George W. Bush: U.S. Presidential Campaign 2004

The following are various aspects connected with George W. Bush's U.S. Presidential Campaign 2004.

Campaign Staff

• Karl Rove, chief political aide [1]
• Matthew Dowd, chief campaign strategist [2]
• Mark McKinnon, head media strategist [3]

Federal Election Commission Electronic Filings

• April 20, 2004: FEC News Release: "Bush-Cheney 2000 to Pay $90,000 Civil Penalty for Failing to Disclose Recount Activity" (See Case 5199):

"Bush - Cheney 2000 held a bank account designated "Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. - Media." After the November 7, 2000 presidential election, the Committee redesignated this bank account "Bush-Cheney 2000, Inc. - Recount Fund" and used the account to raise funds and pay costs associated with the recount. However, the Committee failed to include that activity in disclosure reports filed with the Commission."

"Filings submitted to the IRS in 2002 and 2003 suggest the recount account raised approximately $11 million and spent approximately $13 million."

• March 19, 2004: Poster DHinMI at the Daily Kos reports FEC filings for Bush-Cheney '04 Inc. reveal that the "Bush Campaign [is] Paying Firm That Specializes In Paramilitaries." The paramilitary firm is Vance International. DHinMI writes that "There are plenty of things a campaign must pay for, but the Bush campaign may be the first presidential campaign to employ a company that specializes in paramilitary protection." ... and poses the question to the Bush regime: "What possible legitimate use do you have for a firm that specializes in high-tech surveillance, personal investigations, and paramilitary protection?" [4]

Fundraising

• Campaign Money Watch
• Campaign Money Watch Blog
• Fund Race
• Political Money Line
• The Buying of the President, 2004
• The Donatelli Group
• White House for Sale
• Tom DeLay's Celebrations for Children Inc.

SourceWatch Resources

Links specific to the Bush-Cheney '04 Inc. Campaign

• bundling
• Bush's Rangers
• Dick Cheney
• follow the money
• internet activism
• photographic manipulation
• The Donatelli Group
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Republican Campaign Ads

Links specific to U.S. presidential election, 2004

• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Active Advocacy Groups
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Ad Issues
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Ads
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Issues
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Quotes
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Democrat Campaign Ads
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: The Culture War
• U.S. presidential election, 2004: Wedge Issues

Additional SourceWatch Resources

• John Forbes Kerry: U.S. Presidential Campaign 2004
• John Forbes Kerry's military service

External links

• Jim Rutenberg, "90-Day Media Strategy by Bush's Aides to Define Kerry," New York Times, March 19, 2004.
• Ann Lewis, "Rightsizing Rove. Be wary of Karl, but don't fear him," The Gadflyer, March 19, 2004.
• Al Neuharth, "Should cowboy Bush ride into the sunset?," USA Today, May 13, 2004.