NJ voters not easily fooled

[telcoman]

by Republician BS

Many voters were fooled and scammed in 2000 and 2004 but not this time.Ronald Regan asked voters are you better off now than 4 years ago and won an electionObama is asking the same question?I certainly am not better off and neither is the United States as a whole.



Jerseyans give Obama more than twice McCain's takeDem raises more from small donations, GOP relies on big checksMonday, August 11, 2008 BY JOE DONOHUEStar-Ledger StaffFor Barack Obama, fundraising in New Jersey is academic.

Princeton and Rutgers universities have been the state's most bountiful sources of campaign cash for the Democratic presidential candidate.

Overall, Obama has raised more than twice as much money in the Garden State than Republican candidate John McCain -- nearly $5.9 million to $2.5 million, according to Federal Election Commission data as of June 30.

A Star-Ledger analysis of where those contributions came from shows big bundles went to both sides from bankers, lawyers and business executives -- typical mainstays of candidates' fundraising efforts. But it also shows an unusually large and lopsided flow of dollars from the halls of academia.

Faculty, students and staff at Princeton contributed more than $72,000 to the Obama campaign, and nearly $40,000 more came from the state university. Statewide, the Democrat raised $251,908 from the college crowd, or 4 percent of his take, compared with $31,144 or 1 percent for McCain.

"That's amazing," said Brigid Harrison, political science professor at Montclair State University. "I have not seen that anywhere. It really is indicative of how enormous the pull of Obama's candidacy has been for young people."

Princeton was the most lucrative address for both candidates, but Obama drew greater than five times more from the wealthy university town than McCain.

The analysis also shows a national trend reflected in New Jersey: Obama raises large amounts through small donations while McCain relies heavily on people who can write big checks.

McCain's average donation in New Jersey was nearly twice as large, $403 versus $214. While Obama received nearly twice as many checks over $1,000 as his opponent, they represent just 8 percent of his take; for McCain, the larger checks made up 20 percent of his New Jersey donations.

Ben Dworkin, a Rider University political science professor, said while Howard Dean four years ago was the first presidential candidate to really harness the internet for fund-raising, "Obama seems to have figured it out and taken it to a whole new level."

Along with the grassroots, however, Obama is shaking the big trees -- people associated with investment banks like Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.

Many are also among his largest national fundraisers.

As with most New Jersey Democrats running for statewide office, lawyers were the biggest single group supplying Obama with campaign cash -- $681,152, or 12 percent of his donations in the state.

Since he's already tapped many non-traditional donors, Dworkin said, Obama may have to further court traditional party donors.

Meanwhile, McCain is reaching out to small donors, according to the Campaign Finance Institute in Washington, D.C. "One-third of McCain's money in June came in amounts of $200 or less," said Michael Malbin, executive director.

In New Jersey, the Republican's roster of donors includes many of the same investment bankers sending checks to Obama, along with people at other Fortune 500 firms, like Hess Corporation and Johnson & Johnson. Retirees are his chief benefactors, giving $432,708 or 17 percent of his total.

Almost all the 17 New Jersey residents who are members of McCain's national fund-raising team are well-known for their previous campaign efforts. By contrast, only investment banker Orin Kramer is familiar among the seven New Jersey residents on the Democrat's top list of bundlers.

Harrison said it mirrors voting patterns in the state's primary. "People who voted for John McCain are Republican loyalists," he said. "But on the Obama side, there are a lot of new activists."

One prominent McCain fundraiser was former state representative Jim Courter. His Newark-based telecommunications firm, IDT Corp., was the Republican's third-largest source of contributions in the state. Courter stepped down last month as one of McCain's national finance co-chairman after the FCC fined IDT.

With polls showing Obama holding a healthy lead over McCain in New Jersey, the state may not be a battleground in the fall campaign. However, it remains a cash cow for candidates. New Jersey so far has pumped more than $21 million into the race, ranking seventh among the states, according to the Center For Responsive Politics.

Joe Donohue may be reached at [email protected] or (609) 989-0208.

©2008 Star Ledger

Telcoman

[rn79870]

I'm starting to see Obama commercials here in CA. He's has a really nice one on energy and his plans for alternative sources. It's well done and logical.

I haven't seen any for McCain yet. It looks like Obama will be able to outspend McCain and that might make a big difference for wall sitters.

It also appears that Obama is picking up the Hispanic vote that went to Hillary here in CA. If he gets the dem vote and the minority vote, McCain has a long, steep hill to climb.

