Note: I love that expression. See below for what it means.
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Ken’s Take:
(1) McCain took on enormous political risk when he pushed campaign funding reform (McCain-Finegold). Wonder how he’s feeling about that today?
(2) In rough numbers, Obama spent about $6 per vote ; McCain spent about $1.50 per vote.
(3) Next election: it’ll cost $1 billion to ante in.
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Excerpted from McClatchy Newspapers, “Obama spent $250 million on TV ads in general election”, Nov. 6, 2008
Beginning in early June, Obama amassed about $364 million for the fall campaign, Federal Election Commission records show. Obama’s campaign reports already show that he raised a record-shattering $668 million since entering the race last year, with some donations yet to be disclosed.
In contrast, McCain was limited to $84.1 million in public money beginning in early September.
Flush with a tidal wave of campaign donations, Barack Obama spent $250 million on television ads … outspending John McCain and the Republican Party combined by as much as $80 million [i.e. over 40% more]. McCain’s campaign spent about $135 million on TV ads, and the RNC kicked in more than $40 million for coordinated or independently produced pro-McCain or anti-Obama television ads. Obama’s ad spending smashed President Bush’s 2004 record of $188 million on TV ads.
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Obama’s decision takes away any incentive for congressional Democrats to pass legislation strengthening the public financing law. Any Republican seeking to challenge Obama in four years will have to ask the question, ‘Can I raise $600 million?” Federal funding “will remain as a safety net for underfunded ‘populist’ candidates,” but won’t be an option for those who want a serious chance of winning.
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Full artcile:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/758740.html
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“Hoisted on his own pitard“
From Yahoo Answers:
“The word is really”petard”. A petard was a bell shaped metal container filled with explosives. It was used to blow in gates or breach walls. It was lit with a slowly burning fuse, but there was always the danger of a premature explosion – the chance that you would be hoisted (lifted) by your own petard. It comes from Shakespeare and I think the quote is actually “hoist with his own petar.” (Not “on” – that’s just become the common parlance.) Some sources cite petard as deriving from the French word for “fart.” A different kind of explosion!”
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070815011415AA667i9
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