Chapter 938 Absolute Certainty

"Hi Feng," Xiao Ao Hei, who seemed to be thinner but looked better, shook hands with Feng Yiping very warmly.

"Hi Barack,"

Although Feng Yiping's trip to Chicago this time was mainly to meet with the president of McDonald's, the first person he met was Xiao Aohei, who is now in a critical period of his political career.

Xiao Aohei, who habitually put his hands on Feng Yiping's shoulders, introduced a middle-aged man beside him, "Feng, this is Marty, my chief fundraiser,"

The man was very humble, "Thank you Feng, thank you for supporting our work,"

Fundraisers, what they do is to ask people for money. This job is not easy to do. No one will send money out of nothing. The richer the people, the smarter they are. .

It is very rare to see someone as forthright as Feng Yiping.

"You're welcome,"

"Feng, thank you very much for your support, and your friends in Silicon Valley," Xiao Aohei opened the car door for Feng Yiping himself, "Do you know how much money we have raised now?"

"How much?" Feng Yiping is now immune to similar actions by the gangsters, and this guy is not yet the president of the United States—it is estimated that only Feng Yiping knows that he will be the 44th president of the United States.

Now he is just a senator in the Illinois State Senate, and he is also considered his benefactor. It is no big deal to accept services such as driving the door from him.

"It's already exceeded this number," Xiao Aohei happily gestured with a "6".

"Really? Congratulations!"

In the United States, the success of an election campaign and how much money it can raise are very critical factors.

Money is the same thing in any occasion. With money, it is not everything, but without money, it is absolutely impossible.

There are many reasons why O'Hei failed miserably when he ran for the Illinois Congress before. The right time, place and people are the same, and his own level is also average... Wait, the key is that he only raised a total of 600,000 US dollars at the beginning. funds.

Having suffered the disastrous defeat last time, Xiao Ao Hei naturally attaches great importance to fundraising this time.

But this time, his opponents were very strong.

Among his opponents in the Democratic Party, there is a particularly rich and most threatening to him, Blair Hall, a successful former stockbroker and the main patron of the governor of Illinois, He plans to spend $29 million on the campaign.

There is also a special background, Dan Hines, he is the state auditor general, born in a prominent political family in Chicago, his father is the former chairman of the state Senate, and has a close personal relationship with the governor and the mayor of Chicago. Before the election, Hines Adams already has the support of 85 of the 102 Democratic county chairmen.

And the AFL-CIO, the largest union organization, is also inclined to support Hines.

Comrade O'Hei knew he couldn't stand a second defeat, so at the beginning of the year he won the support of the chairman of the Illinois State Senate and the leader of the state's Democratic Party, Emile Jones, and he put fundraising work in the first place.

After a comprehensive analysis of the grim situation facing him, he proposed a goal of raising at least $6 million—a full 10 times the $600,000 in 2000.

If the funds raised are less than 6 million U.S. dollars, then his chance of winning the election may be only 30%. Confidence to win.

Although with the support of the Democratic state leaders, coupled with the contacts he has accumulated over the years, Illinois, especially the upper-class black group in Chicago, business elites, a new generation of entrepreneurs, fund managers, bankers, etc., have all started to act. There is support for him on the Internet, but it is not enough.

To raise more than $6 million, he will also need to enlist the support of local Jewish professionals and wealthy businessmen, traditionally among Chicago's most generous political donors.

These people are called "liberals by the lake", and most of them live on the northern shore of Lake Michigan, but O'Hai, who started his career in Chicago's Hyde Park, has no friendship with these people.

"Thanks to you, your friends in Silicon Valley, who helped a lot. With their introduction, I got the opportunity to meet many people on the North Shore,"

Xiao Aohei has no contact with those people, but Jobs and the others have!

At Amanda's full moon banquet, **** met those partners in Feng Yiping's business, and he attached great importance to them. After that, he went to Silicon Valley several times to maintain these relationships. Now, it can be said that he has tasted the benefits of these relationships .

So, connections and resources are the same all over the world.

Although knowing more people does not necessarily mean that you will bring a lot of benefits, or have the support of these people in everything, but at least it means more opportunities.

"Hehe, we're just connecting. You can get their support because you are very convincing,"

"No, sometimes opportunity is more important than ability," although Xiao Aohei's words were meant to be flattering, and although he himself contacted these "liberals by the lake," Feng Yiping accepted it calmly.

"And this time, we're confident we'll raise more money, aren't we Marty?"

Marty sat sideways on the passenger seat, "Yes, believe us this time, we can finally raise $10 million,"

"10 million US dollars?" Feng Yiping remembered the goal Xiao Aohei told himself, "That will be around this time next year, and I have to call you 'Mr. Senator'"

Little O'Hei at this meeting, immersed in the haze brought about by the last failed election, immersed in the bright future and the longing for a smooth future-you know, the United States Senator has no term limit, He can be re-elected, so at this meeting, his emotions are more exposed, "Hehe, I have the confidence to win,"

"Barack has been visiting various black churches in the area non-stop for the past few years, and he almost never misses the opportunity to speak in black churches every week,"

Marty said, "With the support of Jones, Barack presided over a series of bills in the Senate. In particular, according to the demands of black groups, he passed bills such as death penalty reform and increased tax exemption ratios, reducing Illinois residents by 100 million. dollars in tax dollars, and now he has great prestige in the state,"

In the composition of voters in Illinois, blacks account for more than half of the voters. It is of course crucial to obtain the support of blacks.

