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Clinton Senior Staff Goes Without Pay

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February 06, 2008 7:22 PM

ABC News' Kate Snow Reports: Members of Senator Hillary Clinton's senior campaign staff have agreed to work without pay for the month of February.  Communications Director Howard Wolfson called the move "a show of solidarity with Hillary Clinton".

Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle is one of those who will forego a paycheck for the month.  Solis Doyle told ABC News she offered the Senator her services for free.  She said she was not asked to take a pay cut.

Many of Clinton's top staff, including Solis Doyle and others, have been with the Senator for more than a decade and are fiercely loyal to her.

The staff move to help the campaign save precious resources comes after a big media blitz preceding Super Tuesday -- including a one hour televised interactive town hall meeting on the Hallmark Channel, which set the campaign back millions of dollars, and regular TV ads that totaled more than $8 million over a period of less than two weeks.

Recently, money managers within the Clinton campaign have said they were spending money as fast as they could raise it.

And today, it was revealed that there might have been a shortfall in January, but for a loan made by the candidate herself.

Senator Clinton reached into her own pockets to give the campaign a $5 million loan late last month.

She explained Wednesday that the loan was made out of necessity.

"I loaned the campaign $5 million from my money.  That's where I got the money." Clinton said.  She emphasized the word "my" to make clear that the loan did not involve her husband, the former President. 

"I loaned it because I believe very strongly in this campaign.  We had a great month fundraising in January, broke all records, but my opponent was able to raise more money.  And we intended to be competitive, and we were.  And I think the results last night proved the wisdom of my investment," she said.

The Clinton campaign raised about $13 million in January, plus the $5 million loan from Senator Clinton.  The Obama campaign announced recently that it had raised $32 million last month.

With Super Tuesday behind them, the campaign faces the prospect of weeks of contests in multiple states -- an unexpectedly expensive and drawn out nomination contest.

Clinton may have to consider another loan at some point.  That is not outside the realm of possibility.  Money Magazine estimated that the Clintons -- Bill and Hillary -- accumulated an estimated $35 million in wealth after leaving the White House.  Much of that money was earned through President Clinton's speaking fees, book deals and other business ventures.

February 6, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (176)

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People look where Clinton's "excellent" experience with economics got her. Sorry, if she can not run the finances of her campaign, she will bankrupt America too.

Obama is the future. Turn the page America.

Posted by: Yakov | Feb 6, 2008 10:14:24 PM

This indicates Clinton is a poor economic manager. She was touted as the sure thing and had raised more than enough money even before the campaign started. These personals "loans" to the campaign should be watched closely. The question: Who wants this lack of responsibility leading the country?

Posted by: Bill | Feb 6, 2008 10:22:52 PM

Hillary has no Mid-East money, sugar daddies like Resko, big contributors like Exelon, and big dollars. I wonder what Obama has done or will do for these contributions. Is this part of the “Yes We Can” movement?

Posted by: Mallory | Feb 6, 2008 10:36:16 PM

$35 million in speaking fees? Yeah, right...

Posted by: Rob | Feb 6, 2008 10:36:41 PM

Someone has to help our country to get back on track... No new commer for me... We can not take that risk!

Posted by: mark | Feb 6, 2008 10:43:05 PM

The Clinton fortune is listed at between $10 and $50 million. Don't anyone dare suggest to me that Hillary is supposed to be representing the little guy.

Sounds more like a Clinton-Romney ticket. Please.

To clarify: Obama "shattered previous monthly records" with donations from CITIZENS, not from The Indefatigable American Lobbying Machine.

Americans from all walks of life have donated $5.5 million to the Obama campaign on February 6th ALONE.

How you like THEM apples?

Posted by: Emlyn | Feb 6, 2008 10:44:36 PM

Without this news report, we can't understand how tough mission it is for HRC's team. However, HRC should be more carefully to use these loan money for future campaign activities. The concept of COST DOWN should be considered. God luck for Hillary H. Cliton. Mabye it is good gift for her how to use small money to create BIG Victories with her and her team members.

Posted by: Sharon C | Feb 6, 2008 10:45:09 PM

The sad part of this? These posts. We should be absolutely overjoyed with our Democratic candidates. Instead, we have a bunch of troublemakers doing all the can to rip each other down.

America has disappointed me this election. Even worse is that money may dictate who wins this election. Despite a clear support for Clinton from the largest class in America, it will be the upper-middle and upper classes that decide not with votes -- but with the almighty dollar.

