So, we've come to find out that KE04 held onto somewhere between 15 million dollars in their campaign coffers that went unspent. When I did campaign training, and when I helped run congressional campaigns, we had two simple rules of politics that needed to be followed:
- Raise as much money as you can.
- Spend all the money you got (and more if necessary) before Election Day.
What, exactly, were they waiting for? Why did we pull out of key states such as Arizona, Missouri, Virginia, etc. to "conserve cash"? Why wasn't that money spent?
Imagine what we could have done with it:
- Given it to Senate Candidates in tight races
- Given it to party organizations in the red states to boost voter turnout, making those states closer
- Placed more ads in the marginally close, if not true "battleground", states
- Run a true NATIONAL campaign, as opposed to a Rovian-defined "battleground" campaign
And on, and on.
Didn't they want to win? It sure doesn't seem like it. We were told that they had more resources this year, that they could fight in both Ohio and Florida, yadda yadda yadda.
So, why are you sitting on so much cash, Senator? I gave you some of that cash to fight the good fight...if you are not using it, could I get a refund? I could use it to pay off some bills and debts. I also voluneered for you doing legal voter protection in Michigan, Senator. My wife and I both spent our own money to fly from Maryland to Michigan, buy our own meals, stay in a hotel, all in your campaign's name. Think maybe you could steer around $750 my way to reimburse my family for expenses, Senator?
Part of our problem this year, I think, is that Gov. Dean and Joe Trippi convinced us that if we just raised enough money to compete with Bush, we would win. Well, they were half right. Raising money is the first part. The second part is spending it wisely.
Dean did the opposite of Kerry. He blew through $30 million 3 weeks prior to a vote being cast in the primaries, and all he had was an overbloated campaign staff to show for. Kerry decided, during "the most important election in our lifetime", to save $15 million for a rainy day.
Dammit, doesn't anyone know how to play this here game?