Search
About This Blog
Resources
Blog Roll
- Captain's Quarters
- Cliff Schecter
- CNN's Political Ticker
- Conservative Grapevine
- Crooks & Liars
- Daily Kos
- Drudge
- FactCheck.org
- Huffington Post
- Instapundit
- Little Green Footballs
- News Bloggers
- Political-Buzz
- Power Line
- RedState
- Slate - Trailhead
- Swampland
- Talking Points Memo
- The Daily Dish
- The Plank
- The Young Turks
- Wonkette
Clinton's $20 Million Hole
May 12th 2008 9:36AM
Filed Under:eHillary Clinton, Democrats, Republicans, John McCain, Breaking News, Mitt Romney
Over the weekend, Hillary Clinton's campaign confirmed that it is now $20 million dollars in debt. Some have speculated that any deal that lays the groundwork for her exit from the Democratic race will have Barack Obama picking up Clinton's trail of unpaid bills. While many Clinton supporters scoff at this notion, and cheer their candidate to soldier on until the convention in August, there may be a more compelling reason to settle up before then. Actually, make that 11 million reasons. From US News and World Report:
Experts disagree on whether or not Clinton will actually stick in the fight until the Democratic National Convention in August. But the date looms large for another reason--at least, if she hopes to recoup any of the million s she has sunk into the campaign. Thanks to a little-known provision in 2002's McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform bill, a campaign must repay the loan to a candidate before Election Day. In this case, that's the nominating convention. After the election has passed, a bankrupt campaign is limited to gathering just $250,000 from contributors, which means that modes sum is all it can give back to a candidate. In short, Clinton stands to lose $11,150,000. "If she wants to be repaid, she'd have to move on that between now and the national convention," says former Federal Election Commission chairman Michael Toner."
Each time the Clintons have dipped into their personal fortune to help fund the campaign, they've termed the infusion a "loan," which, one assumes, is meant to be re-paid. The irony that John McCain's legislation (so reviled by conservatives) might be the final nudge that pushes Clinton from the race is all a bit Twilight Zone. But the rub here is that if Clinton exits the race now, her fundraising opportunities go away while, baring an Obama bailout, the debt remains. That means she may opt to stay in, try to spend a tiny amount in the remaining contests, raise cash, and then quit at the last possible moment, right before the convention so as to avoid the campaign finance restrictions.
No word yet on how much of the $42.3 million Mitt Romney lent his own campaign that Mitt has bee able to recoup.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 6)Davidg10:38AMMay 12th 2008
Does anyone else picture Knowless salivating when he writes this stuff?
ANYDAYNOW10:42AMMay 12th 2008
THE LONGER SHE HOLDS ON TO HER DREAM THE MORE "SILLY" SHE IS----HOW DUMB CAN SOMEONE BE---SHE'LL BE THE LAUGHING JOKE OF THIS ELECTION
THE PEOPLE OF USA DO NOT WANT THAT MESS BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE OR OVAL OFFICE---IT MAKES ME HAPPY FOR HER TO STAY IN 'CAUSE WE CAN USE IT TO RUB HER FACE IN
"HIDE THE INTERNS BILLS ON HIS WAY OVER"
ANYDAYNOW
demsformccain10:43AMMay 12th 2008
it's funny how nasty some people can be about McCain he fought for this country. how many that is kicking him can say the same. I have always voter dem but this time i will vote mCcain because there is no way in the world i would ever vote Obamma.
Hillary or Mccain 2008 or hillary 2012
Patricia10:50AMMay 12th 2008
BTW: I do not support Obama either. He is also a "Godless Man". If his spiritual walk was correct, why has he not trusted in God to guide his tongue during his "campaigning". Loose lips, sink ships", and I don't feel like swimming. Perhaps a "Divine Intervention" would be situation perfect at this time. Ubtil then, America belongs on it's knees in Prayer. That is our only hope now !
neil10:52AMMay 12th 2008
the point is that clinton is running around calling obama an elitist,,however she caan lend her campaign 11 million dollars..hmmmmmm//2)if can't manage her campaign without going in debt..how is she going to manage our economy..wake up america..give someone else a chance
TJ10:55AMMay 12th 2008
DAVID KNOWLES MUST FEEL LIKE HE GOT VISITED BY SANTA CLAUSE IN MAY. EVERY DAY IS HILLARY CLINTON BASHING DAY. THIS IS XMAS, EH?
OBAMA AND THE LIBERAL MEDIA MAY END UP STEALING THE CHANCE THAT DEMOS HAVE AT THE PRESIDENCY THIS TIME AND HAND THE PRESIDENCY TO MCCAIN.
ITS HER MONEY-SHE CAN DO WHAT SHE WANTS WITH IT.
