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COLUMBIA, SC –- John Rainey, a businessman here who has helped Republican candidates raise millions of dollars in previous election cycles, reminisced about John McCain asking him to join in some serious retail politics during the 2008 presidential primary.
“I was traveling with the senator and his mother. And I would introduce his mother, and his mother would introduce the senator. It was the old-fashioned way!” Rainey recalled. “It was really fun. We had a bus, and we’d go somewhere and it’d be 25 people.”
McCain flaunted the support of Rainey and his campaign’s other South Carolina campaign “bundlers,” who raise money for candidates through their business connections, to show his strength among members of the state’s well-connected business community, as well as his campaign’s fundraising prowess.
But four years later -- and after the rise of super PACs (groups that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from individuals and corporations) -- the role of the bundler has been marginalized. Unlike Super PACs, bundlers are able to use their connections to raise the maximum of $2,500 per individual in a primary election.
For Rainey, that translates into fewer calls from campaigns asking for fundraising help.
“We haven’t been doing anything. I have not raised one dime,” he said. “It’s been more than one campaign who said, 'We really don’t’ need y’all to raise money in South Carolina.'"
And Rainey’s network of friends and colleagues, who coalesced so quickly first around George W. Bush in 2000 and then McCain in 2008, is supporting a disparate group of candidates, meaning whatever monetary heft they could provide is being broken up.
But as Saturday’s primary nears with the field no less fractionalized, this group of South Carolina business leaders decided to invite candidates to speak with them, in the hopes of eventually landing on one candidate to collectively support.
“Clearly electability is a key concern for this group who’s continued to gather,” said Terry Brown, the CEO of Edens, a retail developer whose Columbia offices played host last week to Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, who addressed a boardroom full of 10 to 15 business leaders looking to coalesce around one candidate. A meeting with Jon Huntsman was scheduled for 2 pm Tuesday before he dropped out Sunday, and the group is also working with Mitt Romney’s aides to schedule a session.
Some of the business leaders have already endorsed candidates. Rainey was in Huntsman’s corner; Brown endorsed Romney, and Eddie Floyd, a surgeon and prominent bundler who is also part of the informal group, had thrown his support to Rick Perry.
But Floyd said they were united in one objective: unseating President Obama. And he suggested that he and other members of the group who have already endorsed candidates might change their mind if another candidate was determined to have the best general election prospects.
“We need to get somebody that can win,” Floyd said.
Rainey said one of the reasons he and his friends had not fallen in line behind one candidate sooner was because none of the candidates this cycle instill the same excitement in them as have presidential hopefuls in previous years.
“There’s not anybody among my peers that’s passionate about anybody. The only thing anybody is passionate about is the idea and the objective of taking the White House,” he added.
Rainey expressed doubt, however, that the group could rally behind one candidate this soon before the primary, and said he would be looking towards Monday night’s debate in Myrtle Beach for prompts as to whom to support.
“Monday night’s going to be it. Somebody’s going to have to come through with a deal breaker or a deal maker -- say something that causes a paradigm shift where all of a sudden there’s a reason to coalesce behind one or two candidates. Hopefully one candidate,” he said.
And while it may be too late for the support of the bundlers to have any real effect in the primary, Brown says their main impact could come in supporting the eventual nominee.
“With these sessions, there’s some hope that the business communities will have to help fund some of the campaigns into the general election,” he said.
Yet given his concerns about being edged out of the fundraising game by Super PACs, Rainey said he wasn’t sure how much the endorsement of a handful of businessmen in South Carolina would matter this time around.
“Maybe we send out a letter, something like that,” he said, thinking aloud about how to help the candidate after the group has made a decision. “We’ll have coverage of some kind of announcement. But other than that, there’s not much else we can do. We can lend our name if that particular candidate -- assuming we can agree -- wants us to. I’m sure any one of us would be willing to do whatever their candidate wanted us to do.”
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Let's get all nostalgic for the bygone era of the bundlers, when businessmen twisted the arms of people they actually knew to cough up support for some politician.
"But Floyd said they were united in one objective: unseating President Obama"
What else is new. Maybe if the right would quit wasting its energy working against The President and working with him the Country would be in a better place. But noooooooo, lets run it in the ground and put all the blame at Obama feet. So much for country first. Or is this your idea of Country first?
Bundlers are kinda like the now extinct dodo bird....fat, clumsy...
