What's truly impressive about the Obama numbers...

[SaveElmer]

Other than the amount and number of donors...

Is the fact he was able to put together a fundraising machine of this magnitude so quickly...

He has only been a national figure for 3 years or so...quite impressive...

It will be interesting to see how he spends this money, and if he can sustain this level over the next year...

[goclark]

1. Yes!Yes! Yes! GObama! K and R

[Warpy]

2. He seems to be following Dean's model

The traditional way to organize a Democratic campaign is from the bottom up. Although the idea of raising small amounts of cash from a great number of people rather than large sums from a few corporations and professional organizations is anathema to the DLC, it's how our party has always WORKED.

Top down, follow the leader campaigns work for the OTHER party. When they try to do it to us, the rank and file are alienated and elections become close enough to steal.

We need to focus on our own party and how it works for us. We don't need to focus on another party, one with an uneasy coalition of churchgoers, extreme wealth, economic libertarians, and geopolitical ideologues who are not only wrong, who are getting us killed.

Now if only Obama can refuse the DLC's kind offers of help in the form of lobbyists turned campaign organizers.

[Learn2Swim]

3. A bit of an eye opener

isn't it? The number of donors this early on is the craziest part of it to me.

[CottonBear]

4. Obama has great appeal to a huge number and variety of people.

He is a very attractive candidate. I think he has staying power. He'll need those huge amounts of money to campaign in the big states like NY and CA.

Personally, I'd like an Edwards-Obama ticket. I voted for Edwards in the last Democratic presidential primary. Edwards-Obama would draw African Americans, labor and unions, moderate and liberal Southerners and maybe even some moderate Republicans.

[caledesi]

9. Love Edwards...love Obama. Edwards/Obama Obama/'Edwards nt

[PresidentObama]

5. In the current field, I'm pulling for Edwards. But Obama is VERY impressive.

It's absolutely jaw dropping the organization and impressive fundraising abilities his campaign has.

[Bullet1987]

6. The only problem with an Edwards/Obama or Obama/Edwards ticket...

...is it would be seen as too inexperienced. If either Edwards or Obama gets the nomination...they'd chose someone to parallel them...especially if they haven't been around for too long. Someone like Richardson, etc.

[PresidentObama]

7. I didn't suggest Obama/Edwards.

Though it'd be a great ticket.

[caledesi]

10. Guess you didn't read any of Obama's books...he has experience

on the ground!

* is surrounded by plenty of people w/ "experience." Look where that has gotten us?

[The Count]

13. Sure, because sponsoring IWR ought to give one the creds for something

[Pirate Smile]

8. True, I remember seeing a segment on the news where they were talking

about how it is difficult to set up a campaign and fund-raising system from the ground up so fast.

They said that people who wanted to send $$$ to Obama couldn't find an address to send it to - just the logistics of such a big operation usually takes some time and a lot of organizational skills to get coordinated.

Obviously, the Obama team worked out any logistical problems rather quickly.

[rinsd]

11. Excellent point.

Now Obama was smart in that he recruited some real heavyweights in the party to spearhead his fundraising efforts (he got Kerry's best people) but still to raise that amount is staggering.

[The Count]

12. The only high profile antiwar candidate - it's a great thing!

[flpoljunkie]

15. And the biggest proponent of the surge in Iraq, John McCain, fared poorly!

[tk2kewl]

14. I read this AM that Obama's average donation is about half of Clinton's

and 2/3 of Edwards'

[Learn2Swim]

16. Hadn't seen that

that's also impressive.

[malikstein]

17. Some of Obama's money

comes from General Dynamics.

I'm not convinced that he is a good candidate for the American people, if he has backing from the military industrial complex.

Take a good look at who's buying whom as soon as the figures are released:

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/index.asp

We know that Rupert Murdoch has bought a piece of Hillary Clinton, too. Be aware that in American politics, you get what you pay for.