Political Donations And McCain
Political donations are the backbone of any presidential campaign, without them there simply is no campaign.
Assumed Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain is finding direct donations a bit tough to come by. Reports have circulated about the big money institutions, which supported George W. Bush, being less than receptive to McCain and his presidential aspirations. Financial and energy sectors have been reluctant to toss their money or support behind McCain mainly because they him see as the underdog in November. McCain must find a way to demonstrate he is a serious contender, a daunting task. But his camp faces an even larger conundrum; motivating the conservative base.
McCain has yet to receive the type of individual donations that President Bush tapped in 2000 and 2004. Unlike Bush or his opponent Barack Obama, the individual voter has yet to embrace McCain. His records indicate a total of $144 million raised, compared to Obama’s $295 through May, but most McCain’s money has come from special interests groups. On the flip side, Obama has been rolling in the individual contributions.
McCain is lacking in thisbell wheather indicator, which is a troubling trend for the McCain people. Unlike interest groups, which often donate to both sides, an individual contribution will translate into a vote.
Although individual donations are dwarfed in amount by the large group contributions, on Election Day one vote is one vote. The money gap between McCain and Obama will be filled by the Republican National Committee, which typically is an efficient money machine. The problem for McCain is what or who is going to fill the motivation gap between the two party bases. McCain’s fate in Novermber will determined by finding an answer to this question.