Oh, well.....I guess Citizens United (Corporations are People too) sent them to their demise.
Or is this your idea of Country first?
Exactly...destroy the country first and hopefully Obama will be second.
Can someone explain to me why business leaders hate Obama so much when they seem to be doing so well under his administration? Aren't they experiencing unprecedented profits? Is it because they think they will have even bigger profits if he is replaced?
I agree, the GOP's idea of Country First is exactly what we see and hear--make President Obama a one-term president and never mind who gets hurt in the process. Real patriot folks those GOPTPers.
Heartlight3, that is one of the world's great mysteries!
Amy B. Portland, ME
"..........Let's get all nostalgic for the bygone era of the bundlers, when businessmen twisted the arms of people they actually knew to cough up support for some politician. ........."
LOL, tell that to the people at; a) Solyndra, and b) Siga Technologies who donated large amounts of cash to Obama's campaign and found themselves with; a) several million dollars worth of federally guaranteed loans; and, b) a multi-million-dollar single participant no-bid contract.
I guess it's okay when Obama does it, because he stands for "change".
Yeah, right.......
The article is pretty clear as to why republicans want Obama gone. Heartlight, not all businesses are doing good. Many of them have held back because of the uncertainty factor of regulations and taxes. My industry is doing the worst... housing/construction.
While Obama may be exhibiting some centrist movement, don't be deceived... he is a far left radical liberal. He just understands politics to the extent that he can't enact all his desires at the same time. The right knows this and will do everything in their power to cause as much resistance to a left track.
If you can't figure out why the right objects to everything coming from the democrats, then you just aren't paying attention. For 2 years the right had extremely little to grasp onto and then came the bump towards the right by the nation. Much to the angst of the left, the liberal revolution was placed on hold... and the right was not going to allow any more from the left slip through.
As the liberals say, the right is holding back the country, this isn't quite the truth. The right is still at a disadvantage even though they control the house. The senate stops the house from moving forward. I'd love to know how many pieces of legislation is sitting on Harry Reid's table. I'll bet it's somewhere in the hundreds.... and the left continually asks where's the legislation from the republicans... maybe they should ask Harry Reid that question. He seems to lose more republican legislation than is accounted for. It's not only the right that's holding Obama back... it's the left holding the right back.
What's really questionable is how come the left doesn't see this. The ONLY thing they see is republicans saying no... and then they blame them. Sorry left, but those types of unmitigated lines of BS fall on deaf ears.
The republicans will do everything they can to get Obama out of office. We haven't seen much excitement from the right over the candidates, but when one is selected to go heads up, you can count on as much enthusiasm as you saw in 2010. The right will rally around the nominee... this you can be sure of. For now, silence is golden.
Poor ole J. Merle, he's been leaving his BlowUp Hillary Doll so alone in that Bunker while he comesout to throw a few Grenades at his beloved Democratic Party.
So J. Merle, how'd you feel about them Pallets of crisp $100 bills just disappearing over there in the sandbox America just quit playing in? Oh, nevermind, you can go see Saddams 3-5 Trillion Dollar (and counting) Pistol, when Chicken George opensup his Presidential Library.
Occupy SoggyBottom!
Yeah-- a friend of mine really felt soooo good when his boss came around to pick up those checks for a candidate the friend did not support but couldn't refuse.
Rick,Ky You said got that right. The righties sure don't want to talk about that one.
Best campaign ad I've seen yet follows.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=colbert+nation+mitt+romney+serial+killer&mid=2823B02F3FCA6668FD5A2823B02F3FCA6668FD5A&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1
It's always the John Stewart and Stephen Colbert who take the time to open the voters eyes
Stewart & Colbert both men are brilliant. They tell it like it is.
That was brilliant. I hope they keep this up.
And they do not spare anyone...ITM? here's one for you, from that unfunny Daily Show...
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-january-12-2012/civil-disservice
Danderfield ... followed the post ... sign said, "The contents are not available in your location." But then I have Joni Mitchell singing, "Oh Canada, I could drink a case of you."
Why do I think we would not be seeing so many of these super PAC articles if Obama's own super PAC was not such a miserable failure? They're still operating on their seed money, it seems.
Funny how there's never a mention of that, just like there was nary a mention of Romney giving cash from his wallet to a destitute woman- although it was covered by every other major news organization. Heck, even the New York Times had an article on it.
