Clinton has to pay off her own campaign debt

Don't blame Clinton supporters.  Okay, they've contributed a little to help retire her debt but they're dealing with rampant inflation and financial insecurity like everyone else.  Obama has contributed his $2,300.  Now Hillary Clinton is having to pay down her campaign debt with her own money.  This must be dealing a one-two punch to former president Clinton, that money machine: his wife won't be president (think what that would have done for the family fortunes!), and he's also stuck with bill for an unsuccessful run.

Even though the fight for the Democratic nomination came to a close in early June, with Senator Barack Obama emerging as the presumed nominee, Mrs. Clinton’s debts to vendors increased to $12 million at the end of the month from $10.4 million at the end of May. In addition, after her latest loan on June 30, Mrs. Clinton has now lent her campaign a total of $13.2 million.

Mo Elleithee, a Clinton spokesman, said the additional loan was made to “pay immediately outstanding debts.”

Mrs. Clinton’s unpaid bills and the degree to which Mr. Obama is working to help her tackle them has been a sensitive spot in the efforts to bring their supporters and the party together. Mr. Obama himself presented a check of $2,300 to Mrs. Clinton at the end of June as a symbolic gesture, and her campaign has continued to send out e-mail asking for help tackling its debt. But the Clinton campaign took in just $2.7 million from donors in June, less than the $5.4 million it spent.

Meanwhile, Obama's campaign took in $25m in a single day.  That's almost embarrassing; that's edging close to obscene.

Comments

[JW]

That can't be!

Obama supported FISA, whereupon I announced my disenchantment with both him and his party. On several different blogs, mind you.

McCain will be thumped like Goldwater and Mondale.

[PW]

The frustrating thing for Congressionals Dems was having to compromise when they've been powerless and outmaneuvered for so long (and also so self-destructive).

While respecting those who hate the FISA outcome (I'd like to see the whole thing overturned, myself), my head tends to agree with a number of good arguments that this was the best that could be done under the circumstances. FISA will come up for more discussion in 12 months. If we're able to achieve a healthy majority (and better leadership) as well as elect people who'll actually do the job we expected them to do (which we didn't manage in '06), FISA will be recast. But it's really up to us to do it, not just bang our heads on the wall in despair ...

[JL]

So, if, if, and if, then (maybe) "FISA will be recast". I think you're dreaming. But even if you're not, the greasy rats who engineered the high crimes will never be held to account. Never. And my contempt for those who acquiesced in that cover-up will remain absolute.

It wasn't the FISA vote in and of itself that led to my writing off the democratic party and its candidate. It was simply the final straw. And I'm no political puritan, far from it.

I will never forgive Obama for his role in its passage; he won't get my vote because of it; nonetheless, I hope he stomps the terra in November- in spite of it. He indisputably embodies that old chestnut which for decades guided my decision making (.. do I have to say it?...): "the lesser of two weevils."

But if it came down to my vote deciding the election, John McCain would be our next president.

The democratic party has miles to go before I'll ever give them another look.

[JL]

Clinton. Bayh. Hagel. Nunn. Biden.

That's who CNN has just reported (7:30PM PST) remains on the short list of VP candidates for the Man From illinois.

How does that make you feel, PW?

[PW]

"Obama supported FISA, whereupon I announced my disenchantment with both him and his party."

I haven't been a Democrat for years but I also recognize that we-the-people have created the situation we're in, not Obama. So if he decides that what's on offer (a less unreasonable FISA, a more controllable FISA) is the best available at the time, I can't fault him for voting for it. If you think all of this has happened -- Bush, Rove, war, economy, etc. -- without any input or acceptance from we-the-people, then I can understand your frustration. But I can't agree with your conclusions.

[JL]

That's more than OK with me. I am not a political proselytizer. Mine was a very personal decision, made after years of "poke-a, poke-a, poke-a*".

But how about that list of potential VP candidates?

*("Poke-a" being the term used by Montgomery Burns in an episode of The Simpsons, in which he trains Bart's dog to become a vicious mauler by continually jabbing it in snoot with a boxing glove).

[PW]

The VP's don't turn me on. But how the hell are we gonna know who the vp choice is until it's made? I guess CNN doesn't rate that high with me as a reliable source... And speaking of CNN, it was one of the (many!) reasons I got rid of TV in 2001. So I appreciate help with the Simpson's reference!!

[JL]

In that episode, the dog was also subjected to a Clockwork Orange-style torture, were his eyelids were clamped open while he was forced to watch film of people smacking other dogs with newspapers (as well as other crimes against the canine kingdom).

Of course, JFK did prevail with Johnson on the ticket, and that worked out just fine.

[PW]

Because Obama has shown himself to be more than capable of independent thinking, I keep hoping that maybe the vp will turn out to be someone really interesting. Like a progressive with a strong grasp of finance and the economy (yes, they exist). But I recognize the politics necessary to the selection, and realize we're probably going to have to accept, well, a Whitman Sampler from the drugstore. Probably.

[JL]

Hell, I once voted for Fritz Hollings. But I think you overstate the parameters of Obama's "independent thinking".

Vice President Sam Nunn? Or Hillary Clinton? Or Joe 'Bend Over' Biden'? Like his FISA vote, Obama would be capitulating to the worst instincts, to the most craven advice, that the establishment chickenshits of that party have to offer up.

Still, as you noted (and unlike his betrayal of the 4th amendment), Obama's choice of a running mate remains to be seen. Sure don't see anyone interesting getting the nod, though.