The Democratic Party Is Going To Eat Us All Alive

So, uh, apparently Obama’s campaign contributions for September are roughly equal to the budget of a Michael Bay film:

The Obama campaign announced this morning that it had raised a record $150 million last month, and had added 632,000 new donors to its total.

The amount shattered the campaign’s previous record from August. The McCain campaign also had a record-breaking month in August, but is now operating with the $84 million provided by public financing for the general cycle and assistance from the Republican National Committee under certain limits.

In announcing the Obama figure, David Plouffe, the campaign manager, said the average donation for September was less than $100. Mr. Obama, however, did hold several mega fund-raisers in September that pumped millions of dollars each into his coffers, including a Barbra Streisand-Hollywood event that alone collected a reported $11 million.

All counted, 3.1 million people have contributed to his campaign, Mr. Plouffe said.

Judging by the (admittedly) anecdotal evidence I’ve gathered talking to people, both here in Los Angeles and especially back home in Texas, I share Hilzoy’s belief that the arrival of Sarah Palin and her “real America” schtick was a major factor in this. Meanwhile, Ezra Klein has laid out the broader political implications of Obama’s fundraising success:

In normal years, the DNC has to split its funds between downticket races, party building, and supporting the presidential candidate. This year, as you’ve heard, the RNC is the only institution keeping McCain viable. But for once, the DNC is freed from such presidential level responsibility, which is why you’re hearing rumblings that they’re going to inject $20 million — $20 million! — in state legislature races meant to construct the majorities needed to take control of congressional redistricting in 2010. Obama having a lot of money, in other words, also means the rest of the party has a lot of money, and can spend it on things that are not Obama. They can spend it on building a majority.

Oh boy. As much as the last 8 years have taught me about the dangers of having a single party in power, the fact is I believe the overall liberal agenda of the Democratic party is objectively and morally superior to that of the Republicans, and no reasonable person can deny the GOP has employed their recent political domination atrociously. So I intend to indulge in a little gleeful hand-rubbing at the prospect of a thorough GOP trouncing and a Democratic realignment. Hehehe.

~ by Jeff on October 19, 2008.