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Updated 5:38 p.m. - Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are taking turns Thursday assailing the immense financial support within the GOP for Mitt Romney, highlighting the role of money and wealth in the Republican campaign.
Santorum and Gingrich each took strides in separate campaign events to note the fundraising advantage enjoyed by Romney during the campaign. But the comments weren't just intended to advance a David-versus-Goliath narrative for both candidates; they were also trying to make the case that there's a gap between the party's activist class and its establishment, represented by the donations to each campaign.
"Governor Romney has the ability to raise huge amounts of money," Gingrich said at an event in Woodstock, GA. "Only 6 percent of his donors have given less than $200."
Santorum, this afternoon in Atlanta, made a similar argument. The former Pennsylvania senator pointed to the fact that his campaign raised $9 million in February from over 130,000 donors -- a point meant to emphasize grassroots support for his campaign.
"Two-thirds of our donations were small-dollar givers, compared to Gov. Romney, 9 percent of his donations were small-dollar donations," he said. "We have the base of the Republican Party, we have the activists who are excited about our campaign who are contributing."
It matches, in many ways, Democrats' efforts to define Romney as a wealthy individual who struggles to identify with most middle class voters, a message, it seems, that has taken hold in the Republican primary as well.
Gingrich and Santorum each sought to link Romney with Wall Street, as well, linking Romney more with elite financiers than the small-business owners with whom Romney identifies himself frequently on the campaign trail.
"We're just not going around meeting with CEOs and in the big cities,” Santorum said. “We're living off, this campaign is living off the hard work of average ordinary people across this country who want to see a fundamental change, not on folks who have -- well, let's say a special interest in electing their candidate.”
These comments wade into the murky waters of class divisions that have become part of the Republican campaign. Romney has performed particularly well with more wealthy Republican voters, according to entrance and exit polls of caucuses and primaries that have taken place to date. In all but a few contests, Romney has lost the more middle-class and blue-collar portions of the Republican electorate to his challengers.
But the Romney campaign had previously held up its fundraising prowess as a sign of its strength in the Republican field. They trumpeted, for instance, a "National Call Day" the Romney campaign had hosted in Las Vegas just shortly after Romney made his candidacy official. The campaign netted $1 million that day – and promises of much more. Romney also attracted some of the GOP's biggest money men throughout the campaign, such as Ken Langone, the founder of The Home Depot.
"Virtually all of his donors maxed out,” Gingrich said, “ ’cause he went to Wall Street, and he actually got the money from the people who got bailed out by TARP, so when you see the attack ads, they’re being paid for with your tax money from the guys.”
Romney's campaign reported receiving more than 9,600 donations in January, according to its most recent Federal Election Commission filing. The campaign received about $6.5 million over the same period, too, making for an average donation of about $673.
The Romney campaign said that 75 percent of its donors have given $250 or less. The campaign has received over 141,000 donors, about 125,000 of whom -- about 88 percent -- are permitted to give additional money without surpassing federal limits on donations to a campaign in an election cycle.
(By comparison, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina asserted in January that the president's campaign had an average donation of $55, and that 98 percent of contributions were $250 or less.)
There are signs that Romney may begin working to change that. He asked supporters to go to his website during his victory speech Tuesday evening in Michigan, the first such time he made such a plea in a speech. It may be driven by necessity, too, given the immense amounts of money the Romney campaign has spent over the past two months, as well as Romney's resistance to self-funding his campaign, in part. (Romney spent millions of his own fortune on his 2008 White House bid.)
There's also a certain degree of irony in Gingrich and Santorum decrying deep-pocketed support of Romney given the Super PACs working on each candidate's behalf. Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson has spent more than $10 million to prop up Gingrich's campaign through Winning our Future. And investor Foster Friess is the most prominent donor to the pro-Santorum Red, White and Blue Fund.
"I mean, look, I don't' have billionaires giving me tens of billions of dollars to Super PACs," Santorum said in Georgia.
No. Just millionaires.
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Willard shot his big donor wad prematurely!
Explains why Mittens was begging for $$$ Tuesday night during his speech!
