Obama Grassroots Challenge Fails to Meet Goal
EmailThe Obama campaign, which has prided itself on robust engagement of its grassroots supporters, appears to have stumbled in an effort meant to enlist at least 20,000 small donors by the end of September.
A campaign website set up to track the grassroots fundraising competition reported just 11,518 donations through 12:47 p.m. on Sept. 30 — a surprising result given the intensive focus on the program by Obama’s campaign team.
The president himself had offered a phone call to the two individuals who gathered the most contributions as a top prize.
Obama campaign aides have publicly advertised a $55 million fundraising goal for the third quarter, which ended Friday — a number they’ll likely reach and exceed.
But the outcome of the grassroots challenge could be a sign the total won’t be as impressive, or goal-shattering, as it was the quarter before.
Obama blew past a $60 million goal for the first major fundraising period of the 2012 campaign, from April through June, reporting a whopping $86 million raised for his campaign and the Democratic National Committee combined. Aides sought at least 450,000 contributors, but ended the three-month sweep with more than 552,000 on board.
Since then, there are signs the campaign has struggled to energize some groups of high-dollar donors, particularly those on Wall Street who had supported his 2008 campaign. Aides have also cited the cancellation of several fundraisers during the debt ceiling debate and the typical summer-month fundraising doldrums in an effort to lower expectations.
President and Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have attended more than a dozen fundraisers combined in the past two weeks, hauling in millions of dollars in a hurry after a sluggish start to the period in July. The campaign has hinted that nearly 1 million people have donated to Obama’s re-election bid — close to double the number reported just three months ago.
UPDATE: A campaign official cautioned against drawing conclusions about the challenge based on the tally posted online because some contributions were called or mailed in to campaign headquarters. Final results of the competition are not expected until after the Oct. 15 FEC filing deadline, the official said.
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
Obama is focused on is re-election ant that is aboit it. This giu can’t lead, can’t govern but can campaign 365 days a year. He will need to buy this election because he isnt going to win based on his record.
Posted by: ObamasMomisMarxist | October 2, 2011, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
If he is going to write about the “whopping” amounts of money Obama takes in, I never ever want to hear ol’ Devin complain about campaign donations. Ever.
Posted by: Bill M | October 2, 2011, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
It’ll take a lot to assuage his bruised, cruise ship-sized ego now that efforts to raffle off a phone call from the ‘O’ have fallen flat. He’s not even modest about it. Of course, with ‘Boat Anchor’ Biden attached to the sinking ship, any attempt to salvage his re-election campaign will look more like the crew shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic after all the passengers jumped ship.
Posted by: LizardLips | October 2, 2011, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
“At some point you’ve made enough money.”
Posted by: Buzzzword | October 2, 2011, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
At this point in his presidency, Bush had only 26 fundraisers, while Obama has held 54. Think of using all that money for poverty programs, jobs for teens, building homes for the homeless. What a waste. Only those getting millions in stimulus money from the taxpayers are contributing.
2012.
Posted by: Karen | October 2, 2011, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
This is clearly Bush’s fault
Posted by: Suz | October 2, 2011, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
“The president himself had offered a phone call to the two individuals who gathered the most contributions as a top prize.”———-Wow, count me in! I thought he only spoke to the “poor” democrats who could pay $35,800 a plate. Those “pesty” rich republicans–tsk, tsk, tsk.
Posted by: jonnie | October 2, 2011, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
Is he going to pay back all the money it has cost the taxpayers for him to go around and say pass this bill…no one wants? This man shames America.
Posted by: tinkerthinker | October 2, 2011, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm
White House Tipped Off AP Photog Ahead of Michelle’s TARGET Photo Op…
ABC NBC and CBS complicit in Scam?
OBAMA________VS________AMERICA
Posted by: Yep I said that | October 2, 2011, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Only those getting millions in stimulus money from the taxpayers are contributing.
Posted by: Karen | October 2, 2011, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
Complete nonsense flows so easily from the Republican right.
Posted by: Radni | October 2, 2011, 6:35 pm 6:35 pm
You can bet that those that got healthcare waivers are donating…
Posted by: allen | October 2, 2011, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
5 billion in DOE loans announced two days ago. I’m confident plenty of that money will find its way in to Democrats coffers.
