If They'd Only Listened To Ruffini...

Patrick Ruffini, one of the finest strategic minds in the Republican Party, is tearing his hair out trying to get the McCain campaign to pay attention to a major strategic deficit they face and are not apparently willing to confront.

How does John McCain go up against the $3 million-per-email Obama machine and the $2 million-per-email Clinton machine? It’s a big question with serious implications for the future of the Republican Party

It's just doesn't look right ... Obama or Clinton raising their general election money from millions of younger folks...... and McCain raising his in thousand dollar increments from rich white guys. Who will be dead in ten years.

Comments

It's just doesn't look right ... Obama or Clinton raising their general election money from millions of younger folks...... and McCain raising his in thousand dollar increments from rich white guys. Who will be dead in ten years.

So the question is how to get young people to give money to McCain? The problem is his policies, esp. the war.

Posted by goethean | March 14, 2008 1:15 PM

The problem isn't that it 'doesn't look right' the problem is that it costs, from creation to delivery to return, Obama zero personal travel time, maybe 12hours of combined staff time, and perhaps $40,000 for online processing fees for each $1M raised online.

It takes McCain a minimum of several hours personal travel time, several days (if not weeks) of combined staff time, and $100,000 for catering, site rental, and other event staging costs for each $1M raised at a traditional fundraiser.

Obama will have a crazy scheduling and logistical advantage but also flat-out more money.

Posted by dry_fish | March 14, 2008 1:19 PM

So you've now decided when John McCain's donors are going to die? I suppose since they're "rich white guys" they're not worth treating with respect, but I used to expect more professional conduct from you, Marc.

Posted by Bobby | March 14, 2008 1:54 PM

So you've now decided when John McCain's donors are going to die? I suppose since they're "rich white guys" they're not worth treating with respect, but I used to expect more professional conduct from you, Marc.

Posted by Bobby | March 14, 2008 1:55 PM

Are these the same rich white guys as Jeremiah Wright's rich white guys?

Posted by The Other Alan | March 14, 2008 1:59 PM

Ambinder, are you a "white guy" too? When will you be dead?

Make room for a person of color. You will not be missed.

Posted by robert | March 14, 2008 2:53 PM

robert and Bobby,

I got news for you both, you're dying! We all are! From the day we were born...

But more importantly, who are the "younger folks" donating to Clinton? I thought her support was rooted in the over 50, making under $50K crowd?

Last I checked, 50 may be the new 40, but it's not the new "younger voter", despite what Mark Penn says on tv!

Posted by DSG | March 14, 2008 3:05 PM

Ambinder's final paragraph reminded me of this. Raise the fist, Marc.

On a more important note, it's interesting that Ambinder links to a partisan hack promoting McCain putting videos on Youtube instead of suggesting that people go to McCain's appearances and ask the questions the MSM refuses to ask.

And, in fact, Ambinder was at the public appearance where this question was asked: youtube.com/watch?v=tIK9ZawRMlg

Not only did Ambinder not ask McCain any sort of followup, in his recap of that event he failed to note all the things that the questioner didn't get in to her question: youtube.com/watch?v=YRWRzZ_yPnk

Posted by TLB | March 14, 2008 3:07 PM

Money is overrated in the general election. A GOTV operation can be beneficial. The marginal benefit of spending on TV ads is probably really low. People make up their decisions on their own or decide based on free media.

Money does matter a lot more in local elections and the Republican state organizations are crumbling compared to the Democrats right now.

Posted by Robert | March 14, 2008 4:48 PM

You can see the answer to $3 million e-mails taking shape already, outside interest groups and 527s forming who are able to take in unlimited donations and are accountable to no one.
But, John McCain, champion of campaign finance reform, couldn't possibly sanction that, you might be saying. Well, that's what the voters will say too when The Fund for Freedom or some other ambiguously named 527 pops up to smear Obama and his scary black minister.
Calling it...

Posted by willie | March 14, 2008 4:54 PM

Willie's got a good point. US Chamber of Commerce, anyone?

Posted by dry_fish | March 14, 2008 6:53 PM

Based on comments like this, all those "rich old white guys with one foot in the grave" would probably rather give their money away while they can. Just so it doesn't fall into the hands of their bored, lazy, overliberal offspring, and ultimately into the hands of CULT HOLOGRAMS, like Howard Dean or Barack Obama.

Posted by robert ethan | March 14, 2008 7:02 PM

"Money is overrated in the general election. A GOTV operation can be beneficial. The marginal benefit of spending on TV ads is probably really low. People make up their decisions on their own or decide based on free media."

From what I've read, Obama has cult-like followers who are all trained in campaign organization and GOTV efforts. Combined with the money, I don't see how McCain will compete. Perhaps he can, but if the base is unmotivated, then can he? But even if it was just about the money, it looks like Obama (and even Clinton) are going to have so much more than McCain that it'll look like he's not even trying. You could even make the argument that money is a reflection of enthusiasm, which means that McCain is in more trouble than some might think.

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