Login
Login

Bush Pioneer

{{ref improve|date=March 2013}}

{{short description|Political bundlers supporting George W. Bush}}

Bush Pioneers are people who gathered $100,000 for George W. Bush's 2000 or 2004 presidential campaign. Two new levels, Bush Rangers and Super Rangers, were bestowed upon supporters who gathered $200,000+ or $300,000+, respectively, for the 2004 campaign, after the 2002 McCain–Feingold campaign finance law raised hard money contribution limits. This was done through the practice of "bundling" contributions. {{cite news

|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-10-15-cover-bundlers_x.htm

|title='Bundling' contributions pays for Bush campaign

|publisher=USA Today

|author=Jim Drinkard and Laurence McQuillan

|date=2003-10-16}} There were 221 Rangers and 327 Pioneers in the 2004 campaign and 241 Pioneers in the 2000 campaign (550 pledged to try). A fourth level, Bush Mavericks, was used to identify fundraisers under 40 years of age who bundled more than $50,000. {{cite news

|url=http://www.tpj.org/publication_view.jsp?pubid=442

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415235048/http://www.tpj.org/publication_view.jsp?pubid=442

|url-status=dead

|archive-date=2013-04-15

|publisher=Lexington Herald-Leader (via Texans for Public Justice) crim

|author=John Cheves

|title=Raising $50,000 for Bush makes 23 year old a seasoned political player

|date=2004-08-28

}}

The Pioneer system was devised by Karl Rove. The network has roots in Texan GOP donor lists compiled by Rove, whose political roots are in direct-mail solicitation in the 1980s.{{cite news

|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/15/wbush15.xml

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030831182052/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/15/wbush15.xml

|url-status=dead

|archive-date=2003-08-31

|title=Bush's Rangers on trail to round up record $200m

|publisher=Telegraph

|author=Charles Laurence

|date=2003-06-15}}

Nineteen of the original Pioneers became ambassadors in 2001. Six Pioneers have been convicted of politics-related crimes.{{Citation needed|date=June 2018}}

Pioneers were involved in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. An analysis in 2006 found that 12 were supporting Rudy Giuliani, 21 supporting John McCain, and 16 supporting Mitt Romney.{{cite news

|url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/12/the_whale_list_grows.html

|title=2008 Whale List Grows

|author=Chris Cillizza

|publisher=The Fix, Washington Post

|date=2006-12-11

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829172304/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/12/the_whale_list_grows.html

|archivedate=2008-08-29

}} A July 2008 report found fewer than half of the 2004 Pioneers and Rangers had yet contributed their own money to McCain.{{cite web

|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/07/01/bush_base_yet_to_rush_to_donate_to_mccain/

|title=Bush base yet to rush to donate to McCain: Funding woes tied to candidate's stances, GOP standing in polls

|first=Brian C.

|last=Mooney

|publisher=The Boston Globe

|date=2008-07-01}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2194626/

|title=John McCain, Prisoner of Cash: How GOP fat cats will bring a Republican maverick to heel.

|first=Timothy

|last=Noah

|authorlink=Timothy Noah

|date=2008-07-01

|publisher=Slate}}

Prominent Pioneers, Rangers and Mavericks

|url=http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6819145/site/newsweek/

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050113150039/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6819145/site/newsweek/

|url-status=dead

|archive-date=2005-01-13

|title=The Oval: Partying at the Inauguration

|publisher=Newsweek

|author=Richard Wolffe and Holly Bailey

|date=2005-01-12}}

|url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2004/07/22/TopStories/Texas.4thRichest.Man.Appointed.Regent-695023.shtml

|title=Texas' 4th-richest man appointed Regent

|publisher=The Daily Texan

|author=Clint Johnson

|date=2004-07-22

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040813134505/http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2004/07/22/TopStories/Texas.4thRichest.Man.Appointed.Regent-695023.shtml

|archivedate=2004-08-13

}}

References

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20051027040040/http://www.whitehouseforsale.org/ContributorsAndPaybacks/pioneer_search.cfm White House for Sale.org], with interactive name links.
  • [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/rangers.htm USA Today, October 15, 2003].
  • [http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051028/NEWS24/51028001/-1/NEWS Noe indicted: GOP backer is accused of laundering cash] Mike Wilkinson and James Drew, Toledo Blade, October 28, 2005

