Obama's fundraising ability is unparalleled. The FEC and and media can't keep up with the number of donors and the amount of money he's raising. This article on prblogger.com talks about how Obama's fund raising ability is proof of The Long Tail theory. Simply put, The Long Tail theory states that, with internet technologies, companies can drastically increase revenue by selling more of less. The Bush campaign in 2004 "pioneered" a new way of fundraising through the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act. Hillary used this model effectively as well. They both were excellent at getting the usual fundraisers to donate the max amount. Obama has in turn used the internet to blow the other candidates out of the water by getting record numbers of voters donating $200 or less. This article from The Atlantic gives great insight into the Obama model and the Silicon Valley supergeniuses that developed it for him. A must read for anyone who wants to know the future of campaign fundraising. Basically, Obama is revolutionizing campaign finance and checking more cheddar than the food inspector.
Showing posts with label Democrats acting G. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democrats acting G. Show all posts
Monday, June 2, 2008
Obama stacks that cheese
Obama's fundraising ability is unparalleled. The FEC and and media can't keep up with the number of donors and the amount of money he's raising. This article on prblogger.com talks about how Obama's fund raising ability is proof of The Long Tail theory. Simply put, The Long Tail theory states that, with internet technologies, companies can drastically increase revenue by selling more of less. The Bush campaign in 2004 "pioneered" a new way of fundraising through the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act. Hillary used this model effectively as well. They both were excellent at getting the usual fundraisers to donate the max amount. Obama has in turn used the internet to blow the other candidates out of the water by getting record numbers of voters donating $200 or less. This article from The Atlantic gives great insight into the Obama model and the Silicon Valley supergeniuses that developed it for him. A must read for anyone who wants to know the future of campaign fundraising. Basically, Obama is revolutionizing campaign finance and checking more cheddar than the food inspector.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Gangster of the Week: Rahm Emanuel
I've begun a weekly column pointing out politicians, activists, journalists, staffers, businessmen, or anyone I see fit to be SYNJK's Gangster of the Week. I know I've been given the gangsters (Carville, Obama, Colbert, Cuban, etc.) their due, but this will formalize it. For the inaugural GotW, I've chosen Rahm "Rahm-bo" Emanual, the ballerina Congressman from Chicago who brought the Dems back from the brink of existence in 2006.I was first introduced to Emanuel by this great profile piece in The Rolling Stone. His gangster status is well documented. While working in the White House, he mailed a dead fish to a
pollster he didn't like. Ari Gold from Entourage is based on his brother, Ari Emanuel (In an episode, they are sitting in Ari Emanuel's $2,000 courtside seats). It is rumored that he lost his finger fighting for Israel in Syria, but he actually lost while working at Arby's in high school (I'd stick with the Israel story). My favorite Rahm Emanuel story is how, the night after Clinton's election in '92, he stood up at a celebratory dinner and called out all the Democratic betrayers of Clinton's campaign. After each name he shouted out "Dead...dead...dead...dead..." and stabbed the table with his steak knife after each name. Bad. Ass.This is the kind of attitude the Democrats need if they are going to remain a force in national
politics. His take-no-prisoners attitude is an affront to the notion that Dems are bunch of ninnies and push-overs. He stood up to Clinton and told him that fundraising needed to be his number one priority early in the campaign. Clinton listened and you can make the argument that this won him the nomination (Tsongas, Clinton's chief rival in the primaries, ran out of money cause he had to try to outspend Clinton). His strategic thinking and unbelievable fundraising power provided a net gain of 30 seats in the House when he was the DCCC chair.He accomplishes the tasks before him, no compromises. He is angry and brash, but that's what this party needs. He's only 48, so he will be a player in Democratic politics for a long time to come. Vice President?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Why Hillary Lost
Finally, this headache is over. I've tried to keep my criticisms of Hillary to a minimum (There are many. Try to find my anonymous blog if you want a more honest, and vulgar, opinion :) ), but I am elated that the nomination process is essentially over and Obama can no longer be "caucus blocused" anymore. There has been a little pep in my step the past couple days as I hum Obama's new campaign song, Jay-Z's "99 Problems."
