What should Obama do with his $30 million campaign surplus?

By Michelle Malkin  •  December 6, 2008 12:02 AM

He’s got gobs of cash and lots of grumbly Democrats who want to get their paws on it all.

Legally, he can:

1) donate the extra money to charity

2) Transfer it to another political campaign

3) Dole it out in $2,000 increments to local candidates.

What to do? What to do?

Democrats carrying significant campaign debt after winning a string of House and Senate races are grumbling about President-elect Barack Obama’s financial reserves, saying the party’s leader is sitting on a pile of cash while Democratic leaders are broke.

Obama’s organization retains some $30 million after his successful presidential bid, but it’s unclear how the Democratic president-in-waiting might use the money. Members of his party are doing their best to appeal for the funds without appearing greedy, ungrateful or hostile to their new leader.

“If I was a top adviser to the president elect, I wouldn’t necessarily be advocating saving those dollars,” said Raymond Buckle, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. “It was critically important that we not repeat what happened in ‘93, ‘94,” when President Bill Clinton held the purse strings and Democrats lost 54 U.S. House seats and eight senators during midterm elections.

“We need the resources to build the national grass roots network for the Obama agenda. We need to make sure the president is successful and that the administration fulfills his promises,” Buckley said.

Who votes for having him send it to his impoverished family members and the neglected Obama school in Kenya?

Chime in with your own suggestions.

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

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Comments


  1. #564422
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:04 am, BlameAmericaLast said:

    How about pay Washington DC for all the police, overtime, etc., that will e needed from his inauguration day festivities?

  2. #564423
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:13 am, Bill Grant said:

    Run for president in some other country that he can screw up instead of this one.

  3. #564425
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:15 am, BrianNY said:

    How about pay his “fair” share?

    C’mon Obama…(said with a creepy grin)…”time to be patriotic…time to jump in…time to be part of the deal…time to help America get out of the rut…”

    Sound familiar?

  4. #564427
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:26 am, tniles said:

    Can this money legally to pay future legal fees that Obama will incur? I think it is inevitable with Bill and Hillary involved in this administration. It’s beginning to look a lot like scandal season. They are going to make him regret the day he let them get involved. They only have their interests at heart.

  5. #564429
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:28 am, WrshpMzshn said:

    Doesn’t the DNC still owe Denver a lot of money for police overtime?

  6. #564430
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:29 am, b-cat said:

    Maybe he can give it back to who gave it to him, George Soros.

  7. #564435
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:37 am, Cal City Conservative said:

    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:29 am, b-cat said:

    Maybe he can give it back to who gave it to him, George Soros.

    Don’t think Soros wants that kind of payback.

  8. #564436
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:37 am, jlibertarian said:

    That’s a good one – a liberal giving money back. I’m sure Hillary has her cold witch hand out though. That’s another good one – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. How about Elliot Spitzer for US Attorney General? Or Barney Frank for Defense Secretary? Someone stop me please!

  9. #564437
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:38 am, Two Dogs said:

    That won’t cover 10% of the illegal contributions that he must return.

  10. #564438
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:47 am, xler8bmw said:

    Maybe he should donate it to the free “Universal Healthcare” slush fund!

  11. #564439
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:47 am, DaveC said:

    Hillery still has some campaign debt to pay off.. and Barack promised to help..

    he Promised..PROMISED..

  12. #564440
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:49 am, txvet2 said:

    He’s a Democrat. What’s “legally” got to do with anything? Michelle needs new shoes.

  13. #564442
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:53 am, wild thing2 said:

    I like your idea Michelle.

  14. #564448
    On December 6th, 2008 at 1:18 am, thefoundingfathers said:

    Payoff Hillary’s debt or better yet give it to Hank Paulson to bail out more of his friends.

    He could also dole it out to all those who want to start renaming building smd streets after him.

  15. #564452
    On December 6th, 2008 at 1:41 am, PKAmmoTroop said:

    $30 million may be enough to cover returning illegal campaign contributions.

    Then again, it can buy a hell of a ring for MO, with enough left over for a fleet of SUV’s.

