by Mark Silva
How high they fly. How hard they fall.
When Hillary Clinton was celebrating a decisive victory over Barack Obama in Pennsylvania, her campaign was claiming $10 million in online fundrasing in a day.
But, after Clinton emerged from a crushing defeat in North Carolina and an eked-out victory in Indiana this week, her campaign acknowledged another $6.4 million in loans from the candidate.
And, now that Barack Obama has boosted his lead in pledged party delegates, cemented his advantage in the party's popular primary vote and made the path for Clinton's success difficult for anyone but the Clinton campaign itself to discern, the Obama campaign also is seeking a certain fundraising advantage. Camp Obama is asking supporters to "match'' Clinton's loans, in donations to, uh, Obama.
"News broke this morning that Senator Clinton made three separate loans to her campaign in the past 30 days -- including one as recently as Monday,'' Obama campaign manger David Plouffe writes in a fundraising email to supporters. "These loans total more than $6.4 million, which combined with her previous personal loans, add up to at least $11.4 million she's loaned her campaign since February....
"Meanwhile, by winning a double-digit victory in North Carolina and closing the gap in Indiana, Barack won another 100 delegates... Barack Obama is now just 169 delegates away from winning the Democratic nomination. It's within sight.
"This is a decisive moment in this race,'' the manager writes. "Barack has already won more votes, more delegates, and more than twice as many states as Senator Clinton, whose path to the nomination has grown extremely narrow. But these loans show that her campaign will continue to contest the remaining primaries vigorously.
"We need to show that the voices of more than 1.5 million ordinary people donating whatever they can afford are more powerful than one person giving more than $11 million to their own campaign,'' he writes. "Now is the time add your voice to our historic movement. Make a donation of $25 to match Senator Clinton's loan.''





Comments
I almost feel bad for the Billary supporters who have been donating their hard earned money to her campaign only to have her use it to pay off her debts and to pay Mark Penn.
It's not like these people (Billary cheerleaders) couldn't have figured it out for themselves if they only would have taken the time to put down their pom poms for a minute and looked at the situation closer.
Posted by: John E | May 7, 2008 7:23 PM
$11.4Million Dollars????
How do you spell elite?
H.I.L.A.R.Y !!!!
Posted by: Marilyn | May 7, 2008 7:48 PM
There is a lot going on in the background. Hillary is especially muted as far as Obama bashing.
The Democracy For America site, run by Howard Dean's brother is knocking "McCain's gas tax holiday". Which up until yesterday was also Hillary's (?) :)
http://democracyforamerica.com/ and click the "unmask the myth" button on the left
Posted by: Rick Grunwald | May 7, 2008 7:57 PM
Why, Ol' Hillary gal is jus' a common, ordinary Blue Collar Joe who loves a shot and a beer...... and who can loan herself $6.4 million.
Can you say elitist?
Posted by: Bubba Bill | May 7, 2008 9:22 PM
What happened to the $10 million she boasted about raising from "80,000 new donors" just 14 days ago, after the Pennsylvania primary? Did they spend it all on gas? Pepcid needed here.
Posted by: tony | May 7, 2008 9:27 PM
Now, I hope we, Democrats, can pick up the pieces. It will be difficult, since Senator Clinton wanted the nomination, very badly. I hope the two Democratic Senators can sit down and iron out their differences. It will be for the nation's benefit, for America can't take another term with a Republican President. That is not a Democrat speaking, that is an American veteran speaking!! I have never seen America more torn apart than she is right now. There is a growing division between the working classes and the monied classes and if it is not addressed, we will lose more rights under the fascistic banner of Homeland Security!! Right now, America, needs a leader that can say no to the " Military-Industrial Complex " and that includes the Corporations, of all stripes!! We all know that Senator McCain has never seen a deal that he didn't like!! We don't need a wheeler-dealer, we need a President with new and fresh approaches to our problems and I think Senator Obama is that President!! Elect him in November and you will be glad you did!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | May 7, 2008 10:46 PM
If Republicans didn't fear Obama's potential to win the White House, more of them would gladly donate to a fund to get Hillary out of the race.
Posted by: Jack Goldenberg | May 7, 2008 11:08 PM
Can Hillary Soprano "WILL" her way to the Victory ?
That is the question.
Can her "WILL" her way to Victory.
She has now "LOANED" her "WILL" 11.4 Million.
But her problem is still BILL, his "WILL" is stronger that hers.
He does not want to be "FIRST HUSBAND" he wants to MAKE MONEY AND be the only ONE who was President.
So the battle of the "WILLS" goes on.
Posted by: VJ Machiavelli | May 8, 2008 1:27 AM
obama supporter s see hillary as the pandering,lying ,loser she is
Posted by: show me | May 8, 2008 5:37 AM
Right now, America, needs a leader that can say no to the " Military-Industrial Complex " and that includes the Corporations, of all stripes!!
Obama is obviously not that leader. Look at where his money comes from!!
The Oil Industry!!
Agribusiness!!
Banking!!
Tony Rezko!!
Obama is just another corrupt Cook County political hack!! (He endorsed Todd Stroger, by the way!!) Just look at his record!!
SUPPORT SHRILL BLOGGING. USE EXCLAMATION POINTS. AND ALL CAPS.
Posted by: MJ | May 8, 2008 7:06 AM
Obama has told us on-the-stump that he had passed a bill requiring nuclear plants to promptly report radioactive leaks. This came after residents of Illinois had complained they were not told of leaks that occurred at a nuclear plant operated by Exelon Corporation.
The truth, however, was that Obama allowed the bill to be amended in Committee by Senate Republicans. They replaced language mandating reporting with verbiage that merely offered guidance to regulators on how to address unreported leaks. The NY Times (February 3, 2008) noted that even this version of Obama's bill failed to pass the Senate, so it was unclear why Obama was claiming to have passed the legislation. Obama constituent Joe Cosgrove, a park district director in Will County, Ill., where low-level radioactive runoff had turned up in groundwater, is quoted as follows:
"Senator Obama's staff was sending us copies of the bill to review, and we could see it weakening with each successive draft. The teeth were just taken out of it."
The New York Times story further noted:
"Since 2003, executives and employees of Exelon, which is based in Illinois, have contributed at least $227,000 to Mr. Obama's campaigns for the United States Senate and for president. Two top Exelon officials, Frank M. Clark, executive vice president, and John W. Rogers Jr., a director, are among his largest fund-raisers."
Posted by: MJ | May 8, 2008 7:08 AM
RE:> Right now, America, needs a leader that can say no to the " Military-Industrial Complex " and that includes the Corporations, of all stripes!!
Obama is obviously not that leader. Look at where his money comes from!!
Well MJ, I'm pleased that my 3 $25.00 donations put me the the Military-Industrial Complex...I assume my membership card will be along soon and I get to fly on the MI Corporate Jet.
But to refrain from pointing out it's obvious you're a "strident" Hillery supporter, I'll just say this...I'm a mid-fifties white man who has looked at all the candidates and decided Obama is the best chance we have to change the way Washington works.
And despite never having donated any money or time, nor even a window sign in my entire life, I've done all 3 for Obama. THAT'S where is support is coming from...
But if I did join the MI Complex via my little donations, great. I'll enjoy the junkets at least.
Posted by: JJR60616 | May 8, 2008 8:49 AM
Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing. The rights candidate can not stand on his own merits....so they have taken to hoping we will hurt each other because we have 2 great candidates. They just want to stir the pot. They couldn't find 1 they really liked. Most leaders for the right can not run from behind bars.
Posted by: bill r. | May 8, 2008 11:03 AM