In the aftermath, the pundits (here, here) have been trying to explain why Clinton lost. Here's my take:
5. Too little, too late
It wasn't until she was well into the campaign that she began making the argument that she would be the best candidate to defeat the Republicans. As of Iowa/NH, it was a foregone conclusion that whoever would be the Democrat's nominee would win the presidency. So, all the candidates were trying to position themselves as the best president, not the best general election candidate. However, IMHO, McCain was the best candidate out of the Republican field to win the general election because of his centrist views and defeating a Republican became an issue only when he won the nomination. Hillary had a viable argument that she was the best candidate to defeat the Republicans, although I disagree. If she had made a more concerted effort to initially position herself as the only candidate that would lock up a win against a centrist Republican earlier, she would have fared much better.
4. She didn't unequivocally denounce her vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq.
IMHO, the most prominent issue for Democrats (the general election is another story) is the war in Iraq. There was a clear definition between Obama and Clinton on this issue. She ran on a platform of experience, but she supported the worst foreign policy decision since Bush the First ate that week old sushi. Read her speech. It shows rational, reasoned thought, but no conviction. So much for her three "cojones." I remember watching that speech on C-SPAN at like 2:30 a.m. and thinking "You could have been a contender!"
3. Hubris
This word gets thrown around a lot, but it is the downfall of 99% of politicians and 100% of the New England Patriots. Hillary and her staff felt a sense of entitlement, but entitlement doesn't win Super Bowls. Ask Bill Belichick. Why would it win elections? THAT'S WHY YOU PLAY THE GAME! She loaded her staff with old friends that wound up hurting her because of their ties ties to organizations that were working directly against Hillary's positions *cough* *cough* Mark Penn *cough*. She thought she was going to have it wrapped up by Super Tuesday and had zero strategy otherwise. She basically skipped the caucus states. All these things line up to the fact that she thought she was entitled to the presidency, but we know what happens to best-laid plans of mice and men.
2. Who is Hillary Clinton?
Hillary had a terrible problem telling the truth. Why did she lie about landing in sniper fire? Why did she lie about her being named after Sir Edmund Hillary even though she was born before he climbed Everest? Why did she lie about Chelsea being in lower Manhattan on 9/11? Why did she oppose the Columbian FTA when her chief strategist's firm was lobbying for the Columbian government in Congress? People could not trust her. All politicians pander to public sentiment, but there's a clear line between saying lies that can easily be refuted and having a balanced, nuanced position that be harder to refute. My mom says my little brother says lies that he knows that my mom knows so he can get caught and get attention. The similarities between HillDog and my little bro are numerous, but I'll leave that for another post.
I feel that the only time she was really honest with the American people was that infamous moment on the bus in New Hampshire and she won New Hampshire.
1. Barack Obama is a G.
Obama was a better candidate. She may have made some mistakes in her campaign, but she did not lose this campaign. Obama won it.
In the aftermath, the pundits (here, here) have been trying to explain why Clinton lost. Here's my take:
5. Too little, too late
It wasn't until she was well into the campaign that she began making the argument that she would be the best candidate to defeat the Republicans. As of Iowa/NH, it was a foregone conclusion that whoever would be the Democrat's nominee would win the presidency. So, all the candidates were trying to position themselves as the best president, not the best general election candidate. However, IMHO, McCain was the best candidate out of the Republican field to win the general election because of his centrist views and defeating a Republican became an issue only when he won the nomination. Hillary had a viable argument that she was the best candidate to defeat the Republicans, although I disagree. If she had made a more concerted effort to initially position herself as the only candidate that would lock up a win against a centrist Republican earlier, she would have fared much better.
4. She didn't unequivocally denounce her vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq.
IMHO, the most prominent issue for Democrats (the general election is another story) is the war in Iraq. There was a clear definition between Obama and Clinton on this issue. She ran on a platform of experience, but she supported the worst foreign policy decision since Bush the First ate that week old sushi. Read her speech. It shows rational, reasoned thought, but no conviction. So much for her three "cojones." I remember watching that speech on C-SPAN at like 2:30 a.m. and thinking "You could have been a contender!"
