A front-page
story on the New York Times website reports on President Bush's
reelection plans. The article reports on various aspects of the plan, including
the following: "Mr. Bush's advisers say they are prepared to spend as much
as $200 million — twice the amount of his first campaign — to finance television
advertising and other campaign expenses through the primary season that leads
up to the Republican convention in September 2004." This presumably would
be money raised privately, in up to $2,000 chunks from individuals (up from
$1,000 in the last election, thanks to McCain-Feingold (and this is a part
of the law everyone expects to survive court challenge)) and in up to $5,000
chunks from PACs. Bush raised $94 million this way last time under the old
limits. This time, he'll presumably be running without opposition, meaning
he can use his primary funding to build himself up and attack the Democrats
(rather than actually run in a competitive primary).
The article reports that one effect of delaying the Republican convention
to August 30 is to delay the time that the general election period starts.
In the general election period, Bush would not be able to spend this $200
million. He is expected to take public financing in the general election portion
of the campaign.
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Rick Hasen
Professor of Law and William M. Rains Fellow
Loyola Law School
919 South Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015-1211
(213)736-1466
(213)380-3769 - fax
rick.hasen@lls.edu
http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/hasen.html