Let's see how much Romney wants to be president. Would he be willing to put his 200 million + dollars into his own campaign for a chance to move into the whitehouse? It would be fun to watch him spend himself into the 99%!
BURN!!!
Nothing new with this!! Elite Class Warfare is what the Republicans have been all about for a long time. Now we need to select candidates that are aware of what life is really like rather than the pampered and greedy, who haven't paid their dues to society..
Even with millions of dollars from his billionaire buddies, the only thing keeping Romney's campaign alive is the fact that Santorum and Gingrich cant stop shoving their feet into their mouths. They've got to be about ankle deep by now.
Moon, LOL #1 just cracks me up, can the GOP get anymore out of touch with the other 99% of us???
Of course they don't want everyone to go to college, then there would be no more workers to exploit!
You would think that if Meg Whitman was not only willing but did spend more than 140million of her own dollars on her own campaign just to be a governor, these President wannabees would be more than willing to spend their corporate owners billions. I meant donors...
The question is who cares? Thks election cycle and that of 2008 show exactly what is wrong with America. Way too much money from too many people seeking favors in return.
You'll have to pay back Obama's crushing debt one day ....
Nicely stated moon.
Thank you moonbase for listing Santorum's insane positions.
America is struggling with:
- unemployment
- A lack of health care coverage for 47 million citizens
- Home foreclosures caused by Wall Street
- A lack of affordable housing
- An inadequate educationl system
- High debt caused tax giveaways to the rich
- A struggling middle class
- Increasing poverty
- A war
- An overflowing prison population
- Intractable political division
Yet, Santorum sees America's biggest problem as contraception!
Santorum has a narrow and errant vision of what "ails" America.
A vote for this misguided man is a vote for "no freedom."
In the voting booth, send Santorum home to Virginia.
I agree with you. And it is not just class warfare. It is sexual warfare. They know they can't get the middle class vote or votes from women, so they are trying to disparage both as insignifican and useless to society. Pretty sick.
bigbenalaska - Presidents Campaign money came from small donors... And I don't mind giving my whole week of salary to him... as long as I know that any of the current GOP candidates won't win in the Nov Election!!! I just wish that come 2016, GOP will give us a worthy candidates unlike this dingbats!!! They are all self righteous with so much baggage to become a President!
And by the way... whatever debt you are talking about... that was the result of the 2 UNPAID wars by Bush and the Tax Break for the RICH!
correction:
-tax giveaways to the rich
-An inadequate educational system
Republicans top to bottom would not know honor if it were staring them straight in the face. What an embarrassement to our country. Pathetic day after day after day after day.
The Obama dept, handed to us by the People that voted for Bush. Not once but twice.
"Gov. Romney, 9 percent of his donations were small-dollar donations,"
This is the most blatant attempt to purchase the Presidency in history.
It least they are not accepting donations from China...
We know the Clinton's did this because he, his wife, and his brother were caught with the money...
Reference the DMC - Returned MILLIONS of ILLEGAL Donations, Contributers are either currently in jail or fled the USA, and the following investigations which uncovered more money, in the Clinton's accounts... see http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/bill_clintons_china_connection.html
Wither Obama received any we will never know because of his sealed records...
Ron Paul in 2012
He is th ONLY candidate that is willing & able to fix the national debt crisis. Anyone else will be more of the same. Save America & our Freedom, vote for Ron Paul in 2012
AC, did you just crawl outta the swamp?
Ron Paul can't even tie his own shoes without being goofy. What a laugh!
Class warfare is really not what is at stake here. People no matter how you try to white wash it gravitate to people they identify with. This isn't a war over class, it is a contest over opinion and methodology. At the end of the day, they all will vote for the Republican, unless the candidate isn't considered "conservative" enough.
AC - Obama didn't "seal" those records, they literally didn't keep key information to follow the trail of the money - "all by accident".
Jaded
Willing, but not able. RP has almost NO cooperation from the Republican party, and even less coopertation from the democratic party.
These words were written in 1776: "Democracies progress through this sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependence back again to bondage."
