Karl Rove has opened his Rolodex for Ben Carson https://t.co/CrC3zfLfGF pic.twitter.com/Y8Na9tvUeq
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) November 28, 2015
Bad news for Dr. Carson. There’s been previous speculation as to whether the candidate was, to put it delicately, in the hands of “professionals” whose first priorities might not be identical to his own interests. Last month, the Atlantic asked, “Where Is Ben Carson’s Money Going?“:
Ben Carson is raising a ton of money. He hauled in an impressive $20.8 million in the third quarter, shocking the political world and topping the Republican field in fundraising. That comes after a strong second quarter, when he raised more than $10 million.
But Carson is also spending a ton of money—he spent nearly seven out of every $10 he raised in the quarter. What is that money being used to do, and is that rate of spending sustainable?…
In Carson’s case, a majority of what he’s raising is being plowed right back into fundraising costs—$11.2 million of the nearly $20.8 million. That means 54 cents out of every dollar Carson raises is going to raise more money…
Many strategists say direct mail is an important part of a diversified strategy. Other operatives, though, when discussing the Carson campaign, use words like “grifters” or “unconscionable.” They complain that Carson’s fundraisers appear to be reaping small-dollar donations from atypical donors and true believers while doing little with that money to build the infrastructure to win the nomination. For the majority of analysts who still consider Carson a very long shot to win the nomination, anyway, there appears to be no big downside for the candidate. But what about the earnest folks writing the checks?…
They’re suckers with money, is what — a scent which inevitably attracts the big-money scammers, per Bloomberg Politics:
Republican strategist Karl Rove helped set up a meeting between top fundraisers for Ben Carson and casino mogul Steve Wynn.
Rove confirmed to Bloomberg Politics that he acted as the go-between for the Carson camp and Wynn, a sometimes business competitor of Donald Trump, the rival Carson has been batting all fall for the Republican nomination…
The mastermind of George W. Bush’s presidential victories in 2000 and 2004, Rove has not signed on with any of the presidential candidates this year, though he says he has dispensed advice to a number who have asked. Trump’s camp is viewing the effort to help the billionaire real estate mogul’s chief rival as an attack on the front-runner…
Rove’s role in setting up the meeting between Wynn and Carson advisers raised some eyebrows within Carson’s political orbit, with some advisers questioning Rove’s intentions, said one source familiar with the meeting and the campaign.
The source said they were skeptical that Rove was only acting to inflate Carson in an effort to ultimately take out Trump. “Karl Rove isn’t just going just to help Ben Carson out of the goodness of his heart,” the source said…
Yeah, the Carson handlers get Rove’s somewhat outdated ‘rolodex’ — and Rove gets the Carson mailing list of fresh marks. Rove hasn’t exactly been front and center on the publicity trail since his Election Night 2012 public meltdown. Come to think, that’s something he and Donald Trump share: having been made to look stupid, on air, by Megyn Kelly.
@bpolitics @business business as usual for turd blossom pic.twitter.com/jvWVpAouYP
— Moonglum (@Moonglum) November 28, 2015
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