Today's Article
Who's
buying the 2008
Democratic
presidential
candidates?
buying the 2008
Democratic
presidential
candidates?
The American Spark
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Buying The Presidency: The Democrats, Part 1
By Cliff Montgomery - June 29th, 2007
With 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: $36,054,568
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ...................... $3,016,835
2. Securities & Investment ............... $1,676,450
3. Real Estate ..................................... $1,384,280
4. Retired ............................................. $1,326,681
5. Business Services ........................ $881,650
6. TV/Movies/Music ............................. $794,958
7. Misc Finance ................................... $722,300
8. Misc Business ................................ $707,400
9. Education ......................................... $545,795
10. Health Professionals .................. $486,196
11. Printing & Publishing ................... $336,525
12. Computers/Internet ...................... $264,020
13. Commercial Banks ...................... $241,900
14. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $236,600
15. Lobbyists ........................................ $234,550
16. Retail Sales ................................... $228,718
17. Insurance ....................................... $226,450
18. Non-Profit Institutions .................. $211,150
19. Civil Servants/Public Officials ..... $209,299
20. Construction Services ................. $149,050
Barack 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: $25,797,721
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ..................... $2,915,234
2. Securities & Investment .............. $1,394,791
3. Retired ............................................ $1,393,791
4. Education ....................................... $696,076
5. TV/Movies/Music ............................ $690,735
6. Misc Finance .................................. $629,902
7. Real Estate ..................................... $611,635
8. Business Services ........................ $582,515
9. Misc Business ................................ $388,402
10. Health Professionals .................. $357,417
11. Printing & Publishing .................. $346,072
12. Computers/Internet ..................... $207,935
13. Civil Servants/Public Officials .... $188,290
14. Commercial Banks ...................... $180,780
15. Electric Utilities ............................. $169,010
16. Non-Profit Institutions .................. $137,907
17. Other ................................................ $122,200
18. Retail Sales .................................... $96,210
19. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $90,650
20. Insurance ........................................ $88,598
John 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: $14,031,662
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ............................ $5,029,360
2. Democratic/Liberal ............................. $1,323,538
3. Securities & Investment ..................... $497,150
4. Retired ................................................... $492,100
5. Real Estate ........................................... $310,900
6. TV/Movies/Music .................................. $287,675
7. Business Services .............................. $196,200
8. Misc Finance ......................................... $171,900
9. Health Professionals ........................... $152,800
10. Education ............................................. $140,300
11. Misc Business ..................................... $113,450
12. Commercial Banks ............................. $100,350
13. Printing & Publishing .......................... $82,222
14. Civil Servants/Public Officials ........... $63,300
15. Computers/Internet ............................. $51,250
16. Insurance .............................................. $46,500
17. Other ...................................................... $46,300
18. Retail Sales .......................................... $41,250
19. Non-Profit Institutions ......................... $36,100
20. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $35,600
Christopher 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: $8,795,706
Top 20 Industries
1. Securities & Investment .................. $1,276,850
2. Lawyers/Law Firms .......................... $542,790
3. Insurance ........................................... $405,550
4. Misc Business .................................. $377,995
5. Real Estate ........................................ $372,658
6. Commercial Banks .......................... $268,600
7. Retired ................................................ $164,850
8. TV/Movies/Music ................................ $151,020
9. Misc Finance ...................................... $143,000
10. Accountants ...................................... $141,650
11. Lobbyists ........................................... $117,825
12. Defense Aerospace ......................... $110,600
13. Business Services ........................... $103,400
14. Education ........................................... $83,250
15. General Contractors ......................... $76,700
16. Finance/Credit Companies ............. $58,850
17. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing ..... $57,750
18. Tobacco ............................................... $44,200
19. Casinos/Gambling ............................ $40,700
20. Pharmaceuticals/Health Products . $34,100
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - June 29th, 2007
With 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: $36,054,568
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ...................... $3,016,835
2. Securities & Investment ............... $1,676,450
3. Real Estate ..................................... $1,384,280
4. Retired ............................................. $1,326,681
5. Business Services ........................ $881,650
6. TV/Movies/Music ............................. $794,958
7. Misc Finance ................................... $722,300
8. Misc Business ................................ $707,400
9. Education ......................................... $545,795
10. Health Professionals .................. $486,196
11. Printing & Publishing ................... $336,525
12. Computers/Internet ...................... $264,020
13. Commercial Banks ...................... $241,900
14. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $236,600
15. Lobbyists ........................................ $234,550
16. Retail Sales ................................... $228,718
17. Insurance ....................................... $226,450
18. Non-Profit Institutions .................. $211,150
19. Civil Servants/Public Officials ..... $209,299
20. Construction Services ................. $149,050
Barack 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: $25,797,721
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ..................... $2,915,234
2. Securities & Investment .............. $1,394,791
3. Retired ............................................ $1,393,791
4. Education ....................................... $696,076
5. TV/Movies/Music ............................ $690,735
6. Misc Finance .................................. $629,902
7. Real Estate ..................................... $611,635
8. Business Services ........................ $582,515
9. Misc Business ................................ $388,402
10. Health Professionals .................. $357,417
11. Printing & Publishing .................. $346,072
12. Computers/Internet ..................... $207,935
13. Civil Servants/Public Officials .... $188,290
14. Commercial Banks ...................... $180,780
15. Electric Utilities ............................. $169,010
16. Non-Profit Institutions .................. $137,907
17. Other ................................................ $122,200
18. Retail Sales .................................... $96,210
19. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $90,650
20. Insurance ........................................ $88,598
John 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: $14,031,662
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ............................ $5,029,360
2. Democratic/Liberal ............................. $1,323,538
3. Securities & Investment ..................... $497,150
4. Retired ................................................... $492,100
5. Real Estate ........................................... $310,900
6. TV/Movies/Music .................................. $287,675
7. Business Services .............................. $196,200
8. Misc Finance ......................................... $171,900
9. Health Professionals ........................... $152,800
10. Education ............................................. $140,300
11. Misc Business ..................................... $113,450
12. Commercial Banks ............................. $100,350
13. Printing & Publishing .......................... $82,222
14. Civil Servants/Public Officials ........... $63,300
15. Computers/Internet ............................. $51,250
16. Insurance .............................................. $46,500
17. Other ...................................................... $46,300
18. Retail Sales .......................................... $41,250
19. Non-Profit Institutions ......................... $36,100
20. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $35,600
Christopher 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: $8,795,706
Top 20 Industries
1. Securities & Investment .................. $1,276,850
2. Lawyers/Law Firms .......................... $542,790
3. Insurance ........................................... $405,550
4. Misc Business .................................. $377,995
5. Real Estate ........................................ $372,658
6. Commercial Banks .......................... $268,600
7. Retired ................................................ $164,850
8. TV/Movies/Music ................................ $151,020
9. Misc Finance ...................................... $143,000
10. Accountants ...................................... $141,650
11. Lobbyists ........................................... $117,825
12. Defense Aerospace ......................... $110,600
13. Business Services ........................... $103,400
14. Education ........................................... $83,250
15. General Contractors ......................... $76,700
16. Finance/Credit Companies ............. $58,850
17. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing ..... $57,750
18. Tobacco ............................................... $44,200
19. Casinos/Gambling ............................ $40,700
20. Pharmaceuticals/Health Products . $34,100
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!