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Obama's army of small donors

politico.com — In interviews with small donors around the country, the same message comes through: These donors feel they've taken ownership. They believe they're helping to set Obama free from the tug of big-money corporations and special interests.

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  • gsxrjason, on 05/11/2008, -10/+32"we don't have the pull of a gigantic corporation, but we have sort of the reverse — we give him freedom."
    • unreg, on 05/11/2008, -19/+7*****. Obama is taking the donation from whoever is offering it.
      • Drizzit, on 05/11/2008, -3/+16 Individual contributions $233,823,614 100%
        legend PAC contributions $250 0%
        legend Candidate self-financing $0 0%
        legend Federal Funds $0 0%
        legend Other $921,217 0%

        99.9% of his donations are from individuals. Research something before you make outlandish statements like that. He is the true canidate of the people by the people.
        • bbarker, on 05/11/2008, -3/+4According to the article, individual contributions only account for 45% of the money though. This doesn't sound like he's immune at all.
        • unreg, on 05/12/2008, -5/+1Just because it's from an individual doesn't mean it's not connected to big business in some way. There are a lot of CEOs and Wall Street types tucking money into Obamas shirt pocket.

          Don't be fooled, he's no different than the other politicos.


    • cutekelvins, on 05/11/2008, -1/+4How much did Clinton get? Just wondering. I could not get this figure in the article. I do not belong to your country.
  • LKnight, on 05/11/2008, -5/+38This comes up again and again - it's what scares McCain, it's what brought about the Decline of the Clinton Empire, it's what defines Obama's campaign, and it signals a turning of the tide in Washington. Entrenched interests will cling, tenaciously, to the structures that have supported their power and influence, but there's a time to every purpose, and the times they are a changing.
    • TinternAbbot, on 05/11/2008, -18/+7People said exactly that about Howard Dean. Woops.
      • goomba323, on 05/11/2008, -2/+14Buried for comparing Howard Dean (who barely made it past the first primary) to Obama (who has essentially wrapped up the nomination)
        • TinternAbbot, on 05/11/2008, -9/+3Yeah, sure, but the comparison is still valid: the importance so-called grass roots success is generally vastly overstated.
          • scottc, on 05/11/2008, -2/+5Actually, your comparison just proves his point that the times have changed. Clinton (and many others) thought that the influence of grass roots support was overstated too.
      • SaintStryfe, on 05/11/2008, -2/+9You laugh about Dean, but what Dean started, Obama (And to a much lesser extent, Ron Paul) has continued. And despite not winning the presidency, Dean's move to the DNC and his return to the 50 State Strategy (not writing off lower-ranking office holders in "Red" States, making new battle grounds rather then dumping massive resources into old ones, ect.) has worked brilliantly.
      • unreg, on 05/11/2008, -3/+2I believe you meant "YeeeeHawww"
      • malex, on 05/11/2008, -1/+9In all likelihood, Dean would have made a great president. He certainly would have been more fiscally conservative and responsible than Bush.

        The fact that his campaign was derailed by the media's over obsession with him cheering too close to a live mic, rather than any flaws in his positions or competence, only proves that America's democratic process is seriously ***** up and we as a society need to stop being retarded.
      • beowabbit, on 05/11/2008, -1/+5They did say that about Howard Dean, and it was true about Howard Dean. Large numbers of small-dollar donations, and a huge network of enthusiastic, energetic volunteers linked through the Internet didn't win Dean the nomination or the presidency, but they took him far further than he would have gone without them -- and as SaintStryfe notes, after the elections they took him to the head of the DNC.
        Dean primed the pump for Obama, and if it hadn't been for Dean's campaign and Dean's 50-state strategy at the DNC, and the Obama campaign successfully learning from them, Obama would not be where he is now. I don't by any means intend to diminish the accomplishments of Obama's campaign, but an important change has started in how politics is done in this country, and Obama's people saw and embraced it, and Clinton's and McCain's didn't. (Or haven't so far, anyway; I suppose McCain still could in the general election, but it doesn't seem likely.)
      • tgelston, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I really like it when smart people comment on Digg. . . it gives me hope for the future. thanks Beo. . , malex, and Saint. .