Oh, we'll, wave those Pom poms while the waving is good. There's less than eleven months to the election- then they'll get out away in favor of professional journalism.
The fact that you see what Romney did, handing $50 to that woman, as a positive thing makes you every bit as naive as Mitt Romney.
Mittens "I'll bet you $10,000" but only gives $50 to someone who needs a heck of a lot more. Like better pay since black women are the lowest paid for equal work. Or an education. Or help with her children since she made "pro-life" choices. But no, Mittens thinks $50 should cover it all!
You did a heckuva job Mitt!
Willard,
That woman needs a JOB not a hand out!
romney forgot to leave the money from the night before.
President Obama doing a similar act would be accused of planting the woman as a publicity stunt. Mr. Romney does it and suddenly he's "St. Willard".
With apologies for being a "Doubting Thomas", isn't it convenient that the same week Romney gets slammed for corporate greed some woman comes along and he just out of the blue gives her some money?
...or maybe it's to keep folks like me talking about how bad SuperPACs are. You going to watch Rock Center tonight to see Colbert? You might want to.
DaNoid, thanks for reminding me about this Rock Center thing. I do want to see Colbert!
WaH Wah Wah...I notice that FR resident poll dancer is complainin bout the rules..Nuttin illegal here..so what's the problem?..Thought you republicans liked the rules...Newt got burned by em!...What say we take money out of the equation and bring back the "fairness doctrine." Networks wouldn't sell much advertising now would they?
Oh and a s far as Mittens largess is concerned, the average working stiff contributes 10 times as much of his EARNED income as this poltroon does to charitable causes. What's your point?
I hesitate to ask this, but how would we know how much President Obama's Super PAC has raised since it is not obligated to disclose who contributes to it or how much is contributed?
No, Super PAC’s do not have to tell where the money comes from but they do have to report how much money, in total, they have taken in. The next report is due Jan 31.
At least that is my understanding but this whole Super PAC thing is so new most people don’t know the rules.
Thanks, Dennis for the clarification. I'm guessing that in all the celebration of the Citizens United decision, the Republicans didn't foresee the Super PACs being used on them by fellow Republicans.
From Politico, (Glenn Thrush is the author of the piece)-
By the way, Obama's super PAC had as a goal $100 million. Doesn't look like they'll quite make it, does it?
Yeah, I miss the old days of Tony Rezko, John Corzine and Norman Hsu commiting felonies in between bundling for the Democrats.
The "Golden Era" for Democrat campaign finance.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL
He sure did one with Bain capitol; why he even have money flowing from just about every orifice including the lower part of his anatomy; his rectum.
ABOUT BAIN they admit to outsourcing.
http://www.bain.com/consulting-services/information-technology/it-capability-sourcing.aspx
Feisty
I left this note for you in FT. I was not sure you would see it; so I'm putting it her
I'm a little late but I am on my way to downtown Bank Of America OWS rally in the spirit of Dr.King. I hope to catch the tail end of it and those provocateurs infiltrating it.
Rev. Jessie Jackson has asked to not just recite Dr. King quotes but to do something to keep the Dream Alive. Last night Rev Jackson slept @ homeless shelter and ministered to the down trodden.
Rev Jackson also pointed out that many people living in shelters do have jobs. it's just that they don't make enough money to pay rent. Rev Jackson also said he is reviving the Poor People's Campaign
History of Poor People's Campaign
In November 27, 1967,Dr Martin Luther King JR. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference organized a Poor People's Campaign to address issues of economic justice and housing for the poor in the United States, aiming itself at rebuilding America's cities. The Poor People's Campaign did not focus on just poor black people but addressed all poor people.Martin Luther King jr. labeled the Poor People's Campaign the "second phase," of the civil rights struggle - setting goals such as gathering activists to lobby Congress for an "Economic Bill of Rights," Dr. King also saw a crying need to confront a Congress that had demonstrated its "hostility to the poor " - appropriating "military funds with alacrity and generosity," but providing "poverty funds with miserliness."
Under the "economic bill of rights" the Poor People's Campaign asked for the federal government to prioritize helping the poor with an antipoverty package that included housing and a guaranteed annual income for all Americans.
http://sunstateactivist.org/ssablog/
I am donating my old clothes to a shelter in following with Rev Jackson & President Obama to do to help keep the spirit of Dr. King's legacy alive. I'm not rich like Spanky, but I think my heart is in the right place.
