The Hinterland
Rants from the hinterland. Denver writer and pretend anthropologist Dave Cullen's take on the world.

Tuesday, September 02, 2003


What you need to know about the fall campaign

That's the title of a big USAToday story, and it's right on the mark if you're just getting your feet wet on this political season. It's very basic information, but it's most of the key basics, so if that's where you're at, this is for you.

If you've been following closely already, it might be worth a skim. I didn't find much revealing, but here are a few nuggets:

Rick Wright, Democrat Bill Bradley's finance chairman in 1999, says the third quarter often tests a campaign's appeal beyond family members, college friends and business contacts. "We basically had raised money from everyone we knew in the first two quarters. We just didn't have anyone left," he says. "You really had to see whether people were coming to you."

I had been wondering when that point came. I guess we're there.

And I had forgotten all about this:

Republicans John Kasich, Dan Quayle, Lamar Alexander and Elizabeth Dole had all dropped out by October 1999, before the first contest had been held. The main reason: Bush was sucking up all available money.

I wouldn't count on a repeat though, because the Dems at the very bottom are just out to make a point. And the group just above them still have a shred of hope to cling to. And R's tend to be more realistic.
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