Fund-raising flurry after Supreme Court ruling
(CNN) – Both presidential campaigns are citing fund-raising spikes following the Supreme Court's decision upholding President Barack Obama's health care law.
Mitt Romney's organization said Friday morning it had raised $4.6 million online, and Obama's operation, while not revealing specific numbers, said they had surpassed Team Romney's announced total.
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The Romney fund-raising figure included money from more than 47,000 contributions in the first 24 hours, the candidate's spokeswoman Andrea Saul said.
Obama's campaign wouldn't reveal specific fund-raising numbers when asked, saying Friday their opponent's hour-by-hour updates were "perverse." They did assert, however, that their donations surpassed the Romney effort.
"It's perverse that Mitt Romney won't share details about what he'd do for the millions he'd leave uninsured or at the whims of insurance companies when he 'kills Obamacare dead,' but he'll share the hourly details of his fundraising after the Supreme Court ruling," Obama campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt wrote. "We've outraised the Romney campaign in that time period but that's not the point – our supporters are more committed than ever to ensuring that insurance companies can't drop coverage for people who get sick or discriminate against people with preexisting conditions by reelecting the President."
The Romney campaign's Friday announcement marked a significant jump from Thursday night, when the campaign reported pulling in $3.2 million from 26,000 contributors.
Both Romney and Obama used Thursday's Supreme Court ruling on health care to solicit funds from donors, each spinning the landmark decision as an appeal for campaign cash.
Romney's campaign changed the homepage of their website to reflect the court's decision, writing "Obamacare Upheld: Elections have consequences" over a photo of the Republican candidate. Underneath the image was a large red "DONATE" button.
The campaign also emailed and sent text messages to supporters asking for campaign contributions. In one, Romney wrote: "Our basic liberties are at stake – and I will fight to restore our freedoms, renew the respect for our Constitution, and halt the government takeover of health care. This November it's all on the line. The stakes couldn't be higher. Donate $10 or more to put a stop to the policies of Barack Obama and the liberal Democrats."
A text message from Romney read: "If we want to get rid of Obamacare, we're going to have to replace President Obama."
The Romney campaign said earlier this month it had raised $76 million in May along with Romney Victory, a joint fund-raising effort with the Republican National Committee. That averages about $2.5 million per day, though the bulk of the organization's May fund-raising came at large donor events, not from small supporters, as happened Thursday.
Donations to the Romney Victory Fund are divided between Romney's campaign, the Republican National Committee and several state Republican parties.
Earlier in the day, Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul noted the uptick in donations, marking on Twitter when the campaign hit the $100,000 mark minutes after the ruling was handed down.
Democrats also jumped in on the fund-raising action Thursday, following up the court's decisions with emails to supporters applauding the ruling.
Rep. Steve Israel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, wrote in his appeal: "Republicans threw everything they had at us, and they lost. With you standing with us, we can carry this momentum into November and win a Democratic majority to keep making progress. Please donate $3 or whatever you can right now."
Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina sent out a fund-raising pitch late Thursday night with the subject line: "Let's win the damn election." In the e-mail, Messina stressed a need to keep Obama in office.
"It's been a good day. But this is a three-step process: 1. Pass historic health care reform. Check. 2. Get affirmation from the highest court in the country. Check," he wrote. "Step three? Win the damn election."
Obama himself sent an e-mail to supporters, though it only asked recipients to add their name to his supporter database rather than solicit funds.
"While the Supreme Court's decision should put to rest the debate over health care, Mitt Romney and the Republicans in Congress just can't take yes for an answer," Obama wrote. "My opponent said a short while ago that the first thing he would try to do as president is repeal the health care law. We can't allow that to happen. So we have to win this election."
CNN's Candy Crowley contributed to this report.
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The USA just got scr3wed, and I think Obama's goose just got cooked.
NEWS FLASH: Hussein.Obama raises taxes on the middle class.
Elections do have consequences Willard. The consequence is that the President's predecessor made it almost impossible for a republican to ever be elected President again. Deal with it! I look forward to seeing you in the crowd on 1/20/2013 as a spectator Willard.
what the republicans are saying is ,you don,t need health care if you have a accident or get sick the tax payers will pay for you and your free ride
Sep 20, 2009
Obama: Mandate is Not a Tax
ABC News Interview
STEPHANOPOULOS: …Under this mandate, the government is forcing people to spend money, fining you if you don’t. How is that not a tax?