  16. #564456
    On December 6th, 2008 at 2:40 am, Micheleeroo said:

    What should he do with 30 million? Why, spread the wealth around! Hey Obama, my bank account # is…..

  17. #564460
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:01 am, bayou22 said:

    Knowing that he raised $745 million and has $30 million left over only tells me one thing…

    Being elected President of the United States costs $715 million.

    (which, coincidentally, is less than the NFL’s Houston Texans cost…)

  18. #564461
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:06 am, AlohaGuy said:

    Piano lessons for the kids.

    From this guy.

  19. #564462
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:13 am, Truesoldier said:

    here are a few suggestions:

    1) pay back the $100,000+ given to him by Freddie and Fannie

    2) pay the over time to the Denver PD that is still owed

    3) Donate the rest to Joe The Plumber seeing as The One’s supporters were the ones who illegally searched his records.

  20. #564463
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:20 am, npphotog said:

    It’s a shame he can’t keep it as a personal gift from the people, after all, the people wanted him to have it.

  21. #564466
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:31 am, madmonkphotog said:

    What surplus? They’re ill-gotten gains from his, yes his desire to cheat federal election laws and allow for phony contributors to donate.

    Yes, the buck should stop with Mein Fuhrer, the same way it has had to stop with President Bush.

  22. #564475
    On December 6th, 2008 at 5:13 am, alamedaman said:

    he should bail me out!

  23. #564487
    On December 6th, 2008 at 6:24 am, zeddgara said:

    Yes because in those races mentioned it was MONEY that lost them the elections not their lousy policies and corrupt leftist behavior, none of that had anything to do with it.

  24. #564489
    On December 6th, 2008 at 6:51 am, Rip Ford said:

    Clearly there needs to be a windfall profits tax on Obama.

  25. #564494
    On December 6th, 2008 at 7:19 am, Tom Blumer of BizzyBlog said:

    He should find out who really gave him the money (as if he doesn’t know).

  26. #564496
    On December 6th, 2008 at 7:45 am, AmericanPatriot said:

    He’ll probably just give it to his favorite charities…
    Acorn and Planned Parenthood

  27. #564499
    On December 6th, 2008 at 7:54 am, ctmom said:

    Buy his wife a bracelet?

  28. #564501
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:02 am, kyconservative said:

    Buy gift certificates for the impoverished from everyone’s favorite Planned Parenthood Clinic.

  29. #564503
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:04 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:13 am, Bill Grant said:

    Run for president in some other country that he can screw up instead of this one.

    That or Mayor of Chicago, Jakarta, Nairobi-some foreign place.
    We could give Hawaii independence and declare the lad a guest worker.

  30. #564504
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:09 am, ajmontana said:

    He can shove it up his a__. :shock:

  31. #564510
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:28 am, mtngrandpa said:

    He should continue to campaign since he’s on a good roll now. Build up that pot of loot, get greedy like a good capitalist should — Don’t share….

  32. #564514
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:35 am, joannmandolin said:

    It may cover part of his lavish Hawaiian holiday- you know, white man’s greed, fo’ shiz-

    He may even swing by the old broad’s grave for a photo op-

    Arrangements are being finalized for the Obamas and the families of two or three friends to stay at a Kailua beachfront location with three modern, multi-million-dollar homes. Each wraps around a lagoon-style swimming pool, with palm trees, grassy lawns and retractable glass walls for postcard views of the white sand and windsurfers.

  33. #564515
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:45 am, rambler said:

    He could spread his wealth around first!

  34. #564517
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:49 am, rockhauler said:

    Use surplus campaign cash to buy the loyalty of other democrats?

    Who ever heard of such a thing? All my life presidential candidates have used the promise of future payments of cash to buy the loyalty of democrats.

    I’ve never heard of actual, for real, cash payments ever happening.

  35. #564518
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:49 am, BayStateRepublican said:

    He should use it to pave the Rose Garden so he can host Midnight Basketball for underprivledged DC youths. Charity begins at home!

  36. #564519
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:50 am, BayStateRepublican said:

    underpriviledged (sorry, no coffee yet)

  37. #564522
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:59 am, committed said:

    Right up to the last day of the campaign, he and the DNC were sending emails and letters like crazy begging for more money. Wonder how many people sacrificed their last $20 or so thinking these money hungry politicians needed it.

