Re: MaryPat conversation recap

From:hms326@gmail.com To: john.podesta@gmail.com Date: 2008-05-16 22:03 Subject: Re: MaryPat conversation recap

On 5/16/08, Herb Sandler <hms326@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Steve Phillips <steve@powerpac.org> > Date: May 16, 2008 12:25 PM > Subject: Fwd: MaryPat conversation recap > To: Herb Sandler <hms326@gmail.com> > > Jen Ancona, who works with me, spoke to Mary Pat Bonner last night. Here > are the notes. > > Begin forwarded message: > > *From: *Jenifer Fernandez Ancona <jenifer@anconastrategy.com> > *Date: *May 16, 2008 9:48:13 AM PDT > *To: *Steve Phillips <steve@powerpac.org> > *Subject: **MaryPat conversation recap* > > > From MaryPat Bonner, re: situation with Progressive Media USA (PM) and > Fund for America (FFA): > > - PM may have shut down even without Obama campaign's comments, but it was > like the straw that broke the camel's back. > > - It became apparent that raising money for a media group would be swimming > upstream, given the Obama campaign's position that they did not want their > funders funding messaging 527s. > > - It wasn't a "wink and nod" type of situation; they really did not want > this kind of activity. David Brock had reached out to 15 Obama people who > Daschle and Brian Mathis had suggested for the board, and they all said no, > because the campaign had told them not to. Same thing kept happening when > people were asked to co-host FFA events -- they asked the campaign and the > campaign said no. > > - People leading PM and FFA aren't really that into Obama. They are willing > to do this to ensure Dem victory, but are not passionate about the candidate > himself. They could have lived with a public response of "don't do it," but > when people are even being told privately not to fund it, they don't see how > they can possibly raise the amount of money they want to raise. Nobody is > going to kill themselves to raise this money just to be attacked by the > person you are trying to help. > > - It's unreasonable to think you could raise all of this money from a bunch > of Clinton people who don't like Barack that much, especially after this > long fought primary. > > - Not sure what PM closing will do to FFA. Anna Burger has gone to the > campaign, and has been told, we meant no "527 swiftboating," and that we > don't mean you can't fund community organizations, ACORN, NARAL, etc. But > that may not be enough. > > - FFA needs the campaign to make a public statement clarifying their > position about these groups, and stop telling their funders not to give to > them. They also need to "throw FFA a bone" by giving them someone from the > Obama camp, such as Gephardt or Daschle, to go on the road and help raise > money. If they don't, FFA may shut down within a month. > > - People have other things to do, and not going to kill themselves raising > money for someone who is not going to be thankful or supportive; and > reluctant to go against him for fear of backlash or becoming "persona non > grata" if he becomes President. > > - Right now the Obama camp is raising money in $2,300 increments, and for > the DNC in $28,000 increments. They don't have a place to take big checks. > But there are 46 people who have double-maxed out to Obama who are > billionaires, and they should all be solicited. > > - A lot of the Obama donors are new and green; they don't understand the > value of 527s, and are not used to funding them. It's an uphill battle to > educate them, especially when they just go right back to the campaign. > > > >