LOOK... it's TouristSenator!!!
It shows up in more places than TouristGuy did only with less style and substance...
she's Vaporware, just an empty crusty.
(Please spread me around like the parasite that i am...)
Posted on 04/24/2006 2:19:19 PM PDT by NYpeanut
As of March 31, Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate re-election committee had 36 people on its payroll and $19.7 million in the bank, although Republicans still haven't decided which of two relatively unknown candidates to run against her.
By contrast, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania a top Senate Republican trailing in the polls in his bid for re-election had 23 salaried staffers and a mere $9 million on hand, federal records show.
Clinton's re-election efforts are dwarfing her colleagues' campaigns and prompting speculation that she already is gearing up for a presidential bid in 2008.
"It's hard to say she's not running for president," said Hank Scheinkopf, a Democratic consultant in New York City.
Clinton aides refuse to talk about 2008. Instead, they stress the size of New York State and the volatility of its politics, saying they will need plenty of staff and money to fend off a Senate challenger certain to receive financing from Republicans nationwide.
"Our goal is to make sure people in New York State know the kind of work Hillary is doing for them," said Ann F. Lewis, communications director for Clinton's re-election campaign.
Then again, doing that could be part of Clinton's strategy for 2008, Scheinkopf said.
"What it tells you is that she wants to pile up massive numbers, from the western tier to New York City," Scheinkopf said of her re-election campaign.
That would strengthen Clinton's outlook for 2008, since the heavily Catholic working-class communities of upstate New York are similar to those of key swing states like Ohio, he added.
While Clinton had 36 full- and part-time staffers on her campaign payroll, other senators appeared merely to beginning to ramp up their political operations.
Sen. Mike DeWine of Ohio, like Santorum a Republican facing a tough re-election bid, had 10 staffers. In Virginia, Sen. George Allen, a Republican presidential hopeful with a potentially competitive re-election race this fall, had nine.
Clinton's campaign team differs from those of other Senate candidates in two ways.
First, it primarily is based in Washington.
While most other candidates positioned the majority of their staffs in their home states - where the voters are - only nine of the 36 Clinton staffers lived in New York. Lewis said that already is changing and an increasing number of workers will relocate to the state as the campaign progresses.
Second, political professionals described the Clinton team as far more talented and experienced than typical for a Senate campaign.
"One of her greatest strengths is her ability to put together a dream team," said Chris Lehane, a Clinton administration White House staff member who has worked on several presidential campaigns.
Lewis, for example, served as political director of the Democratic National Committee.
Capricia Marshall, White House social secretary while Clinton served as first lady, recently joined the campaign.
Maureen White, the national Democrats' outgoing finance chairwoman, also is expected to join shortly.
Those staff members also can call upon a huge pool of outside talent, including key figures from the two presidential campaigns of Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Paul Begala and James Carville, both former advisers of Bill Clinton, wrote fund-raising letters for the senator in February.
"Considering our extensive grass-roots fund-raising operation, I'd say we have an appropriate level of staff," Lewis said.
By tapping more than 250,000 donors nationwide, Clinton amassed a campaign chest vastly larger than that of any other senator up for re-election. The senator with the second-biggest amount - Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat - had a mere $10.3 million $9.4 million less than Clinton at the end of March.
Under federal law, any money left over from Clinton's Senate campaign could be used to run for president.
"She obviously can't announce that she's running for president yet, so she's done the next best thing, building up her staff and lining up the contributors," said Thomas F. Schaller, a University of Maryland political scientist and author of an upcoming book on Democratic presidential politics. "It's pretty shrewd."
Clinton also has enlisted the support of many of the party's biggest fund-raisers to help on a 2008 presidential bid, political pros said.
"She's already lapped the track," Lehane said. "She's done an impressive job, . . . locking down the fund-raisers who've supported her husband, as well as those who've come on the scene since."
Clinton's potential Senate challengers, John Spencer and Kathleen Troia McFarland, have a grand total of about $780,000 between them.
Christian Winthrop, a Spencer aide, nevertheless, said Spencer expects his fund raising to increase dramatically once he locks up the nomination.
Lewis agreed that a Republican candidate against Clinton could amass a vast amount of money very quickly.
"We're very cognizant of the kind of money that was raised by Rick Lazio," Lewis said, referring to then-Rep. Rick A. Lazio of Long Island, Clinton's Republican opponent in 2000.
Lazio quickly raised $39 million for his race.
Long a lightning rod in American politics, Clinton also could need plenty of money to counterattack ads from conservative groups that might want to rough her up this year.
"I think she's being very prudent, because there are lots of guns out there against her," said Joseph Crangle, former chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party.
When asked, McFarland, who goes by "K.T.," refused to criticize Clinton's fund raising, staffing or possible national ambitions.
"I guess it's good news, because it shows that Mrs. Clinton is taking this campaign seriously," McFarland said, adding, "She is clearly the Goliath in this race."
e-mail: jzremski@buffnews.com.
So many people have money to burn.....literally a crap shoot.
Clinton dominates campaigns Clinton dominates campaigns
But you repeat yourself.
Now batting for Pedro Bourbon ... Manny Mota ... Mota ... Mota ........
Right. Dream team of hangers-on who don't have other offers after five years. Look at John Spencer. He's my idea of a dreamboat.
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