Big Cash Edge Powers Obama in Drive for ’12
Summary:
United States president, Barack Obama, has decided to start his re-election campaign early. He is using the money he has raised to finance grass-roots organization and Information Technology. He has also initiated a fund-raising effort called “Strong Start.” There is currently no opponent for the presidential position. This gives President Obama a good head start in his campaign.
President Obama has raised funds as much as all the Republicans combined. He has been using his funds to initiate other fund-raisers in different states. He has extended his campaign online, attacking all the individual voters. President Obama has been using millions of dollars for online advertising and technological equipment. This is embarrassing for the opposition, as President Obama is spending more money for campaigning than they have in their bank accounts.
The Republican National Committee’s fund-raising efforts have not been as effective, as they are still paying off large debts from 2008.
By Nicholas Confessore and Griff Palmer
Publish: October 16, 2011; accessed: October 19, 2011
Summary:
United States president, Barack Obama, has decided to start his re-election campaign early. He is using the money he has raised to finance grass-roots organization and Information Technology. He has also initiated a fund-raising effort called “Strong Start.” There is currently no opponent for the presidential position. This gives President Obama a good head start in his campaign.
President Obama has raised funds as much as all the Republicans combined. He has been using his funds to initiate other fund-raisers in different states. He has extended his campaign online, attacking all the individual voters. President Obama has been using millions of dollars for online advertising and technological equipment. This is embarrassing for the opposition, as President Obama is spending more money for campaigning than they have in their bank accounts.
The Republican National Committee’s fund-raising efforts have not been as effective, as they are still paying off large debts from 2008.
Response:
The fact that President Obama is trying very hard to win over people, reminds me of McMurphy and Nurse Ratched from Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.” The two characters are always fighting for power. Nurse Ratched, who is head nurse of the mental hospital, is constantly struggling for power against McMurphy. Much like President Obama, Mcmurphy has the support of the patients in the ward. This helps him in many ways, as he has more people fighting the opposition. The difference is that President Obama has no primary opponent yet, making it a lot easier for him as he has a lot of support already. Whoever stands against him will have to work very hard to reach the point where President Obama is already standing. When you are at the top, the only place you can go is downwards. We as humans are all power-hungry, and we all fight to keep power, or at least gain it.
Vocabulary:
Word 1: bankroll
a. “President Obama is exploiting his early lead in campaign fund-raising to bankroll a sprawling grass-roots organization and information technology apparatus in critical general election battlegrounds.”
b. Bankroll: noun. A roll of money.
Verb. Wealthy expatriates bankroll the project. Origin: 1885–90; bank2 + roll
Verb. Wealthy expatriates bankroll the project. Origin: 1885–90; bank2 + roll
c. Abhrajit helped a lot in bankrolling the Bhutan football trip.
Word 2: campaign
a. “In recent months, that money has helped open campaign offices in at least 15 states.”
b. Campaign: an organized goal of action to achieve a particular goal. Origin: 1620–30; < French campagne < Italian campagna < LateLatin campānia level district, equivalent to Latin camp(us) field +-ān(us) -an + -ia -ia
c. In order to win a STUCO position, students have to campaign really early.
Word 3: clout
a. “In just one example of the campaign’s financial clout, in the last three months, Mr. Obama has spent more than $2 million on online advertising and half a million dollars on computer equipment and software.”
b. Clout: influence or power. Origin: before 900; Middle English; Old English clūt piece of clothor metal; cognate with Middle Low German klūte, Old Norse klūtr
c. Rana’s clout was his key advantage in winning the elections.
So, is Obama more like McMurphy or the Nurse? Your answer determines whether you are a Democrat or Republican.
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