Palisades Helps Power Presidential Primaries

Obama, Giuliani Emerge as Early Party Favorites

More than a year away from the 2008 presidential election, Pacific Palisades residents have already showered nearly $1 million on presidential-primary hopefuls. Donations large and small–but mostly large–have made 90272 the third-most important fundraising zip code in the largest state in the nation. In the first half of 2007, contributions totaled $997,841–which is 11,024 percent more than the average U.S. zip code–according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks records from the Federal Election Commission. (Only contributions greater than $200 are included.) In fact, local political giving has already eclipsed all political giving in the presidential campaign of 1996 and the midterm congressional campaigns of 1994, 1998 and nearly 2002. The willingness of Palisades residents to write checks limited only by federal regulations, not bank-account balances, has not eluded presidential candidates this year. In late January, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani attended a fundraiser at the Huntington home of Bill Simon, a longtime friend and now a campaign advisor. In February, New York Senator Hillary Clinton came here to meet with a small group of her Westside fundraisers. In March, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards spoke to the Palisades Democratic Club. In April, Riviera resident and Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner hosted a fundraiser for Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd. And in May, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden asked about 100 supporters for their financial support at the home of Lanette Phillips in the Alphabet streets. Admittedly, this list could probably go on. If politicians have not forgotten the Palisades, they have also not forgotten its residents–which is to say, political appointments have not eluded some of the most generous donors: Last year, President George Bush appointed Columbia Pictures CEO Frank Price to the board of the National Endowment for the Arts and Frank Baxter to become ambassador to Uruguay. This year–true to historic patterns–local money has favored the Democratic Party, which received nearly $200,000, dwarfing donations to the Republican Party. Also, the total value of contributions to Democratic presidential-primary candidates is 45 percent higher than to Republican primary candidates. The biggest beneficiary of local political giving has been Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. His Palisadian contributions rose 103 percent–faster than any other candidate–in the second quarter of 2007 to $181,781, surpassing Sen. Clinton, who was leading the local money race. “One-on-one he’s about as good as you get,” said Peter Fisher, 26, who lives in Rustic Canyon. ‘I got to spend some time with him at a fundraiser. And I’ve been giving my money to him ever since because I believe he can win, and he’d be great.’ Fisher, a financial analyst, began helping organize Obama events for young professionals in April and is co-hosting an event tonight for the senator in West L.A. Halfway through the year, Clinton had received $150,300 from residents here, filling her campaign’s total war chest to more than $63 million–the largest of any other candidate, Democrat or Republican. No other Democrats received even a third as much financial support here, including John Edwards, who runs third in most Democratic polls. He has received $35,533; New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, $27,100; Dodd, $14,300; Biden, $10,500; Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, $8,250; and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, $0. Among Republican candidates, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has culled $127,480 from local donors–much with the help of Bill Simon, who ran for governor against Gray Davis in 2002. He’s the national policy director for the Republican frontrunner and chairs his fundraising campaign in California. Simon has asked many locals, like Ellen Huarte, to support Giuliani. “I remember reading about him and how gutsy he was,” said Huarte, who grew up in midtown New York. ‘I attended a fundraiser at the Simons’ house [in January]. I went into that meeting thinking I was going to vote for [John] McCain. But when I met him I remembered the same tough guy.’ After meeting Giuliani, Huarte and her family gave $8,400 to the former mayor’s campaign. Close behind Giuliani, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who leads his party’s money race nationally with $44 million, has raised $112,350 here. Reflecting a national pattern, contributions to the former governor increased 57 percent in the second quarter, faster than any other Republican candidate in the Palisades. Giving to Giuliani and Romney has far outpaced other Republican candidates. Arizona Sen. John McCain has received $53,350; and Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, $500. As of June 30, no other candidate had received campaign contributions. It is currently unknown how much money locals have given to former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson. Contributions to the presumed candidate-to-be are not subject to Federal Election Committee disclosure rules because he has not officially declared his intent to run. Despite the fast start to local political giving, federal campaign finance laws might slow down the breakneck speed of this giving. “The first-quarter fundraising was the easiest,” said Scott Corwin, a Palisades resident, who raises funds for Clinton. ‘That was the low-hanging fruit. A lot of people are maxing out.’ Campaign rules limit donors to $2,300 per candidate in this 2008 election. But donors can give $28,500 to each party national committees and $10,000 to each state or local party committee. There is a $5,000 limit on contributions to Political Action Committees (PACs). Total contributions to candidates, PACs and political parties cannot exceed $108,200 per two-year election cycle. Those limits please Palisades resident Stephen Chazen. The chief financial officer of Occidental Petroleum Corp. says he has been on everyone’s radar to give to political candidates. But with new limits, he’s only obligated to give so much. Chazen, whose money has favored Republican candidates in the past, has given to Giuliani and McCain so far this year. “I’m looking for honesty–someone not playing to the crowd,” said Chazen, who is considering giving to Clinton. “In the primary, you want rational people to be heard. And the way that you do that is to give them money. It’s better that I give [to them] than someone with an agenda.” —– To contact Staff Writer Max Taves, e-mail reporter@palipost.com or call (310) 454-1321 ext. 28.