Red Carpet Rolls Out for Party’s Big Spenders

Scratch “Happy Days Are Here Again” as the Democratic theme song. Instead, strike up “We’re in the Money.”

Stealing a page from Republicans, Democrats have money playing a major role at this convention as the Michael S. Dukakis fund-raising machine mobilizes to raise $50 million for the fall campaign.

The convention features no actual check-writing events. But it offers red-carpet treatment for some 1,100 big givers, makes a concerted effort to fold fund-raisers who supported other candidates into the “Dukakis family” and stresses that raising money early for the autumn campaign and using professional spending policies will add up to a Democratic victory.

Presidential campaigns are federally financed, with each candidate receiving $46 million. The candidates are also allowed to spend an additional $8 million raised by their respective parties. The $50-million Democratic goal would cover the additional $8 million plus money to be given to state Democratic parties for voter registration campaigns and drives to get out the vote.

Dukakis has banned contributions from political action committees, unions, corporations or personal checks over $100,000 and has said he advocates full disclosure of contributor lists and amounts.

Bob Farmer, the new DNC finance chairman, said his successful system of personal contacts and network building, which raised $15 million early on for Dukakis’ primary campaigns, would be the foundation for the fall fund-raising campaign. Democrats hope to reach the $50-million goal using Farmer’s fund-raising prowess and fund-raising networks put together for senatorial and congressional races, where the Democrats hold power. They expect to benefit also from a push for party unity that has quickly brought non-Dukakis fund-raisers into the fold, and what they see as a better chance at regaining the White House than in recent elections.

“Money is easy when it appears that you are going to be a winner,” Democratic fund-raiser Walter Shorenstein said Wednesday. “Like when you have a winning basketball team, it’s easy to fill the stadium.”

“More important than having the money is having it early,” said former DNC Chairman Robert S. Strauss. “We finally raised $3 million for Hubert Humphrey in 1968, but we didn’t get it until 10 days before the election and it was too late. . . .”

Farmer says he is confident he can come up with 600 people who will each give to or raise $100,000 for the party’s Presidential and Democratic Victory Fund, which entitles them to be called trustees. That would add up to $60 million, not the $50-million goal. Some of the 600, however, are what Farmer calls “double accounting,” because in some cases, when a $100,000 contribution is solicited, both the check writer and the donor become trustees. At present, there are some 100 trustees, an estimated 25 in California., Farmer said he has been attacked by the GOP for setting such a large goal, but that the $50 million would provide “a level playing field” on which to battle the formerly better-financed Republicans.