Sorry, Shuster: It's True Source of Much Obama Funding Undisclosed

When a McCain campaign representative told David Shuster today that the source of much of Barack Obama's fund-raising is unknown, the MSNBC host scoffed, claiming only "right-wing" blogs could believe that and challenging the spokesman to cite a credible source. 

Instead of fulminating about the conservative blogosphere, David might want to pick up a copy of Newsweek, which last time I looked had a news-sharing arrangement with . . . MSNBC.  None other than Newsweek's Michael Isikoff reported those very facts about Obama's fund-raising last week.

McCain spokesman Ben Porritt was Shuster's guest during MSNBC's 4 PM EDT hour today.

View video here.

BEN PORRITT: There is an issue that we don't know where one-third of Barack Obama's fund-raising totals have come from.

DAVID SHUSTER: Come on, Ben. One-third? What credible news organization said we don't know where one third of Obama's money is coming from?

PORRITT: Well over $200 million.

SHUSTER: Says who? Other than you. Name one. Nobody reported $220 million unaccounted for. No one. Except for some very right-wing blogs that don't have a lot of credibility. Name one credible news-reporting agency that backs up your assertion.

PORRIT: I will send you an e-mail and you can read it on air.

Here was Isikoff in Newsweek, in an article dated October 13, 2008 [emphasis added]:

The Obama campaign has shattered all fund-raising records, raking in $458 million so far, with about half the bounty coming from donors who contribute $200 or less. Aides say that's an illustration of a truly democratic campaign. To critics, though, it can be an invitation for fraud and illegal foreign cash because donors giving individual sums of $200 or less don't have to be publicly reported.

Being the good sport he is, surely Shuster will read the Isikoff article on the air.  Unless, of course, David's of the view that Newsweek doesn't qualify as a "credible news-reporting agency."