Tons has been written about how Obama's legion of small donors have trumped Hillary's comparably small coterie of max contributors. But Hillary's old-style method of fundraising does have one advantage: let's call it buckraking blackmail.
A few weeks ago, the NYT reported that Hillary fundraisers from Michigan and Florida were pressuring the DNC to seat their state's delegations or they'd stop giving big bucks to the DNC. Now, a bunch of Hillary fundraisers have written a letter to Nancy Pelosi criticizing her for saying that superdelegates should support the pledged delegates winner and threatening:
We have been strong supporters of the DCCC. We therefore urge you to clarify your position on super-delegates and reflect in your comments a more open view to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August. We appreciate your activities in support of the Democratic Party and your leadership role in the Party and hope you will be responsive to some of your major enthusiastic supporters. [Emphasis added.]
Or, to put it in less stilted terms: That's a nice little campaign committee you've got there, Pelosi. It'd be a shame if something happened to it. I have a hard time imagining the little old lady who sent Obama the money order for $3.01 along with a verse of scripture making that sort of threat.
--Jason Zengerle