This is indisputably good news for the Obama campaign:

President Barack Obama has shattered first quarter fundraising records for a White House incumbent by raising $86 million for the first quarter — dwarfing the 2012 GOP field’s total take and breezing past his own target of $60 million…the average donation was $69 — lower even than the 2008 average contribution.

And, yeah, in comparison, the Republican field is positively anemic; the Democrats have raised more than every Republican candidate combined. (In fact, they raised more than double what all the Republican candidates raised in the first quarter.) Thanks to these numbers, people are already talking about “the enthusiasm gap” between Democrats and Republicans—basically, they say, Republicans aren’t going to drum up the necessary enthusiasm to win the presidency.

I would urge Democrats to not get too confident about their enthusiasm. While enthusiasm is of course important—and it’s important to remember that enthusiasm ebbs and flows, like any other emotion—the 2012 election is likely to have more corporate influence than any other presidential election in the last hundred years, thanks to the Supreme Court. Sometimes a ridiculous amount of money is more important than genuine emotion when it comes to motivating large groups of people. I expect third-party dirty tricks are going to hit a spectacular new low during this election cycle, and they’ll be funded by a near-bottomless well of corporate cash.

13 replies on “Obama Raises $86 Million”

  2. As always, I’m utterly baffled by the enthusiasm for a conservative candidate who is demonstrably responsible for the destruction of so many innocent lives.

    I understand the “lesser of two evils” concept, but it doesn’t explain the enthusiasm for an obvious evil or a lack of interest in changing the system which consistently foists two evil candidates as “choices.”

  4. So when do the gay bashings begin? Because they’re going to have to bash the gays again soon if Republicans hope to get the White House.

  5. Money raised by candidates doesn’t matter anymore, not with the Citizens United decision. A candidate now only has to raise enough money for a campaign staff. No need for opposition research, attack ads, mailers, etc. All of that can be taken care of by your officially unconnected SuperPAC. It would actually be pretty wasteful to spend campaign contributions on stuff that can be paid for by invisible & unaccountable cronies.

    Decision 2012 will be the ugliest ever, and by a large margin. The public will see what is essentially drive-by shootings disguised as “political speech”.

  6. Meh. I’m sorry- but if you want a REAL show of funding at this point you need to look into third parties for the Republicans: I remember reading a day or two ago that a third party group headed by Rove (I think) has already amassed 120 million- or plans to have that much very soon- from donors they don’t even need to report on.

    The Supreme Court really fucked things in this country when it comes to election financing. I am not looking forward to this year. Obama is going to need a lot more than what he has now if he hopes to match what the Republicans will have at their disposal from third party shitfucks who can play as dirty as their tiny black hearts desire.

  7. I also expect the mud-slinging and dirty negative ads will be astounding this upcoming election.

    Should be great… hello sewer!

  8. whatevs. the dems may take more seats, they may not. they won’t do anything to help the populace of the country & then we’ll swing back republican next time. they’ll actively fuck the country & we’ll swing back democratic. all the while heading in exactly the same direction… down.

  9. That’s great and all, but who’s actually voting for Bamz? The most I can get from people is that he’s not Mitt Romney.

    Is there anyone that his incompetent political team hasn’t managed to infuriate? What else can one say about the bizarre spectacle of the first black president presiding over the annihilation of the black middle class?

    Economists say the Great Recession lasted from 2007 to 2009. In 2004, the median net worth of white households was $134,280, compared with $13,450 for black households, according to an analysis of Federal Reserve data by the Economic Policy Institute. By 2009, the median net worth for white households had fallen 24 percent to $97,860; the median black net worth had fallen 83 percent to $2,170, according to the EPI.

    Algernon Austin, director of the EPI’s Program on Race, Ethnicity and the Economy, described the current wealth gap this way: “In 2009, for every dollar of wealth the average white household had, black households only had two cents.”

  10. As always, I’m utterly baffled by the enthusiasm for a conservative candidate who is demonstrably responsible for the destruction of so many innocent lives.

    Here’s your first lesson: Americans don’t give a fuck about the loss of non-American lives.

  11. Paul,
    I dispute that it is necessarily “positively” good news for the Obama team. I don’t argue that they are raking in the cash for his campaign in 12′ but that’s NOT flattering when it’s all over the news in this now great Recession.

    Look, I know the GOP is doing it too and it’s the nature of the beast. But, I don’t think it flattering in any event.
    I don’t like money driven campaigning anyway.

  12. @12, I honestly don’t think that Paul or the other loyalists here care one tiny bit about whether or not anything Obama does reflects well on him as a person or as a President, except within the context of whether or not it affects his ability to get re-elected. In that regard, they are not one bit different from Republican loyalists.

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