YOU MEAN THE BANKERS HAVE WOKEN UP? - AT 8:04 A.M. ET:  I knew there were some dimwits in the Wall Street banking "community" - I love that crooked term - but this is carrying dumbness too far.  It seem the Dems are suddenly finding that campaign contributions from Wall Street folk just aren't what they used to be.  It's the recession, the official line reads.  But more sophisticated observers report that the big bankers, apparently after many meetings and expert examinations, have concluded that the left wing of the party they love absolutely despises them.  It took them all this time to figure it out.  And you thought a home-loan decision took too long.  The Hill reports:

Senate Democrats are losing their fundraising edge on Wall Street, seeing less money for candidates at a time when the party’s liberal wing is demonizing billions of dollars in taxpayer bailouts to banks.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) raised $10.4 million through the first three months of this year, compared with $9.6 million raised by its Republican counterpart during the same quarter.

That’s a much narrower margin than last election cycle, when the DSCC raised $163 million compared to the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) $94 million.

Why, some Dems won't even accept contributions from the Wall Street capitalist warmongering imperialist ruling-class scum that they were embracing only months ago:

This flip has occurred at a time when liberals are bashing Wall Street as the root of the economic recession and Democratic senators are keeping investment bankers at arm’s length.

Steve Elmendorf, a high-powered Democratic lobbyist who represents Citigroup, a major contributor in the past, said that Democrats are shunning money from his client because it has taken billions in federal bailout funds.

“People I raise money for are not accepting money from PACs of TARP recipients or senior executives of companies that took TARP funds,” said Elmendorf.

COMMENT:  Harry Truman said it best:  In Washington, if you want a friend, get a cocker spaniel.  Just make sure the dog doesn't have any dog relatives owned by Wall Street bankers.  You can tell by the bark.

May 12, 2009