Nerve Endings Firing Away

Obama raised an astounding $150 million in September from 632,000 new donors among others; an average of $86 per donor. The public financing provision in the United States is a joke since soft money is not excluded and the respective National Committees of the two parties can run ads for the Presidential candidates as long as they mention a congressional person or issue. This loophole allows McCain & Palin to host a $7 million fundraiser in New York with the same Wall Street fat cats that he criticizes on the campaign trail. McCain received $84 million in public financing and the RNC raised nearly $77 million in September. McCain purportedly still has $47 million for October. So although the difference in coffers between the Obama and McCain campaign is significant, it really isn’t the case of a pauper running against a king.

The McCain campaign is still crying foul over Obama’s broken promise to consider public financing. But that’s not it. They are raising questions on the infusion of such large sums of money into an election. Of course, it remains to be seen how a maximum contribution from an individual ($2300) can influence a candidate who has raised hundreds of millions. Remember the average is only $86. The Internet has made it easier to donate money so obviously more people have and significant higher enthusiasm among the Democratic base has helped. You would imagine this wide dispersion of direct financial support from the public would be a better alternative and the Republicans would’ve hardly complained if they had managed to leverage the power of the Internet for fund raising. And lets get real…even if it is easier to donate online, is the Republican base really enthused enough to donate for McCain? The Republican base got involved mostly through chanting of racist slogans only after the Palin pick.

Another complaint is that Obama is getting money from suspicious sources. McCain has been demanding to see the list of donors to the Obama campaign when in fact, it is not legally required to do so if the amount is less than $100. But to label a large swath of American people who have donated less than $100 as suspicious is cowardly. And now it turns out that the McCain campaign sent a fundraising letter to the Russian Mission to the United States. Eliciting campaign funds directly from a foreign source is illegal. Now isn’t that more suspicious?

It might be attributed to a mistake but if we choose to adhere strictly to the election laws, this ‘mistake’ might be enough to disqualify McCain’s nomination. I’m sure Democrats will not push this story but trust me, the Republicans would have made a big fuss if it was Obama’s letter to the Russians. If McCain goes down to defeat, it will simply be due to an inept campaign more than anything else. As any Maharashtrian would say, svatacha ghar sambhalo shakat nahi, nighalaya jag jinkayla (can’t keep his own house in order and he sets out to conquer the world) or khud ka campaign nahi chala sakta, desh kya chalayga.