June 2, 2009

Cheney and Limbaugh: On the Same Stage?

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It’s no secret that Dick Cheney fancies Rush Limbaugh over Colin Powell. During a May 10 appearance on Face the Nation, the ex-veep called Limbaugh a better Republican than Powell.

That was before Limbaugh went on his crusade to brand Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor a “racist” and bigot” who is comparable to former KKK leader David Duke.

But the radio host’s anti-Sotomayor rants have apparently not made him radioactive for Cheney. Cheney will join Limbaugh and other conservative movement poohbahs for Troopathon, a web telethon that will raise money for care packages for US troops and that will be broadcast from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on June 25. Other rightwingers signed up for the event include Laura Ingraham, Lars Larson, and Monica Crowley. The event will be hosted by conservative journalist Melanie Morgan and conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart.

Certainly, Cheney can say that his involvement in this good cause has nothing to do with Limbaugh, who has become more of a hot potato for the GOP since Cheney chose him over Powell. But the event’s organizers are trying to link the two men. A press release the group sent out announces, “Vice President Cheney in Fundraiser for Troops–Appearing with Rush Limbaugh, Jon Voight and Others.” Appearing with? Really? Side by side? At the same time–during this eight-hour-long parade of guests? Maybe not, and maybe the group is just trying to draw press attention. Well….bingo! But imagine Cheney and Limbaugh coming on stage together and singing a duet. A lot of people would pay money to see that.

WE CAME UP SHORT.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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