How true those words are. Will 2012 be the pivoting focal point for our returning to bondage via a Totalitarian Government?
SCGuardian:
If Democracies progress through that sequence then why don't we just nip it in the but now and become socialists?
Republicans are showing how stupid they are. They are giving the Democrates (Obama), the election. This fight for the Republican candidate is looking bad for the Republican party, and they will probably loss in this election, and they are driving people who do not like Obama to consder him a better alternative. Just look at Obama's approval ratings, they are up. I would like to see Obama go, but Gingrich and Santorum appear much worse. I do not think they can get the independent vote. They apparently must think Obama is better than Romney, otherwise they would not continue to try to destroy Romney, the only one among the three that have a hope of beating Obama. Stupidity, do you really want these stupid people (Gingrich & Santorum) as President. Have to be much worse than Obama, and that is very bad.
There's no way to know that in the wake of Citizens United.
Willard shot his wad prematurely!
Feisty - The wad he shot, probably hit him in the foot...............
After it ran down his leg!
Sorry, but that was too ripe not to pick! ;o)
LOL
the best part of Rommey went down his father pant leg
LOL.....
Your MINIs tell what you are and are backed up by your comments.
And, you are the folks who support Mr. Obama and his Class Warfare. What a JOKE for supporters.
LMAO
anybody but Obama... that's funny ans sad. you don't even care that the gop is running crooks, and would vote for one just to get the black guy out......sad you are. for america I mean.
".....just to get the black guy out......"
Typical Liberal response....revert to "racism".
I certainly hope the "moderator" is taking note of your comment. Keep up the good work, America is watching your comments.
Just for your info: 34 years in the military....just what have you done for your country ???
lol
are you guys serious ?
after 3 years of righties going nuts with racism misogyny and religious nutjobbery - you feel aggrieved when we expect the worse from you ?
my god !!!! it is unbelievable to witness the absolute pits of ridiculousness that american public discourse has degenerated to now a days - courtesy - fauxnews and mal contents like limbaugh and hannity and that dead person ....
do you even notice the garbage that is being spewed by rightie politicians/intellectuals/media personalities now a days ?
@ ldo
34 years military huh? Well coming from someone that did 20 years (Navy) and was fortunate to retire one would ASSUME you were an officer BUT I will have to contest that given some of your comments here or a reservist. Anyway, my question to you is this.....
How can you say that Mr. Obama is waging class warfare? What/where is the proof? (talking points NOT allowed in your theory). In MY opinion he has only been trying with little support from the house and senate to restore the economy back to some kind or normalcy. Oh and before you decide to use your "standard" response in calling me a "typical liberal", I am a independent and proud of it.
Methinks ldo should simply be renamed "Idunno".
Typical Liberal response....revert to "racism".
Typical conservative response --- deny reality. Tell us conservative --- why aren't you asking for your candidates birth certificates, they college transcripts, their passport information --- you expect it from the President -- why not your guys??
Perved out republicans want to watch sex acts on video sent to Limbaugh. In order for woman.to get birth control . Limbaugh calls woman who need birch control "SLUTS ".. And Romney and Santorum must agree as they voiced no concern !
If the shoe fits...Push comes to shove, all women are sluts.
Holmes
Your mother must be SO PROUD of you. /s
@H.H. Holmes, Too label more than half of the population "all women are sluts" as you put it is degrading and callus. I think in your case abortion would have been an appropriate and logical course of action, too bad your mother did not know what kind of person you would become when you eventually grew up!
If i were you, I would definitely seek psychological help if you want to have some sort of normal life without all the mental anguish and baggage your carrying around. You would be surprised how a true professional could help your state of mind and hopefully you will find peace.
Eureka !!!
I have found a perfect way for women to avoid having babies and no one will have to pay for it.
Just broadcast the fat pig Rush engaging in sex acts on video and the entire generation of women will lose any and all appetite for sex.
Ergo. Problem solved.
It might also help to keep the fat slob in a better mood.
....LOL!