        thank you!
  • preneel, on 05/11/2008, -9/+46I am one of them. I have never donated to any campaign before nor made calls, donated air miles or sent pizzas to campaign offices or early voting sites. But I feel a part of a great grass roots effort and for the first time in my life, the incentive to become involved. Obama inspires this in all of us.
    • 380ppm, on 05/11/2008, -30/+8kool-aid alert
      • unreg, on 05/11/2008, -8/+5It's like a chocolate Ron Paul revolution.
    • TinternAbbot, on 05/11/2008, -30/+10You are not a "part" of anything. You are a voter who has been swindled by a charming young Senator into thinking that you are part of some momentous wave of change. You are not.
      • SaintStryfe, on 05/11/2008, -5/+13I've replied to your comment above. You're trolling you little nugget.
      • goomba323, on 05/11/2008, -12/+7Listen up, maggots. You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else.

        Give me a break Tintern, I just checked who you were supporting hoping it would be Ron Paul so I could say "And you Ron Paul supporters thought you were part of something too", but then I saw that you also support McCain, so now I know that you are a political retard.

        Ron Paul wouldn't support McCain.
        • TinternAbbot, on 05/11/2008, -7/+7I supported Ron Paul but I never felt I was part of some movement. I support McCain now largely because he is not the Democratic candidate. If you want to claim I'm a "political retard," whatever that means, fine, but having to choose between the lesser of two evils doesn't make me retarded, it makes me stuck.
          • goomba323, on 05/11/2008, -5/+3So you admit you are voting for someone you really don't want to vote for, yet you criticize Obama supporters for voting for someone that they believe is a very exciting and capable candidate, solely on the fact that you don't agree with the "liberal" point of view? Hell, I'm a liberal, I'll say it with no shame (as Bill O'Reilly would wish me to), but if the Republican Party feels that they have a great candidate and they are excited that finally they can be voting FOR someone rather than AGAINST someone else, then I wouldn't have a problem with that. I just feel there is bitterness within the Republican Party that Democrats are (generally) happy with their choice of candidates this time around whereas the Republican's are simply "ho-hum" on John McCain.
          • Jassman, on 05/11/2008, -2/+4You support McCain just because he doesn't have the Democrat label? That IS retarded. A "Lesser of two evils" mentality ensures that "evil" will always be in power. If you support the principles/policies/platform of someone else, why wouldn't you vote for them (even if you had to write them in)?
      • CiXeL, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2its really strange reading an article that is essentially talking about yourself.
        this is the first time ive ever donated to a campaign and its because obama represents hope.
        i hope and pray he wins and stays true to the american people.
        its obama or nothing. hillary could never be the strong, kind and moral person obama is.
        honestly, if he doesnt win. i will be completely disillusioned with the political process and i will never vote in this country again.
        this election is THAT important.
    • p0s3r, on 05/11/2008, -10/+5He doesn't inspire it in me. The only thing he inspires is me is fear that the Black Panthers will confiscate all my goods for reparations and put me in a White Prison Camp within a week after he's inaugurated.
    • jontalisman, on 05/12/2008, -3/+3You sound like one of Obama's paid staffers that hype him on the web.
      • CiXeL, on 05/12/2008, -1/+5i am no paid staffer but i would take a bullet for that man.
  • Smuhamm, on 05/11/2008, -19/+9Exactly we are in the "Real World" who we've been waiting for. It takes more than just a Village, It takes us all. Because we are really One. What affects you affects me. When there is hunger,pain,killing, war, disasters, any where we all feel that pain in our hearts and that is all of us. We make comments about it, we talk about it, some of us join movements, write letters, we try and help, That has always been. It is the same when good things happen, we all join in that feeling and when Love for any thing join together, it spreads long and far. We have always had that "We" power to bring about CHANGE. If "WE" really want Unity "WE" are the ones that make that happen. Baracks words ring true and resonates within all of our hearts. Now is the time for us to recognize and know this is So,
