Election 2002
The Power of Money
This is a story about three candidates. One had too much, one had too little, and one had just what he needed. We are speaking, of course, of money.
In the 2002 campaign in New York, three men with varying amounts of campaign cash vied for the title of governor: B. Thomas Golisano, the billionaire independent candidate; state comptroller H. Carl McCall, the Democratic candidate; and George Pataki, the incumbent Republican governor.
Money in politics is not only important for time on television; it can also buy a candidate name recognition, credibility, momentum and support. While it won't necessarily buy an election, it provides for nearly every need of a campaign, from the $1 million television spot to the $3.99 meal at Burger King.
What follows is a story of these three candidates and their money, and also a postscript on how that spending would have changed had two of those candidates' proposals for campaign finance legislation been enacted. A glance at how these candidates raised and spent their money tells us something about who they are and how modern politics works.
- Part One: Too Little, Too Late
- Part Two: Money, Money, Everywhere...
- Part Three: Just Another $3 Million Week
- Part Four: Isn't It Pretty To Think So…
Return to Election 2002
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