OBAMA: Well, hold on a second, George. Here – here’s what’s happening. You and I are both paying $900, on average – our families – in higher premiums because of uncompensated care. Now what I’ve said is that if you can’t afford health insurance, you certainly shouldn’t be punished for that. That’s just piling on. If, on the other hand, we’re giving tax credits, we’ve set up an exchange, you are now part of a big pool, we’ve driven down the costs, we’ve done everything we can and you actually can afford health insurance, but you’ve just decided, you know what, I want to take my chances. And then you get hit by a bus and you and I have to pay for the emergency room care, that’s…
STEPHANOPOULOS: That may be, but it’s still a tax increase.
OBAMA: No. That’s not true, George. The – for us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase. What it’s saying is, is that we’re not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore than the fact that right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase. People say to themselves, that is a fair way to make sure that if you hit my car, that I’m not covering all the costs.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But it may be fair, it may be good public policy.
OBAMA: No, but – but, George, you – you can’t just make up that language and decide that that’s called a tax increase.
OBAMA: What – what – if I – if I say that right now your premiums are going to be going up by 5 or 8 or 10 percent next year and you say well, that’s not a tax increase; but, on the other hand, if I say that I don’t want to have to pay for you not carrying coverage even after I give you tax credits that make it affordable…
STEPHANOPOULOS: I – I don’t think I’m making it up. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary: Tax – “a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes.”
OBAMA: George, the fact that you looked up Merriam’s Dictionary, the definition of tax increase, indicates to me that you’re stretching a little bit right now. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gone to the dictionary to check on the definition. I mean,…
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, no, but…
OBAMA: What you’re saying is…
STEPHANOPOULOS: I wanted to check for myself. But your critics say it is a tax increase.
OBAMA: My critics say everything is a tax increase. My critics say that I’m taking over every sector of the economy. You know that. Look, we can have a legitimate debate about whether or not we’re going to have an individual mandate or not, but…
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you reject that it’s a tax increase?
OBAMA: I absolutely reject that notion.
NEWS FLASH: Hussein.Obama raises taxes on the middle class.
Nope. Not even close. Just like in MA where the costs have not gone through the roof and 98.2% of the people have their personal responsibilities covered. I've been taking care of my personal responsibility for quite some time now and have even had to take care of free-loaders like you. Thank you PRESIDENT OBAMA for this landmark legislation.
All I can do is not waste my vote on Ron Paul, vote for Romney, and hope for the best. Beyond that, I am all but powerless against the tide of Americans who seem to want to live in Canada and constantly threaten to do so, but are too lazy to move there. Perhaps I am bitterly clinging, not to guns or religion, but to the memory of my American childhood in a country that seemed almost indestructible.
Looking back, something went horribly wrong during Johnson's presidency. I'm glad I remember some of the things that used to make this place so great, like an educated and respectful populace, a general acceptance of personal responsibility, civic pride and minority communities with so much to look forward to.
Now all of this is being dismantled, methodically, until all that will remain is lowest-common-denominator mediocrity. I won't be around to "enjoy" the show, but I can watch the preview, and I've seen enough to give it two thumbs down.
This was a good day for millioins of Americans. And Romney you are such a phony.
I read an article not long after the ruling and you said you'd replace the "obamacare"-
gee the details of your "plan" sounded SO familiar to what Obama has been saying for months. Your hypocrisy
is even heightened by the fact that this "obamacare" was modeled after what you planned
for Mass. You are a scary prospect for the oval office Mr. Romney! THank God there are some in the US
who are waking up to this ridiculous republican party.
If you think Health Care is expensive now, just wait until it's free. Would I lie to you? No, it's not a Tax. Humm, I wonder who's going to pay for it? Well the rich, of course.
what a black eye for these republicans, Good job justice roberts of not putting partisan party politics into your decision. A win for the people
"California
I see democrats are happy to increase taxes on the middle class."
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Only you and others that refuse to purchase health insurance will be taxed, the rest of us won't. You know what Romney said, "personal responsibility".
Call it what it is, a tax. If it's not a tax it wouldn't be law now. That is a fact.
@GROVER NORQUIST IS A ENEMY OF THE STATE/ConservaFASCISTS
Elections do have consequences Willard. The consequence is that the President's predecessor made it almost impossible for a republican to ever be elected President again. Deal with it! I look forward to seeing you in the crowd on 1/20/2013 as a spectator Willard.
===================================================================================
Thier closeness in the polls gives lie to your statement.
You were warned America, and you refused to listen.