  38. #564524
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:00 am, happyscrapper said:

    Isn’t his campaign still soliciting for more contributions? That’s what I heard…that people are getting e-mails to send him MORE money.

  39. #564525
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:02 am, happyscrapper said:

    O.K. This crossed in the mail with committed’s comment #36! I guess that answered my question!

  40. #564526
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:06 am, committed said:

    Vote today Tuesday, November 4, 2008 1:54 PM
    From: “Michelle Obama” Add sender to Contacts
    Today is Election Day.

    The opportunity to set our country on a new path has never felt more real than it does right now.

    The polls are open in most places, and people are already making their voices heard for change.

    There’s just one thing left to do — vote and make sure everyone you know votes, too.

    Yada, yada, yada…..

    There was a big LAST CHANCE TO DONATE link at the end of the email.

  41. #564528
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:09 am, Jaded said:

    He could buy a clue! I have a few clues for him and he can just give me 1/2.

  42. #564530
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:11 am, happyscrapper said:

    The White House needs a new coat of paint.

  43. #564531
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:14 am, zorro said:

    Legally, he can:

    1) donate the extra money to charity

    Knowing what we now know about that Chicago thug, Planned Parenthood’s legal defense fund will probably get a boost.

  44. #564534
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:25 am, Dave Turson said:

    Since The One is a hypocrite for opting out of the public-financing system, perhaps he can make amends by giving all the remaining money to the Republican Party. This would show he is really serious about making substantial bipartisan efforts to reach across the aisle.

  45. #564544
    On December 6th, 2008 at 9:52 am, SpeakEasy said:

    He should fund nationwide positive voter ID cards so no more elections can be stolen through fraud.

    I can dream.

  46. #564560
    On December 6th, 2008 at 10:14 am, Madam President said:

    I’d like a chunk of it. He’s all about the rich giving away their fair share, right?

  47. #564565
    On December 6th, 2008 at 10:30 am, beenthere said:

    Only $30 million? I thought he had a lot more than that left over. Just how much did that ring for Michelle O. cost, anyway?

    For starts, I would use the money to pay for an audit of his campaign’s finances. $30 million might just about cover it. He might also use it to find his real birth certificate, a search that likely be as blessed with success as O.J.’s search for the “real” killers.

    [Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll never do it again. :) ]

  48. #564568
    On December 6th, 2008 at 10:39 am, BlameAmericaLast said:

    How about returning all the illegal donations from foreign countries while he’s at it?

  49. #564586
    On December 6th, 2008 at 11:18 am, rondogg said:

    That would be a good down payment on the civilian national security force. After all they’ll need uniforms, preferrably shirts that are brown…

  50. #564589
    On December 6th, 2008 at 11:23 am, DiamondMair said:

    How about pay some of the monies owed to Denver for the convention expenditures? Ohhhh, like the overtime for the Staties’ providing security? That money was primarily provided by AMERICANS – I’m thinking it should be spent HERE, rather than Africa …………………… but then, I’m one of those who truly believes charity begins at home ……………………

    Semper Fi’
    DM

  51. #564602
    On December 6th, 2008 at 11:45 am, DBNinKY said:

    Who votes for having him send it to his impoverished family members and the neglected Obama school in Kenya?

    Hear, hear! The least he could do is double his half-brother’s income to two dollars a month, or buy his aunt a ticket back to her home country.

  52. #564606
    On December 6th, 2008 at 11:59 am, jbirish said:

    Maybe he should hang on to it for a while. He might need it to repair the collateral damage done to the Capital by the liberal free-for-all after the Inaugural fiasco.
    I expect to see footage on January episodes of “World’s Dumbest….”, titled, “World’s Dumbest Voter’s”, and “World’s Dumbest Liberal Criminals”!

  53. #564623
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:29 pm, huhwhat said:

    What AJ said.

  54. #564632
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:35 pm, flsailors said:

    Obama: Take $1.00 of the $30 million and make 10 copies of your real birth cerificate for distribution and publication.

