[goodkarma]

I think the special interests donate to folks they know they can influence. (Everything in government is about getting the votes they need, right?)

Which may be why Obama got a lot of donations from individual taxpayers and not multi billion dollar corporations.

[tptacek]

Or they donate to people they know are already sympathetic to their cause, and who have maximal PR and regulatory influence. Why would you spend $1 on John Barrasso if you could instead give that dollar to John McCain?