Shortly after endorsing Hillary, Vilsack recieved $90,000 from major Hillary backers to retire debt

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hillary17jul17,1,4161296.story?track=rss&ctrack=9&cset=true

He backs Clinton; her backers help him
Ex-Iowa Gov. Vilsack endorses senator, then receives $87,000 from her supporters to help pay off his own presidential campaign debt.
By Dan Morain, Times Staff Writer, July 17, 2007

Shortly after endorsing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack received nearly $90,000 in donations to his defunct presidential campaign from some of Clinton's major backers, campaign finance reports show.

The donations, disclosed in Federal Election Commission filings over the weekend, came from Clinton fundraising bastions of New York, California, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

None came from Iowa, where Vilsack served two terms as governor.

Vilsack, unable to raise the tens of millions needed to wage a serious presidential campaign, withdrew from the Democratic race in February. In a finance report filed Sunday covering the first half of the year, Vilsack disclosed that he had $2,962 in cash and a leftover debt of $148,000.

Once he dropped out, Democratic candidates came courting, hoping he could help them win the important early caucus state. In March he endorsed Clinton, and his Democratic organization is viewed as key to her chance of winning in Iowa six months from now.

In May and June, at least 45 Clinton donors contributed $87,000 to Vilsack's presidential campaign account. Vilsack used part of the money to repay himself $55,000, part of a personal loan he had given to his campaign. He paid other bills as well.

you have another thing coming. Vilcsack's endorsement and $3.95 will get Hillary a cup of coffee. That's about it.

supposedly the money went to a "consulting" outfit connected to Rev. Al.

As to Vilsack, he was DLC Chair, so it follows that he would endorse a DLC soulmate.

You would know that not only is there nothing ethically wrong with this...it is a very common occurrence among candidates...

So when Obama helps out someone later on, are we gonna get snide remarks from you about it...or will it be an example of Obama's generosity?

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/07/hillary_cre...

She bought his endorsement. I guess she feels she needs to get them any way she can. Even when they do not mean anything.

Then I guess you have no problem with the Obama stories showing his hypocrisy on lobbying reform and the help he gave a disgraced and indicted developer...

Good we know the rules now

If he couldn't raise $87,000 on his own, that's pretty sad. BTW, I don't think Hillary has bought Iowa with this endorsement by any means.

To preface this, I'm no supporter of Hillary. I greatly prefer Obama and Edwards.

However, it's not uncommon to pay off a candidate's debt. I remember how upset some people were when Dean offered to pay off some of Carol Moseley-Braun's debt.

I doubt Vilsack will have a big influence on the caucuses. I bought into the fact that Tom Harkin's endorsement would help Dean win Iowa. But the reality seems to be that endorsements don't matter as much as we might think.

'Cause I really need it.

Hell, I'll do it for half-price even!! I'm on sale!

That's a 20% discount from your half-price sale.

"Oh, John Edwards, psst...I have a deal for you...."

However, it does look a lot like quid pro quo.

Why not have an agreement amongst all candidates that those still in the race will collectively retire any reasonable debts of candidates dropping out, and by preference those dropping out with a surplus pass that surplus (or at least a portion of it) forward?

"We are going to help her with the debt," (Dean adviser Jon) Haber told me. The debt tab could be in the neighborhood of some $300,000 and Dean's camp will help Braun raise the money to pay it off. Braun will campaign for Dean three days of the week, with the Dean campaign picking up her travel expenses. Braun will become a Dean campaign consultant and will be paid about $20,000. Up to three of Braun's staffers, including (Patricia) Ireland, will be hired by the Dean campaign."

Chicago Sun Times

This kind of sleazy shit permeates our national politics. That doesn't make it acceptable.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/07/hillary_cre...

I mean the former chairman of the DLC supporting Hillary Clinton, how shocking!

Geez some of you Obama supporters aren't too bright. Leaping at the chance to slam Hillary but fail to research the issues.

You think he needed to get a financial help?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I guess we are in the nasty part of the campaign, the one where supporters of some candidates do not hesitate to think people are stupid.

"The do as I say, not as I do" candidate is sounding more like the Bush guard everyday!

I find Obama's supporters refreshing compared to the two other camps. Still very undecided among the top three, but leaning more and more towards Obama among those three.

Again! And stupid criteria for basing a candidate's qualifications to lead the country out of this quagmire, based on who is supporting them..

Some people may be qualified, but if you cannot trust them to do what is good, what good will their qualifications bring?

Once again, you are mimicking some of the worse characteristics of Hillary, like the ability to stab somebody in the back and of repeating RW smears for her political advantage. These are qualifications I do not want in a president.

She is going to have a boatload of high-level endorsements, for many many reasons. If you were a big name Dem, who would you endorse? The campaign isn't even competitive at this point.

Would you want to risk being left out in the cold in January of 2009?

I thought all politiicans were in it for the love of their country.