THE REAL LOSER WOULD BE OBAMA, HE WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY MOST HATED BY WOMEN THAT HE DEPRIVED OF THEIR HISTORY.
WE ALREADY KNOW OBAMA WONT WIN.
SO MUCH FOR HILLARY BASHING.
HILLARY OR MCCAIN '08
OXOXO
TJ, THE OBAMAMANIA BUSTER ALL THE WAY.
jswainecpa10:56AMMay 12th 2008
And Now, I don't feel so Bad.
Patricia10:57AMMay 12th 2008
excuse my quick typing and falibility
tbs10:59AMMay 12th 2008
If Obama even thinks about bailing her out of this mess she has created, I will never give a dime to him again. He raised money honestly, telling contributors that he will put an end to "back room politics". Now Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Machine are trying to twist him into their lair.
The fact is, she is on an ego trip. She is trying to save face while piling up millions of dollars in debt. If she is looking for a bail out of her narcistic journey she should look to her own bank account and settle up with the hundreds of small and medium sized businesses she is in the process of stealing from.
Again, if Obama bails her out of the mess she has created on her own, he is only enabling her to continue to devide the Democratic party!
She should be gone but what does it matter to her, the longer she stays in, the more chance it is for her to be fed by others. The Clintons are corrupt to the core...
Katherine11:00AMMay 12th 2008
Money shmoney. No one can buy the White House if the people--Americans--don't allow it.
Hillary is still the best democrat to face McCain. She wins the right states and the right folks to win in the big race, and there are too many moderate and conservative democrat Hillary supporters who will not vote for Obama if he gets dem nom, so people need to stop dreaming and thinking that Obama would inherit all of Hillary's democrats. Obama is a weak candidate for the general election.
No matter what, I will NOT vote for Obama.
Here's an interesting article:
Face it, Democrats: Barack Obama's got a growing problem with whites:
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/05/11/2008-05-11_face_it_democrats_barack_obamas_got_a_gr.html?print=1&page=all
Furthermore, Obama wants to claim victory on the 20th, because guess what? He does NOT want to face the next contest after that: Purto Rico. For some reason PR accepted Larry Sinclair interviews there and people aren't liking what they hear. On top of that, an Obama superdelegate in PR, along with many of his political supporters in PR have been arrested and will face indictment for serious political corruption. People are not liking that either.
So, I can understand why Obama would not like PR to vote, but Hillary needs to stay in this and not allow the MEDIA, the liberal la la land big tops like Kennedy et al, and MONEY kick her out. If MI and FL are not dealt with fairly, and Obama gets dem nom, I will always feel like he STOLE the nomination.
--I'm liking McCain more and more everyday, and he is not the extreme conservative Republican like Bush, so I WILL vote for him if Hillary is not the dem nom.
Hillary or McCain: NEVER Obama.
Denise11:01AMMay 12th 2008
TO AOL: I AM GOING TO REPORT YOU TO THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, SO THAT THEY CAN WRITE AN ARTICLE ON YOU ABOUT HOW BIASED YOU ARE. EACH TIME I PUT IN A COMMENT, YOU TELL ME TO CONFIRM IT IN MY E-MAIL. HOWEVER THE "CONFIRMATION" E-MAIL IS NEVER THERE.
Katherine11:04AMMay 12th 2008
Davidg:
I not only picture him salivating, I picture him with a semi, and wild unblinking eyes.
(LOL)
TJ11:05AMMay 12th 2008
ALL HILLARY SUPPORTERS, PASS THIS INFORMATION ON.
I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL MENTION THEY WERE GONNA WRITE HILLARY ON THE BALLOT.
WRITE-IN VOTES DO NOT COUNT.. . BE AWARE!!!
WRITE-IN VOTES DO NOT COUNT.. . BE AWARE!!!
IT IS A WASTE OF YOUR VOTE. I WOULD VOTE HILLARY OR MCCAIN.
I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT WRITE-IN VOTES FOR HILLARY WILL COUNT FOR THE DEMOPARTY CANDIDATE-IF ITS OBAMA , IT COUNTS FOR OBAMA.
DO NOT WRITE-IN HILLARY!!
DO NOT WRITE-IN HILLARY!!
IF ITS OBAMA VOTE FOR MCCAIN..
THE WAY THAT OBAMA, THE PRO-OBAMA MEDIA, AND OBAMA HIMSELF HAS DISRESPECTED HILLARY AND HER SUPPORTERS, I WOULD NOT WASTE MY VOTE BY WRITE-IN
WRITE-IN VOTES FOR HILLARY WILL NOT COUNT OR GOES TO DEMO CANADIDATE..IF ITS OBAMA
PASS THIS INFORMATION ON ..
OXOXOX
TJ, THE OBAMAMANIA BUSTER ALL THE WAY!
