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stopbush

(24,396 posts)
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:06 PM Apr 2016

WP: Sanders is biggest spender of 2016 so far — generating millions for consultants

Crosspost from GDP:

The small-dollar fundraising juggernaut that has kept Bernie Sanders’s insurgent White House bid afloat far longer than anticipated has generated another unexpected impact: a financial windfall for his team of Washington consultants.

By the end of March, the self-described democratic socialist senator from Vermont had spent nearly $166 million on his campaign — more than any other 2016 presidential contender, including rival Hillary Clinton. More than $91 million went to a small group of ad makers and media buyers who produced a swarm of commercials and placed them on television, radio and online, according to a Washington Post analysis of Federal Election Commission reports.

While the vast majority of that money was passed along to television stations and websites to pay for the advertising, millions in fees were kept by the companies, The Post calculated. While it is impossible to determine precisely how much the top consultants have earned, FEC filings indicate the top three media firms have reaped payments of seven figures.

Sanders’s money blitz, fueled by a $27 average donation that he repeatedly touts, has improbably made the anti-billionaire populist the biggest spender so far in the election cycle. The campaign’s wealth has been a surprising boon for vendors across the county who signed on to his long-shot bid.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sanders-is-biggest-spender-of-2016-so-far--generating-millions-for-consultants/2016/04/28/600170ce-0cf2-11e6-a6b6-2e6de3695b0e_story.html

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WP: Sanders is biggest spender of 2016 so far — generating millions for consultants (Original Post) stopbush Apr 2016 OP
The silver lining for Sanders ... BlueMTexpat Apr 2016 #1
Easy con to run... beachbum bob Apr 2016 #2
Who is the bigger fool, Sanders for listening to the consultants or the BSer's for listening to him. liberal N proud Apr 2016 #3
They think they're supporting Sanders' "principles," when they're really paying for stopbush Apr 2016 #5
And how much did Tad Devine's company make last month? Koinos Apr 2016 #4
Exactamundo! Who makes all the $ from political campaigns but the TV networks! stopbush Apr 2016 #6
The socialist gets trapped in a capitalistic money-making trap. Koinos Apr 2016 #7
And then they have him on all their shows and allow him to pontificate stopbush Apr 2016 #8
And when there are hard questions, Bernie and Jane call it an inquisition. Koinos Apr 2016 #11
Those questions they were asked should not have been hard. It's your only issue!!! synergie Apr 2016 #20
You are quite right. Koinos Apr 2016 #21
Devine & Revolution Messaging! AHa!! Her Sister Apr 2016 #9
Good fix for income inequality. Koinos Apr 2016 #12
Wow, that is some terrible financial planning on his part. Even if you were not expecting synergie Apr 2016 #19
The Bern's campaign theme song... Surya Gayatri Apr 2016 #10
Feel the Bern Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Apr 2016 #13
Revolution Messaging declined to comment! Her Sister Apr 2016 #14
Kind of ironic SharonClark Apr 2016 #15
And what does he have to show for it? Cha Apr 2016 #16
Don't know about him... fleabiscuit Apr 2016 #17
He has Bern.. Cha Apr 2016 #18

liberal N proud

(60,334 posts)
3. Who is the bigger fool, Sanders for listening to the consultants or the BSer's for listening to him.
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:08 PM
Apr 2016

If he is spending so much on consultants, why is he still in the race?

With no chance of winning, why are the BSer's still donating money?

Hard to say who is the bigger fool here.

stopbush

(24,396 posts)
5. They think they're supporting Sanders' "principles," when they're really paying for
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:18 PM
Apr 2016

the vacation homes of these consultants.

And make no mistake about it, Sanders is in on the scam. He is writing the damn checks to these people, all of who have worked for him on past campaigns. They all saw this as their big chance to finally cash in on working for the Sanders machine for all those years at crap compensation levels.

Weaver and Devine will be fixtures at every Sanders BBQ held in the future.

Koinos

(2,792 posts)
4. And how much did Tad Devine's company make last month?
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:16 PM
Apr 2016

Oh wait, we have to wait 45 days for that information.

That's also probably why network TV and cable have been so nice to Bernie. They appreciate his business.

Bernie made himself into what he said he wasn't, and nobody who's making money on this losing campaign wants him to quit anytime soon.

stopbush

(24,396 posts)
6. Exactamundo! Who makes all the $ from political campaigns but the TV networks!
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:19 PM
Apr 2016

That's why they continue to prop up Sanders. It's all about keeping a revenue stream flowing.

Koinos

(2,792 posts)
7. The socialist gets trapped in a capitalistic money-making trap.
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:23 PM
Apr 2016

This is what happens when you pretend to be better than everyone else.

stopbush

(24,396 posts)
8. And then they have him on all their shows and allow him to pontificate
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:24 PM
Apr 2016

his talking points while not asking any hard questions.

He thinks it's money well spent.

 

Her Sister

(6,444 posts)
9. Devine & Revolution Messaging! AHa!!
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:26 PM
Apr 2016
The large profits stem in part from the fact that no one in Sanders’s campaign imagined he would generate such enormous financial support. So unlike Clinton, he did not cap how much his consultants could earn in commissions from what was expected to be a bare-bones operation, according to campaign officials.


That has meant big payouts for the firm of senior strategist Tad Devine, which has produced the bulk of the campaign’s ads; Old Towne Media, a small media placement operation run by two of Devine’s longtime buyers; and Revolution Messaging, a digital firm led by veterans of President Obama’s 2008 campaign.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sanders-is-biggest-spender-of-2016-so-far--generating-millions-for-consultants/2016/04/28/600170ce-0cf2-11e6-a6b6-2e6de3695b0e_story.html

Koinos

(2,792 posts)
12. Good fix for income inequality.
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:30 PM
Apr 2016

Make Tad Devine into a multi-millionaire.

ETA: And think of the ad money in California!

 

synergie

(1,901 posts)
19. Wow, that is some terrible financial planning on his part. Even if you were not expecting
Fri Apr 29, 2016, 02:22 AM
Apr 2016

to go so far, why would you sign stupid contracts? This is clearly a grift here, and it's pretty clear that these guys are terrible with their spending, no wonder they don't want to release their taxes, they seem to be terrible with money.

 

Her Sister

(6,444 posts)
14. Revolution Messaging declined to comment!
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 02:33 PM
Apr 2016
The company, whose work has helped raise more than $200 million for the campaign, provides an array of services, including digital consulting, online ads and website development. In return, Revolution gets a monthly $30,000 retainer, along with a 10 percent commission on digital media buys, according to a person close to the campaign who requested anonymity to describe contractual details. That translates to at least $2 million in fees so far, according to an analysis of FEC filings. The firm declined to comment.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sanders-is-biggest-spender-of-2016-so-far--generating-millions-for-consultants/2016/04/28/600170ce-0cf2-11e6-a6b6-2e6de3695b0e_story.html
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