3. Hubris
This word gets thrown around a lot, but it is the downfall of 99% of politicians and 100% of the New England Patriots. Hillary and her staff felt a sense of entitlement, but entitlement doesn't win Super Bowls. Ask Bill Belichick. Why would it win elections? THAT'S WHY YOU PLAY THE GAME! She loaded her staff with old friends that wound up hurting her because of their ties ties to organizations that were working directly against Hillary's positions *cough* *cough* Mark Penn *cough*. She thought she was going to have it wrapped up by Super Tuesday and had zero strategy otherwise. She basically skipped the caucus states. All these things line up to the fact that she thought she was entitled to the presidency, but we know what happens to best-laid plans of mice and men.
2. Who is Hillary Clinton?
Hillary had a terrible problem telling the truth. Why did she lie about landing in sniper fire? Why did she lie about her being named after Sir Edmund Hillary even though she was born before he climbed Everest? Why did she lie about Chelsea being in lower Manhattan on 9/11? Why did she oppose the Columbian FTA when her chief strategist's firm was lobbying for the Columbian government in Congress? People could not trust her. All politicians pander to public sentiment, but there's a clear line between saying lies that can easily be refuted and having a balanced, nuanced position that be harder to refute. My mom says my little brother says lies that he knows that my mom knows so he can get caught and get attention. The similarities between HillDog and my little bro are numerous, but I'll leave that for another post.
I feel that the only time she was really honest with the American people was that infamous moment on the bus in New Hampshire and she won New Hampshire.
1. Barack Obama is a G.
Obama was a better candidate. She may have made some mistakes in her campaign, but she did not lose this campaign. Obama won it.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
My Top 5 Moments of this Campaign, thus far
Since this page is in some part an homage to one of the most gangster political moments of all time, I figure I should give it up for the most gangster moments of the 2008 campaign so far. I'm sure there's more to come with two pretty gangster candidates and cameras watching them at all times.
From the home office in Eugene, Oregon:
5. Mitt Romney letting the dogs out
Ok...so this was probably the least gangster moment, the most Brooks Brotherest candidate awkwardly using out of date "urban" references to connect with the heart of Duvall County (on MLK day). It had to make the list regardless. My favorite part is when he compliments the baby's "bling bling."
2. Carville calling Richardson "Judas"
James Carville, the Ragin Cajun, is one of my personal idols. He is a political genius. He loves college football. His marriage with Mary Matalin is proof enough that a Bipartisan agenda can be reached. Not to mention his distinguished acting career, Old School, People v. Larry Flint, The Assassination of Jesse James... I digress. What I admire most is his candor. He told the media exactly how he felt about Richardson's endorsement of Obama. Not only that, but he never backed down all while Samantha Power and Gerarldine Ferraro were back tracking worse than Mark Foley in the page changing room. Powerful lesson, don't say something if you're not willing to live with the consequences. Carville = Gangster
1. Barack Obama getting the dirt off his shoulders
Easily the most gangster moment of the campaign. Why has it taken so long for a candidate to quote the CEO of the ROC? Obama did. And I think this isn't the last song he quotes. Jigga already wrote his speech for when he locks up the nomination, "99 Prombems."
From the home office in Eugene, Oregon:
5. Mitt Romney letting the dogs out
Ok...so this was probably the least gangster moment, the most Brooks Brotherest candidate awkwardly using out of date "urban" references to connect with the heart of Duvall County (on MLK day). It had to make the list regardless. My favorite part is when he compliments the baby's "bling bling."
2. Carville calling Richardson "Judas"
James Carville, the Ragin Cajun, is one of my personal idols. He is a political genius. He loves college football. His marriage with Mary Matalin is proof enough that a Bipartisan agenda can be reached. Not to mention his distinguished acting career, Old School, People v. Larry Flint, The Assassination of Jesse James... I digress. What I admire most is his candor. He told the media exactly how he felt about Richardson's endorsement of Obama. Not only that, but he never backed down all while Samantha Power and Gerarldine Ferraro were back tracking worse than Mark Foley in the page changing room. Powerful lesson, don't say something if you're not willing to live with the consequences. Carville = Gangster
1. Barack Obama getting the dirt off his shoulders
Easily the most gangster moment of the campaign. Why has it taken so long for a candidate to quote the CEO of the ROC? Obama did. And I think this isn't the last song he quotes. Jigga already wrote his speech for when he locks up the nomination, "99 Prombems."
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