A trio of lawmakers who have said they are staying on the sidelines in the Democratic presidential primary have dipped into their campaign accounts to contribute to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) war chest.
Clinton’s silent supporters include Rep. Shelley Berkley (D), one of three co-chairmen of Nevada’s Democratic presidential caucus scheduled for Jan. 19, 2008. (The other two co-chairmen are Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and former state party chairman Tom Collins.)
{mosads}“The three of us made a pact amongst ourselves that we would remain neutral so that the presidential candidates would feel comfortable coming in,” said Berkley.
Berkley nevertheless gave $2,300 to Clinton’s presidential campaign, but not a dime to other presidential candidates, during the first fundraising quarter of 2007.
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) have also given money to Clinton, despite saying they have not picked sides in the primary.
Said Berkley, “The one distinction with Mrs. Clinton is Mrs. Clinton’s Hill PAC has been supporting me for many years and when I was contacted by mutual friends to support her, I had no hesitation whatsoever. However, I just try to be as evenhanded as possible. I expect by Jan. 19, 2008 all the candidates will receive contributions from me.”
Berkley said Myra Greenspun, a friend whose husband roomed with Bill Clinton at Yale Law School, asked her to give.
Boxer’s political action committee, PAC for a Change, gave Clinton $5,000 in February, even though her spokeswoman says she has not endorsed a candidate. Her informal support could prove valuable, as California, the biggest state in the nation, has moved its primary date to Feb. 5 of next year.
Virginia is also holding an early primary contest, holding its race on Feb. 12, 2008. Moran’s endorsement could be influential because he is the second-most senior Democrat in the House delegation and represents a district in Democratic-leaning Northern Virginia.
Moran says he is neutral, but he has already taken sides with his checkbook by giving Clinton $5,000 from his leadership PAC in March.
Moran added he admires Clinton. Another reason behind his contribution is that his fundraiser, Mame Reiley, also raises money for Clinton, Moran explained.
Democratic lawmakers who are helping Clinton collect endorsements in the House say their efforts have become more organized and aggressive in recent weeks.
Clinton’s network, ranging from her ties to the Greenspuns to her relationship with Moran’s fundraiser, will help her build support in the House, even though some members try to maintain an appearance of neutrality. Clinton’s prodigious giving to Democratic candidates will also help her solicit favors from congressional colleagues.
Clinton’s leadership PAC, Hill PAC, gave $1.44 million to Democratic candidates in the last three election cycles. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), her frontrunner rival, has given a total of $582,000 to Democrats through his PAC. Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), meanwhile, has given $192,000 to Democrats from his PAC.
— Alexander Bolton
Edwards makes first ad buy
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) took to the Washington-area airwaves yesterday with an ad that draws a potentially winning distinction between himself and his two Democratic presidential rivals, both of whom face awkward decisions on the post-veto Iraq supplemental bill.
In the spot, nine speakers send a message to Congress — home of Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and other White House hopefuls: “We are with you. … Don’t back down to President Bush. … Send him the same bill again and again.”
Edwards’s campaign made an appeal for new donations to keep running the ad, which will also air on YouTube.
— Elana schor
Latino business owners pick Giuliani
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), the only presidential candidate to speak before the Latino Coalition’s small-business summit this week, won the group’s straw poll overwhelmingly.
Of the 415 ballots cast, 58 percent went for Republican candidates. Of that, Giuliani garnered 64 percent to Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) 15 percent.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) led the Democratic field with 30 percent, followed by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson at 24 percent and Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), who finished with 12 percent.
— Sam youngman
Gloating? Not us
It’s been said that the Republican base is uninspired by the party’s presidential field, but hours before tonight’s GOP debate, the liberal Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) will say it loudly at the first Failure of Conservatism Conference.
Promotional materials for the CAF conference take note of its fortunate timing, with Republican presidential rivals gathering to tear at each other hours after the progressive group takes the first shots.
Lecture topics include “Why Conservatives Lost,” “How Conservatives Undermine Families” and “E. coli Conservatism,” but CAF spokesman Toby Chaudhuri said the conference isn’t so much about cheering GOP missteps.
Name-checking several Republicans who have fallen from grace this year, Chaudhuri said, “Incompetence isn’t at the core of these scandals — ideology is. The GOP coalition is splintering because the conservative ideas that got us into this mess aren’t going to get us out.”
— Elana schor