  55. #564644
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:50 pm, Laree said:

    “Syrians or Lebanese” by way of who ??? funneled through say Martinique…Who is Vera Baker and why is she in Martinique?

  56. #564646
    On December 6th, 2008 at 12:57 pm, joetimek said:

    He should buy me a 4-year supply of the strongest alcohol he can find. I have a feeling it will come in handy.

  57. #564658
    On December 6th, 2008 at 1:13 pm, Cosmo said:

    A few suggestions:

    - Bail me out
    - Help Joe the Plumber buy that business (for Barry that’s an investment, since he’ll tax the heck out of it if he can)
    - Help Joe the Biden with finishing school tuition
    - Buy Barney Frank a comb
    - Get some Nicorette or that patch
    - Get a clue on cabinet picks

  58. #564663
    On December 6th, 2008 at 1:23 pm, Bill Grant said:

    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:04 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    We could give Hawaii independence and declare the lad a guest worker.

    Maybe we could send him a bit further out into the Pacific. He will feel right at home.

  59. #564666
    On December 6th, 2008 at 1:25 pm, Fat Jolly Penguin said:

    You know, I could sure use $30 million. Getting through college and what I have left of high school would be a hell of a lot easier with it.

    Spread the wealth around, Barry!

  60. #564678
    On December 6th, 2008 at 1:38 pm, RabbidSquirrel said:

    Give it to Code Pink! They need a new office.

  61. #564704
    On December 6th, 2008 at 2:19 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    had it over to the big 3?? or how about hand it over to ICE to conduct some more raids?…or maybe he should donate it to help soldiers returning from Iraq recover from their wounds??

  62. #564706
    On December 6th, 2008 at 2:24 pm, right_on said:

    He had better create an Obama Legal Defense Fund…we know what’s coming, right? That way he won’t have to tap foreign sources again (now that some may be under scrutiny).

  63. #564714
    On December 6th, 2008 at 2:49 pm, Mercy4Me said:

    I think he should help a brutha out!
    Put it on the books for one O.J. Simpson.

    Brutha Simpson is going to need candy and cigs in the big house.

    HAHAHHHHHAAAAA BWAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

  64. #564715
    On December 6th, 2008 at 2:54 pm, hadsil said:

    Find 30 homeless and/or undocumented people. Give each of them, tax free, $1 million. No pre-interviews, just 30 random people. Check back with them in a year. See what develops.

  65. #564722
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:08 pm, StormyOne said:

    I think he should donate one of those nice $30,000 rings – like the one he is supposedly getting for darling Michelle – to every woman in America !

  66. #564726
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:23 pm, misterbee241 said:

    He should divide it between 6 homeless people so they can build the economy from the bottom up. Then we’d all prosper.

  67. #564732
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:35 pm, Milwaukee Mike said:

    Whatever he does, he should do it quick. The value of this cash will certainly go down with the inflation that comes with his administration.

  68. #564733
    On December 6th, 2008 at 3:39 pm, Papa Louie said:

    Obama should do something a Democrat politician has never done before: practice what he preaches!

    “I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper”

    Obama wants to start a war on “global poverty” using everybody’s else’s money. How about he practice what he preaches by first providing funds from his own pocket to take care of his own brother and aunt.

    “My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”

    Obama should practice what he preaches and donate the $30 million in excess campaign funds to charity to help those at the “bottom” and “spread the wealth around.” It would be a great experiment to see how well his trickle-up theory works – if he really believes what he says.

  69. #564742
    On December 6th, 2008 at 4:13 pm, rlwo2008 said:

    I think he should stuff it up his …

  70. #564756
    On December 6th, 2008 at 4:50 pm, RachelD said:

    Obama should take a page from his running mate and do the patriotic thing – cut a check to Uncle Sam to pay down the deficit.

  71. #564758
    On December 6th, 2008 at 4:55 pm, Oink said:

    I suggest he pay off Hill’s campaign debt and quit asking other people to do it.

  72. #564761
    On December 6th, 2008 at 5:10 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    I say donate it to the fund set up for the education of American Military members killed in action.

