There's Your Problem Right There

Consultants Draining 2008 Contenders' Campaign Funds

The '08 field of Presidential contenders have spent $16 million on consultants in the last six months. Did you ever wonder why these consultants just don't run for office? Can you imagine President Karl Rove? President James Carville?

From The Boston Globe:

WASHINGTON - Bill Clinton began his quest for the White House with just five clerical staff to supplement volunteers in the early fall of 1991. His $26,543 in expenditures for the first three months included $342.88 for telephone installation, $1,263.34 for office supplies, and $418.09 for the ingredients to make cookies for his announcement celebration.

Sixteen years later, at a similar stage of the campaign, his wife, Hillary Clinton, has already paid more than $1.3 million to 10 different types of professional political operatives to advise her on everything from media strategy to trip planning and Internet use. Her campaign, which has spent $17.8 million overall, hired more than 350 people during the first half of this year, making it a bigger employer than 96 percent of US businesses, according to the US Census Bureau.

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What these consultants aren't capable of knowing is that the game they're playing is shrinking. PR doesn't fool anyone anymore. When someone in your campaign is caught breaking rules, laws or taboos, having them resign to spend more time with their family may be an effective way to stonewall the media, it's never going to win anyone over.

Consultants exist to make sure that candidates don't give voters reasons not to vote for them. None of these consultant-laden campaigns are doing very much to bring new voters into the system. I'm not talking about voter turnout. Plenty of people vote out of guilt, duty and most often fear, but never with the joy in their heart that this mofo I'm sending to DC is going to kick some ass for me and make this country great.

Why don't politicians ever try to build a constituency with candor? Because consultants will tell them over and over that it will get them beaten. But even the homeless understand, a little truth goes a long way:

TAGS: Voting, Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, Consultants