Chuck Schumer

Yeah, that's a really good point. I mean, and that's a reason to donate early, right? Because that money could be invested in hiring a field staff and not dumping money on TV ads that may or may not work.

Yeah, agreed. And it does feel fixable. And just to just to nail a point you were making about the grift on the Republican side, like, I have this kind of faint memory of, I think, Donald Trump sending out an email ostensibly for like Herschel Walker, but 90% of the funds actually went to his pack. And then sometimes you're automatically opted in for a recurring donation.

Yeah, agreed. And it does feel fixable. And just to just to nail a point you were making about the grift on the Republican side, like, I have this kind of faint memory of, I think, Donald Trump sending out an email ostensibly for like Herschel Walker, but 90% of the funds actually went to his pack. And then sometimes you're automatically opted in for a recurring donation.

And sometimes those recurring donations continue after election day. So it is just a shocking extraction of money, usually from... their most elderly voters and supporters. So it is really as gross as it is, you can feel on our side, it is worse over there.

And sometimes those recurring donations continue after election day. So it is just a shocking extraction of money, usually from... their most elderly voters and supporters. So it is really as gross as it is, you can feel on our side, it is worse over there.

Yeah, I don't want them to be more effective at raising money. But I also like I don't want broad swaths of the most committed political activists on both sides to feel like the entire system is a grift that is rigged against them and is like designed to harm them. I feel like that's just bad for our body politic and helps enable people like Donald Trump. Joe, thank you so much for doing this.

Yeah, I don't want them to be more effective at raising money. But I also like I don't want broad swaths of the most committed political activists on both sides to feel like the entire system is a grift that is rigged against them and is like designed to harm them. I feel like that's just bad for our body politic and helps enable people like Donald Trump. Joe, thank you so much for doing this.

This is fascinating. I'm really grateful. Yeah, thanks. Great to be here. We'll be right back with my conversation with Dan. But as you guys know, we are trying to build an independent, progressive media company. And the best way you can support our work is by subscribing to the Friends of the Pod. Subscribers get tons of great perks.

This is fascinating. I'm really grateful. Yeah, thanks. Great to be here. We'll be right back with my conversation with Dan. But as you guys know, we are trying to build an independent, progressive media company. And the best way you can support our work is by subscribing to the Friends of the Pod. Subscribers get tons of great perks.

Just this month, they heard Dan Pfeiffer on Polar Coaster break down Trump's attempts to blame the economy on Joe Biden. On Inside 2024, Alyssa and Dan answered subscriber questions about Trump's first 100 days. And every Friday, subscribers get a much-needed break with Terminally Online,

Just this month, they heard Dan Pfeiffer on Polar Coaster break down Trump's attempts to blame the economy on Joe Biden. On Inside 2024, Alyssa and Dan answered subscriber questions about Trump's first 100 days. And every Friday, subscribers get a much-needed break with Terminally Online,

where Crooked hosts and staff unpack the weirder shit on the internet in very unhinged, usually very funny ways. Plus, friends of the pod get access to exclusive AMAs with hosts like me, John Lovett, Aaron Ryan, Leah Lippman. So go over to crooked.com slash friends to learn more and subscribe today.

where Crooked hosts and staff unpack the weirder shit on the internet in very unhinged, usually very funny ways. Plus, friends of the pod get access to exclusive AMAs with hosts like me, John Lovett, Aaron Ryan, Leah Lippman. So go over to crooked.com slash friends to learn more and subscribe today.

Here's my conversation with Dan about his concern that these fundraising tactics are worse than just annoying, that they could actually hurt the Democratic Party. All right, Dan. So everybody hates fundraising emails. We hate fundraising texts.

Here's my conversation with Dan about his concern that these fundraising tactics are worse than just annoying, that they could actually hurt the Democratic Party. All right, Dan. So everybody hates fundraising emails. We hate fundraising texts.

But you have said before that you think this is a bigger issue than it just being annoying and that the fundraising tactics could actually hurt our candidates or the party itself. Why is that?

But you have said before that you think this is a bigger issue than it just being annoying and that the fundraising tactics could actually hurt our candidates or the party itself. Why is that?

Yeah. And another piece of this is that, you know, text-based communications is a great way to communicate with people because people actually open their texts and they read their texts. But we're only doing it with fundraising now. Like what's a better way for campaigns to leverage that high open rate for a political advantage, do you think?

Yeah. And another piece of this is that, you know, text-based communications is a great way to communicate with people because people actually open their texts and they read their texts. But we're only doing it with fundraising now. Like what's a better way for campaigns to leverage that high open rate for a political advantage, do you think?

Yeah, it makes you just assume that everything is just a solicitation. Last question for you. So I was talking to Joe Raspars earlier about whether he thought it was possible for a campaign to raise too much money. And he said, yes, especially if you're a campaign that is spending a lot of money to bring in money. It can become like a self-licking ice cream cone.