DNC is suffering because of Obama not quite the draw he was in 2008 Convention cancels its rental of NFL Stadium

Bloomberg: Charlotte in 2012 host committee “roughly halfway to its $36.6 million goal” for Democratic National Convention
Charlotte Business Journal by Susan Stabley, Staff Writer

Date: Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 12:31pm EDT
Bloomberg reports that organizers of the Democratic National Convention, slated for Sept. 4-6 in Charlotte, may be facing a fundraising shortfall.

Bloomberg reports that organizers of the Democratic National Convention, slated for Sept. 4-6 in Charlotte, may be facing a fundraising shortfall.

Fundraising for the Democratic National Convention is “roughly halfway to its $36.6 million goal,” according to a report today by business news service Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reporter Hans Nichols says two anonymous sources told him that there’s a fundraising shortfall because of a self-imposed ban on corporate donations. As a result, DNC organizers are looking to labor unions to close the gap. It is 130 days until the start of the Democratic National Convention, which runs the first week of September.

Democratic officials gave representatives of the major U.S. unions, including the AFL-CIO, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the United Auto Workers, a tour of the convention sites in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 23 in advance of a request for donations, according to the two people, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss internal strategy.

On Monday, Charlotte in 2012 Host Committee Executive Director Dan Murrey spoke to City Council on Monday for about 30 minutes, updating the staff on preparations for the September event.

Murrey disclosed no numbers to City Council, and no City Council members asked. However, most donations — at least 80 percent — are expected to come from out-of-state, Murrey has said.

Suzi Emmerling, spokeswoman for the Charlotte 2012 Convention Host Committee, notes that the Bloomberg reporter cited the figure without attributing it to a source.

"The Host Committee has not confirmed that number," Emmerling told the Charlotte Business Journal. "As we have previously stated, we will release our fundraising numbers in accordance with FEC regulations."
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2012 Democratic National Convention could pick pockets state wide (North Carolina Tax payers)
Danielle Parris - Charlotte City Buzz Examiner

In February 2011, Democratic National Committee Chairman, Timothy Kaine had been in contact with North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, elaborating and congratulating her on the choice of Charlotte as the host for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Along with Kaine came congratulations, and offers of helping hands, from some of Queen City's top C.E.O.s and political figures. Out of all those names, one in particular is sticking out for North Carolina at this time, and that is Duke Energy C.E.O., Jim Rogers.
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And now for something even funnier.. DNC cancels the stadium because they cannot get anyone to pony up money to pay for it.. Do you think perhaps we wont see the debacle of a roman stadium this time around like we saw in Denver??
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Obama to unions: I’ve ignored you, now pay for the National Convention

April 25th, 2012

Imagine how uncomfortable the Obama campaign must’ve felt asking the unions to pay for the Democratic National Convention. Those negotiators/fundraisers must’ve felt nervous and then some.

President Barack Obama’s political advisers are pressing labor unions to contribute to the Democratic convention in September to cover a fundraising shortfall resulting from their self-imposed ban on corporate donations, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Democratic officials gave representatives of the major U.S. unions, including the AFL-CIO, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the United Auto Workers, a tour of the convention sites in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 23 in advance of a request for donations, according to the two people, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss internal strategy.

There’s nothing in this article that says these political advisers wore flack jackets while giving the AFL-CIO, the Teamsters and the UAW a tour of the stadium. Had they given the tour to the construction unions or engineer unions, they would’ve been well-advised to wear a flack jacket.

They’re the people President Obama stiffed on the Keystone XL Pipeline project. I can’t imagine that they’re happy with how President Obama’s administration has treated them. I can imagine them being prepared for open revolt against President Obama’s administration.

This is exceptionally telling since the DNC was trimmed from the customary 4 days down to 3 days, presumably to cut expenses. Now DNC officials are having difficulty raising the money needed to present a scaled-down version of a convention.

This speaks to the Democrats’ lack of enthusiasm compared with 4 years ago and their inability to raise money, which is directly tied with the lack of enthusiasm for Democrats this cycle.

The polls are painting a modestly positive story for President Obama and the Democrats. Stories like this paint a bleak picture for President Obama and the Democrats.

When the polls finally tip, and they will, the Democrats won’t have a positive story to tell about their stewardship of the economy. They won’t have a positive story to tell about their not passing a budget in 1,092 and counting. They won’t have a positive story about how this administration’s EPA and NLRB have hurt families and small businesses through regulatory overreach.

As a $47,000,000 budget template crossed Perdue's desk, so did the thoughts of Charlotte's financial ability to host. Before initiating fundraising for this economic boosting opportunity, some new financial rules were put into place. The more strict financial guidlines, which republicans are calling "sleight of hand", do things such as no longer allow political organizations, federal lobbyist, or corporations to donate to D.N.C. fundraising, and also limits individual donations to $100,000. With new rules in effect, Charlotte fears a D.N.C. fundraising shortfall, but C.E.O. Jim Rogers thought of a backup plan in March 2011.

Rogers, along with Fifth Third Bank, City of Charlotte, Charlotte Bobcats, Host Committee, and Charlotte Regional Visitor's Authority, drew up contracts that some feel have bent new fundraising financial rules to almost breaking point. Rogers, using those contracts, kicked off D.N.C. fundraising by slipping a $10,000,000 line of credit, presented from Duke Energy, through a legal loop hole. This first time Democratic Convention Organization agreement has left some Americans on edge, even though they have been reassured that stock holders, and not rate payers, will be affected if the line of credit is tapped into. Executive Director of Charlotte's Host Committee, Will Miller stated that "The Host Committee is obligated to pay it back, and the Host Committee will pay it back."

In doing so, Miller settled some fears across America and North Carolina, but still things are unsettling for North Carolina taxpayers. If D.N.C. budget is not met, they may be left to pick up the tab for this "once in a lifetime opportunity" to show off Queen City. In addition to the thought of the budget shortfall, North Carolina taxpayers are already facing more financial issues brought on by the D.N.C., such as the demands from Charlotte City, Mecklenburg County, and North Carolina for a completed Uptown project, and additional roadwork to prepare Charlotte for its time to shine.

Can North Carolina, Charlotte City, Mecklenburg County and Host Committee raise enough money? Will they keep financial stability hosting the 2012 Democratic National Convention, or will North Carolina taxpayers have to cash out more of what is rightfully theirs?