Willard will get more moola once people figure out he is the true front runner. That make be sometime after Super Tuesday. He is more likely to do better in the West than the others so I think he might have better luck then. Idaho loves him and he is liked in SD. Maybe they will give him the confidence and the money he needs to in order to get the nomination. Once he is assured of the nomination Mitt will get more Norquist, Murcoch, and Koch money as well as money from other nabobs in the 1%. And, yes he may have to chip in a few million of his own to try and win.
As long as Newty stays in the race, its in the bag for Mittens
Oh i surely hope nutty newty stays in the race, just for pure entertainment!!!
Although, Ricky sure is adding quite a few one liners lately.
What a bunch of loons!!!! Bahahahaha
Romney buys his way through the country - if he did not use his money as blackmail he would not be going anywhere ' The man is not Presidential material nor are any of the other GOP contenders. He continually opens his mouth before his brain is in gear. This shows that he is definately not fit for the White House.
I believe that this is his fifth try at getting into the White House - I am praying that he will NOT make it once again !!!!! The last thing the USA needs is a Republican anywhere near the White House let alone in it !!!!
This is a natural problem of class warfare that Mr. Romney's going to have any way in the general election if wins the nomination because everybody's going to see he's going to be for uber-rich and let whatever is left over trickle-down "BECAUSE CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE MY FRIENDS!!!"
corporations are people too.that ruling is proof the supreme court is corrupt too.how sad
But Jeff, He's one of us remember, and he even has friends that like Nascar ... oh wait ... I mean He is friends with team owners, oops nevermind. LOL
No, the 2000 election giveaway is proof of SC corruption...
Love the notion that Gingrich, who gets $10 million a pop from his casino-owning sugar daddy, is somehow connected to the "little people." Likewise Santorum, who made his millions as a well-connected DC lobbyist. This is the best the GOP can offer?
Let's hope all their funding dries up, After all even CEO's have wife's I hope none of them are getting any.
Makes me wonder if the 95% aren't really 45%?
2% of the world population recieve 50% of all money that changes hands daily. according to the UN.
That means it's really a math and IQ warfare and the 2% have another 40-60% bamboozled or bribed.
until there are seperate restrooms for repub and 'crats ,I believe they are both mostly 2 sides of the same coin. a wooden nickle.
It is class warfare , but most on the side of the ultra rich and status quo, are mercenaries. vote for the Actor that represents how you prefer to be enslaved.
That's rich! -- Republicans arguing against big money!
Listen to all the GOP & Teabaggerss Its all about the Wealthy getting richer and the middle class getting poorer.....They don't want to help the poor, I do mean the poor not the lazy good for nothings...Who are the one's that leach off the taxpayer.They: are the Wealthy that get welfare both for themselves or for the Corps. So really All party are at fault...But it seems that the Wealthy get away with it like the Corzine.(.Democrat )...They steal billions and the few poor steals a few thousands. So what does the GOP want to do is Screw the MIddle Class to get even with the few. As I say its the me me me and F everyone else.... The failures of the Republicans party trying to take away SS and Medicare so they can give their wealthy Blackmailers more money...To hell with the Poor and Needy. Let them freeze in the winter and stave the Old and Babies,let them die from bad water, do away with the EPA and thats what you'll have, just like all you Teabaggers want...You make me sick with your Me Me Me altitude. It just a matter of time before the masses raise up against you . Greedy and you all call yourself Christains. What a laugh: Your no better than the Muslims you all hate. Wake up America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WAKE UP for Womans rights
That's a great point...I wonder if Santorum realizes that probably 50 percent of the population (maybe a lot more) see him as no different than the Tailban he professes to hate so much.
Hmm...so how exactly is Santorum and Gingrich's criticism different from that of Democrats? You gotta love conservative hypocrisy. They denounce the Democrats for waging class warfare on the rich, and now they turn around and are doing exactly the same thing! Kind of like how they were hypocrites about supporting the Tea Party, labeling them as "patriots", while lambasting OWS as "mob".
