Althouse: "Mitt Romney and the Republicans began October with a $34 million advantage over President Obama and the Democrats..."

October 22, 2012

"Mitt Romney and the Republicans began October with a $34 million advantage over President Obama and the Democrats..."

"... according to disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission on Friday and Saturday, as heavy spending by Mr. Obama offset his stronger fund-raising in the past two months."

The "and the Republicans/Democrats" language is important. The Obama campaign, specifically, has much more money than the Romney campaign. The filings show $99 million for Obama and $62 million for Romney. But that doesn't stop the Obama campaign from emailing me today to try to scare me about the other side's "$34 million cash advantage." No mention of Obama's $37 million advantage.

ADDED: The Obama campaign's advantage over the Romney campaign — calculated as a percentage — is far greater than the Republican Party's advantage over the Democrats. The Republicans had $183 million, compared to the Democrats' $149 million. The Republicans began October with 23% more money than the Democrats, but Obama began October with 60% more than Romney.

58 comments:

Bill Crawford said...: Is this a typo: "The Obama campaign, specifically, has much more money than the Obama campaign"?; 10/22/12, 11:23 AM
alan markus said...: At The Other McCain:

RNC Trounces DNC In Fundraising As Democrat Part Goes Bankrupt

The official Federal Election Committee reports for September are out, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s DNC is a complete wreck. The Democrats ended September with cash on hand of $4.6 million, compared to the Republican National Committee’s $82.6 million

Worse still for the DNC, they had to take out loans to pay the bills so that they owed $20.5 million at the end of September, meaning that that (subtracting cash on hand from total debt) they were $15.9 million in the red — essentially bankrupt. Wasserman-Schultz’s committee only raised $3.7 million in September; at that pace, it would take them more than four months to clear their debt, even if they didn’t spend another dime in the meantime.

.....................
Meanwhile, reacting to reports that the DNC’s vendors are owed millions of dollars by Wasserman-Schultz’s committee — essentially taking I.O.U.’s from the Democrats – Jim Geraghty says:
Attention, vendors: Stop falling for this, make Debbie pay you in cash.
Worst DNC Chairman Ever!; 10/22/12, 11:24 AM
bagoh20 said...: Mitt needs Wisconsin to push him to 271 E.V. Work it people.; 10/22/12, 11:26 AM
alan markus said...: Here are some Romney ads targeted at the African American community. I like.

Naacp Romney Address

Pivot Point Washington Respect Final; 10/22/12, 11:34 AM
MadisonMan said...: So Democrats fail at raising money. How is this meant to induce me to vote for them, if they can't find people around who so believe in their message that they'll donate?

Vote for me!! The other guy has more money! Waaaah!

I don't do pity votes.; 10/22/12, 11:34 AM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: Yea! The "Obama doesn't care if he gets illegal foreign donations" thread!

And of course, he doesn't. Probably about Reason #24 which, all by itself, should disqualify him, character-wise, for public office - if his supports gave a shit.; 10/22/12, 11:34 AM
edutcher said...: The DNC was shafted by Zero, so Democrat Congressional candidate are in a deep hole.

Even if he should win, the Demos in Congress won't owe him any favors.; 10/22/12, 11:37 AM
test said...: bagoh20 said...
Mitt needs Wisconsin to push him to 271 E.V. Work it people.

Not unless you're trying to come up with a path around Ohio.; 10/22/12, 11:39 AM
Levi Starks said...: How do you feel about them telling you that the amount you've donated so far is -0- ?
Oops, maybe yours didn't say that....; 10/22/12, 11:40 AM
Michael K said...: There is something fishy about the DNC numbers and the Obama numbers. The illegal donation thing will be interesting for the Romney DoJ to look at next year, It's a bit like the Al Gore Buddhist temple fund raising but much bigger.; 10/22/12, 11:41 AM
bagoh20 said...: I've never spent any time there, so I ask: what's up with Indiana? It's pure red state, but surrounded by blue. It's like the south's big middle finger sticking up on the electoral map. What makes them so different from, Illonois, Michigan, etc.?; 10/22/12, 11:42 AM
garage mahal said...: I like democracy so much I don't even care if the other sides votes.; 10/22/12, 11:43 AM
bagoh20 said...: "Not unless you're trying to come up with a path around Ohio. "

Right now the RCP electoral map without toss ups gives Ohio to Obama and that leaves Mitt with 261. If nothing changes, he only needs Wisconsin to win.; 10/22/12, 11:46 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: The Obama Campaign ought not miss the opportunity to raffle off an ambassadorship.; 10/22/12, 11:46 AM
test said...: bagoh20 said...
I've never spent any time there, so I ask: what's up with Indiana? It's pure red state, but surrounded by blue. It's like the south's big middle finger sticking up on the electoral map. What makes them so different from, Illinois, Michigan, etc.?

