Obama Network of Big Donors Rivals Bush's

Bundlers chip in large portion of Obama's record haul

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 6, 2008 11:55 AM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama likes to point to the avalanche of small-money donations that account for a full half of his record $340 million haul. But he has also been carefully cultivating a network of big-money bundlers since his earliest days in the Senate, the New York Times reports. As a result, Obama’s fleet of boosters are on pace to rival even George W. Bush’s vaunted “rangers” and “pioneers.”

Obama has 500 bundlers that have collected at least $50,000 each; more than a half-dozen have passed the $1 million mark. Roughly two-thirds of the money can be traced to four industry groups: law, investment, real estate, and entertainment. “It's fairly clear that this is being packaged as an extraordinary new kind of fundraising,” said a campaign finance expert. “But it's also clear that many of the old donors are still there and important.”

Barack Obama gets off the plane at South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Ind., Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Barack Obama looks to take another question from the audience during a town hall-style meeting at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Barack Obama speaks at a town hall rally, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008, at Concord High School in Elkhart, Ind. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Obama Network of Big Donors Rivals Bush's

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Small Donors Gave 48% of Obama's 2011 Donations

That's more than double the proportion from 2007: analysis

Obama Losing Super PAC War

...because he's not terribly interested in fighting it

Show Us Your Money, Romney

'Washington Post' takes frontrunner to task for keeping taxes, donors secret

Most Popular National Politician Today Is ...

Hillary Clinton, as 'buyer's remorse' plagues a third of the country

Fatcat Obama Bundlers Score Gov't Jobs, Contracts

About 80% of those who gave $500k or more now in administration

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Small Donors Gave 48% of Obama's 2011 Donations

That's more than double the proportion from 2007: analysis

Obama Losing Super PAC War

...because he's not terribly interested in fighting it

Show Us Your Money, Romney

'Washington Post' takes frontrunner to task for keeping taxes, donors secret

Most Popular National Politician Today Is ...

Hillary Clinton, as 'buyer's remorse' plagues a third of the country

Fatcat Obama Bundlers Score Gov't Jobs, Contracts

About 80% of those who gave $500k or more now in administration

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