I live in what is traditionally a republican part of CA, and I'm seeing more and more support for Obama here, not becasue they support him, instead they see him as the lesser of two evils.

[srellim234]

McCain is running ads here in California on national broadcasts. I saw one on the Olympic coverage on NBC last night. First part of the commercial attacks Obama, second part is pro McCain. Very typical, standard ad. Nothing new or special about it.

[Cold_Zero]

Bob,I think what is more shocking is that Obama is running TV ads (notice the plural) in Indiana. I am not talking about primary ads, I am talking about Presidential Campaign Ads in Indiana.

Last time Indiana went for a democrat President was LBJ. Typically, we dont see any democratic presidential Campaigns unless the advertisement is on at the National Level. But Obama is running a 3-1 ration of ads to John McCain. He must think he can win Indiana.bud

[AZhitman]

I disagree with the thread title... seems telco (a voter) was fooled into thinking his state has an inordinate amount of deaths by firearms, when in fact NJ ranked 49th.

[Soravia]

Well, what can you expect from Obama fans?

The only ones who compares themselves to the great ones before them are the ones blinded by conceit. Obama likes being compared to Regan, Bobby, MLK and claims that he is picking up their mantle.

Same goes to Obama fans, they like to think that they are never wrong and everything they are being fed with are true. They need to be a little more self-critical. No one can be right 100%.

[skylndrftr]

Regan?

[AZhitman]

BO couldn't carry Reagan's jockey shorts.

His self-delusions are just that. He's just a candidate for the presidency, on the order of Mike Dukakis.

[OriginalWheelman]

We're supposed to be surprised that democrats raised more money from colleges? Young people are always more liberal. Then they grow up and realize if you hand a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you hire him to fish for you he can eat for the rest of life. Someone once said to me "If you're not a Democrat by age 21 you have no heart, and if you are not a Republican by age 30 you have no mind."
Modified by OriginalWheelman at 6:10 PM 8/11/2008

[rn79870]

BO couldn't carry Reagan's jockey shorts.His self-delusions are just that. He's just a candidate for the presidency, on the order of Mike Dukakis.

Abnegation: a defense mechanism postulated by Sigmund Freud, in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept, rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The subject may deny the reality of the unpleasant fact altogether.

[Soravia]

Regan?

Posting at work ^_^; I get bored on waiting for people to get back to me.

[szh]

We're supposed to be surprised that democrats raised more money from colleges? Young people are always more liberal. Then they grow up and realize if you hand a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you hire him to fish for you he can eat for the rest of life. Someone once said to me "If you're not a Democrat by age 21 you have no heart, and if you are not a Republican by age 30 you have no mind."

This reminds me of the following:

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and was very much in favor of the redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the addition of more government welfare programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father.

He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew.

She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Audrey doing?"

She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over."

Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA."

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I have worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the Republican party."

Z

[AZhitman]

Abnegation: a defense mechanism postulated by Sigmund Freud, in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept, rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The subject may deny the reality of the unpleasant fact altogether.

It appears the copy/paste virus is spreading, primarily among middle-aged Democrats.

p.s. Great Freud reference. He'd adonish you that for abnegation to apply, there must be a discomfort-inducing "fact", which I've yet to see...

[stopcamping]

but if you hire him to fish for you he can eat for the rest of life.

no it's: "... teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

[stopcamping]

p.s. Great Freud reference. He'd adonish you that for abnegation to apply, there must be a discomfort-inducing "fact", which I've yet to see...

zer...06007

[Soravia]

no it's: "... teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

We don't live in China communism. Capitalism requires that a person has equipment and investment to succeed. Just skills alone will land the man a job.

[stopcamping]

We don't live in China communism. Capitalism requires that a person has equipment and investment to succeed. Just skills alone will land the man a job.

no one is saying that. relax.

[Soravia]

Just saying how having labor alone will not be productive. Labor unions doesn't think that way though. The people who tighten screws on car get more pay and benefit than I do with my computer stuff.

[rn79870]

It appears the copy/paste virus is spreading, primarily among middle-aged Democrats.

p.s. Great Freud reference. He'd adonish you that for abnegation to apply, there must be a discomfort-inducing "fact", which I've yet to see...

I zee, I zee, dis abnegation is much deeper ven I knew. I vonder if it vill affect all doze in Arizona. Vhat vill I do... Ah, de fact, yah, it's de fact dat dis Obama has dem all vorked up.

ss/Sigmund