Indiana lacks the large central population center - Chicago, Detroit - of the other states. In addition to the obvious demographic concentrations the central city structure encourages Tammany style political corruption.; 10/22/12, 11:48 AM
paminwi said...: Indiana = Gov. Mitch Daniels. Friends that live there say he has done a wonderful job for their state. Taxes are low, jobs are growing, they became a Right to Work state (though I hear the steelworkers have a lawsuit pending). All good things for the folks in Indiana. If only the people in Ohio would realize much of their success as a state has come since Kasich has become governor. Though from what I hear he is not as effective as Daniels.; 10/22/12, 11:48 AM
Almost Ali said...: The post appears to be an example of Gaslighing.; 10/22/12, 11:49 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "Is this a typo: "The Obama campaign, specifically, has much more money than the Obama campaign"?"

Yes. Sorry. Fixed.; 10/22/12, 11:50 AM
Almost Ali said...: ... should be "Gaslighting"; 10/22/12, 11:51 AM
test said...: bagoh20 said...
"Not unless you're trying to come up with a path around Ohio. "

Right now the RCP electoral map without toss ups gives Ohio to Obama and that leaves Mitt with 261. If nothing changes, he only needs Wisconsin to win.

I think Ohio's a more likely win than Wisconsin, but either / or is a nice change from a month ago when the path was Ohio plus one.; 10/22/12, 11:51 AM
Patrick said...: Right now the RCP electoral map without toss ups gives Ohio to Obama and that leaves Mitt with 261. If nothing changes, he only needs Wisconsin to win.

With all of the BS pulled in the recall, along with the President's complete failure to do anything with the recall, it would be supremely satisfying if WI made the difference in a Romney victory.; 10/22/12, 11:54 AM
Drago said...: obama is gobbling up all the lib/left donations for his ever increasingly frantic campaign.

Worse, even with all that cash lying around (which is more than enough to cover required expenses in the states that matter), obama will not release any to his congressional "friends".

Whichever commenter above mentioned elected congressional dems owing obama nothing after this election, you couldn't be more right.; 10/22/12, 11:55 AM
Unknown said...: not counting PAC money of course with a 3:1 Republican advantage....

But thanks for the clarification and information. Neither made any sense other than you were asked to donate for Obama. I was asked to donate to Romney. Fat chance.; 10/22/12, 11:56 AM
Sammy said...: Well when China's bank rolling you.... It's easy to out raise those evil republicans.....

Why does no one acknowledge..... Obama's base and who is bank rolling his election..Hollywood and China.... Two groups who really have the American middle class and the heartland of America's best interest at heart.

Romney/ Ryan have to win...

Biden's brother just won a 1.5 billion dollar contract in Iraq

Obama/Biden..... Just are and seem so stale and corrupt.... And the only reason Obama needs so much money is to keep running negative ads... Ads saying Romney " isn't one of us"

“Had Romney pulled this on Obama, we’d need a special two-hour episode of ‘Hardball’ to deal with the dog-whistle implications."

Thought 4 years ago, that Obama was just a small man , puffed up by a liberal media and academia desperate to see him as they saw themselves....

So he was going to be the greatest President since , JFK, FDR..... When all he was offering was staled over late 60's liberalism, polices that didn't work in 20 century ... But somehow coming from a black President would work in the 21 century... That's how shallow their reasoning was.; 10/22/12, 11:58 AM
Methadras said...: Do those filing also include the foreign monies that Urkel is getting?; 10/22/12, 11:58 AM
Seeing Red said...: Barry gets to keep the money when he loses.; 10/22/12, 11:59 AM
Drago said...: Lynn Meadows: "not counting PAC money of course with a 3:1 Republican advantage...."

LOL

The left has become quite concerned with cash advantages/disadvantages during this election cycle.

I wonder why that might be.....; 10/22/12, 12:00 PM
Nonapod said...: The Democrats have always excelled at spending money.; 10/22/12, 12:04 PM
Nathan Alexander said...: Also not mentioned:
A contributing reason Obama has more than Romney, but the RNC has more than the the DNC, is that Romney shared his money with the RNC...Obama told the DNC to push a rope, he was keeping his money for himself.

Shouldn't someone tell Obama, that at some point, you've raised enough money?

Why shouldn't he be limited on campaign income?

