In a presidential campaign where the table stakes are expected to be $100 million or higher, John Kerry’s decision not to run in 2008 is turning out to be a financial windfall for Barack Obama. I’m told he is picking up some of the biggest names from Kerry’s massive fundraising operation. Just a few who have flocked to the junior Senator from Illinois: Bob Farmer, who was Kerry’s national treasurer; Alan Solomont, a Massachusetts health care mogul; Siliicon Valley investors Mark Gorenberg and John Roos, and Florida trial lawyer Kirk Wagar.
Obama campaign officials say they are under no illusion they will be able to keep up with Hillary Clinton’s campaign in the money department. In fact, says one big Democratic fundraiser, part of the appeal to those who are now joining Obama is that they have looked at the Clinton operation and asked themselves, “Is there room at the table for me?”