Will report back to you tomorrow. I hope I won't be too late.
((((hugs))))
Hey No Joe, MSNBC finally covered Romney giving that woman some money.
They has a contributor on today that pretty much said it was a racist act and was done to reinforce the "Dependent Black Person" meme.
See, they just had to figure out what angle to cover the story from. That was what was holding them up.
It sure is Bev!
Always remember, money can not buy you happiness! Which is something he proves here daily...
I'll be waiting to hear your full report!
{{{HUGS}}}
PS: When my daughter was home over the holidays, we cleaned out her hold room and donated a TON of stuff to charity...
Now I'm moving on to tackle my closets! ☺
How much money has our President’s other Super PAC’s raised?
1911 United, Lantern Project, Working for Working Americans
And the other 60+ registered Liberal Super PAC’s.
Where's the story about Lizzie being a 1%er. She worth a boat load and has cashed in some nice salaries from the gov't as well as Harvard for some not so heavy lifting jobs. Nice checks! Plus millions in investment money.
She's sings that same old Warren Buffet song and dance about being on the little guys side while they sock it all away.
1% of Americans are millionaires versus 47% of Congress.
Amazing, the topic is John McCain's former business bundler waxing nostaligic for the good old days of bundlers, and what pops up--FR's very own naysayer with the anti-Obama rant asserting that President Obama's Super Pac is a failure because that's why suddenly everyone is reporting on the power of the Super Pacs. Never mind the fact that the full impact of Citizens United is now being felt by both parties. Never mind that President Obama scolded and warned the Supreme Court of the harm that would be caused by overturning hundreds of years of established law and unleashing "corporations as people" with the power of the real people diminished, warned of the ramifications of their decision while Justice Alito shook his head.
Good point, Jody. I can understand why someone who was inclined to make a contribution to a campaign would do it through a Super PAC--if only for the anonymity they get.
John Rainey: “I was traveling with the senator and his mother. And I would introduce his mother, and his mother would introduce the senator. It was the old-fashioned way!” Rainey recalled. “It was really fun. We had a bus, and we’d go somewhere and it’d be 25 people.”
=====
Ahhhh, the poor thing. Guess your money isn't as green as you thought it was John. Felt like big beans in 08, now small bean in 12. That's the way it goes Mr. Rainey. Go ahead, give Grandma McCain a call...I'm sure she'll be delighted to convince Mitt to seek your personal endorsement the old fashioned way.
The entire article and these so called business leaders do not mention one policy reason for needing to unseat the President. Typical and shameful.
It's said: Money talks, Umh-Hmm walks...Now it's big money throws it weight around, and we can thank the Republican influenced Supreme court.
Ah, nostalgia for bundling...
Reminds me of a recent cartoon: Two young guys looking at tablets, and one of them says, "I tried listening to a book once, but I missed the tactile sensation of finger on glass."
Former bundlers are now working in the SuperPAC's, so all that rigmarole about bus stops and 25 people is hooey. Gosh, I never thought I could use both 'rigmarole' and 'hooey' in the same sentence. Thanks, FR.
The right will rue the day the Super PACs became a part of elections. First they will be used by Republicans to defeat each other and waste countless dollars that would be better spent educating people and feeding the poor. Obama's Super PAC is adding to his war chest while the Republicans spend theirs fighting each other.
Why does Obama need one billion dollars for his campaign, if he is a sure win anyway??
Or, maybe his victory isn't quite a sure thing after all??
In fact, maybe he is getting desperate, as the signs are showing a right wing landslide of historic proportions.
The person that raises the most money for their campaign wins 94% of the time.
joe e In fact, maybe he is getting desperate, as signs a right wing landslide of historic proportions.
Tell me nimrod how could a fact be a maybe? Your head is so far up your butt you can't see for all the crap that you think is your brain. But all you righties think maybes are fact.
Obama Biden 2012
We are currently WITNESSING DEMOCRACY BEING EFFECTIVELY TAKEN OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE VOTERS. The United States of American will no longer be able to call itself a Democracy.
Thank you Republicans and your Conservative Leaning help YOU GOT FROM THE Supreme Court for Citizens United - CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE.
Lets see the the Conservative Leaning Supreme Court will MAKE VOTER SUPPRESSION the Law of the Land, since this was a battle FOUGHT AND WON IN THE 20TH CENTURY.