Why does he impugn the motives of someone wants to make more money even after already making more than $1M/year, when he has made nearly a billion this year?; 10/22/12, 12:04 PM
Paul said...: OMG Ann,

You mean Obama lied?

Or more importantly, when has he told the truth about anything.; 10/22/12, 12:12 PM
Matt Sablan said...: Is the PAC money really splitting that badly? 3:1, pro-Romney? Really?

Man. We need to find a way to silence all those citizens, otherwise they may freely associate in some way that is not state-approved.

Wait, they're -allowed- to freely associate in whatever way they please? What nonsensical pish-posh gives them that right?; 10/22/12, 12:13 PM
MadisonMan said...: Gov. Mitch Daniels

He benefitted from timing as well. The economy was not the pits when he took office. And the steps he took -- privatizing the Toll Road for example -- may not have come off as well had he started 4 years later.

Your other points are valid, of course.; 10/22/12, 12:15 PM
Dark Eden said...: I'm sure this has helped to raise money, but it seems like its helped to create the air of desperation and failure around the Obama administration. Begging for help so often is unbecoming of a confident winner, and it frames Romney as very together, even when the opposite is actually true. It seems like very short sighted political gamesmanship.; 10/22/12, 12:22 PM
Mary Beth said...: Worse, even with all that cash lying around (which is more than enough to cover required expenses in the states that matter), obama will not release any to his congressional "friends".

Whichever commenter above mentioned elected congressional dems owing obama nothing after this election, you couldn't be more right.

He probably thought that he would carry all of the other Democrats on his coattails. That's what happens when you're so awesomely awesome.; 10/22/12, 12:26 PM
Sheridan said...: Carol (@10/22/12 11:53 AM):

Indiana has always been more redneck. It really is a northern extension of the South.

While in the AF, I had a buddy from southern Inidiana. He had a distinct "twang" that I mis-understood for a southern accent. Lincoln's formative years were also in southern Indiana. He may have had that same "twang". You might call it "country" nowadays.; 10/22/12, 12:30 PM
TosaGuy said...: An air of desparation is not an optimal campaign strategery.; 10/22/12, 12:31 PM
Seeing Red said...: Via Drudge:

CNSNews.com) – First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged her husband’s supporters to vote early, because you may find your “toilet overflowing” on Election Day.

“You can also tell people that they don’t have to wait until November the 6th to cast their ballots because you can do it early,” Mrs. Obama told a crowd Friday at the University of Wisconsin in Wausau.; 10/22/12, 12:32 PM
wyo sis said...: the party is broke, but Obama himself is swimming in dough? How can that be? Obama is the messiah of fairness.; 10/22/12, 1:02 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: I am on the Obama campaign mailing list too. Their emails tend to be lame and juvenile and appear to be written by amateurs who are in love with Obama.

The last email I looked at had "Problem" in the email subject line and of course pleaded for $5 to combat the big, bad Repubs.; 10/22/12, 1:08 PM
Damon said...: Technically true, totally misleading. Cherry-picking is an art.; 10/22/12, 1:17 PM
traditionalguy said...: The Syrian dictator and the US dictator are making retirement plans as we speak.

Hawaii would be "Optimal."; 10/22/12, 1:25 PM
Anonymous said...: Apparently Michelle Obama said to students at U of WI "Vote now because on Nov. 6 your toilet might be overflowing on election day"

Doesn't that make you proud to be an American?

So many snarky comments to be made on that comment.; 10/22/12, 1:34 PM
ken in tx said...: The South was never as stereo-typically Southern as Indiana is. I once had a relative in Veedersburg, Indiana take me to a local bar. There was a PBR poster on the wall. It had a black woman in a bikini on it. He said, “That's the only N***** we allow in Veedersburg.” I never heard anything like that in the real South.; 10/22/12, 2:00 PM
Michael K said...: "Gov. Mitch Daniels

He benefitted from timing as well. The economy was not the pits when he took office. And the steps he took -- privatizing the Toll Road for example -- may not have come off as well had he started 4 years later.

Your other points are valid, of course."

Mitch Daniels is a great economist and administrator. He benefited, I believe, from Indiana's more libertarian streak. When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, Many of our neighbors' cars were registered in Indiana. I lived on the south side and it was a prosperous area then. Indiana taxes were always lower. Sort of like Nevada here.

If it wasn't for his messy personal life (not his fault) he would be a great presidential candidate although he needs to grow about 6 inches.; 10/22/12, 2:00 PM
ken in tx said...: In the real South, you have to live with blacks peaceably. They're everywhere.; 10/22/12, 2:05 PM
Methadras said...: Nonapod said...

The Democrats have always excelled at spending money.

