Updated

This is a rush transcript from "Your World," July 23, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST OF "YOUR WORLD": Well, it turns out that this Washington spending more than it is taking in thing is contagious. Now the president's campaign spent more than it took in last month. Nancy Pelosi's having trouble getting money from Democrats right now. Much of the Democratic Caucus is refusing to kick in dough for congressional races.

Pat Caddell not one bit surprised.

What do you make of all this?

PATRICK CADDELL, FORMER WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: Well, it's been a very interesting month.

The president has just gone all in to try to define Romney while he can, while he has a money advantage, because Romney technically doesn't have as much money he can use yet, and try to define him, and he's spending money like a drunken sailor. Oops. Whatever the expression is.

They're going to have money problems come August. But the Democrats -- the more interesting thing to me is what is happening in the caucus. One-third of the Democrats are not kick -- ponied up their dues.

CAVUTO: Why?

CADDELL: Because they -- you know what this is about? Save my rear end, not your rear end.

This is called every -- this is -- this is a sign to me that they are, you know, take care of me first, we're in trouble, as opposed to...

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: In other words, they have given up trying to take the House back?

CADDELL: I think that's -- if you wanted to read a sophisticated sign, that would be it.

But I want to raise another point about the dues in both parties, because it's one of the things -- it has done two things. It has centralized control of congressional elections in the leadership in Washington, the campaign committees.

It is partly responsible for corrupting our system. It has made candidates have to be very much tow the line, rather than run as independents. And here's the problem. Those -- and this is how serious these donations are. That defines whether or not you get committee chairmanship or ranking member status and whatever.

You raise money from people to buy offices in Congress, in both parties. It's a story that no one's touched.

CAVUTO: So, if you're not paying along...

(CROSSTALK)

CADDELL: That means you have said -- what I am saying is, it's bad enough. What you are really saying is I don't care what you are going to do me. I don't think I will be here without this.

So, the fact that one-third...

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: Is that any of this anti-Nancy Pelosi or just pro-save my butt?

CADDELL: I think -- I think it starts with pro-save my butt.

They voted for her for speaker. It's first pro-save my butt. Secondly is what are you people going to do? And, thirdly -- to me, you've raised the right point. Boy, if you want a straw in the wind, it tells you what the Democrats in the House think of their chances of winning, because, in other years, it's like the Republicans -- people were throwing money at the committees, because they felt they were going to win and they would get chairmanships.

CAVUTO: Do we see anything like this going on in the Senate?

CADDELL: I don't know.

CAVUTO: That's a different beast.

CADDELL: That's a different beast. But they have the same model.

It is interesting that there has almost never been any discussion until this kind of pops up that we have this dues system that didn't work. Remember, we used to have congressmen, if you remember 20 or 30 years again, basically, Congress told the party leaders and even their presidents, well, take a hike, I will do what I want to do and I take care of myself.

They can't do that anymore, and that's because everyone has become so dependent on these committees. The committees tell you which consultants you can hire and what messages you should use, even if the messages are stupid messages.

CAVUTO: That's well put.

Patrick, thank you. Good seeing you again, buddy.

CADDELL: Good to see you.

CAVUTO: Pat Caddell.

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