Pretty good dough: John McCain speaks 10 minutes, gets $5.1 million

Here's a quick lesson in modern political math:

Tonight, Sen. John McCain spoke for 10 minutes at the Intercontinental Hotel in Miami to a small crowd of people, who were a little less rich by the end of the session.

It was, of course, a presidential campaign fundraiser, this time for the Republican Party.

The attendees, who dined buffet style because there were only a few tables scattered around, had each paid $50,000 to be there, according to the pool reporter's notes.

Let's do the math on that: That's $5,000 per minute of candidate speech per person.

McCain was surrounded by the same crowd of guys who were with him earlier in the day -- Sen. Mel Martinez; Gov. Charlie Crist; former quarterback, representative and onetime vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp; and former Gov. Bob Martinez. McCain's wife, Cindy, introduced him.

"I just want to tell you how grateful I am," the Republican candidate said. "We are 50 days out, and who's counting? It's gonna be tough. It's a tough race, as you know.”

“We’ve got a strong headwind and we have a lot of work to do,” McCain added.

"No matter what you see in the polls recently, Gov. Palin and I are the underdogs. That’s where we like to be. That's the best place to be."

McCain only mentioned Barack Obama briefly, saying, "This is no time for on-the-job training."

McCain campaign people say they've raised $26.2 million in Florida this cycle, and $5.1 million of that came from Monday night's one event.

That works out to, what, about $510,000 per minute of senatorial speaking time.

No wonder these guys think the economy is strong. Imagine how strong Obama's economy feels having raised $66 million last month!

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[K.C.]

That last comment about Obama was unnecessary. His campaign is financed by the little people i.e. me and my friends and their friends. McCain is raising money from the wealthy in large sums for the RNC. He's getting around public financing without anyone calling him on it.

[I'mdisgusted]

So "straight shooter" McCain, author of the campagain finance reform law is still out there hustleing cash from fat cats for his fall campaign, non-stop, 24/7. At the same time he is taking $85,000,000 in tax dollars for his campaign and criticising Obama for not doing the same. Give me a break. This is reform? This is a reformer? This is integrity? This is honor? This is legal? I guess if you write the rules then you know how to game the system.. Really it's pathetic.

[Tim Rand]

I consider this a good indication of how the two politicians will carry through as President. McCain talked about campaign finance reform in 2004...In 2008, we realize that McCain isn't a reformer--he just talks about it. I am sick of it. Do you think we are idiots McCain? America has had it with liars running our country. GO OBAMA!!!

[keith]

"His campaign is financed by the little people i.e. me and my friends and their friends."

LOLOLOL! Oh sure, Obama doesn't know any rich people. None at all.

[Peter]

Is there anyway to get a petition together or some kind of referendum to outlaw Republicans in the state of California. Seriously, go ahead and ruin the country but just leave us be here in California. What if we took up a collection for a relocation?

[Republican Folly]

Oh now I understand what "THE ECONOMY IS FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND" means.

[Frank]

I see some of the little people had dinner and listened to Barbara strahan the singer linebacker for 28,000.00 Were all of you little people invited