And never getting any ROI on it. In fact, democrats don't give two shits about ROI as long as the cash rolls in.; 10/22/12, 2:12 PM
Known Unknown said...: In the real South, you have to live with blacks peaceably. They're everywhere.

Yeah, there is less segregation in the place that is most identified with segregation.

Ironic.; 10/22/12, 2:13 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Since we are talking illegal fundraising, saw this the other day: Obama's Bogus Zip Code Fundraising Problem:

...As a refresher, President Obama's campaign donation website does not have basic, industry standard security measures to prevent fraud and foreign donations according to a report done by the Government Accountability Institute [GAI].

Now, GAI is out with a second report examining reported financial contribution data on the Federal Election Commission website and to "determine the effectiveness of campaign anti-fraud security tools in weeding out online donations made using incomplete or inaccurate zip code entries" for both the 2012 Romney and Obama campaign donation websites. The report also examined 2008 election cycle sites...

Although both the Romney and Obama campaigns showed fraud, GAI found the Obama campaign had a much higher amount.

-During calendar year 2012, the Obama campaign received at least $2,983,854.78 from donors who did not submit a zip code, or submitted one that do not exist.
-During calendar year 2012, the Romney campaign received at least $244,287.01 from donors who did not submit a zip code, or submitted one that do not exist.

The same thing happened in the 2008 election cycle.

-During calendar year 2008, the Obama campaign received at least $2,778,808.97 from donors who did not submit a zip code, or submitted one that do not exist.
-During calendar year 2008, the McCain campaign received at least $431,046.00 from donors who did not submit a zip code, or submitted one that do not exist.

Note that the study only looked at contributions over $200 that had false, fake, invalid, or missing zip codes.; 10/22/12, 2:19 PM
Nora said...: Typical NYT article. It starts and ends with Romney overspending and by how much. So for careless reader (and who reads everything?)the impression is Romney outspends Obama. Considering they do not give totals, and numbers for Obama early spendings, my guess is Obama overspent Romney by far, and most likely less wizely.

Get ready for endless 'Romney won because rich gave him money' routine if he wins, regardles of real numbers.

DNC and Obama mismanaging the money is pretty telling, though.; 10/22/12, 3:00 PM
Sam L. said...: A question for all: If O's campaign does not support down-ticket people, which is what I've read, and he loses and they lose, will anyone accept O as an elder statesman of the party? Or will they photoshop him out of their pictures and memories?; 10/22/12, 3:31 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: If Obama cant spend his own campaign money wisely... how do you expect him to do with ours?

If I see an ad using my words... I'm suing ;); 10/22/12, 3:32 PM
edutcher said...: Sam L. said...

A question for all: If O's campaign does not support down-ticket people, which is what I've read, and he loses and they lose, will anyone accept O as an elder statesman of the party? Or will they photoshop him out of their pictures and memories?

WWJD?

And that's Joe (Man of Steel).; 10/22/12, 4:01 PM
Petunia said...: Considering there are over 2 MILLION people serving in either the active duty military or the reserves, a few hundred thousand $$$ is hardly evidence of "overwhelming" support for EITHER candidate.; 10/22/12, 5:52 PM
harrogate said...: "Mitt needs Wisconsin to push him to 271 E.V. Work it people."

Don't fret. I'm sure Scott's got that covered.; 10/22/12, 6:13 PM
Unknown said...: The O cash advantage includes $15 million bank loan. If you check out the loan docs, the loan is to OFA and not the DNC.

http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00431445/821325/sc1/ALL

Therefore the actual cash advantage from over RR is only $51 million of which we know at least $2 mm is from untracable donations (no zip codes or bad zip codes); 10/22/12, 6:47 PM
test said...: Inga said...
Armed forces show overwhelming support for Obama

Don't kill me, I'm just the messenger.

Interesting that someone who claims not to folow other political blogs just happens to be perfectly in step with DNC talking points.; 10/22/12, 6:48 PM
Drago said...: Inga is of course lying about the levels of military support.

The latest polls from early October show armed forces personnel supporting Romney over obama by a 66% to 26% margin.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/10/military-times-poll-romney-bests-obama-2-1-100712/

So, "what we have here is a failure to 'comm un cate'".

You see, the article is written in English and is based on actual military voter responses, which is something that eludes most of the liberal posters here.

Of course, the alternative explanation is that the liberal posters know they are posting nonsense, but do it anyway in support of dear leader.; 10/22/12, 7:32 PM
Strelnikov said...: Romney would have to spend 4 - 5 times what Obama does in order to even begin offsetting Obama's advantage in free airtime and promotion given by the MSM.; 10/23/12, 9:34 AM