Chuck Schumer

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.

And it got me thinking about the Harris campaign and how they spent their roughly $1.5 billion they raised in 2024. The New York Times reported that Harris spent about $600 million producing and airing TV ads. There was the $900,000 they spent on the exterior of the sphere in Las Vegas as sort of marketing effort at the end of the campaign.

And it got me thinking about the Harris campaign and how they spent their roughly $1.5 billion they raised in 2024. The New York Times reported that Harris spent about $600 million producing and airing TV ads. There was the $900,000 they spent on the exterior of the sphere in Las Vegas as sort of marketing effort at the end of the campaign.

And, you know, a lot of these things were perceived as being pretty ineffective, especially given the price tag. Do you think campaigns are putting too much time, money and effort into fundraising at this point with diminishing returns for even the spend on those dollars?

And, you know, a lot of these things were perceived as being pretty ineffective, especially given the price tag. Do you think campaigns are putting too much time, money and effort into fundraising at this point with diminishing returns for even the spend on those dollars?

That's a really good idea. I mean, there's a couple of kind of actionable suggestions that have come out of this episode. One, I think you're right.

That's a really good idea. I mean, there's a couple of kind of actionable suggestions that have come out of this episode. One, I think you're right.

The party leaders should come together and try to lay out some some standards that everyone should be asked to follow to some sort of charity navigator like platform will be really helpful because it's incredibly difficult to run down like the providence of these packs and see what's legit and what's not.

The party leaders should come together and try to lay out some some standards that everyone should be asked to follow to some sort of charity navigator like platform will be really helpful because it's incredibly difficult to run down like the providence of these packs and see what's legit and what's not.

And then three, Joe recommended that we keep a list and just name and shame all the worst actors. The campaigns or PACs or party entities that harass people the most. Yeah.

And then three, Joe recommended that we keep a list and just name and shame all the worst actors. The campaigns or PACs or party entities that harass people the most. Yeah.

I think that's a great idea. Great idea. Dan, thank you so much. Thank you, Tommy. After the break, you'll hear my conversation with Regina. But our friends over at Vote Save America would kill me if I didn't make clear that Vote Save America does not sell donor contact information ever.

I think that's a great idea. Great idea. Dan, thank you so much. Thank you, Tommy. After the break, you'll hear my conversation with Regina. But our friends over at Vote Save America would kill me if I didn't make clear that Vote Save America does not sell donor contact information ever.

Throughout this episode, we've been talking about ActBlue. So we wanted to end it by talking with Regina Wallace-Jones, the CEO of ActBlue, about what they do and why Trump's attempts to destroy ActBlue could be so devastating for the Democratic Party.

Throughout this episode, we've been talking about ActBlue. So we wanted to end it by talking with Regina Wallace-Jones, the CEO of ActBlue, about what they do and why Trump's attempts to destroy ActBlue could be so devastating for the Democratic Party.

And what is ActBlue?

And what is ActBlue?

What was the fundraising landscape or process like for Democrats before ActBlue came along?

What was the fundraising landscape or process like for Democrats before ActBlue came along?

Yeah. I worked for John Edwards for president in 2004. And when you would walk around the fundraising department, there would be giant books filled with contact information for trial lawyers. So I remember the kind of OG fundraising and the types of people that it involved in the political process. And you're right.