, is still raising money for his "primary" as well, along with the general. The difference is after he accepts the nomination, he's not restricted to that $85 million, he can raise how ever much he wants.
by werd2406 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:06:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is McCain taking public financing or not? (none / 0)

He's (illegally) raising primary money, and also raising for the RNC, which can spend whatever it wants in coordinated messaging and has much higher contribution limits than his campaign.


by Jay R on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 09:34:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

Considering a lot of that has come from Kos who was being an idiot about it....

Look when you have been shitting on your base as much as Obama has been lately whether in word or deed or both, your luster as a different kind of politician comes off and the enthusiasm dies with it.

Previous money sent to Obama? $150.

My desire to send money to Obama now? $0.


by MNPundit on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:59:14 AM EST

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

I don't see how he shifted his positions other than the FISA issue, but if one issue is enough to not financially support a candidate and make it easier for McCain to get in, i guess more power to you
by werd2406 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:05:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: John McCain Raises $22 Million in June (none / 0)

This is all the fault of these 'net roots' and their hair brain 'progressive' nonsense. Most of us just want to win elections.
They fill the media with Obama attacks and they wonder why they always lose elections.
by Makey on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:31:14 AM EST

Well, the economy sucks (none / 0)

I think the reason this may have been a "gamble," to use Ambinder's word, is that Obama isn't just relying on the desire of supporters to contribute, but also their ability to do so.  McCain's guaranteed over $80 million of money that's already secure and ready to be transferred to his accounts, while Obama's coffers are subject to the economic realities facing the country (though John McCain may believe them to be mythical, they're very much otherwise).  So when prices rise and incomes stagnate or fall, and the recession hits the Democratic base, it puts Obama in a tougher spot (and pulling $30 million in ANY month, especially during a recession, is itself no small feat).


by Jay R on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 09:37:51 AM EST


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