Funding And Politics

One of the smartest people in politics looks at the cash advantage of Obama vs. McCain. He concludes that Obama’s cash advantage is overstated but, more importantly, he also notes what I’ve said for years and years: money simply does not win elections. You need enough cash to run a credible candidacy, otherwise, it is a minor advantage at best. Indeed, it’s arguably detrimental to have more money than your opponent in some ways.

None of this is to say McCain will win, although Rove’s more batty critics will undoubtedly say this is his “real” intention by writing this article. That’s balderdash. The man knows how to win elections, and he knows what quite a few political scientists also know: money doesn’t win elections. The likely winner tends to get more cash in donations, but that’s because smart money follows the likely winner, not the other way around.

Although I still think McCain has his work cut out for him, and odds are against him, Obama is not unbeatable, funding advantage or no.