$100 million "entry fee" by end of 07' for Presidential hopefuls.

"Michael E. Toner, the chairman of the Federal Election Commission, has some friendly advice for presidential candidates who plan to be taken seriously by the time nominating contests start in early 2008: Bring your wallet.

'There is a growing sense that there is going to be a $100 million entry fee at the end of 2007 to be considered a serious candidate,' Toner said in a recent interview.

The jockeying for the presidential nominations in both major parties is already vigorously underway, as illustrated by the parade of GOP contenders on display this weekend at a meeting of the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Memphis. For now, however, the main arena of competition is financial, as candidates prepare themselves for a race most analysts believe will involve sums vastly larger than any previous presidential campaign.

Many political operatives are expecting that the gradual breakdown of the public funding system -- federal funds in exchange for spending limits -- that has taken place in recent years will become complete in 2008. The result would be candidates in both parties racing far past old spending records, and facing new pressure to begin raising money far in advance of election year."

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"Former Vermont governor Howard Dean caused a sensation on the Democratic side by raising $41 million by the end of 2003 for his presidential campaign, much of it in small donations from grass-roots activists. Though that was double what eventual nominee Kerry raised in 2003, that kind of money almost certainly will turn no heads in the next cycle."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11758525/

Agree? Disagree? Comments?

A candidate without that much money should not be written off. If someone comes out of the blue and starts doing very well in early primaries the cash will start rolling in. I'm spending my money this year to get santorum out of the senate. Then I hope the General will send me some fund raising literature early next year.

Our system of corrupt cronyism will occupy both de facto institutionalized political parties. Pocket lining will continue unabated.

The only hope is that somehow individual donars can organize and focus their funding and that the Democratic Party can be knocked loose from corporate crony control and that progressive candidates will actually get a chance to run. Otherwise it will just be the same old shell game.

The Chair of the FEC using the term 'entry fee' makes me cringe..

Washington politics of today doesn't serve the interests of the average American on the street. It serves to keep the political elite in power.