Politics as usual.

Posted by: Jack | Feb 6, 2008 10:45:28 PM

Majority of Obama's money comes from people donatimng $200 and under. Ever been to his website? Blog posts get 1,000+ responses all the time, with ppl posting how they donated a few bucks.

It is laughable to even suggest in todays political climate that Obama has more big money people that a former presidential couple.

Bottom line, the Clintons are sinking ships, and the money people are getting off..........while Obama is being hit with millions of sub $200 donations.

Billary are done, broke, losing momentum, supporters fleeing like they have the plague, and looking desperate by BEGGING for free debates.

Obama or McCain will take the White House.

Posted by: Me | Feb 6, 2008 10:46:42 PM

Lending 5 million to the campaign? Does that mean she wants to be paid back with interest?
Great sense of fiscal responsibility if the money is used up by Super Tuesday. How do we expect her to manage a whole country with a deficit problem?????

Posted by: Sara | Feb 6, 2008 10:47:05 PM

To those questioning Clinton's abilities to run the economy based on this -- grow up. Stop turning every small detail into a huge issue.

Clinton will have the money she needs, and this doesn't speak to her ability to manage an economy because our economy isn't run by one person. It's dictated by a lot more than the President.

So grow up, learn how our country works, and stop turning a great race about the future into a tit-for-tat race that has been like every other Democratic race in the past 12 years.

Posted by: Jack | Feb 6, 2008 10:51:28 PM

Obama is using the playbook of Carl Rove. Promise change, unite, new direction and the other wonderful things people want to hear. Voters fell for this eight years ago and Carl Rove laughed all the way to the bank. Obama is a copycat and the voters are falling for the same ####, the only difference, Obama is a better speaker. Some people still believe that used car salesman are honest...

Posted by: Malcom | Feb 6, 2008 10:51:32 PM

She raised 130 million already though?

She has blown through that already, and using Bill's Kazakastan monies to finance this debacle now?

Earth to Billary and Romney; If people do not donate enough to let you run a campaign take that as a HINT!

Posted by: Beth | Feb 6, 2008 10:53:08 PM

And a special note to "Me" -- Obama and Clinton are virtually tied. This is far from over. Clinton is getting so many donations that her website is erroring for those trying to donate. She will have money to continue through to the end.

Stop this divisive, childish crap that Obama is supposed to be against.

And since when have debates been a bad thing? Who cares if they're free advertisement, they're free for both candidates.

Posted by: Jack | Feb 6, 2008 10:55:27 PM

It's amazing how wrong some of you are. Obama is getting Republican support--because a lot of Republicans like him!! I'm a Republican and think he's amazing. For the first time in my life I'm inspired enough to donate money to a candidate. I don't have a lot to give, but I've given 3 times now to Obama. I know LOTS of Republicans who support him because he's the best hope for our country, not out of some effort to game the Democratic primary. If we wanted to get the best candidate to defeat, we'd be crossing lines to vote for Hillary.

Posted by: amy | Feb 6, 2008 10:57:40 PM

Without OPRAH, OBAMA has no dinero. MAMA MIA!!!

Posted by: Very Independent | Feb 6, 2008 10:57:44 PM

Why does OBAMA call himself the underdog???? To get pity votes. He is so slick. I hope that just because someone has more money, that shouldn't mean he wins the nomination. I am turned off by how he is pouring money into ads and his so called well rehearsed stump speech.

HILLARY HAS SOLUTIONS.

Posted by: Maria | Feb 6, 2008 11:01:27 PM

I've previously donated to Edwards, but now my meager help will go to Clinton. I am desperate to see a Democrat in the White House, and I am telling you, the Republicans will destroy Obama. The crazy rants of his pastor, Jeremiah Wright appear to be off limits as far as the Dems go, but the Republicans will tar Obama with his reverend's brush. For every young wide eyed voter who comes out for Obama, the Republicans will round up 4 who will be terrified that Malcolm X is on the verge of becoming president. Is it fair? Doesn't matter. They will do it, and it will work.

Posted by: Susan | Feb 6, 2008 11:03:20 PM

Many, many people hate Hillary--not because she's a woman, but because she's partisan, fights dirty, and is a hypocrite. If the democrats want to win the general election they will support Obama.

Posted by: amy | Feb 6, 2008 11:04:08 PM

Barrack Hussein Obama / Larry Sinclair what a great democrat ticket in November.

Posted by: carlson | Feb 6, 2008 11:06:01 PM

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