Posted by: foggy | October 2, 2011, 8:58 pm 8:58 pm
5 billion in DOE loans announced two days ago. I’m confident plenty of that money will find its way in to Democrats coffers.
Posted by: foggy | October 2, 2011, 8:58 pm 8:58 pm
You’re confidence means little to the actual facts of the situation, but speaks very accurately to your presumptions and prejudging of the Republican party and its cartoon pigeon.
Posted by: Delilah | October 2, 2011, 9:50 pm 9:50 pm
Posted by: Delilah | October 2, 2011, 9:50 pm 9:50 pm
lol. A perfect example of pseudo-intellectual nonsense. Also, the word is “your”, not “you’re”.
Posted by: Jon | October 2, 2011, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm
lol. A perfect example of pseudo-intellectual nonsense. Also, the word is “your”, not “you’re”.
Posted by: Jon | October 2, 2011, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm
Your sure about that?
Posted by: Delilah | October 3, 2011, 1:22 am 1:22 am
Is obama going top pay more tax money with his political contributions? Even buffet is backing away from obama and the buffet tax!
Posted by: skip gainer | October 3, 2011, 1:40 am 1:40 am
Is obama going top pay more tax money with his political contributions? Even buffet is backing away from obama and the buffet tax!
Posted by: skip gainer | October 3, 2011, 1:40 am 1:40 am
He didn’t back away from it at all. He stated very clearly what his position is – that people earning a lot of money should be taxed at no lower rate than those earning far less. That applies largely to income in the category of capital gains which are taxed at a much lower rate than regular income for those at lower income levels.
Posted by: Ron | October 3, 2011, 3:45 am 3:45 am
lol. A perfect example of pseudo-intellectual nonsense. Also, the word is “your”, not “you’re”.
Posted by: Jon | October 2, 2011, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm
Your sure about that?
Posted by: Delilah | October 3, 2011, 1:22 am
Actually, Jon is correct. In that sentence, it is ‘your’ and not ‘you are’ (or the contraction you used, you’re)……
Posted by: Searambler | October 3, 2011, 9:06 am 9:06 am
His re- election is in trouble.Nobody asks where 1 billion dollars went during the last run-with that kind of money you could elect a box of cornflakes President-and it wouldn’t be intimidated by Lady Gaga.Without a billion bucks they can’t re-shape the narrative-he was a phony in 2008,he is a phony in 2011.A billion dollars can get someone who doesn’t know the difference between intercontinental and transcontinental elected; it can get a mediocrity who doesn’t know how to pronounce “corpsman” elected; it can get an economic illiterate who never took an economics course in college elected. But even a billion dollars can’t get a failure re-elected-and even senior Democrats know that this Presidency is an abject failure who will poison the down-ballot in 2012.
Posted by: Nephron | October 3, 2011, 9:26 am 9:26 am
Should be President ,not Presidency. But both are correct anyway.
Posted by: Nephron | October 3, 2011, 9:28 am 9:28 am
Everyone has had enough of the rhetoric and spin. Speeches will not hack it anymore, too many lies.
Posted by: Freedom | October 3, 2011, 9:40 am 9:40 am
Are you going to use your extended unemployment check or your link card to
help this millionaire out, I don’t think so. Although he should not worry, the unions
will be shipping the dues of the hard working union workers to him, even if we do not support him. Teamsters This month is your chance to vote Hoffa Jr. out, I certainly will try.
Posted by: deadwrestler | October 3, 2011, 10:09 am 10:09 am
Oblamer had better focus on his next job prospect for 2012. Who would want to hire him???
Posted by: billy bob | October 3, 2011, 10:35 am 10:35 am
When I voted for Obama, I was hoping that change would mean bringing back the old days, where serious meant things like cause and consequence, justification and reflection, consideration for multiple opposing viewpoints, and respect for tough topics.
Instead, Obama’s change went in the opposite direction, where serious means money being spent, committees being formed, and women in pantsuits.
Posted by: Ehrbum | October 3, 2011, 11:08 am 11:08 am
Instead, Obama’s change went in the opposite direction, where serious means . . . women in pantsuits.
Posted by: Ehrbum | October 3, 2011, 11:08 am 11:08 am
Okay, your bias is showing . . .
Posted by: dirk | October 3, 2011, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm
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Posted by: Cooking Lobster | October 4, 2011, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm