|
Bush fundraising tops 110m dean in sights Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/133934|top|12-11-2003::16:32|reuters.htmlhttp://news.myway.com/top/article/id/133934|top|12-11-2003::16:32|reuters.html
Bush Fundraising Tops $110 Million, Dean in Sights
Dec 11, 4:26 PM (ET)
By Randall Mikkelsen
MCLEAN, Va. (Reuters) - President Bush took his re-election war chest past $110 million at his final fund-raising appearance of a record-setting year on Thursday, as Republicans trained their sights on Howard Dean as the expected Democratic presidential candidate.
"We've delivered on behalf of all people who live in this country," Bush said at a re-election campaign fund-raiser where he added $1 million to his record total. "Our work is only beginning."
The event brought his fund-raising total for next year's primary season to more than $110 million, already exceeding his record of about $100 million for the 2000 primary season.
A Bush campaign spokesman shrugged off the U.S. Supreme Court's decision a day earlier to uphold new campaign finance legislation, saying it would not affect strategy.
Although Bush has no primary opponents, Republican advisers said he is preparing to unleash his war chest early next year, most likely against Dean. They described the former Vermont governor as the probable Democratic nominee and vulnerable to attack as liberal and inexperienced in security policy.
Dean has emerged as a leading contender after strenuously criticizing Bush's conduct of the Iraq war and occupation.
"The Bush campaign is going to have $100 million cash on hand to set the terms of the election and frame the debate, mainly through Dean," Republican consultant Scott Reed said.
Party consultant Vin Weber did not rule out another Democrat capturing the nomination, but said, "there's a higher priority now being put on planning to run against Dean than there is on the other candidates."
Bush was unlikely to openly campaign at least until after multistate Democratic primaries on Feb. 3, which may clarify the nomination, Reed said.
Before that, Bush will follow "an aggressive bully pulpit strategy" of promoting a political agenda in venues including his annual State of the Union address in late January.
LAYING FOUNDATION FOR RE-ELECTION
A senior Bush aide played down Dean as a target and said Bush was laying a foundation "to withstand a strong challenge from any Democrat."
Outside the Hilton hotel where Bush added to his funds, a knot of protesters surrounding an inflatable White House model demonstrated against his ties to corporate donors.
The Public Citizen watchdog group said Bush had rewarded corporate polluters "in exchange for millions in campaign cash."
Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush's fund-raising is unaffected by the Supreme Court decision, which upheld legislation Bush signed to ban unregulated "soft money" contributions.
"Our campaign plan was put in place based upon the bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act, so we will continue operating the way in which we have," Stanzel said.
The Republican National Committee, which had argued at the Supreme Court against the legislation, said it would work "within the constraints of the new system."
Bush has abandoned public financing of his primary effort, freeing himself of the federal spending restrictions.
Key to his fund-raising has been the supporters who bring together maximum $2,000 donations from wealthy backers. Public Citizen said many of the Virginia fund-raising "rangers" and "pioneers" who steer donations to Bush are lobbyists.
Dean, drawing on smaller Internet contributions from a large base of supporters, has outpaced Democratic rivals in raising money but lags far behind Bush.
Stanzel said the campaign expects to be outspent by independent groups organizing to defeat Bush. Conservatives are organizing similar groups.
|
|
