Comments on: The other US election myth: Obama’s fundraising base http://www.libdemvoice.org/barack-obamas-fundraising-6523.html Our place to talk - an independent website for supporters of the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:38:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Liberal Neil http://www.libdemvoice.org/barack-obamas-fundraising-6523.html#comment-71821 Liberal Neil Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:12:41 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=6523#comment-71821 By looking at percentages I think you are distorting the pattern a fair bit. Because Obama raised significantly more money overall it is true to say, even if the percentages didn't shift hugely, that he did massively increase the number of small and medium donors. That's not to say that your final point is wrong - his real success was increasing the overall level of donations at all levels. Of course it also a success if he managed to turn 'one off' small donors into regular small donors. An approach many of our Local Parties could learn a lot from. (Should I plug the book?;-)) By looking at percentages I think you are distorting the pattern a fair bit.

Because Obama raised significantly more money overall it is true to say, even if the percentages didn’t shift hugely, that he did massively increase the number of small and medium donors.

That’s not to say that your final point is wrong – his real success was increasing the overall level of donations at all levels.

Of course it also a success if he managed to turn ‘one off’ small donors into regular small donors. An approach many of our Local Parties could learn a lot from. (Should I plug the book?;-))

]]> By: FH http://www.libdemvoice.org/barack-obamas-fundraising-6523.html#comment-71788 FH Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:25:48 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=6523#comment-71788 Fascinating Mark. And of course Hywel's absolutely right: the real take-away knowledge would be how to be able to go back to initial small contributors -- repeatedly, apparently. Do you suppose it would be possible to collect and compile all those fund-raiser requests fired off in the course of the campaign, juxtaposed against funds actually raised? Fascinating Mark. And of course Hywel’s absolutely right: the real take-away knowledge would be how to be able to go back to initial small contributors — repeatedly, apparently.

Do you suppose it would be possible to collect and compile all those fund-raiser requests fired off in the course of the campaign, juxtaposed against funds actually raised?

]]> By: Hywel Morgan http://www.libdemvoice.org/barack-obamas-fundraising-6523.html#comment-71775 Hywel Morgan Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:42:18 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=6523#comment-71775 The other important point is who the big donors were. AIUI Obama didn't take big corporate/lobbying donations. The interesting thing for us is I think how you get initial small givers to become bigger donors. The other important point is who the big donors were. AIUI Obama didn’t take big corporate/lobbying donations.

The interesting thing for us is I think how you get initial small givers to become bigger donors.

]]> By: Mark Pack http://www.libdemvoice.org/barack-obamas-fundraising-6523.html#comment-71773 Mark Pack Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:37:34 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=6523#comment-71773 Edis: it was more the opposite of that from the figures I've seen. A lot of his big donors came early, so it was they as much, if not more than, the small donors who got his campaign going in this crucial early days. Edis: it was more the opposite of that from the figures I’ve seen. A lot of his big donors came early, so it was they as much, if not more than, the small donors who got his campaign going in this crucial early days.

]]> By: Edis http://www.libdemvoice.org/barack-obamas-fundraising-6523.html#comment-71746 Edis Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:46:27 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=6523#comment-71746 I suspect that timing of donations was important. My impression was that Obama got a large kick from small donors early in his campaign and this allowed him to spend to establish his credibility. The higher middle to big donors I though came on board later as his potential for sucesss became evident. So it is true that by the end of the campaign Obama showed impressive fundraising power right across the donation range. He probably would have struggled without his small donor boost - and the political mobilisation of actual people associated with that boost. I suspect that timing of donations was important. My impression was that Obama got a large kick from small donors early in his campaign and this allowed him to spend to establish his credibility. The higher middle to big donors I though came on board later as his potential for sucesss became evident.

So it is true that by the end of the campaign Obama showed impressive fundraising power right across the donation range.

He probably would have struggled without his small donor boost – and the political mobilisation of actual people associated with that boost.

]]>