The magic of a movement

Many, including me, were stunned to learn that Barack Obama raised $32 million in January largely on the backs of small internet-based donors who felt compelled to give $50, $100, $200 after Obama lost New Hampshire unexpectedly to Hillary Clinton. Earlier this week, we learned that Hillary Clinton in contrast raised $13.5 million in January. This was a very surprising disparity after Clinton raised about $10 million more in 2007 than Obama and they entered the year with roughly equivalent cash on hand of $18.5 mil each.

Today, we learned that in order to try and keep pace with Obama, Clinton had also loaned her campaign $5 mil. of her own money in January and would probably be loaning it more soon. She also sent out a fundraising plea through her website asking people to help her stay competitive by raising $3 mil. in 3 days.

But there's just one problem. Obama has, since last night's polls closed, raised $5.6 mil. and counting. He will hit $5 mil. by midnight. He is currently on track to raise $30 mil again in February, if not more. And a whopping majority of his donors are small internet-based donors who have not even come close to maxing out their contributions and can continue to contribute over and over again whenever he sends out the battle cry. (I'm one of them--call me Pavlov's donor. He sends an email, I send him a couple hundred bucks. I can't help myself.)

This isn't just about money, it's about ownership. People who have signed on for this movement, and that's really what it is at this point, have made it so much more than just a campaign. This is people taking ownership in making the change that they want to see actually happen. I have a close friend who is currently broker than broke because she is saving for a major expense, but she still scraped up enough money to give to the Obama campaign this week. Why, when he's not hurting for money and she could certainly use it elsewhere? Because of the overwhelming desire to be part of this amazing thing that is happening in our country, to put our money where our mouths are and show that we are COMMITTED to making Obama our president.

People are making amazing and moving videos showing how the importance of this campaign, this movement, is compelling us to speak out and seek change. People are parting with hard earned money in scrapes and scraps just because they want to keep hope alive. People are turning out for caucuses in states where they have never caucused before, and are voting Democrat for the first time in decades in order to help bring about what we know this nation desperately needs.

Show me another candidate this side of Ron Paul who can inspire that level of self-sacrifice, commitment and devotion. I challenge you.

Update: In the 90 minutes since I started this post, the campaign raised another $1 mil. Seriously.