External links

  • Jim Hightower, [https://web.archive.org/web/20000511212412/http://www.bushfiles.com/bushfiles/hightower5_28.html $hrub's Pioneer$], BushFiles.com, May 28, 1999.
  • Charles Laurence, [https://web.archive.org/web/20030831182052/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/15/wbush15.xml Bush's Rangers on trail to round up record $200m], news.telegraph.co.uk, June 15, 2003.
  • Steve Kingstone, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2999136.stm Bush begins fundraising drive], BBC, June 18, 2003: "If Bill Clinton was the consummate campaigner, George Bush is the final word in campaign fundraising."
  • [http://www.post-gazette.com/forum/20030721edcamp21p2.asp Editorial: Bush's Rangers / Money shouldn't make the political world go round], post-gazette, July 21, 2003.
  • Dave McKenna, [https://web.archive.org/web/20040215180219/http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/archives/cheap/2002/cheap0913.html Ambassadors of the Game], WashingtonCityPaper, September 13, 2003.
  • Thomas B. Edsall and Sarah Cohen, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27000-2003Oct14.html Bush Campaign Raises A Record $49.5 Million. For Their Efforts, Fundraisers Also Gain]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, Washington Post, October 15, 2003: "The record receipts -- more than triple the top Democrat's fundraising for the quarter -- were driven in large part by just 285 men and women, who collected $38.5 million or more, which was at least 45 percent of Bush's total take. This fundraising elite, many of whom were beneficiaries of Bush administration policies, included 100 'Rangers,' who raised at least $200,000 apiece, and 185 'Pioneers,' who collected at least $100,000 each."
  • Jim Drinkard and Laurence McQuillan, [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-10-15-cover-bundlers_x.htm 'Bundling' contributions pays for Bush campaign], USAToday, October 16, 2003.
  • Glen Justice, [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/23/politics/campaigns/23DONA.html?th Once at Arm's Length, Wall Street Is Bush's Biggest Donor], New York Times, October 23, 2003: "A study to be released today shows that the financial community has surpassed all other groups, including lawyers and lobbyists, as the top industry among Mr. Bush's elite fund-raisers. The list of those generating $100,000 and $200,000 now includes chief executives like Henry M. Paulson of Goldman Sachs, John J. Mack of Credit Suisse First Boston and Stanley O'Neal of Merrill Lynch, whose firm has already raised twice the amount for Mr. Bush's re-election that it did during the entire 2000 campaign cycle. ... 'It's really a question of policy, that's what's driving this,' said Marc Lackritz, president of the Securities Industry Association, which represents more than 650 securities firms. 'It's a pro-investor policy.'"
  • Glen Justice, [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/politics/campaign/14MONE.html?th Newcomers Provide Fuel for Bush Money Machine], New York Times, March 14, 2004.
  • Thomas B. Edsall, Sarah Cohen and James V. Grimaldi, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29142-2004May15.html?referrer=email "Pioneers Fill War Chest, Then Capitalize,"] Washington Post, May 16, 2004.
  • Jonathan E. Kaplan, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060627235038/http://www.hillnews.com/news/051804/superranger.aspx "RNC offers 'Super Ranger' status,"] The Hill, May 18, 2004.
  • Greg Palast, [https://web.archive.org/web/20050819014953/http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=422&row=0 "Give It Back, George. Did Wyly Coyotes' Ill-Gotten Loot Buy White House?,"] gregpalast.com, April 11, 2005.
  • John Cheeves, [https://archive.today/20130415235048/http://www.tpj.org/publication_view.jsp?pubid=442 "Kentucky 'Maverick' reels in serious cash for GOP campaign"], Lexington Herald-Leader, August 29, 2004.

Category:George W. Bush

*

*