Mods - can you deal with WWGWD who is trolling away in the diaries?

... will do fine once the primary wraps up. And if you add in the totals from the candidates (especially Obama v. McCain) then there would a crushing advantage to the Democrats.

Dean has got to do something. Look I understand he is building state parties but the RNC/DNC numbers are absolutely terrifying. He's had years at this and I'm very worried.

  I thought that Chris Van Hollen would rock as DCCC  chairman.  Indeed, he does.  I might even get to be his constituent next year.

Speaking of filing, has anyone seen her March numbers yet?

Besides the obvious answer, "because they suck!", why have Republicans been struggling to raise money this election cycle?  The NRSC, NRCC, and John McCain have been posting some weak-ass numbers.  Do you think they'll see a bump when the Democrats finally pick a nominee or will they continue to lag behind?

The Republicans were generally disgusted with the candidates and most folks held back their cash until they found out/were told who they'd be obliged to back in the general.  Now that they've found the next "face" to sell the ongoing PNAC agenda, the big bucks are starting to come into play on their side.  

I'm unfamiliar with campaign finance and fundraising, so I've always wondered what do these organisations do differently from the DNC.  I know that the DCCC focuses on the House elections and the DSCC focuses on the Senate, but what does the DNC do, plug up the wholes?
Maybe we should have a fundraising awarness diary explaining which is in individuals best interest to donate to.  Like if you live in a competetive district/state or not or if you have competetive local races.  Is the DNC involved in those as well?  Thanks

Someone should post comparative contribution numbers from similar periods in presidential '00 and '04.

If memory serves, we were getting absolutely KILLED during those years:  Under McAuliffe, I think I remember a complete disadvantage all the time:  Warchest and fundraising numbers were usually like a quarter of the GOP.

Chairman Dean has done a totally unexpected and incredible, awesome job of coordinating, inspiring, and getting both the deep-pocket and the $20 Democrats to pull together.

Granted, Dem advantage in grass roots communications, use of Internet resources, and the fantastic job the GOP has done of mucking up this country have all been in his favor.

But those are TACTICAL issues.  

Strategically, in terms of vision, leadership, team-building, and total impact, I can't believe how good the choice of Howard Dean has turned out for this party.

I almost have to believe the GOP would have been hurt less by Dean as President in '04, who they would have demonized and neutered, than Dean as DNC Chair the past couple years, who has beaten them at every turn, in avery arena, and hurt them maybe mortally where they live: In the money pits.

The GOP has been pwned by Dean to such a degree that its very future existence and survival are now legitimately in question:  If it continues its current tactics of obstruction of the will of the American people in domestic policy, its anti-Hispanic anti-immigrant rhetoric, its scorched-earth treatment of African-Americans and Muslims and Liberals and Women, its dedication to corporatism and corruption and warmongering, I just don't see how it gets people to keep contributing, and therefore how it remains a major party.

Shh... A word of advice to us:  "Never get in the way of a man falling down the stairs."

the Dems in congress threw the activists, the progressives a bone-- no more funding of the war, impeachment hearings, reinstating habeas corpus, investigating some more of those Bush appointees-- you know, stuff that would show they were taking us seriously. Then, the money would pour in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIoF7hScH IY&feature=related

The Republicans are putting their eggs in the presidential basket. They are in a weaker position then the Democrats in Senate and House races, but have some kind of shot at winning the presidential election. From their perspective, both Clinton and Obama have vulnerabilities.

GHWB with his signing statements, disciplined coaching and supporting national media has pushed a strong president model. This has been aided by a timid Democratic Congress. If McCain should win, we would certainly see this model continue.

Despite the Democratic lack of spine to date, if the worst were to happen, we'd have no choice but to push for a more ideological and more confrontational Congress.