Obama's gamble to opt out of public funds pays off; raised nearly $750 million

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: CNN

He’s the three-quarters of a billion dollar man.

Barack Obama's presidential campaign hauled in nearly $750 million dollars during this very long and historic campaign for the White House. That's more than twice what his opponent, Republican presidential nominee John McCain, raised and it's more than what George W. Bush and John Kerry combined raked in during the 2004 presidential campaign.

In a report filed with the Federal Election Commission Thursday, the Obama campaign reported spending over $100 million during the final few weeks leading up to the November 4 election, far more than McCain.

Obama opted out of taking public funds during the September to November general election period, becoming the first candidate for president to opt out of public financing since the system was created in the 1970s. Obama gambled that he could raise more money than the $84 million McCain received in public funds. That gamble apparently paid off.

Some other numbers: The Obama campaign raised $104 million in the five weeks leading up to and just after Election Day. And as of November 24, the last day included in this report, the Obama campaign had nearly $30 million left in the bank.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/05/obamas-... /

[Hokie]

1. It is nice to out spend the Repubes for once

Still, I saw more McCain ads here in the Huntington, WV market than for Obama the last weekend before the election. Those "God Damn" Rev. Wright 527 ads were running every 5 minutes.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. I think I'd blocked out those ads! You're right, they were running 24/7 --

but, thankfully, they didn't work! Not this time.

[blueclown]

3. I do not like the precendent Obama has set.

But of course, you cannot complain about the results. It got a Democrat elected. It would be nice to see an Obama administration push forward tougher public financing laws.

[JBear]

6. The precident he set is...

Government By The People, not by the corporations, and not by the very wealthy. I will take this over oligarchy any day!

[medeak]

4. when are pleas for donations going to stop!

jeeezus.. get one EVERY damn day for transition team

[KurtNYC]

5. I don't like the characterization of this as "gambling"

Obama made a good decision based on good information.

Picking Sarah Palin, on the other hand, was a gamble.

[Skarbrowe]

7. The one Republican I am being forced to be around SWEARS

this money came from, oh, Kenya, BIG CORPORATIONS, CHINA, the BOOGEYMAN. I don't really know where all this money came from, but the Republicans are totally convinced it did not come from millions of small donors.

I swore I would never expose myself to any Republican thinking ( I know, petty and a bit silly ) ever again. My roommate's brother is working on her house and he's a Limpballs listener, among others.

Can someone start a thread about this Obama birth certificate thing he keeps ranting about. ( On edit, I see this is being discussed. Sorry ) If anyone's else has heard anything about it. It's news to me. Sorry for jumping off subject. Just pointing out that this is the kind of stuff I am hearing from a very strange Republican. He's strange even without the rampant Republicanism.