Today's Article
The second part of
our story on who's
buying the 2008
Democratic
presidential
candidates.
our story on who's
buying the 2008
Democratic
presidential
candidates.
The American Spark
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Buying The Presidency: The Democrats, Part 2
By Cliff Montgomery - June 30th, 2007
With the 2008 presidential candidates having amassed more than $150 million after the initial three months of
fundraising, it's time for you to discover 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 2 in our study of who's buying each of the Democratic presidential nominees; part 1 was
published on Friday.
The candidates' numbers are derived from the most recent Federal Election Commission information released
electronically by Monday, April 16, 2007.
Bill Richardson - The New Mexico governor knows a few things about about selling his political favors; Gov.
Richardson collected $16.5 million between 2002 and 2006.
His first quarter numbers impressed some analysts, who were amazed a person could sell himself so well while
remaining in the statehouse. But we must recognize a current ugly truth of politics here--Richardson will have
to sell himself many times over his first quarter take if he wishes to be considered a competitive presidential
candidate.
Total Receipts: $6,249,354
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ............................ $645,465
2. Retired ................................................. $552,475
3. Real Estate ......................................... $341,500
4. Democratic/Liberal ............................. $244,635
5. Securities & Investment .................... $225,200
6. Civil Servants/Public Officials ............ $213,613
7. Misc Business ..................................... $200,629
8. Misc Finance ....................................... $180,800
9. Business Services .............................. $136,299
10. Education .......................................... $133,850
11. Health Professionals ........................ $115,150
12. TV/Movies/Music ............................... $86,700
13. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $85,650
13. Oil & Gas ............................................ $85,650
15. Commercial Banks ............................ $79,165
16. General Contractors ......................... $53,650
17. Construction Services ....................... $41,700
18. Livestock ............................................. $38,350
19. Retail Sales ........................................ $37,492
20. Insurance ........................................... $36,275
Joseph Biden - By previous political standards, the couple of million that the Delaware senator raised in the
first quarter would be deemed quite an achievement in political wheel-dealing. But these days poor Sen. Biden
has to compete with the current masters of the political sale, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Only time will tell if Biden remains competitive in the 2008 sell-out of democracy.
Total Receipts: $4,013,089
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ...................... $879,479
2. Real Estate ................................... $237,884
3. Misc Business ............................... $227,751
4. Securities & Investment .............. $151,550
5. Retired ........................................... $130,851
6. Misc Finance ................................. $97,750
7. Business Services ........................ $74,250
8. Lobbyists ........................................ $64,750
9. Commercial Banks ........................ $52,550
10. TV/Movies/Music .......................... $36,450
11. Health Professionals ................... $35,300
12. Education ...................................... $32,900
13. General Contractors .................... $32,050
14. Insurance ....................................... $30,000
15. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $27,300
16. Civil Servants/Public Officials ...... $26,700
16. Food & Beverage ......................... $26,700
18. Retail Sales ................................... $25,050
19. Printing & Publishing .................... $23,650
20. Special Trade Contractors .......... $18,950
Dennis Kucinich - Sometimes it's hard to know how to take the Ohio Representative. He seems a decent
man--so decent that as a 2004 presidential candidate, he couldn't hope to compete in the money race with
then-Democratic candidates Howard Dean, Wesley Clark and John Edwards.
But then Kucinich also has a strange habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or of saying the right
thing the wrong way. George W. Bush had (and has) exactly the same problem, but Kucinich lacks Bush's
appeal to Big Money--which include Corporate Media owners and editors, who wouldn't think of holding Bush
accountable for...well, much of anything. They certainly wouldn't treat his asinine remarks and asides the way
they often do those of Kucinich.
Aching for dough but with little to sell, the candidate has launched a “One in a Million” campaign, which hopes
to convince one million supporters to donate $50 apiece. But we doubt a million Americans even know who
Kucinich is.
Total Receipts: $344,891
Top Industries
1. Retired .......................................... $20,800
2. Education ..................................... $8,250
3. TV/Movies/Music .......................... $7,550
4. Lawyers/Law Firms ...................... $6,950
5. Non-Profit Institutions ................. $6,550
6. Health Professionals ................... $6,050
7. Real Estate ................................... $3,400
8. Misc Finance ................................. $3,300
9. Printing & Publishing .................... $3,100
10. Misc Business ............................. $2,550
11. Civil Servants/Public Officials .... $1,500
12. Business Services ...................... $1,200
13. Health Services/HMOs ............... $1,000
14. Computers/Internet ..................... $500
14. Securities & Investment .............. $500
14. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $500
14. Other .............................................. $500
18. Accountants .................................. $250
Mike Gravel - The former Alaska senator hasn’t been in public office since 1981, so he has entered an entirely
new age of political salesmanship--and it shows. He hasn’t been selling himself with near the fervor of even
second-tier Democratic candidates, and his first quarter results prove it.
He has accomplished one thing as a 2008 candidate, though--Gravel has created what may well be the
strangest political ad in American history. If you have access to a high-speed modem, check it out on YouTube.
com or on some other free media site. If you can understand what the three-minute "rock-throwing" ad is
about, write in and tell us, because we are completely stumped.
But don't let that ad throw you about Gravel's abilities as a lawmaker. In fact, the former senator is best
remembered for his part in releasing to the public the infamous "Pentagon Papers", which finally revealed
numerous falsehoods surrounding the Vietnam War. The documents were instrumental in changing public
opinion on the subject.
Total Receipts: $15,534
Top Industries
1. Retired $1,300
2. Computers/Internet ..... $500
2. Health Professionals ... $500
2. Business Services ....... $500
2. Non-Profit Institutions . $500
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 30th, 2007
With the 2008 presidential candidates having amassed more than $150 million after the initial three months of
fundraising, it's time for you to discover 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 2 in our study of who's buying each of the Democratic presidential nominees; part 1 was
published on Friday.
The candidates' numbers are derived from the most recent Federal Election Commission information released
electronically by Monday, April 16, 2007.
Bill Richardson - The New Mexico governor knows a few things about about selling his political favors; Gov.
Richardson collected $16.5 million between 2002 and 2006.
His first quarter numbers impressed some analysts, who were amazed a person could sell himself so well while
remaining in the statehouse. But we must recognize a current ugly truth of politics here--Richardson will have
to sell himself many times over his first quarter take if he wishes to be considered a competitive presidential
candidate.
Total Receipts: $6,249,354
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ............................ $645,465
2. Retired ................................................. $552,475
3. Real Estate ......................................... $341,500
4. Democratic/Liberal ............................. $244,635
5. Securities & Investment .................... $225,200
6. Civil Servants/Public Officials ............ $213,613
7. Misc Business ..................................... $200,629
8. Misc Finance ....................................... $180,800
9. Business Services .............................. $136,299
10. Education .......................................... $133,850
11. Health Professionals ........................ $115,150
12. TV/Movies/Music ............................... $86,700
13. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $85,650
13. Oil & Gas ............................................ $85,650
15. Commercial Banks ............................ $79,165
16. General Contractors ......................... $53,650
17. Construction Services ....................... $41,700
18. Livestock ............................................. $38,350
19. Retail Sales ........................................ $37,492
20. Insurance ........................................... $36,275
Joseph Biden - By previous political standards, the couple of million that the Delaware senator raised in the
first quarter would be deemed quite an achievement in political wheel-dealing. But these days poor Sen. Biden
has to compete with the current masters of the political sale, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Only time will tell if Biden remains competitive in the 2008 sell-out of democracy.
Total Receipts: $4,013,089
Top 20 Industries
1. Lawyers/Law Firms ...................... $879,479
2. Real Estate ................................... $237,884
3. Misc Business ............................... $227,751
4. Securities & Investment .............. $151,550
5. Retired ........................................... $130,851
6. Misc Finance ................................. $97,750
7. Business Services ........................ $74,250
8. Lobbyists ........................................ $64,750
9. Commercial Banks ........................ $52,550
10. TV/Movies/Music .......................... $36,450
11. Health Professionals ................... $35,300
12. Education ...................................... $32,900
13. General Contractors .................... $32,050
14. Insurance ....................................... $30,000
15. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $27,300
16. Civil Servants/Public Officials ...... $26,700
16. Food & Beverage ......................... $26,700
18. Retail Sales ................................... $25,050
19. Printing & Publishing .................... $23,650
20. Special Trade Contractors .......... $18,950
Dennis Kucinich - Sometimes it's hard to know how to take the Ohio Representative. He seems a decent
man--so decent that as a 2004 presidential candidate, he couldn't hope to compete in the money race with
then-Democratic candidates Howard Dean, Wesley Clark and John Edwards.
But then Kucinich also has a strange habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or of saying the right
thing the wrong way. George W. Bush had (and has) exactly the same problem, but Kucinich lacks Bush's
appeal to Big Money--which include Corporate Media owners and editors, who wouldn't think of holding Bush
accountable for...well, much of anything. They certainly wouldn't treat his asinine remarks and asides the way
they often do those of Kucinich.
Aching for dough but with little to sell, the candidate has launched a “One in a Million” campaign, which hopes
to convince one million supporters to donate $50 apiece. But we doubt a million Americans even know who
Kucinich is.
Total Receipts: $344,891
Top Industries
1. Retired .......................................... $20,800
2. Education ..................................... $8,250
3. TV/Movies/Music .......................... $7,550
4. Lawyers/Law Firms ...................... $6,950
5. Non-Profit Institutions ................. $6,550
6. Health Professionals ................... $6,050
7. Real Estate ................................... $3,400
8. Misc Finance ................................. $3,300
9. Printing & Publishing .................... $3,100
10. Misc Business ............................. $2,550
11. Civil Servants/Public Officials .... $1,500
12. Business Services ...................... $1,200
13. Health Services/HMOs ............... $1,000
14. Computers/Internet ..................... $500
14. Securities & Investment .............. $500
14. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $500
14. Other .............................................. $500
18. Accountants .................................. $250
Mike Gravel - The former Alaska senator hasn’t been in public office since 1981, so he has entered an entirely
new age of political salesmanship--and it shows. He hasn’t been selling himself with near the fervor of even
second-tier Democratic candidates, and his first quarter results prove it.
He has accomplished one thing as a 2008 candidate, though--Gravel has created what may well be the
strangest political ad in American history. If you have access to a high-speed modem, check it out on YouTube.
com or on some other free media site. If you can understand what the three-minute "rock-throwing" ad is
about, write in and tell us, because we are completely stumped.
But don't let that ad throw you about Gravel's abilities as a lawmaker. In fact, the former senator is best
remembered for his part in releasing to the public the infamous "Pentagon Papers", which finally revealed
numerous falsehoods surrounding the Vietnam War. The documents were instrumental in changing public
opinion on the subject.
Total Receipts: $15,534
Top Industries
1. Retired $1,300
2. Computers/Internet ..... $500
2. Health Professionals ... $500
2. Business Services ....... $500
2. Non-Profit Institutions . $500
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!