Obamacare will be the destruction of your healthcare system.
Obama spending and debt will be the destruction of your country.
Obama violating, ignoring and not enforcing laws will be the destruction of your liberty.
You were warned America, and you refused to listen.
Your LAST CHANCE to listen is November 6, 2012. After that, it will be too late. Obamaggedon.
Thank you Mr President! My husband and I are self employed and pay $650 a month for health insurance (Bl Cross) with a $12,000 deductable! I had to have a very simple surgery last year and it was $12,000 plus the $7,800 for the monthly a total of $19,800 out of our pockets! It will take us years and years to pay that off! The insurance Co's. are shameful and unregulated! We just tried to go with a different company to lower our costs. We have been denied 3 times for pre existing conditions. Our monthly premiums go up twice a year because of all the LOAFERS who refuse to pay there way!
OBAMA 2012!
Thank you Democrats for a new TAX!!!!!
Elections do have consequences. Like millions of Americans I voted for Mr. Obama because I wanted healthcare reform. I am very pleased with today's ruling (and just how foolish it makes the GOP look at the moment). Here it is- I am NEVER voting for someone who promises to take away my health care. Hear that Republicans?
Obamaggedon – Elections have Consequences
You were warned America, and you refused to listen.
Obamacare will be the destruction of your healthcare system.
Obama spending and debt will be the destruction of your country.
Obama violating, ignoring and not enforcing laws will be the destruction of your liberty.
You were warned America, and you refused to listen.
Your LAST CHANCE to listen is November 6, 2012. After that, it will be too late. Obamaggedon.
__________________________________________________________________________________
"Obamagedon"? Why. I have never heard that one before. And please, every developed nation on Earth has healthcare that is to the left of ours even with this ruling, and you don't see all of them falling down. The comical thing is when I see right-wingers on Twitter all saying they want to move to Canada, of all places. Simply priceless.
"Here comes obama tax increase on all Americans and it will be the largest tax increase put upon the American people in the history of this country."
____________________
This was obviously the talking point that the Repubs were instructed by their masters to say since I've seen it said many times by different posters. Why on earth can't you people understand that the "tax" will be for those who don't purchase health insurance, not every one of us. Most people in this country do have health insurance and for those that don't, there are many that can afford to do so but think they will never need medical care which is crazy. If you can't afford it, then there will be exchanges where you can shop for an affordable plan or you will get a subsidy if you're below a certain income level. For a party that is always screaming about personal responsibility, there is only one reason they claim to not like a mandate for all to have insurance and that is because President Obama agreed with it. Pitiful!! FORWARD 2012!
betterdays -"I am all but powerless against the tide of Americans who seem to want to live in Canada and constantly threaten to do so, but are too lazy to move there."
*******************************************************************
Sorry, but no, we don't want to live in Canada, but in the United States of America. Not in your romanticized past that never actually existed, but in the present actual U.S. You have selected memory of a place 40 years ago, where women and minorities didn't have equal rights. A time before advancements in technology and transportation shrunk the world and allowed other countries to compete on a more equal footing. A time before multi-national corporations began shifting production to places where people work for subsistence wages and there are few protections of human rights or the environment. I could go on, but people who love in the real world will understand and those who yearn for a simpler past romanticized to the point that it never actually existed will never understand.
We can't go back to the 50's and the 50's aren't as good as you remember it. We can only go forward and most of us want to go forward with President Barack Obama. By the way, there are a lot of countries with little regulation to protect the people and where selfishness and callousness are the norm. Perhaps YOU could move, if you're not too lazy.
yeah there shouldn't be a tax, healthcare should be FREE for EVERYBODY.....opps wait a minute then that would be socioalism right? Nah we don't want that besides paying taxes I was told was supposed to be patriotic.
I still need Romney -or ANYONE – to explain how He and He alone will repeal the Affordable Care Act on his first day if elected President. You mean he is running for the highest position in the land and doesn't know how legislation works? WOW.
Watch the mouths of all the Republicans today spreading fear and lies- you're hearing Grover Norquist's voice...
Keep on lying about Obama but the lord will take care of your lies. When you dig a gound for him you will go to that ground. You are all ashame I have never seen such liers and evils in 40 years I live in this Country. No wonder why other countries have no respect for you.
@Obamaggedon – "You were warned America, and you refused to listen"
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Thanks for the laugh, Chicken Little. You and all the other tin-foil hat crowd running around with your hair on fire is simply priceless – almost better than the decision itself.