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[benjipwns]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/04/us/politics/hillary-clinton-fundraising.html

At a private fund-raiser Tuesday night at a waterfront Hamptons estate, Hillary Clinton danced alongside Jimmy Buffett, Jon Bon Jovi and Paul McCartney, and joined in a singalong finale to “Hey Jude.”

“I stand between you and the apocalypse,” a confident Mrs. Clinton declared to laughs, exhibiting a flash of self-awareness and humor to a crowd that included Calvin Klein and Harvey Weinstein and for whom the prospect of a Donald J. Trump presidency is dire.

Mr. Trump has pointed to Mrs. Clinton’s noticeably scant schedule of campaign events this summer to suggest she has been hiding from the public. But Mrs. Clinton has been more than accessible to those who reside in some of the country’s most moneyed enclaves and are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to see her. In the last two weeks of August, Mrs. Clinton raked in roughly $50 million at 22 fund-raising events, averaging around $150,000 an hour, according to a New York Times tally.

And while Mrs. Clinton has faced criticism for her failure to hold a news conference for months, she has fielded hundreds of questions from the ultrarich in places like the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard, Beverly Hills and Silicon Valley.

“It’s the old adage, you go to where the money is,” said Jay S. Jacobs, a prominent New York Democrat.

Mrs. Clinton raised about $143 million in August, the campaign’s best month yet. At a single event on Tuesday in Sagaponack, N.Y., 10 people paid at least $250,000 to meet her, raising $2.5 million.

To businessmen who complain to Mrs. Clinton that President Obama has been unfriendly to their interests, she says she would approach business leaders more like Mr. Clinton did during his administration, which was widely considered amicable to the private sector.

When financiers complain about the regulations implemented by the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul, Mrs. Clinton reaffirms her support for strong Wall Street regulation, but adds that she is open to listening to anyone’s ideas and at times notes that she represented the banking industry as a senator.

The wealthy contributors who host Mrs. Clinton often complain about her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and express concerns that Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont pushed her to the left on trade and other issues. Mrs. Clinton reminds them she has both opposed and supported trade deals in the past.

And, as she noted at an event last month on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Mrs. Clinton points out that she worked cooperatively with Republicans when she served in the Senate and would do so as president.

For a donation of $2,700, the children (under 16) of donors at an event last month at the Sag Harbor, N.Y., estate of the hedge fund magnate Adam Sender could ask Mrs. Clinton a question. A family photo with Mrs. Clinton cost $10,000, according to attendees.

And when Mrs. Clinton attended a dinner at the Beverly Hills home of the entertainment executive Haim Saban last month, the invitation was very clear. If attendees wanted to dine and receive a photo with Mrs. Clinton they had to pay their own way: “Write not raise” $100,000.

Another advantage to choosing private fund-raisers over town halls or other public events is that Mrs. Clinton can bask in an affectionate embrace as hosts try to limit confrontational engagements.

Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a backer of Democrats and a friend of the Clintons’, made sure attendees did not grill Mrs. Clinton at the $100,000-per-couple lamb dinner Mrs. Forester de Rothschild hosted under a tent on the lawn of her oceanfront Martha’s Vineyard mansion.

“I said, ‘Let’s make it a nice night for her and show her our love,’” Mrs. Forester de Rothschild said.

“The Hamptons is full of powerful, wealthy people who are bored and go to constant social events to see who else got invited and to show your status,” said Ken Sunshine, a veteran Democratic activist and public relations executive with a home in Remsenburg, N.Y. “This year,” he added, “going to a Clinton event is at the very top of the list.”

Give me $50 million if posted already.

 

[McDougles]

Aren't private fundraisers a primary part of any and all presidential campaigns? NYT making it seem like Hillary is only interested in dealing with the ultrarich just because Trump is flailing about on network news.

Trump won't need to pivot to be "president of the people" when the New York Times is doing it for him.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

oh no i guess if hillary is so corrupt i should go vote for a libertarian

 

[Ozigizo]

That's...normal for a campaign.

 

[jakonovski]

We should know our place and not question the rich and powerful too much.

 

[ClosingADoor]

How does this compare to for example Bill Clinton's, Bush's and Obama's campaigns? Did they do the same thing? Sounds like pretty standard procedure to raise money.

