OK, this kinda pisses me off.

[sisyphusshrugged]

I would really need to have this explained to me before I felt at all comfortable supporting a Kerry bid for 2008

Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than $15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country.

Now, perhaps there's something here I don't understand. It's entirely possible.

How it looks to me, in my state of possible ignorance, is that the Kerry campaign decided to hedge their bets.

I don't think the Kerry campaign had the right to hedge their bets, particularly with other people's money.

If the money that could have tipped the balance in a tight race (or funded a challenge) is being held as seed money for a next try, I would be extremely reluctant to commit myself to supporting that next try.

I am hoping that there's something here I don't understand.

I'm hoping that someone's going to take the trouble to explain what exactly that is.

Comments

[mearagrrl.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Did they...um....get money at the last minute that they didn't get a chance to spend? Were they saving it for legal fees if there was a challenge?

I don't think I'd support Kerry in 2008 (well, not in the primaries--I suppose that if he got the nomination, I'd be forced to, since I"m not big on the Republicans). I mean...he lost. Let's find a new thing, eh?

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

I don't think that's the money they're talking about.

I know he lost. I'd like to know why he had money left over.

[gngrmyrsn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Kerry lost because he couldn't or wouldn't show the country what bastards the bushies really are. Hell, Eminem did a better job of it with one video than the Kerry team did with millions of dollars and months and months. This is NOT an endorsment of Marshall Mathers for President.

I would support Kerry "if" he got the nomination, but once bitten twice shy.

J, I think they are hedging their bets and how dare they?

[ctate.livejournal.com]

I gather that this was money left over from the primary phase of the campaign, which by law could not be spent after he accepted the nomination. This begs the question of why it wasn't spent during the primary, but that's a much less clear spending opportunity.

I've also gathered that he did give a big chunk of the leftover campaign money to the DCCC or some such group, as permitted by law. How much of the remainder might go in that direction as seed money for the 2006 campaigns etc. remains to be seen, no?

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

OK, here's the thing - fifteen million plus another seven in the recount fund while the fucking minority leader of the Senate is drowning for lack of funds is too much money.

I don't think he had a right to store it up.

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, he did rid us of Daschle.

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

um, thank god we have Reid now?

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. Groan. The Democrats are such fucking idiots. I love them, but you know. Sometimes.

Kerry excess funds

[(Anonymous)]

Perhaps the Kerry people kept this money available knowing that this election would present some legal problems they would need to pursue. Didn't I see somewhere that Kerry's brother had sent out email messages (some not his) stating that Kerry campaign lawyers were observing ongoing provisional vote counts in Ohio? If in fact this election was stolen, it will take a lot of money to prove it.

Re: Kerry excess funds

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

Story says it's in addition to the recount funds.

Re: Kerry excess funds

[(Anonymous)]

There were only 7 million dollars in the recount funds--$7 million might not last very long if there was a recount and a long, drawn out legal battle.

There are plenty of reasonable explanations for this, and I don't think anyone should jump to conclusions. To quote August Pollack: Considering the limits of primary fund expenditures, the month-in-advance purchasing structure of media ad buys, the possibility of last-minute necessities, and of course, possible nest-egging to sponsor 2006 Senate candidates, for the first assumption on Kerry's behalf to be abject greed is a telling sign of why we lose elections. I also find it somewhat fishy that a story like this--which could discourage the small grassroots contributions that help Dem candidates--rests almost entirely on unnamed sources, with the exception of Donna Brazile.

Re: Kerry excess funds

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't like the Republican wing of the Democratic party any more than August does, but if there's a good explanation for this I'd like to hear it.

And it best not have '08 in it anywhere. We don't have time for that.

Re: Kerry excess funds

[(Anonymous)]

Well, honestly, I think the possible reasons August floated--in addition to others I've seen---are good reasons. If this story is true and complete, I suppose we'll find out through Kerry's final report which explanation is the real one. But it's unfair to impute the worst possible motive to him.

Re: Kerry excess funds

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

See, it's that word floated.

I'm more than willing to have this explained to me.

I'm not at all comfortable with the fact that the House couldn't afford to contest seats in Republican "safe seats" and there was nothing local to pull Democratic voters to the polls.

We'll have to agree to disagree here, I think.

[theotherbaldwin.livejournal.com]

I don't understand everything, either. I don't know why he has the extra 15 mil. No one seems to, at the moment.

But Jumping Jick on a Spectral Pickle, Kerry mortgagd a house in the early weeks of campaigning, and he gave, what, like twenty-something mil to other Dem candidates?

Last minute right before I post edit:
What August said.

Re: We'll have to agree to disagree here, I think.

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

I know how much he gave to the DSCC and the DCCC.

I know how much he raised.

I see how much he has left.

I would need a very good explanation for this indeed.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Don't hold your breath. He promised to cahllenge bad votes and fight for each vote. He did nothing. He is holding millions in seed money for his next run, and he can go whistle. I'd vote for Satan before I'd vote for him again.