Clinton Team Gears Up for Fund-Raising Onslaught
This week's cover of New York magazine carries a huge photo of Senator Barack Obama's smiling face and declares him "the winner" in fund-raising over Senator Hillary Rodhma Clinton for the first three months of 2007.
In some senses he was; he raised more money in the first quarter than did Mrs. Clinton for use in the Democratic primaries, though he trailed slightly behind her in overall fund-raising and by a substantial amount when it comes to money in the bank.
The Clinton team is not one to cede battles, let alone wars, however, and it has already aggressively geared up for a fund-raising onslaught for the next few months.
Her campaign has begun alerting its donors and bundlers to 47 fund-raising events around the country through July 1, with more to be added, according to details of her fund-raising game plan that were provided by donors.
Nine events are scheduled in New York, nine in California. Compared to her first-quarter events, Mrs. Clinton will also fan out more widely in the Southeast – Mobile and Atlanta and Charlotte and throughout Florida – and the Midwest: St. Louis and Kansas City, Cleveland and Columbus, Detroit and Ann Arbor, Minneapolis.
The current lists do not include Chicago, however, despite being a hub for Democratic money and a natural spot for Mrs. Clinton, given that she was born and raised in the suburbs. But Chicago is Mr. Obama's town, of course.
Clinton advisers insist it is only a matter of time before they have a Chicago event – though when it comes to raiding each other's bases, Mr. Obama has a big head start, having held several fundraisers in New York already.
The fund-raising schedule illuminates several aspects of Clinton strategy. Perhaps most notably, Mrs. Clinton seems poised to spend more time on raising money in the second quarter than she did in the first quarter, when some of her own donors complained privately that she was not attending fund-raising events or "making asks" by telephone as much as Mr. Obama. (Campaign events and Senate duties came first, her advisers said.)
Given the number of fund-raisers it is scheduling, the Clinton camp also seems to be trying to make up for a comparative disadvantage it has when it comes to the Internet and direct mail solicitations. Mr. Obama raised $6.9 million over the Internet and another $3.4 million through mail and telemarketing, compared to a total of $6 million from those venues for Mrs. Clinton, according to their campaigns.
The Clinton finance team is also ramping up its national operations to reach more cities; many of her first-quarter events were in fundraising hubs of New York, Los Angeles, Washington, and Miami.
And Clinton advisers are hoping for payoffs from specific demographics they have courted. Lawyers for Hillary confer on April 23 to raise money. Irish for Hillary have their time April 26 (with former President Bill Clinton). Gay supporters rally on May 23. Women for Hillary caucus June 4. And Indian Americans for Hillary gather on June 24.
"There are a lot of women and women's groups coming together now as well and starting to raise money," one Clinton adviser said.
Mr. Clinton, who has been concerned about Mr. Obama's fundraising strength and the framing of Mr. Obama's antiwar record, will continue to play a fundraising role that is matched in importance only by his wife's.
He has several receptions planned through May, including a "party on the pier" at Manhattan's Pier 94 on April 23 and then another on Long Island on May 5. He will do double duty on May 8, hitting events in Rockland County, N.Y., and then Greenwich, Conn.
Mrs. Clinton relied especially heavily on long-time donors to her and husband who were among her 84 "bundlers" -- individuals or couples who solicited donations that totaled $100,000 or more.
The Clinton bundlers included good friends of Mr. Clinton, such as businessman Ron Burkle, Hollywood producer Steve Bing, and media magnate Haim Saban, as well as other loyalists during his time in office, such as Democratic Party backer Beth Dozoretz. Friends of Mrs. Clinton who are also bundling include Jill Iscol and Susie Buell.
At least four current or former lobbyists are also among the 84, including Mac Bernstein and John Merrigan of the law firm DLA Piper.
There are "low dollar receptions" to go along with the parties where the gate fee is $4,300 – the maximum donation that covers both the primary and general elections races. And there are special guest events: A reception with former Senator Majority Leader George Mitchell on Los Angeles at the end of April, and a barbeque at campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe's house on July 1.
Gov. Jon Corzine of New Jersey was listed as the host of a June 18 reception for Mrs. Clinton in a campaign e-mail sent out on Friday evening, one day after Mr. Corzine was seriously injured in a car crash. As of Sunday night, Mr. Corzine was in intensive care in critical but stable condition; the fundraiser was planned before the accident, Democrats familiar with the event say.
To be sure, the campaigns of Mr. Obama and another rival, former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, promise to be aggressive as well. But Clinton insiders say they do not want – and frankly, perception-wise, cannot afford – any drop-off in fund-raising from the first quarter to the second.
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