    • Alix7, on 05/11/2008, -4/+6*pukes*
    • 380ppm, on 05/11/2008, -6/+3man you mustve dropped some great ecstacy last night. followers need leaders. dont be a follower
    • csw1342, on 05/11/2008, -1/+5Exactly how Do those nuts Taste?
    • MrESaulved, on 05/11/2008, -4/+5You had me right up until you mentioned Obama.
    • Disregard, on 05/11/2008, -1/+5Scary, I thought the cult talk was hyperbole. I got some great Amazonian jungle real estate you might be interested in.
    • p0s3r, on 05/11/2008, -4/+3ALL PRAISE THE OBAMESSIAH(PBUH) ALL HAIL THE OBAMESSIAH(PBUH)! BOW TO THE OBAMESSIAH(PBUH)!
  • abby11, on 05/11/2008, -18/+2I am one of them too.My only comment is STOP WATCH AND LISTEN:McBUSCH YOUR NEXT!
  • swmaxxx, on 05/11/2008, -4/+2Very interesting.
  • TinternAbbot, on 05/11/2008, -29/+6Why don't these people put that money to a better use...like mortgage payments or health insurance? Oh, wait, because they're hoping that if Obama is elected, other people will pay for those!
    • RebeL5K, on 05/11/2008, -2/+11Wrong. We already know, since they're supporting Obama, that they're intelligent. The logical conclusion, then, is that they also know how to manage their finances well enough that they can pay their mortgage, their health insurance AND make a campaign contribution. Funny how that works - it's not always all or nothing.
  • grungegbunny, on 05/11/2008, -7/+27Obama unites people.
    • debuggercll, on 05/11/2008, -1/+9If he were dyslexic, he would untie us.
    • p0s3r, on 05/11/2008, -1/+2Which is proven by his 98% party line vote and the fractured Democrat party.
    • jontalisman, on 05/12/2008, -2/+2If that's so, why do so many white voters dislike him?
      • CiXeL, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4I'm white, i dont dislike him. I've even donated money to the campaign. its not alot, but no one has alot of money these days.
        • nickymouse, on 05/12/2008, -2/+1If you don't vote Obama, your a racist. Don't play this race card ***** on me. I wanted Condi to run, but she's an uncle Tom or a house nigger because her views don't coincide with the so called black leaders.
    • Zaneris, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3They think he's Muslim for some crazed reason, not that it should matter.
    • geddon, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Let's hope all those same people decide to defend Israel to the bitter end if anyone DARES attack such an esteemed American ally.
  • Rohela, on 05/11/2008, -4/+27I have been unemployed or over a year and I give $10 here and $23 there. Why? The reason we suffer economically is that control has been in the hands of the fat cats while us "little" people have less and less each year. But if we band together and give we are showing that it does not have to be this way. By loosing our apathy and giving we show that "little" people can be even more powerful within the existing system.
    • CiXeL, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2rohela, you're so right i want to cry.
  • hopeast, on 05/11/2008, -14/+7Yes we can't!
    • NVMojo, on 05/11/2008, -2/+2This country can make a difference once maturity hits the masses ...emotional maturity.
  • alimighty1, on 05/11/2008, -8/+9I originally read this as "Obama's army of small doctors"
    • CoolGui, on 05/11/2008, -1/+9lol... So *that* is what his healthcare plan is.
  • dattaway, on 05/11/2008, -6/+37I'm selfish. I donated to his campaign, because I thought it would be a good investment. Having a good President would bring great returns. I feel he's the only candidate that's not playing a zero-sum game with our economy.
    • SaintStryfe, on 05/11/2008, -3/+9you don't need high ideals. That's what the power structure has hoped for - that we'd get so disconnected, that if a legitimate chance to change would show, we would write it off as not being worth it, or be so disheartened that it would feel wrong going against the power structure.