Because ows is a mob of agitators whilst, that means while, the tea partry is law abiding. Hmmmm maybe you need to look at some pictures of them both from their protest bases. Hmmm, seems like the tea party got all the required permits, and even cleaned up and left the area cleaner than when they got there. What do we have at ows? Rape, beatings, defecation on police cars, assault on police officers, criminal trespassing? Want me to go on????
Yes, Robert, please go on, because all your TeaIgnorance is oozing out at a rapid rate...
Doesnt matter what Romney, Santorum, Gingrich or Paul say. Why? Because NONE of these guys on their own or combined are beating Obama in Nov. It is going to be THAT EASY.
The field is being diluted to assure they do not win, like when Perot ran. They prefer to run the nation , by keeping senate and congress. if won prez, history says they would loose the houses.
Let half their strategy win :)
ALL money raised and spent to get the GOP back into the White House in 2012 is wasted.
better wasted then spent on oblowhole to boost his over extended ego!!!
Simply hilarious to watch these Baggers whine about Obama's ego, when we all see, every day and quite painfully, just what range of pathetic garbage they're trying in vain to shove down our throats.
ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! These religious evangelicals should know their Bible verses!
"You reap what you sew." Class warfare... the pubs are at it!
LOVE IT!
Of course, tomorrow, Romney will be on the other side of the equation.
It's "sow " dummy, not " sew". Get a freak'n education !!!
Nice job 'The Breeze'... spell checking people!!! Please DO NOT WASTE you talent so much!!!!
It is such a easy word. My 8 year old grandson can do better.
Hey, Breeze, you're missing some punctuation marks, dummy.
For Breeze "It is such a easy word. My 8 year old grandson can do better."
I'm going to correct your spelling of this phrase, it should read: It is such an easy word. My 8 year old grandson can do better.
Would your grandson have noticed that error?
@H.H. Holmes, I don't think your in a position to be correcting anyone with your school ground insults "dummy" and your "all women are sluts" POV.
Hello world .... it is the United States of America ... a country of the people and by the people .... well at least it used to be. Now it is BUY the guy you want to win the oval office. We have to look so b ad to everyone around the world. All they see are nut balls on the right and left screaming and yelling on tv. While millionaires and billionaires spend millions on their guy on behalf of the people.
I don't know how we the people can stop this train ... but somehow, someway we need to take our country back from these power mad greedy a-holes. For our kids sake we need to do something.
Maybe just maybe we start with Congress .... If your Representative or Senator has been in office for more then 10 years, maybe it is time for a new change .. Nice place to start huh :)
OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED or there will be mass riots in the streets by 2016.
- The Nostradamus of Konawaena
If your Congressman have been in more th;a;n ten DAYS it is time for him to go WITHOUT PAY
Mass riots, really?!
Let's not forget that it has been reported that Obama has a billion dollar war chest. Of course, in 2008, it was touted that all of his donations were from the working class...in 10 and 20 dollar increments....hahahaha.
And, we have bought him a motorhome and he has Air Force One, Two and Three...
Romney can't compete with that kind of "class warfare".
I saw some numbers this week showing that Obama has $106 mil. 60% came from donations of $200 or less. The biggest contributor to his PAC put in $2.5 mil. So it seems that he still has a very large grassroots support.
If you want to call that class warfare have at it. I call it 'we the people'.
Don't forget how hard all the TeaPubs work to relabel everything for their own political and social expedience. One of those blatant, telling behaviors that defines the Party of I Don't No Much.
When will msnbc get real and truthful and expose the real class warfare, obama and the dems. That's wherein it truly lays, and if you libs can't see it, get glasses damnit!!!
to robert-----phsssssssssssstttttt
Obama is not going to win the electoin in November, Romney, Santorum and Gingrich are going to lose it. How a party that gave us Abraham Lincoln and Dwight Eisenhower could come up with these boobs is beyond me. Romney the flub, Santorum the idiot and Gingrich the pervert.
Actually, it's pretty much won already. Don't forget Cain, Bachmann, Palin, Perry, and the Prince of Keebler. The sum of the parts clearly defines a party well out of control of it's own bodily functions.
