July 20, 2004
SPECIFICALLY, WE WON'T BE ADVERTISING DURING "EXTREME MAKEOVER HOME EDITION" ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 8
Aides expect the Kerry campaign committee to end up with enough money to make sizable transfers to the Democratic National Committee, state Democratic committees, and possibly the committees working to elect a Democratic Congress. The aim would be to have the committees, especially those in battleground states, air television ads on Kerry's behalf this fall, and finance get-out-the-vote operations on Election Day.Just in case you were wondering whether campaign finance reform was a farce, we have this story. John Kerry will take federal campaign funds, but give all his banked hard money funds to his friends, with the express understanding that they will use the money to support his candidacy while he husbands the federal government's money. This isn't at all illegal coordination; it's something else that's close to but not exactly the same as "coordination" like "knowing helpfulness" or "bought and paid for alignment." This cloud does have a silver lining, though. Anything that exposes CFR as a farce is good and MoveOn, et al., are bound to screw up, tell the truth (as they see it) and repulse more voters than they attract. Posted by David Cohen at July 20, 2004 12:49 PMSuch efforts at the national and state levels will help mitigate the spending advantage that President Bush has by virtue of his later nomination date. Candidates accepting federal financing must stop using their campaign's privately raised funds once they have accepted the nomination. Because Kerry's nomination will come on July 29 -- five weeks before President Bush's -- the Massachusetts senator's $75 million must cover 13 weeks, while Bush's $75 million will cover just eight weeks. . . .
The disbursal plan is one attempt by the campaign to protect Kerry during that five-week period. Doling out surplus campaign money will ensure that like-minded committees at the national and state levels have the capacity to air television ads should the Bush campaign launch its own ad onslaught in August. While federal law bars the campaign from coordinating with the committees and Democratic-leaning organizations known as 527s that have been supporting Kerry throughout the campaign, Kerry will be counting on them for support if necessary.
"All of those people are aware this is going to be a period when we are dark," said the second adviser, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.
We can also hope that the people given the money are former dot-com types who will blow the money in September on enhancing their lifestyles, leaving nothing for October.
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at July 20, 2004 1:11 PMIn the fall of 2003 and spring of 2004 the media et al were complaining about Bush's large $ advantage and that Bush wasn't following the spirit of CFR. Now that the tables are turned and Kerry appears to be in better shape financially there is harldy a peep about CFR.
Raoul - I had read that a lot of Kerry's new money is from the internet - interesting to see if it actually shows up.
GW's going to do the same thing in September and now he can say he wouldn't have if JFK hadn't first.
Posted by: genecis at July 20, 2004 4:26 PMGenecis - I don't know the exact numbers but the impression is that Kerry is raising money so well he should forego the matching funds while Bush may need to accept the matching funds. There have been hints of questionable internet and 527 fund raising by Kerry (and Edwards). Kerry's potential money advantage may prevent OJs 50-0 and 60-40 scenarios from ocurring.
Posted by: AWW at July 20, 2004 8:07 PMKerry's nomination will come on July 29 -- five weeks before President Bush's
Which, after all, is just the way the DNC wanted it... They just imagined, at the time they scheduled it, that it would be an advantage.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at July 21, 2004 5:59 AM