Posted on 06/17/2007 5:37:20 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(AP) ST PAUL, MN -- One month before they reach the first fundraising milepost, political leaders who helped lure next year's Republican National Convention to Minnesota huddled Friday about where to find the money.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, conceded that fundraising efforts need a push. Pawlenty, U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman and the mayors of Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul met privately for 90 minutes to figure out who to hit up and how.
"While there's a little bit of a slow start to the cash in the door part of it, we have got a good momentum behind the pledges and there's a preliminary indications of peoples' willingness to support this event," Pawlenty said. "If those pledges are fulfilled we're on track and then some."
In bidding for the convention, the Twin Cities host committee set a goal of raising $3.9 million by July 15, or 10 percent of the $39 million that must be attained from private sources to pay convention expenses. Some of the fundraising is in the form of in-kind contributions, which are goods and services for the event instead of money.
Other funds will be raised nationally toward an ultimate goal of having $60 million to put toward the Sept. 1-4 convention where Republicans will nominate their next presidential candidate.
Jeff Larson, a host committee organizer, said he was confident the July 15 goal would be met. He refused to say where the committee stands in its fundraising.
"We're not going to get into a numbers game of how much has been raised and from who," he said.
Larson acknowledged that money raising has "been a little bit slow." He said the host committee has spent much of its time lining up hotel and event space.
In Denver, where Democrats will hold their national convention, organizers said earlier this month that they fell $2 million short of their $7.5 million cash goal.
Host committee members in Colorado said they too were lining up pledges they hope to turn into cash later.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, a Democrat, said Friday's meeting proved the leaders of different parties were intent on setting their political baggage aside.
He said he's working to convince donors -- regardless of their political affiliation -- that the convention will pay off in terms of regional exposure.
"We're not going to get many chances like this and everybody in this community has to step up to the plate in different ways," Rybak said.
Meanwhile, a request for $50 million in federal security funding remains in limbo in Congress. Sen. Coleman said he and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar are searching for a bill to which the appropriation can be attached.
Maybe they can sell “toast” at that bake sale;unless they change their ways they will BE toast.
RNC - LISTEN UP - NO MONEY!!
You won’t listen to your base so your base will not SUPPORT YOU WITH THEIR MONEY.
You want money .. then GATHER YOUR COURAGE AND DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR AMERICA .. AND NOT WHAT’S RIGHT FOR MEXICO.
build the fence...
I’ll send a brick a week until it’s completed.
Maybe I should send a peso ripped in half!
Too late to do much that will improve their situation.Folks are pretty much permanently pissed off.
Leni
Maybe they can get it from the bush cartel?
All?!? Try cutting government. I'm not talking about this cutting back how fast government grows which is popular with Republicans these days. Back to the days of conservatism. Cut it. First up, foreign aid. I don't care what the Saudis, Ukranians, and whoever else they're throwing my tax dollars at wants. Then let's start with departments. Say Health & Human Services, Education, Energy. Cut programs. Pill bills, education 'programs', funding of highways other than post roads.
Next, the soldiers spread over 170 nations defending something another. I know it's not my freedom and it's not this nation. Bring 'em home. Actually defend this nation instead of 'US interests' abroad. There's this big border due South that's been open of late.
Open up trade with all nations. Historically, the best way to open lines of communication is trade. Trade influences the person on the street. That person votes or protests thereby influencing a nation's direction.
Do that and the Republicans get my vote. Otherwise, they can rot.
Excellent! We should all send our money just to the conservatives who are properly representing us!
They are sooooo out of touch.
Why don’t they use the massive amounts of money given by special interest groups for the shamnesty bill because they are NOT getting any from the great unwashed and bigotied.SCREW THESE PEOPLE
Hey - I’ve got an idea. How about the Republicans grow a backbone, stand up for what their base wants, and DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE... Maybe then some former contributors might open their wallets again.
But I sense that many former regular donors might be somewhat put off the party leadership and their push for amnesty and lack of border enforcment, among several other issues.
Don’t kick your base, then ask them for money and support.
They can have it in a tent as far as I am concerned. Not a dollar of my money goes to the RNC!!
My money goes to Fred Thompson and the USO. All the RNC gets from me is those Bush pesos.
Fred is a moderate — you will probably get more of the same.....
Whatever they have, they will not get one Peso from me this year. Not one!
Couldn't agree more. Not one dime of my money will go to one Senator or Rep that supports the Immigration bill and I will work to help defeat them. We only have one Congressman that I am not sure about as he is close to the WH but I have a hunch he will get in line when the chips are down.
Give them all a call in the morning.
I get to call Specter and Casey (PA). And my Congressman, (a Dem) Tim Holden, is more likely to vote against the amnesty bill than either of the other two.
The RNC sent me a fundraising letter last week. I responded with a letter, but no cash. The letter probably won’t be read, but I got to vent.
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