Very humorous when hypocrites are so obvious. To hear Gingrich and Santorum upset about a fund-raising process that they support wholeheartedly is quite funny. But then again, the personality trait (other than stupidity) that Republicans demonstrate best is hypocrisy.
The other funny thing is to watch them shooting themselves down in flames. They are making it easier for Obama every day.
Fortyseven years a Democrat and just switched to Independent party. It looks like a buzzard free for all. What did you think we were going to get with the "CORPERATIONS ARE PEOPLE"rueling. Big money buzzards swooping down to pick the bones of the 99%. The video with Ron Paul grilling Burn-the-nakie obout the value of sound money sure taught me about the cheeters in control of this country's money program. This was laid out so clearly as well as all of the other predictions made by Ron Paul over his years of dedicated service to this nation. I, for the life of me, fail to see why people would even consider the smug corperation puppets that have been pushed to the forfront by MSM, another big corperation buzzard. I only hope that the young people can use the Internet to offset the obvious bias of the media. Even this article makes no mention of Ron Paul. He has the overwelming support of our troops and offers a way out of the mess that big banks and corperations have us wrapped up as a spider does a moth. A truely sick feeling for this old man. The MSM won't give Ron Paul any coverage so I will do what I can. Instead of ten hail Marys, I give you twenty Dr. Ron Pauls. Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Ron Paul. One for good measure Dr. Ron Paul 2012. More coverage then all MSM combined and may be worth more then big money can overcome if we all do this. A call to action. Flood any site with his name. Watch his videos on his site. WWW.RonPaulcampaign.com.
He also wants to ban all forms of birth control and make it illegal to pasturize(sp) milk, so he is no better than any of these guys.
I thing we should have a huge write in vote for Ron Paul that is what the Repuicks need
ahill1125
He does not want to ban all forms of birth control, he just wants the federal government (with our tax payer money) to stay out of people's business unless delegated to the federal government by the constitution. So totally misinformed statement.
He does not want to ban pasteurized milk, he actually wants to do almost the opposite by taking the government out of the regulation of raw milk, if someone wants to sell and drink raw milk safely the federal government should not interfere.
Too much misinformation here folks, do your own research and figure out why in the last 30 years we aren't living in a strong economy.
Ron Paul 2012.
To: georgethemechanic: How long would you give Ron Paul as president before someone actually took the poor guy out? History has proven that the ruling class does not relinquish absolute power easily. Its almost impossible for someone like Dr Paul to survive in the current system. I know its sad but the truth is simple, we are being RULED and most people don't know it!
No, Derek, I'm sure he wants to ban sex altogether. Very insidious, that Frothy guy!
OK, so lets go hypothetical here...
Ron Paul wins the election, He is now president but... oh yeah, congress makes the laws, not the president... doh!... they also approve any budget he submits... double doh!... I guess there is always executive orders, so he essentially would become a dictator so he can get what he wants... given that the legislature doesn't overturn his executive order... triple doh!
If he ever gets elected we either:
Interesting atmospherics and hype. HOWEVER, since Citizens United there is simply no way to really tell who the money is coming from. The PACS could be getting funds in smaller increments as well as the million dollar and multimillion dollar checks. Sounds typically hypocritical for Newt to complain since his primary bankroll comes from Sheldon Adelson - not exactly "grass roots."
Besides, GOP policies are all geared toward the 1%. So why should the average citizen fork over cash to a campaign? If Santorum and Gingrich have such strong "populist" support, as opposed to fat cat funding, why are they not doing better at the polls? The guys who write the million dollar checks can only vote once [supposedly].
Why are they not doing better? Because they are who they are!
This is funny, libs complaining about repubs complaining about repubs, LOL
I was visiting a company in England that was under contract with my company.
Their restrooms were either for Men and Gentlemen, and Women. The
Gentlemen being, of course managers and executives while the Men were the workers. Being a manager, I was quickly directed to the Gentlemen's Room when I headed towards the Mens room.
Somehow, I expect that romney's hpme has the same thing, maybe the Republicians will make it a law. maybe they will just eliminate womens rest rooms totally, since women should be at home having babies.