Not that I really mind. Take the money. Spent it on ads and events in the next few months to try and get as many votes as possible. Meanwhile Trump with his public appearances has embarrassed himself more and more. Why go out while your competitor is already doing the job for you.

 

[Abstrusity]

oh no i guess if hillary is so corrupt i should go vote for a libertarian

Why did the libertarian cross the road?

A: What road?

 

[Stinkles]

Hilarious given who her opponent claims to be.

Meanwhile Joe Biden is eating grits and pounding energy drinks in a truck stop diner.

 

[benjipwns]

oh no i guess if hillary is so corrupt i should go vote for a libertarian

wrong: http://www.glorialariva4president.com/

 

[Aselith]

Hilarious given who her opponent claims to be.

Meanwhile Joe Biden is eating grits and pounding energy drinks in a truck stop diner.

Joe Biden vs Trump debate would be fucking bonkers

 

[chefbags]

Why did the libertarian cross the road?

A: What road?

"says who?"

 

[dave is ok]

She wasn't in Cape Cod, that's where the normal rich people live. She was on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket where the super rich are.

 

[Morat]

Why did the libertarian cross the road?

A: What road?

That's rather good. Stolen for future use.

And on topic, while I will be voting for Hillary it's this sort of thing that means I will never be very happy about it

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

This is pretty normal for a campaign. However normal seems to be extraordinary compared to Trump bumbling from event to event.

 

[DietRob]

Great title.. A better one would be 'making sure her colleagues on the democratic ticket win'.

 

[Jarmel]

She wasn't in Cape Cod, that's where the normal rich people live. She was on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket where the super rich are.

Well MV is more like middle level rich. There's also a lot of people that come down for a weekend and just get a hotel room. Never been to Nantucket but I know some high level rich people there.

 

[gdt]

I think she's been quite because Trump has essentially been roasting himself all on his own. She's raising money to run ads.

 

[Michael F. Assbender]

wrong: http://www.glorialariva4president.com/

Man, the "Why Socialism?" part of that website is kinda hilarious.

 

[Chichikov]

Yeah, it might be pretty normal but it's still pretty fucking disgusting.

wrong: http://www.glorialariva4president.com/

Her VP is called Dennis Banks?
Nice try class traitor.

 

[McDougles]

Man, the "Why Socialism?" part of that website is kinda hilarious.

The 10-step program is amazing.

It's simple; end racism, shut down all US military bases around the world, seize banks from their owners, etc... what could go wrong?

 

[benjipwns]

Her VP is called Dennis Banks?
Nice try class traitor.

He should go by his traditional name Nowa Cumig rather than accept the naming conventions of the Anglo invaders:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wounded_Knee_incident

The 10-step program is amazing.

It's simple; end racism, shut down all US military bases around the world, seize banks from their owners, etc... what could go wrong?

The founding of a people's democracy and emancipation of the working class?

 

[Flavius]

Yeah, it might be pretty normal but it's still pretty fucking disgusting.

What's disgusting about it?

 

[Lord Panda]

Ugh.

What's disgusting about it?

It's pretty distasteful when almost 1 in 6 people live in poverty in the USA and she and her pals are swanning around like asshats.

And that it's necessary to win.

 

[entremet]

That's...normal for a campaign.

It speaks to a bigger problem in US politics. The ultra rich having more influence and thus controlling the policy narrative.

But this is a bigger discussion than Clinton's campaign.

 

[HarryKS]

Why is it normal?

I thought it was an Onion article at first. This shit is whack.

 

[The Boat]

*scratches head*

 

[hydrophilic attack]

It speaks to a bigger problem in US politics. The ultra rich having more influence and thus controlling the policy narrative.

But this is a bigger discussion than Clinton's campaign.

This is a very good point.

Not sure what to do about it though. I think you probably need to pass public campaign funding. And I don't like the primary system where people have to raise lots of money, which puts them in someone's dept, just to fight against people of your own party. Seems like a recipe to get lots of money into politics

 

[Chichikov]

What's disgusting about it?

The fact that in order to win election in this country you pretty much need to pander to the ultra-rich is repugnant to me, even if it carries zero influence on the candidate (and I don't believe it does).