  73. #564795
    On December 6th, 2008 at 6:52 pm, chapoutier said:

    As probably the only person here who has actually chipped in on that $30 million surplus, I say it should all go to strippers and booze.

  74. #564796
    On December 6th, 2008 at 6:53 pm, SpeakEasy said:

    Oink, I think that is a certainty. Then he will not have to watch his back.

    Oh who am I kidding, he will still have to watch his back with a Clinton around.

  75. #564799
    On December 6th, 2008 at 7:04 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    Legally, he can:

    1) donate the extra money to charity

    We prefer THIS CHARITY

    10% would be great!

  76. #564800
    On December 6th, 2008 at 7:12 pm, zyzzyg said:

    I suspect a little of each of the three legal options.

  77. #564808
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:40 pm, Garathorn said:

    What to do with it? Is that a trick question?

  78. #564816
    On December 6th, 2008 at 8:50 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    As probably the only person here who has actually chipped in on that $30 million surplus, I say it should all go to strippers and booze.

    You want him to give it to the Clinton Library?

  79. #564850
    On December 6th, 2008 at 10:29 pm, SSG David Medzyk said:

    William Jefferson could keep it secure. Just in case O needs some cold cash…..

  80. #564863
    On December 6th, 2008 at 11:24 pm, ErinF said:

    LOL! That’s all he’s got left??? What he should do and what he will do are very different things.

    I predict Meeechelle will be gettin’ some freaky bling with those pieces of paper with the white guys on ‘em.

  81. #565089
    On December 7th, 2008 at 5:10 pm, America1st said:

    Ummm how about paying for and releasing the vault copy of his birth certificate.

  82. #565092
    On December 7th, 2008 at 5:15 pm, Master Shake said:

    Give a dime to everyone in the U.S.

    CHANGE!

  83. #565106
    On December 7th, 2008 at 5:38 pm, countrybumpkin said:

    I’ll go with AJ on this one. 3 million rolls of quarters and 55 gallons of KY.

  84. #565114
    On December 7th, 2008 at 6:31 pm, purealchemy said:

    He could give all of us some reparations for the mental anguish he’s caused us over two years of campaigning.

  85. #565133
    On December 7th, 2008 at 7:42 pm, Lee Hazel said:

    The answer to the article’s question just can not be given in polite company but does have something to do with lack of sunshine.

    PC is Thought Control
    LEE

  86. #565164
    On December 7th, 2008 at 10:07 pm, rocketman said:

    Now that Michelle Obama has her very expensive ring ($50000?) the “Messiah” should start sending his poverty stricken Nigerian half brother George $50 a month for food–like I send to World Vision for Africa relief every month. It would really increase George’s $1 a month income and diet.
    ***
    Possibly his ILLEGAL ALIEN AUNT in Boston should get some money for food and rent so she can move out of taxpayer supported public housing. Some legal defense funding is probably needed there also to keep her from being shipped back to Nigeria.
    ***
    Oh–I forgot how liberals view charity. They never use their own money–they only use other people’s money–that they extort through higher taxes. Liberal charity indeed?
    ***
    John Bibb

  87. #565175
    On December 7th, 2008 at 11:20 pm, countrybumpkin said:

    A Liberal is always happy to give someone the shirt off of your back.

  88. #565229
    On December 8th, 2008 at 7:33 am, pressto said:

    I thought it was a lot more then $30 Million and that he is still collecting money on his website.

    https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/dnc08splashnd

  89. #567267
    On December 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pm, Lawrence said:

    I dunno… maybe George Soros might want some of it back, maybe?

  90. #572063
    On December 15th, 2008 at 3:57 pm, rightwingrocker said:

    About a quarter of a mil would do me just fine and leave a little to spare …

    I won’t hold my breath.

    RWR
    http://www.rightwingrocker.com

  91. #572068
    On December 15th, 2008 at 4:01 pm, rightwingrocker said:

    What should he do with 30 million? Why, spread the wealth around! Hey Obama, my bank account # is…..

    HAHA

    Barack Obama is the LAST person I’d be giving my bank account information to!

    RWR
    http://www.rightwingrocker.com

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