      It is not wrong, friend. We don't need to be saints to do the right thing - pun on my handle intended. We just need to look at what's best for us. More War is not what's best for us. Racial division is not what's best for us. The politics of business as usual is not what's best for us.

      Obama, of the choices we have, is the best of us.
    • sodade, on 05/11/2008, -2/+4Bingo. A better way to invest would be to hedge against McCane winning. The contract for him winning the 08 election on Intrade is only $37.6 (it pays out $100 if he wins). I figure with 50 contracts, the bitter pill of a McCane victory will be a bit easier to swallow.
    • p0s3r, on 05/11/2008, -4/+2If The Obamessiah(PBUH) wins better get your money out of the stock market. Holding cash will be a better investment then 4 years of Marxism.
      • Jogga, on 05/12/2008, -1/+0Yeah, right.
        You don't know anything about Marxism, do you? You just like saying stupid ***** that doesn't really have any grounds in reality.
  • CDoug03, on 05/11/2008, -22/+5I wish I could afford a leather couch when I was in college. $300 of his rich parents money is more like it.
  • LukasSmith, on 05/11/2008, -21/+5Big deal. Bunch of poor people give Obama a few bucks. I call it charity.
    • NVMojo, on 05/11/2008, -2/+7that quite a mature response for a big boy!
  • breadfred, on 05/11/2008, -4/+22I am Dutch and live in Wales. Even I feel like donating..
    • Mechanicat, on 05/11/2008, -2/+3What the hell are you doing there, man?
    • jasmus, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Me too, I'm Australian. I'm just thankful we no longer have a prime minister who is shoulders deep up Bush's ass.
  • Niteryder, on 05/11/2008, -19/+7He is the same tool as all the rest, only difference is his color, he will change nothing
    except the brand of ***** he slews. Warren Buffet is the richest man in the world
    and picks his tools well.
    • SaintStryfe, on 05/11/2008, -5/+6I'm not following what you mean, but "he will change nothing" is incorrect. He's all ready changed things. His donations in small amounts from tons of people, that's radical. That's a 180 from how we've had to do politics for 30 years. It means he's beholden to the people, not to the few who can afford voice.
  • treejohn, on 05/11/2008, -3/+15I actually donated $25 (and had my roommate do it for me since I don't have a credit/debit card) to obama two days ago when I heard Hillary was going to pump more of her wealth into her flailing campaign. This is the first time I've donated money to anyone. There's something about him that's encouraging. Interestingly enough, my roommate matched my $25 and we were amused to read the increments (ours being a total of $50) listed in this article: "arriving in increments of $10, $15 and $50, have collectively swelled into a financial roar"
  • Pillage, on 05/11/2008, -10/+7What other young charismatic leader had a devoted army following him......
    • Cattywampus, on 05/11/2008, -1/+3Well, Howard Dean in 2004, for one. Dean wasn't that young, of course, but there's a reason his many devoted followers were called "Deaniacs."
    • sebby2022, on 05/11/2008, -4/+5Hitler? Osama?
    • D3koy, on 05/11/2008, -3/+1Damn you Godwin!
    • Pillage, on 05/11/2008, -2/+4All wrong, the correct answer is Jesus.
      • p0s3r, on 05/11/2008, -4/+5Jesus wasn't a militant black african nationalist.
        • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1And neither is Obama, so what is your point?
  • QuantumBios, on 05/11/2008, -11/+5Obama supporters are going to have to be put on suicide watch after it's revealed that Obama hates America and would destroy this country.
    • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I love it when idiots like you make idiotic comments like this. It shows how all Obama's critics can do is try to smear his character with bogus charges.

