The Internet Graduates With A Political Degree
April 2, 2007 at 9:05 am
Among the many story lines from Hillary Clinton’s boffo first quarter fundraising success: the Internet graduated from campaign novelty to campaign strategic tool.
Check out this paragraph from the Post’s story on the Clinton’s treasure:
She also raised $4.2 million on the Internet during the quarter. Eighty percent of her donations came in amounts of $100 or less.
That’s a critical point that shouldn’t be lost. This is more than a YouTube moment, more than macaca or Apple. This is the Internet lowering the acquisition cost for raising money, potentially turning campaign economics on its heads. Traditional fundraising consultants may not want you to be aware of this, just like traditional media consultants probably aren’t too thirlled about YouTube. But the Internet right now is changing the way campaigns do business, in the literal sense.
Hillary’s staggering figures are good news for her. But greater news for Internet politics.
(UPDATE: More here from Donna Bogatin at ZDNet. Good post.)
Politics Campaigns Candidates Presidential Election 2008 campaign Hillary Clinton
AJ Lynch said,
April 2, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
When you do the math it ain’t so significant. Here is how I figured it:
She got 50,000 donations and 80% (40,000) averaged less than $100. So figure $99 x 40,000 = about $4 Million.
That means the other 10,000 donations ponied up $22 Million or an average of $2,200 apiece. And I suspect if you could slice this down, you’d find 2,000 of those donors gave the max which is about $7,500 meaing she got 60% of her money from 5% of her fans.
So the big money still buy influence IMHO.
So she got less than 16% of her total money from 80%.
SeattleLatte said,
April 2, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
I think it is very interesting how some people try to hit Hillary so hard and yet Mr. Personality Barack (that’s all he is) has not let out a word on how he did. Go beat @ his door to see what he did. Yes, I’m a Hillary supporter who, gave money and is about to raise money for her. More than ANYTHING else, I’m a African-American, MAN, who is under 35. “Barack’s base” as some has said. So much for his base!!!!
Espi said,
April 3, 2007 @ 3:50 am
To the media, Hillary has to be held to impossibly high standards in everything - fund raising of an order that shuts out others, constantly maintain an overwhelming lead over her opponents, not appear overly ambitious, appear sexy with a crooner’s voice, always be witty and relaxed to dispel an impression of being aloof and “arrogant”, be wary of Bill upstaging her in the campaign and always wage a “positive” campaign (even though Obama has played dirty on two occasions) !! Phew! Have I forgotten any other “ordeal by fire” reserved for Hillary?
Obama however gets a free pass - no media probe into his suppression of his white mother’s origins, his fraudulent denial of his Muslim background, his investments involving severe conflict of interest, his self imposed halo of “clean politics” when he had no compunction using Philip de Vellis create the virulently anti Hillary “1984″ ad [Obama denied his involvement but de Vellis admitted he created Obama’s website and roomed with Obama staff] and in taking money from the very same “tainted” David Geffen!!!
The American voter is perceptive. She has seen through Obama’s chicanery and repetition of his criticisms of all that is wrong in Washington without any clue on how he would set them right. Hillary’s track record shows her ability to deliver on her promises. This factor alone will get her elected.