OntheWilderSide

How Do Front-Loading the Primary Calendar and Record Campaign Spending Affect the 2008 Race?
Democracy Now!

Guests:

• Rob Richie, Executive Director of FairVote, part of the Center for Voting and Democracy.
• Sheila Krumholz, Executive Director of the Center for Responsive Politics.

AMY GOODMAN: Sheila Krumholz, talk about the industries that are funding the candidates.
SHEILA KRUMHOLZ: You know, the sources of cash—the big story about the sources of cash are pretty consistent on both sides of the aisle and for all candidates, really. I mean, what the story is, it’s lawyers and law firms; it’s securities and investments, Wall Street; it’s retired people. And, of course, these are not your average pensioners. These are probably retired titans of industry that are still connected and giving campaign cash. Real estate is a huge source of money. That’s true for the Democrats, as well as the Republicans.

So what we then focus on is what’s standing out. For Ron Paul, it’s computers and internet. That’s a first. But when you’re talking about, for instance, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, it’s lawyers—for lawyers at $9.5 million for Clinton, securities and investments at Wall Street at $4.7; and then for Barack Obama, lawyers at $7.9, and retired as his second category, $4.9 million. So that is something that is consistent back in time. But again, there are a few standouts. Education has been bumping up. Education has given more to Barack Obama this time, $2.1 million by the third quarter, as compared to just $1.6 million for Hillary Clinton. TV, movies, music, Hollywood is about even for both of them, but a big source for Democratic campaign cash.

Read entire transcript.

Filed under: campaign finance reform, election, elections, presidential race Tagged: | barak obama, democrats, hillary clinton, republicans