Friday, May 4, 2012

HUFFPOST FUNDRACE -- Swift Boating Obama

HuffPost Fundrace
By Paul Blumenthal
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Meet the new group looking to Swift Boat President Barack Obama. Mother Jones looks at Veterans for a Secure America, "Veterans for a Strong America describes itself 'a grassroots action organization committed to ensuring that America remains a strong nation by advancing liberty, safeguarding freedom and opposing tyranny.' Founded in 2010, the ostensibly nonpartisan group kept a low profile until earlier this week, when it posted a splashy online ad that uses statements from President Barack Obama to suggest that the commander-in-chief boasted about his role in killing Osama bin Laden, dishonoring America's military in the process. 'Heroes don't politicize their acts of valor,' the ad declares amid shots of American soldiers and quotes criticizing Obama's 'shameless' and 'despicable' attempt to claim credit for bin Laden's death. Not all of those quotes are in context: The video flashes 'Obama Spikes the bin Laden Football,' a headline from a post in which Mother Jones' Kevin Drum wrote that the bin Laden raid proved Obama's 'leadership.'"

$12 million. That's the amount a fundraiser featuring George Clooney and organized by Jeffrey Katzenberg could net for Obama's reelection campaign. It would be the biggest haul from a single fundraising event in history. Guess Hollywood didn't follow Chris Dodd's advice and cut off contributions after the president spiked SOPA.

Stephen Colbert tells David Letterman that, "There's almost nothing that's against the law when it comes to spending political money."

Ron Paul was the least reliant on super PAC money for advertising of all the GOP presidential hopefuls from January through March.

The super PAC backing Mitt Romney had not provided a secure space for online credit card donations until the Washington Times' Luke Rosiak pointed it out. Shows that they aren't really looking for grassroots donors, but what super PAC is?

The Vermont legislature failed to pass a new campaign finance law after their public financing system was invalidated by the Supreme Court.

AD WATCH

Help us populate our list of campaign videos. Send any notable TV, radio or web ads that you see to Fundrace. Send your submissions to paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.

Committee: Republican National Committee
Candidate Opposed: Barack Obama
Spot: "Hype and Blame"
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Majority PAC
Candidate Opposed: George Allen
Spot: "Remember"
Market: Virginia.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Richard Mourdock for Senate
Spot: "America's Future"
Market: Indiana.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Dick Lugar for Senate
Spot: "Spirit"
Market: Indiana.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Don Stenberg for Senate
Spot: "The Right Thing"
Market: Nebraska.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: House Majority PAC
Candidate Supported: Julia Brownley
Spot: "Only One"
Market: California's 26th District.
Buy: ~$155,905.

TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:

These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency in 2012. Fundrace will update this spending daily to help show which candidates are gaining from the proliferation of independent groups in this coming election.

Newt Gingrich (R), $13,017,772 to support, $18,885,161 to oppose.
Rick Santorum (R), $7,548,235 to support, $20,923,379 to oppose.
Mitt Romney (R), $3,317,306 to support, $8,676,753 to oppose.
Rick Perry (R), $4,167,697 to support, $1,404 to oppose.
Ron Paul (R), $3,748,218 to support, $214,158 to oppose.
Jon Huntsman (R), $2,453,204 to support, $0 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $298,856 to support, $1,121,699 to oppose. (+$50,000)
Herman Cain (R), $501,717 to support, $954 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.

RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES

FreedomWorks for America, $25,000 to support David McIntosh for Congress in Indiana's 5th District.
Conservative Renewal PAC, $125,000 to support David Dewhurst for Senate in Texas.
FreedomWorks for America, $60,449 to oppose Dick Lugar for Senate in Indiana.
FreedomWorks for America, $26,554 to support Richard Mourdock for Senate in Indiana.
Life And Liberty PAC, $50,000 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
Citizens for Conservative Leadership, $6,614 to oppose Jim Pendergraph for Congress in North Carolina's 9th District.
American Dental Association Independent Expenditures Committee, $21,190 to support Scott Keadle for Congress in North Carolina's 8th District.
American College of Radiology Association PAC, $12,000 to support John McGoff for Congress in Indiana's 5th District.
Citizens for Prosperity and Good Government, $52,000 to support Doug LaMalfa for Congress in California's 1st District.
Committee to Elect An Effective Valley Congressman, $81,099 to support Howard Berman for Congress to California's 30th District.
The American Foundations Committee, $15,000 to oppose Paul Coble for Congress in North Carolina's 13th District.
Hoosiers for Jobs, $64,141 to oppose Richard Mourdock for Senate in Indiana.
House Majority PAC, $155,905 to support Julia Brownley for Congress in California's 26th District.

RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS

Concerned Moms and Dads of America, Kent, Wash., Treasurer: Sharon R. Peetz. (Super PAC)
Buck Up To Beef Up America, Kenmore, N.Y., Treasurer: Patrick E. Johnson. (Super PAC)

Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.

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