November 23, 2008 2:56:54 CST
(Newser) – Insiders say that Barack Obama raised about $30 million in June, which, by the campaign's own lofty standards, is a bit lackluster, reports the Wall Street Journal. Obama hopes to have raised $300 million by mid-October, with an additional $180 million for the DNC, bringing his record budget to nearly $500 million. McCain's camp, meanwhile, raised $22 million in June and plans to spend about $400 million when factoring in party and public funds.
Fundraisers blame the month on lingering resentment from former Clinton donors, and the Journal speculates that moves to the center may have angered Barack’s small-donor base. Still, others say it’s normal to have slower summer months (and Obama will be abroad for some of July). Said one nonplussed campaign figure, “I think September is going to be an absolutely Herculean month.”
Source Wall Street Journal
Nov 21, 08 2:51 PM CST The Obama transition team has settled on a treasury secretary nominee, NBC reports: Timothy Geithner, the president of the New York Fed. The announcement is expected to come Monday, when the president-elect will announce his entire economic team in an attempt to quell the unrest surrounding the financial markets. Geithner beat out his former boss Larry Summers, who may yet figure into the new administration's plans, perhaps as Fed chairman, Reuters reports. More »
Nov 21, 08 2:19 PM CST If current rumblings are to be believed, Barack Obama’s national security team would be disparate indeed, consisting of Hillary Clinton at State, retired general Jim Jones as National Security Adviser, and Robert Gates sticking around as defense secretary. It’s an “extremely strong and wise,” team, writes Joe Klein in Time, proving Obama is a “confident fellow,” bent on bipartisan foreign policy. More »
Nov 21, 08 6:45 CST The Clinton agonizing continues, the New York Times reports, as friends said yesterday she was "back in the indecisive column," and Senate Democrats said they'd offer her a substantial leadership role if she doesn't end up as Barack Obama's secretary of state. Obama's team put the word out last night that things are on track for the Clinton nomination, which could be announced after Thanksgiving, and that she's expected to accept. But the Times isn't buying. More »
Nov 20, 08 11:52 PM CST Barack Obama remains "on track" to name Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state and plans to do so shortly after Thanksgiving, senior aides to the president-elect tell Politico. They said Clinton is expected to accept the offer and added that disclosure issues related to the complicated funding of Bill Clinton's foundation have been ironed out, the AP notes. More »
Nov 20, 08 12:35 PM CST Should Barack Obama nominate Hillary Clinton for secretary of state, the confirmation process could be the least of her worries, the Washington Post reports. The Constitution prohibits any member of Congress from assuming a federal post whose salary has been increased during the lawmaker’s term; cabinet salaries have risen by about $15,000 since Clinton’s current term began. More »
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • campaign fundraising • DNC • lefties
