By
Leroy Jones, Jr.
Political Commentator & Columnist
On March
31, 2007, the first full quarter of fundraising will end for
the announced 2008 Presidential candidates. Considering that
the first primary is little less than a year away, this will
be the first significant test of the 2008 Presidential candidates.
It is
estimated by most election experts that it will take at least
$500 million dollars to win the nomination and election. Think
about it, half of a billion dollars to win a job that pays
$400,000 per year. So as the day draws closer, be sure to
recognize that all of these campaigns, both Democratic and
Republican will be pushing to raise as much money as possible.
Quoting those most famous Black Philosophers, Gamble &
Huff, as sung by the mighty O’Jays in their hit song,
“For The Love of Money”, the rush by these candidates
is all about that “lean, mean, mean green . . . Almighty
dollar”.
My
focus here is on the Democratic candidates (see full
roster below). Clearly everyone will be eager to see
the amounts Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama
have raised through this first quarter. Other key numbers
to watch will be the amounts raised by fellow candidates,
former Senator John Edwards (NC), Governor Bill Richardson
(NM), and Senator Chris Dodd (CT). Money and viability
will begin to take shape with the filing.
At this point, it is the cold hard cash that makes the
heart of the Presidential candidate beat harder and
stronger. This reality fuels the need to raise money,
and not just from big money donors. There is a great
effort by all of the campaigns to reach out to those
small money donors, who have become an important resource
in running a successful campaign. Before we begin casting
any ballots, each candidate will be judged on their
fundraising organizations and efforts. In 2008, the
game has changed and our community has changed along
with it. The members of our community are raising and
giving money at numbers and levels probably never seen
before.
Clearly with all of the issues confronting our community
and our nation, it seems almost obscene that it will
take this amount of money to win the White House. The
simple fact is unless you are able to raise large amounts
of money; you do not have a realistic shot of winning
the nomination. The process is not going to change.
The real question is to whom do you give your money
and support? This is an issue each person or group in
the community must decide. In 2008, no vote or group
should be taken for granted. There are too many important
issues facing our country and it is important to get
involved in the process, not only with money, but also
with your time and your ideas.
Sitting on the sidelines during Election 2008 is not
an option.
Democratic Candidates (Alphabetical Order)
Joe Biden (DE)
Senator Hillary Clinton (NY)
Senator Chris Dodd (CT)
Former Senator John Edwards (NC)
Former Senator Mike Gravel (AK)
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH)
Senator Barack Obama (IL)
Governor Bill Richardson (NM)
Leroy
Jones, Jr., is the creator of PoliticalJones.com
and a Political Commentator and Government Affairs Consultant
based in Washington, D.C. He is a regularly scheduled
guest on "The
Right Side with Shelley Wynter" daily radio
show on WAOK-1380 AM (Atlanta/CBS), XM Satellite Radio,
Blacknews.com and various other media outlets. Email
Mr. Jones at ljones@politicaljones.com
Email
This Article To A Friend