And to be clear, I don't really blame Clinton for doing it, if you gonna play the game, might as well play to win, but FFS, we need to clean our campaign finance laws.

 

[benjipwns]

Why is it normal?

I thought it was an Onion article at first. This shit is whack.

No, this is an Onion article: http://www.theonion.com/article/hillary-clinton-when-i-was-child-most-special-inte-53384

PHILADELPHIA—Delivering a historic and uplifting speech to the Democratic National Convention Thursday night, presidential nominee Hillary Clinton told the American electorate that when she was a little girl, most special interest groups would never even consider donating enormous sums of money to a woman. “It’s hard to fathom now, but back when I was growing up in the 1950s, Wall Street banks, major law firms, and every other special interest out there wouldn’t let a woman through the door, let alone funnel inordinate sums of money into her campaign as a means to advance their agendas,” said Clinton, adding that she personally had to work twice as hard as her male colleagues for decades just to be deemed qualified as a viable political conduit for hundreds of millions of dollars controlled by wealthy corporations and narrowly focused institutions. “In those days, it never even occurred to lobbyists that a woman was capable of accepting a gigantic check from a powerful entity in exchange for favorable policies several months later. My, how times have changed. We sure proved them wrong, didn’t we?” Clinton then assured the cheering crowd at the Wells Fargo Center that while she might be the first female presidential nominee of a major political party beholden to well-heeled influence peddlers, she would certainly not be the last.

 

[entremet]

This is a very good point.

Not sure what to do about it though. I think you probably need to pass public campaign funding. And I don't like the primary system where people have to raise lots of money, which puts them in someone's dept, just to fight against people of your own party. Seems like a recipe to get lots of money into politics

It's also a massive waste of resources. The last Presidential election topped 2 billion in spending. That money could be used for much better things.

 

[tokkun]

Aren't private fundraisers a primary part of any and all presidential campaigns?

Yes. However her lack of public events and press availability is abnormal. That's the point of the piece; she is spending more time with the rich than with the non-rich, relative to past campaigns.

NYT making it seem like Hillary is only interested in dealing with the ultrarich just because Trump is flailing about on network news.

Trump won't need to pivot to be "president of the people" when the New York Times is doing it for him.

Sure, the NYT is in the tank for Trump since they took a day off from their constaint stream of anti-Trump editorials to write something negative about Clinton.

 

[BitStyle]

The 10-step program is amazing.

It's simple; end racism, shut down all US military bases around the world, seize banks from their owners, etc... what could go wrong?

All in 10 easy steps!
Gets my vote for sure

Spoiler

lol

 

[ahoyhoy]

The fact that in order to win election in this country you pretty much need to pander to the ultra-rich is repugnant to me, even if it carries zero influence on the candidate (and I don't believe it does).


And to be clear, I don't really blame Clinton for doing it, if you gonna play the game, might as well play to win, but FFS, we need to clean our campaign finance laws.

I don't see this ever happening unfortunately, so long as we continue to having to support the "lesser of two evils" in elections.

Meanwhile we'll continue to blame republicans for a lack of finance reforms instead of demand reform from Democrats too.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

It's also a massive waste of resources. The last Presidential election topped 2 billion in spending. That money could be used for much better things.

Yeah, I agree

 

[i_am_ben]

I read Ultra Rich as Ultra Reich.

 

[RDreamer]

I'm guessing the strategy is that generally Hillary is more disliked the more she campaigns. So... she's not doing that as much.

 

[CrocMother]

It sucks that we have no choice but to vote for one candidate.

 

[JustenP88]

The fact that in order to win election in this country you pretty much need to pander to the ultra-rich is repugnant to me, even if it carries zero influence on the candidate (and I don't believe it does).

And to be clear, I don't really blame Clinton for doing it, if you gonna play the game, might as well play to win, but FFS, we need to clean our campaign finance laws.

Yes, absolutely. This would move the needle a hell of a lot more if she wasn't running against a guy who shits on a golden throne. The fact that her opponent is such a caricature of a wealthy person, doesn't change the fact that money has an uncomfortably large role in how shit gets done. She's not an exception to that problem...

This donation money from the super rich is getting trickled down to local economies, were it not for these donations, the money would likely be hidden over seas or invested in assets that do not help anyone but the investor and their class.

