By ,
Published May 08, 2017
And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine...
Money Trail
We're learning more about how President Obama's re-election campaign with a joint Democratic National Committee account g ot to the $86 million fundraising figure for the last quarter. At least $35 million of that came from bundlers.
The liberal Talking Points Memo describes bundlers as super-donors who are very rich, max out their personal fundraising amounts and then call on their wealthy friends to do the same.
The Washington Times reports 634 donations from people giving at least $30,000, totaling $23 million.
Even though campaign manager Jim Messina bragged that 98 percent of all donations were less than $250, the Republican National Committee was quick to question Obama's grassroots claims -- quote -- "It's clear the hope-and-change president is bought and paid for by liberal fat-cat donors."
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) was quick to pounce on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's fundraising. Romney's campaign claimed to have raised over $10-million in a single fundraising push on May 16th.
But the DNC says filings show the one day total was actually 2.4 million, seven million short, roughly, of that goal.
Romney's campaign says the money raised associated with the event included early contributions and future pledges.
On Second Thought...
A comprehensive Medicaid reform law passed with broad bi-partisan support in Illinois is being partially blocked by the federal government.
A group of Illinois Republicans say the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently decided to disallow a provision of the law that would require Medicaid beneficiaries to show they had low incomes as well as proof of residency, they lived in the state.
Republican Senator Mark Kirk says the legislation would save the state $800 million over the next 10 years. Kirk and his colleagues have asked CMS to re-examine its decision.
A CMS spokesman tells Fox -- quote -- "While some of the state's initial proposal did not comply with federal law, CMS worked hand in hand with the state to offer alternate solutions to address their concerns."
Naked Appeal
And finally, there is a growing online campaign to support current Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for president, again, and it has women ripping off their clothes.
The group calls itself "Putin's Army" and invites girls to strip for Putin for the chance to win an iPad 2.
In a video, a blonde student struts along Moscow's streets before scrawling on a white T-shirt with lipstick, in Russian -- quote -- "I will tear off my clothes for Putin" -- and then begins to do just that.
Putin served as president from 2000 to 2008.
https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/obama-money-trail-revealed