September 17, 2007
Paul Gets in CA $wing of Things
Ron Paul's strong fundraising numbers provided one of the more unexpected storylines of the 2nd Quarter. Can he live up to expectations this quarter? Los Angeles -based Hotline contributor David Finnigan reports on Paul's California fundraising swing last weekend.
LOS ANGELES - For $2,000-per-ticket, L.A. donors were treated to dinner with the Texas congressman at a 62-acre mountaintop spread overlooking Los Angeles. The 9/12 catered affair - complete with an attractive wait staff which proved the Swingers movie line about L.A.'s "gene pool" - was part of a two-day, mid-week California swing in which Paul raised about $168,000.
That's not much for top-tier '08 candidates - Sen. Barack Obama earned that much from the first 73 of the 1,500 guests arriving at his 9/08 garden party at Oprah Winfrey's California estate. But U.S. Rep. Ron Paul raising $168,000 in two days this week was deemed impressive.
"For Ron Paul it is!" said surprised Dem media strategist Chris Lehane.
Paul supporters watched an L.A. sunset from the porch of the mountaintop ranch owned by a wealthy Mormon lawyer. The first day of Paul's California trip had 47 people attending a $500-per-plate breakfast at Pasadena's decidedly upscale Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa. An afternoon rally at the University of Southern California saw numerous Ron Paul posters across the campus and a large student crowd.
"I'll tell you why I like him," said 32-year-old electrician Eric Schoentag, "he's gonna get rid of the Federal Reserve!"
A post-rally, $500-per-ticket USC cocktail reception attracted 42 true believers. Paul's second day was spent in Northern California, where he attracted similar dollars at three fundraisers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The candidate seemed the most surprised by his Golden State love.
"I've been really impressed with how well we've been doing - I'm not supposed to say that!" Paul said at the USC reception, which had two carving chefs and chocolate wrapped in gold coins resembling 19th century American currency. At the registration table was a March 2007 copy of The John Birch Society's New American magazine with a Paul interview.
The campaign's Federal Election Commission filings in July reported $3 million in contribitions. The early states' focus is on the four full-time staffers in New Hampshire, which campaign chairman Kent Snyder said is ripe Paul country because it has, "libertarian streaks and the old right...it's priority one.
One highlight at the mountaintop ranch's fundraiser came when the candidate and others went back out on the porch after sunset. They looked up high, into the clear night, to see a small plane over L.A. with an electronic Paul promo flashing from the plane's belly.
As one slogan appeared, the crane-necked crowd collectively read it aloud - "No National IDs!!!" [DAVID FINNIGAN]
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Posted at 03:32 PM
Comments
The California visit was actually part of a 4-day fundraising trip, to LA, San Francisco, Seattle, and Salt Lake City, and the 4-day total (plus online donations for that period) was a lot higher than $168K....
Ron Paul spoke to a crowd of 700+ at USC, 400+ at Seattle University, 1200+ at the Westin hotel in Seattle, and 1000+ in Salt Lake City. He's been drawing larger crowds than any other Republican candidate, and has far more volunteers signed up (44,000 and counting on Meetup.com), is the most-searched-for candidate online, yet the mainstream media still treat him like a second tier candidate....
Craig | 09.17.07 04:26 PM
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HOT DIGGITY!
GO RON PAUL!!!!
RP | 09.17.07 04:43 PM
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He made $350,000 on the five-day tour, according to campaign manager Kent Snyder in an e-mail sent out to supporters. He will probably raise about $5 million this quarter, but count on hacks like Patrick Ruffini to "guess" Paul will raise $10 million, then feign "disappointment" at the $5 mil.
Of course, Paul also has 45,000 meetup members to Thompson's 173 -- that's 173, not 173,000, McCain's 105, Giuliani's zero, and Romney's zero.
Face it, the fake way the CFR used to shove candidates down our throat is being challenged by the Ron Paul Revolution. And we're also sort of wondering: how come MSM outlets like NJ never told us about the CFR? Wasn't it your duty to keep the public informed?
FZappa | 09.17.07 05:12 PM
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Awesome. I truly believe Ron Paul is our Republics only hope. Special Interests and corruption is the order of the day and the American people are just a revenue source for all sorts of inapprorpiate things.
It is finally time someone who is truly an American, in the truest sense of the word, comes and represents the people.
Ron Paul. You are a man to follow anywhere.
www.ronpaul2008.com
Jake | 09.17.07 05:16 PM
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THANKS TO EVERY TRUE PATRIOT WHO HAS DEVOTED THEIR TIME AND MONEY TO RON PAUL'S CAMPAIGN..
HE TRULY IS THE LAST HOPE FOR AMERICA.
WWW.RONPAUL2008.COM
WWW.RONPAULAUDIO.COM
WWW.RONPAULLIBRARY.ORG
WWW.FREEME.TV
Bob Dylan | 09.17.07 05:37 PM
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You guys are just talking to yourselves!
bio mom | 09.18.07 09:50 AM
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Talking to ourselves? Are you sure? Every time I attend an event there are new faces, people who hadn't heard of him before, people interested to hear his message. We're talking with the country, and the country is listening.
Don't underestimate the interest of the American public in a candidate who is a breath of fresh air, and a healthy change for our government.
Financial Responsibility | 09.18.07 01:24 PM
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Ron Paul up to 4% in the latest Gallup poll. Romney at 7%.
What's that "first tier" I keep hearing the National Journal tools talk about?
FZappa | 09.18.07 06:14 PM
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