DEMS HAVE BEEN RAKING IN WAY MORE MONEY THAN GOP-- AND IF LIEBERMAN FOLLOWS THROUGH ON HIS THREAT TO ENDORSE A REPUBLICAN, CONTRIBUTIONS COULD SOAR

Democrats have been outraising Republicans by margins that are hard to believe. And the disparity, especially when it comes to small donations from just plain folks, is growing. Even Democrats are surprised at how marked the difference is. Just one Democrat, Barack Obama, has more donors than the entire combined Rudy McRomney campaigns. A lot of this has to do with how well DNC chairman Howard Dean has built up the grassroots of the party; small donations are what's making the entire difference for all the Democrats except, of course, corporate-fave, Mr. bankruptcy Bill, Joe Biden. But then there is also the dual situation of Democrats basically liking all their candidates-- and being enthusiastic about at least one-- and Republicans basically hating all of theirs-- and desperately looking for one they don't want to exterminate.

Democratic candidates are outpacing Republicans. In the second quarter of the year before the 1996 election, Republicans outraised the Democrat, Bill Clinton, $24.5 million to $9.6 million. Okay, but Clinton was running unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

In the second quarter of 1999, Republicans way outraised Democrats $50.2 million to $16.1 million, even though both party nominations were contested. Okay, you could argue that eight Republicans were running and only two Democrats.

In the second quarter of 2003, Republicans again raised more money ($35.1 million to $30.8 million). That year, nine Democrats were running and George W. Bush was unopposed.

In the second quarter of this year, totals for the top three candidates in each party show that, for the first time in recent years, Democrats are outraising Republicans-- by more than $26 million ($68.5 million to $42.2 million).

So while all this is going on, Lieberman is running around trying to get someone's attention. I bet Susan Collins wishes he had never gotten hers. His latest publicity stunt is to threaten to endorse a Republican for president. He normally does it every 5 or 6 days. I don't think any Democrats are quaking in their boots and I don't see any Republicans yelling "Me! Me! Me!" Lieberman has become a one man fundraising bonanza-- for his opponents. Anyone he endorses becomes a target and their alliance with Lieberman a motivation for thousands and thousands of activists. A sure fire way to tap into progressive contributions is to get Lieberman to endorse your opponent. Not counting Cheney, Bush or Rove, he's the most toxic person in contemporary American politics, beyond even a one-note clown like Mean Jean Schmidt.