      Not This Time!
  • Kingmichael, on 05/11/2008, -11/+7Small donors like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase & Co?
  • mal1964, on 05/11/2008, -4/+5" They believe they're helping to set Obama free from the tug of big-money corporations and special interests"
    I'll bet a million dollars that they're wrong.
  • amightywind, on 05/11/2008, -11/+6Free from special interests? One of the reasons Obama's campaign swooned after Ohio was because he was talking out of both sides of his face. One cynical message for unemployed workers, another message of quiet reassurances to Canadian business to ignore the rhetoric. As for big money, I have one name for you. Tony Rezko. No Obama is a standard corrupt liberal.
  • 223Sniper, on 05/11/2008, -1/+10ive got $25 in that massive pool of money of his, i will give more when I have more to give.
    • CiXeL, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2ive got $35 and everytime my mccain supporting republican coworker badmouths obama i'm contributing another 35.
      this guy has a picture of bush hanging on his office wall.
  • georgemason01, on 05/11/2008, -8/+3I donated $217.76 to Ron Paul, $167.76 of it on 12/16/07.
    • reed311, on 05/12/2008, -1/+8Thanks, I was getting ready to email you to see how much you donated.
  • jack104, on 05/11/2008, -3/+4I'm not hating on the man, to be honest I'm rather indifferent as far as candidates go, but has anyone else noticed how every other article on digg is one singing his praises....and then the other ones are about how awful a human being Hillary Clinton is....and then there is the occasional one calling John McCain a dousche bag. I think I'm just going to vote for McCain because the dude is tough as nails, read some of his history about the pow camps in N. Vietnam.
    • pastanoose, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1"history is written by those who have hanged heroes." The real history of john mccain is quite a bit more tarnished than his friends in the media have presented it. Though I won't be voting for hillbillary or obama either.
    • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1"I think I'm just going to vote for McCain because the dude is tough as nails, read some of his history about the pow camps in N. Vietnam."

      You're willing to vote for a former POW that was tortured who SUPPORTS torture and supports an unjust war? That doesn't make any sense.

      "...but has anyone else noticed how every other article on digg is one singing his praises...."
      I don't understand the point you're trying to make. Are you disagreeing with the praises being sung or are you simply tired of reading positive things about Obama? Isn't it a GOOD thing when so many people have so many good things to say about a candidate?

      "and then the other ones are about how awful a human being Hillary Clinton is...."
      Again, I'm not getting your point. Are you disagreeing with the negative (truthful) things being said or are you simply tired of reading all the bad things about HRC? Is it Digg's fault that HRC consistently lies and gets caught on it? Is it Digg's fault that she consistently plays the race card, gender card and victim card?

      "and then there is the occasional one calling John McCain a dousche bag."
      I don't know that I would use those words, but I certainly do NOT respect a so-called "maverick" who has done a 180 on his previous beliefs in order to get the Republican nomination. He used to hate Bush (& rightfully so, after the 2000 Repub primary), but now he loves him? He voted against Bush's tax cuts for the rich, but now he completely supports them? The "Straight Talk Express" man who, last year, said he didn't know if condoms prevented the spread of HIV/AIDS? The man who sang, "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran"? The man who said Shi'ite Iran was training Sunni Al Qaeda (only to be corrected moments later by LIEberman)?
  • wolf3973, on 05/11/2008, -2/+2It's just too bad that, even though people feel that they are allowing him to break away from the big corporate interests, he still bows down to their will.
    • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Really? Please provide some evidence of this.
  • drgooch, on 05/11/2008, -7/+3Man, I swear... DIGG = Obama Boner.
    • nickymouse, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1I don't understand? All diggers were for a libertarian conservative now they're for a left wing socialist.
      • bhod, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3people change. deal with it. and he actually has a chance of winning. we've got the media, we've got the donors, so we're practically in the whitehouse already. GObama!
  • Quavistar, on 05/11/2008, -0/+3I got another 25 (dollars) on it!
  • ProximoAZ, on 05/12/2008, -4/+2Anyone that is happy with obama or any of the three candidates left is just not paying attention - they are all members of the political machine- actions speak louder than words, and obama's actions as a senator do not indicate he wants to change anything no matter how much anyone wants to believe it
  • jontalisman, on 05/12/2008, -2/+2Repugnants will have a field day when they point out how many of Obama's donors are convicted drug dealers.
    • Barackalypse, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1I think the field day was listening to the allegations about how Barack Obama had gay sex in the back of a limo to pay for the drugs he has already admitted to using:
      http://youtube.com/watch?v=GquA1sObQq8
      I don't know about you, but I'm far more apt to believe the guy in the video than a Chicago politician who has already lied about several of the facts regarding how, when, and why his parents met in his book.
      • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1LOL! I knew there'd be some idiots out there who'd believe that stupid rumor. Thanks for the laugh.
  • johnchaney3, on 05/12/2008, -4/+2OBAMA'S SMALL ARMY OF DONORS ARE OTHER MILITANT MUSLIMS....
    • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I guess that makes me a militant Muslim then. /sarcasm.
  • ro2ert, on 05/12/2008, -6/+3This is great, I live one block from Barack's house, you know the one, the indicted developer helped him buy with a gift of $400,000, and I am a true Chicagoan, and so is he.