#trickledown
Lol sorry. It's just funny how conservative we get when backed up into a corner on this issue.

 

[Random Painted HIghway]

It's also a massive waste of resources. The last Presidential election topped 2 billion in spending. That money could be used for much better things.

This donation money from the super rich is getting trickled down to local economies, were it not for these donations, the money would likely be hidden over seas or invested in assets that do not help anyone but the investor and their class.

 

[JABEE]

That's...normal for a campaign.

Why is it normal? Let no one complain, because the other side's asshole is much worse than the career insider who has bathed in the excesses of this corruption.

She will reform campaign finance after she gets elected fully taking advantage of the broken system and enriching herself via the last appointed office she held.

 

[Kinyou]

A family photo with Mrs. Clinton cost $10,000, according to attendees.

What is this? Comic Con?

 

[TestOfTide]

Yes she has been talking to business types. You imply it's them influencing her, but why can't it be the other way around? Why can't it be that the Democratic Party is trying to put a huge dent in the GOP by making their "Big Tent" also include moderate conservatives and business type conservatives?

Many people have been saying that they want the DNC to start going for a 50 state strategy. Meetings like this are what will be required for such a strategy.

Yeah, it might be pretty normal but it's still pretty fucking disgusting.

Well if you have a better idea for how to maximize the "Big Tent", I'm sure democrats would love to hear it.

 

[Imm0rt4l]

Why did the libertarian cross the road?

A: What road?

Lmao

 

[Chichikov]

I don't see this ever happening unfortunately, so long as we continue to having to support the "lesser of two evils" in elections.

Meanwhile we'll continue to blame republicans for a lack of finance reforms instead of demand reform from Democrats too.

A meaningful campaign finance reform is very much possible, the public hates the current state of affairs as do most members of congress.
And considering the most Democrats supported the latest efforts to fix the system and most Republicans objected to them, I think on this particular point, the GOP do currently carry more of the blame (but of course not all of it).

p.s.
This has nothing to do with voting for "the lesser of two evils", this is just a result of an election system that results in two parties. Even if we move to a 100% public finance system, you'd still likely going to vote to a candidate that only align with you on some of the issues.

 

[Brinbe]

It's for the greater good in the end. This is going towards expanding the field, taking back the house/Senate. So meh. If you already don't trust her anything she'd do would raise your ire.

Things will be different post labor day anyway

 

[ahoyhoy]

Why is it normal? Let no one complain, because the other side's asshole is much worse than the career insider who has bathed in the excesses of this corruption.

She will reform campaign finance after she gets elected fully taking advantage of the broken system and enriching herself via the last appointed office she held.

I think commentators like that are just worried that any negative news about Clinton might cost her the election, so they'll defend all her actions anywhere and everywhere.

What they don't seem to realize is that this forum is basically exclusively Democrat, essentially meaning any comments are in "the family". It's okay to be critical of her actions and expect more of her in here if we are really interested in change.

 

[blackw0lf]

Hillary has given plenty of interviews. She just hasn't done press conferences. Given that it's doubtful they'd have substantive questions I find it hard to blame her. But this idea that she hasn't talked to reporters isn't true

 

[7DollarHagane]

It really puts things in perspective that there are many people willing to pay 2-3 times a normal persons yearly salary to be able to brag to their friends about having dinner/ a photo with Hillary Clinton/asking her a softball question.

If that's how it is I get it but it doesn't make me feel any less sick about it.

 

[120v]

my understanding is the main public events aren't really rolling out til later this month.

as for fund raising, i mean, she has no other choice

 

[ClosingADoor]

Yes. However her lack of public events and press availability is abnormal. That's the point of the piece; she is spending more time with the rich than with the non-rich, relative to past campaigns.

Isn't this more a result of basically having Trump screw up all the time on his own. Any candidate would take a step back then, because it is not needed to appear on events. It's more just a campaign strategy then actually pandering to the ultra rich I think.

Why is it normal? Let no one complain, because the other side's asshole is much worse than the career insider who has bathed in the excesses of this corruption.

She will reform campaign finance after she gets elected fully taking advantage of the broken system and enriching herself via the last appointed office she held.

How is she going to enrich herself as a former President, and how is that worse then compared to previous Presidents who have done the same by getting money to appear at events and do some speeches?