As inaugural donations become public, a list of Obama's most loyal backers has emerged, pointing to his success with a system that allows supporters to give maximum amounts on several occasions and to multiple committees. The families gave to as many as five committees, records show, and 27 of the 94 families also bundled money from others, collecting millions of dollars on top of their personal donations. The $100,000 group stands in stark contrast to the grass-roots campaign that Obama's team has waged over the Internet, through which small donors, giving $200 or less, made up about a quarter of Obama's campaign revenue. Small donors are still receiving e-mails directing them to the inaugural Web site, where they are asked for contributions of $5 and where 10 people just won free trips to the inauguration in an essay contest. Many big donors will also watch Obama be sworn in next week, but from premium seats, and will attend an inaugural ball and other private celebrations using tickets they received in exchange for their donations. High-profile donors include Hollywood director Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw, who gave $163,900, and baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Banks and his wife, Liz, who donated $111,600. Twelve members of the Rockefeller extended family gave a total of $316,000. Hotel magnate and former Maryland lawmaker Stewart Bainum Jr. and 13 members of his family gave $236,000.The ability to direct such large sums to a presidential candidate stems in part from the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation.Under the law, the maximum amount an individual can give in a presidential election year has gone from $25,000 to $70,100 over the past five years. And by creating joint fundraising committees -- allowing donors to give the maximum to all three funding pools at once -- campaigns have become much more efficient in collecting the donations.
McCain was hoisted on his own petard. Just think. He and Mr. Feingold's legislation was formed to get the evil money out of politics. (In my best Yoda voice) The irony is strong in this one. I believe there is a lesson in there somewhere.