    I am positive, thanks to the campaign law that says he doesn't have to report donation of $200 or less that there is, secluded in an air conditioned pole barn on some Indian reservations somewhere, 400 people around folding tables loading $10, $20, $50 or $200 dollar contributions into anomous envelopes and licking them shut. This is how he has raised 41% of his money from anonomous and unreported sources.
    • nickymouse, on 05/12/2008, -2/+1dugg for not buying into this scam
    • zydeco, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2Buried for getting the story about Obama's house wrong. Read his Tribune interview.
  • lazaruswws, on 05/12/2008, -3/+3Throw away money by giving it to a scam artist like Obama and then let him stab you in the back when encourages the raising of taxes once in office, Obama or Hilary will spend this country's money like their campaign money...Foolishly!
    • zydeco, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3I bet if we stop wasting billions in Iraq we wouldn't have to raise taxes.
    • bills534, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1raising taxes is almost unavoidable at this point. somebody has to pay back the debts of this war that bush has waged.
    • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Please provide an example of Obama using his money foolishly.
  • vxgasattack, on 05/12/2008, -1/+0Poor Sweeney went and sold his shoes for the Obama campaign.
  • nickymouse, on 05/12/2008, -4/+2Obama doesn't take corporate bribes! He just takes it from the CEO, his/her wife, and the PAC's they fund. This will bite him in the ass later.
    • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Obama doesn't take money from PACs, so what are you talking about? Did you even attempt to read the article? I'm guessing not.
  • Gemfinder, on 05/12/2008, -0/+5This, I believe, is Barack's golden ticket. He opened the political process enough to enfranchise the Every(wo)man and let them know that if they only had $5 to give him, he'd take it. If you multiply $5, $25, $60 by 1.5 million...suddenly, you have a LOT of money, and nobody is anywhere close to maxing out their contribution. It's not the size of the bank account: it's the sustainability. Anyone can afford to throw $5 a month at their Presidential candidate.
    That, together with his insistence to keep mudslinging and nastiness out of his campaign, is why he's winning.
  • BruceHornsby, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2I was keen to donate to Obamas campaign too. Since I live in New Zealand I'm not allowed to which is unfortunate. If your electoral system allowed offshore financial support for candidates Obama could probably BUY the presidency (just like the president before him!). Seeing as the result of your election affects all of us (all world citizens that is) it's unfair we don't get to vote.
    • queotic, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I understand your concern since US policy does, indeed, affect the entire world, but I disagree that it's unfair that you don't get to vote. If you're not a citizen, you can't vote. It's that simple. If it makes you feel any better, Americans Abroad (American citizens living around the world) were allowed to vote and they went overwhelmingly for Obama.
  • BWatkins, on 05/12/2008, -5/+1A fool and his money are soon parted. Unfortunately, your stupidity is going to destroy this country.
    • bills534, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3sorry but its the stupid people like bush and his supporters who have ruined this country.
  •  

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