(Full disclosure: My husband and I, as nonpaid volunteers, have raised a considerable amount of money for Deval Patrick.)
The gubernatorial campaign continues to be about money, as the three Democratic candidates have just made their decisions about accepting or rejecting taxpayer checkoff funds.
And once again Chris Gabrieli has proved that he may talk like a Democrat, but he acts like a Republican. That is, he believes in the power of the purse–his purse–over the strength of individual supporters.
When Chris Gabrieli entered the race very late, he could do so only because he had millions of dollars behind him. He spent $2 million-plus on a media buy to get quick name recognition and interest. He spent $80,000-plus to have paid solicitors get enough voter signatures to satisfy state ballot requirements. He could spend his time on long telephone conversations with delegates to get a spot on the Democratic primary ballot because he didn’t have to spend any time on the telephone raising funds for his campaign.
The May 31 reports from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance show a campaign that’s nearly totally self-funded. Rough calculations reflect the following for the period of 3/15/06 – 5/31/056:
Total receipts: $2977,075
Total deposits made by Chris Gabrieli: $2,075,000
Total contributions: $152,075
PERCENTAGE CONTRIBUTED BY THOSE OTHER THAN CHRIS GABRIELI: 5.1%
Number of contributions: 480
Average contribution: $317
If Kerry Murphy Healey ran her campaign this way, most Democrats would claim that such behavior was to be expected, that Republicans feel it is okay to buy elections.
But we don’t expect our own candidates to do the same. Chris Gabrieli is acting like a Republican, using financial resources to substitute for actions that would engage individuals in working for and with a candidate.
Such behavior threatens our very system: The actions of attending caucuses, collecting ballot signatures, making small financial contributions bind us together as citizens and constitute participation–which is one of the hallmarks of a true democracy.
That’s why we Patrick supporters are irritated with the Gabrieli strategy, but delighted to have a candidate and a campaign that involve us, the people, in the democratic process.
(disclosure — Reilly delegate, supporter.)
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Wow, I hadn’t grasped how bad it was for Deval’s people are about Gabrieli. Sure, the purely anti-democratic booing when he made the ballot was disgusting, but hey, people get hyped up during conventions. But all this Deval angst on the diaries today makes me wonder.
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I also hadn’t grasped that US Senators Jon Corzine and Maria Cantwell (to name two obvious largely self-funded examples) act like Republicans abnd threaten democracy. I could have sworn they were two loyal, often liberal Democrats. Heck, Corzine strikes me as an enjoyably loose cannon.
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In the run-up to the convention, though a sworn Reilly delegate, I had four genuine conversations with Gabrieli. E-mails from people I knew helping him out. Letters from his supporters. Reilly’s supporters left a couple of robo-calls and check-ins. Deval’s campaign left a mountain of recorded messages. To me, Gabrieli was the one who reached out to the people.
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I’m not sorry Deval has to spend time fundraising. I’m not sorry that he has decided not to put his own fortune where his mouth is. I’m not sorry that his recent decision to run for governor was unplanned enough not to have stocked up on campaign cash.
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Nor do I regret that Reilly has been working his butt off over the past few years raising money and building bridges while Deval was shooting the breeze. You want participatory democracy based on optics? Try supporting a candidate who currently holds a full-time job and isn’t filthy rich.
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Why should I give money to a millionaire who’s going to fund his own campaign? Instead, I’ll donate the money to people who need it around the state. If Gabs wants to spend on his race, that’s completely fine by me — his choice. I don’t see how that means he acts like a Republican.
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It’s not as if he asked for money and people didn’t respond. He hasn’t had to, no more than Reilly is trolling for pro bono legal help, or Patrick casting about for cultural outreach co-ordinators. Is Gabs supposed to ask for something he has? Then we’d get diaries ranting about his greed and brazen nature.
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I don’t need to feel important, to be stroked and flattered to support a candidate. I want the best person for the job, not the person who wants the job that makes me feel best.
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Does every Deval Patrick supporter currently have their panties in a twist over Chris Gabrieli? Is his appearance on the ballot really the third sign of the Apocalypse? Are you people every going to get over the fact that you and your candidate are going to have to work for the nomination instead of just having it handed to you? Are we really going to be “treated” to the navel-gazing and hand-wringing over every thing this man says and does until September?
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Must you be so self-righteous, pretentious and self-congratulatory in every damn post?
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To quote Publius: Suck it up. Game on, sistah!
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I hope that rattles your teacup!