Denise11:07AMMay 12th 2008
TO ALL HILLARY CLINTON VOTERS: I JUST SAW ON WGN NEWS THIS MORNING THAT HILLARY HAS PICKED UP A LOT MORE SUPER DELEGATES. SOMETHING THE BIASED NEWS MEDIA IS NOT TELLING YOU.
BY THE WAY, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT PHONY ARTICLE GOING AROUND THAT REV. WRIGHT AND OBAMA ARE FEUDING. THIS IS JUST A SCAM, TO HAVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THINK THAT LEARNING 20 YEARS OF HATRED, COULD SUDDENLY CHANGE OVERNIGHT.
WE NEED A LEADER THAT HAS ALWAYS LOVED ALL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THAT IS EXPERIENCED, INTELLIGENT, AND STRONG.
HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT 08!!!
Marti Cuevas11:32AMMay 12th 2008
I don't know if the mentality of posters on AOL is representative of the cross-section of America. If it is, how very depressing. There are those who scoff at John McCain's tenure as prisoner of war; there are others who disrespect and scoff at Hillary Clinton's gutsy refusal to buckle under; and those silly people who call Obama "Godless" and lean on "Hussein" for emphasis. You people are above all mean-spirited - whether dem, rep. or independent.
Americans - this type of non-thinking got us George W. Bush twice.
Support your candidate for his/her stance on critical issues and not silly wedge issues. Don't you see you are being manipulated? Just as we were manipulated by fear post 9/11.
Politics is a rough game and this is a presidential race. Cut some slack to all of the candidates and focus on the looming crisis that confront us: our failing economy; continual war; oil independence - all related to climate change and global warming. Yep folks, the "tree-huggers" have always been correct.
Is your candidate credible on these issues?
JEM11:47AMMay 12th 2008
Shillary is $20 million in the hole. Well that's too bad. She ran one of the dirtiest and nastiest campaigns in history of this country, so she deserves to loose. Any educated person would not vote for her anyway.
buckskin71111:59AMMay 12th 2008
i think knowless has wet sticky pants doing all his hillary bashing, so does his boyfriend tommy christopher. aol is phony and has been bought off by the bo campaign to hurt hillary and prop up that piece of crap, obummer.
Joyce12:27PMMay 12th 2008
We don't ever hear questions about where Obama's money comes from. That's just yet another case of double-standards. Whether or not Hillary has incurred debt is none of your concern. If it were reversed nothing would be mentioned of Obama's debt. The media is the cause of all the outrage that's evident in this campaign. The job of journalists used to be to educate not manipulate. I guess those days are gone as the media mentality sinks lower & lower. Aren't you proud of yourselves? For those of you with children I hope for their sake they will learn how NOT TO BE. If I had a parent who said & did some of the things you do I'd be embarrassed & do my best to be a direct opposite. You are a big part of what's wrong in this world. YOU DON'T TELL THE VOTERS FOR WHOM TO VOTE. I, PERSONALLY, AM FOR HILLARY & ALWAYS HAVE BEEN FOR HILLARY....NOT BECAUSE SHE'S A WOMAN, BUT BECAUSE SHE'S HILLARY & THE ONE BEST SUITED TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. ANYONE BUT HILLARY WOULD NOT MEASURE UP. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE. WE SUPPORTERS ARE FOR HILLARY & THAT'S THAT!
Ethel Golinsky12:32PMMay 12th 2008
Hillary will go all the way. My check is in the mail right now, as I'm sure millions are as well. She has the same chance as Obama to snare the nomination, and she will be getting it the hard way, working for it. Obama is just standing around and waiting for it to happen. Why? Because his supporters promised him its in the bag. If Obama gets the nomination, he then has to contend with Election Day. That will determine just who the right nominee is.
Latest Politics Headlines
Most Commented On Posts
Most Recent Comments
Politics Video
Patriotic politicsPresidential contenders John McCain and Barack Obama are both celebrating the Fourth of July. (July 4) | |
Jesse Helms diesFormer U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina has died at age 86. A look back at his life. (July 4) | |
Bush heckled at MonticelloProtesters holler as the president speaks at a citizenship ceremony at Monticello. (July 4) | |
Poll: The flip-flop primarySenior Political Analyst Bill Schneider breaks down new poll numbers about flip-flopping and political gridlock. (July 3) | |
Obama's Iraq dilemmaHas Sen. Barack Obama changed his position on Iraq? CNN's Jessica Yellin reports. (July 3) | |
| « See More Politics Video | |
Declare Yourself is a campaign that encourages young Americans to register and vote.
REGISTER TO VOTE NOW AT:www.declareyourself.org
JLC10:27AMMay 12th 2008
John McCain should shut his stupid mouth as he is just about brain dead. When he came out of prison camp why was McCain the only one that was not skinny and bruised up? Johnny looked like he had been to a pic-nic or something pleasant like that.