Xiao Aohei seemed a little unaccustomed to the team members praising themselves in front of outsiders, "It's nothing, it's just a lesson I learned from the last defeat,"

To participate in the election in the United States, the candidate's speech ability is also very important. To put it bluntly, sometimes speaking is better than singing, which can bring a lot of support to the candidate.

The little O'Hei before, because he graduated from Harvard Law School, was either a lawyer or a teacher, so he spoke very academically. Although he is also of African descent, this style obviously cannot be supported by black brothers.

For example, when they meet and greet each other, they always say, "what'sup, bro,"

And Xiao Aohei is "howdoyoudo," obviously not the same way.

Moreover, Little O'Hei's speech skills were really mediocre at that meeting, so during the 2000 campaign, there were more than one incidents where he gave a speech in a church, but the audience below fell asleep.

So this time, he also spent a lot of time on targeted improvement. He went to church to learn the rhythm of the black pastor's speech and the expression of praise, and observed the audience's reaction, constantly learning and adjusting. In the professional skill of speech, and Compared with him three years ago, there is really a difference.

"How's the situation now?" He doesn't get out with Feng Yiping very much now, and Feng Yiping doesn't get out with him.

Hearing this, Xiao Aohei laughed again, "It's better than I expected,"

"Oh?"

"You know," Xiao Aohei blinked, "The main competitors in my party, Hall and Hines, because of their strength, each regards each other as the biggest opponent, hehe, they are busy attacking each other, No time to take care of me, a guy with average strength, "

Feng Yiping couldn't help being a little jealous of these words, and his luck was also a bit better. Isn't this a typical fight between a crane and a clam, and the fisherman wins?

The situation was originally very severe, but because the other two were too strong, they didn't think about targeting the relatively average little Ao Hei. If only one of Hall and Hines this time If he wants to run for the election, then his path is really impossible to be so smooth.

Xiao Aohei's unique own conditions also gave him a lot of help this time. His father is African-American, while his mother is white, and he, a child from an ordinary family, has climbed to the top of the American education pyramid. This kind of struggle experience, Not only can it resonate with black people, but it can also get respect from white people.

Although the AFL-CIO, the largest trade union organization, does not support Little O'Hei now, under the influence of State Senate Chairman Jones and his own efforts, several service industry unions, including the Teachers' Union, the Service Industry International, state, county and municipal workers unions, and hotel and garment unions decided to drop Hines in favor of him.

At the same time, because of his long-term legal work experience, he has also won the support of lawyers.

In short, with high-level support, he has already gained a high popularity, his key skills have been significantly improved, and the fundraising is also very gratifying. The two strongest opponents are only focused on attacking each other, leaving him alone... ..., this time, it can be said that the right time, place and people are at the right time. No wonder he is so optimistic and happy now.

"Feng, we also have to thank you for NEXTDOOR, our campaign on it was very effective, especially for your exclusive selection,"

What he meant by exclusivity was that NEXTDOOR, apart from him, did not accept requests from other Illinois candidates to advertise on the website and hold campaigns.

"It's nothing, I hope to provide you with more help within the scope of my ability,"

Feng Yiping said it very loyally, very buddy.

In fact, he would like to have such an impression in the future that anyone who can win the campaign on NEXTDOOR will definitely win the election later!

I believe that with this fame, my website will surely cut a piece of the sweetest cake in various campaigns.

…………

"Feng," Michelle walked out of the house with her two daughters, and greeted him with a smile on her face, "Welcome!"

I have to say that although this is a woman who is not really good-looking according to our aesthetics, she is really a good wife with very high emotional intelligence and ability. Xiao Aohei himself said that if the opponent is Michele Well, then he has absolutely no chance of winning.

Maria, who was more than 5 years old, shook hands with Feng Yiping solemnly. As for Natasha, Feng Yiping hugged her, "Do you remember me?"

"Yes, I remember the gift you gave me," said Natasha, touching her lips with her finger.

Hehe, it's really childish talk.

Feng Yiping smiled, "Fortunately, I also remembered to bring you a gift this time, otherwise you won't remember me next time,"

"How's Amanda?" Michelle asked.

"Thank you, she is very good. Now she can talk more and more, and she is much better than before. And because of me, she is very obsessed with clay sculpture recently,"

"Really? Why didn't Huang come here with her this time?"

"This time the schedule is tight and there is a lot of work. Next time, Natasha, when your father has time, let's go on vacation, shall we?"

When Amanda was born, there were a total of Jobs and his wife, the two Google brothers, plus Feng Yiping, at least five people who were at the top of the world's richest list were waiting in the hospital. Now let her and the future first family of the United States train her. Feelings are also a good thing.

"We have been paying attention to you. Recently, you have set up a pure electric vehicle factory, a solar power generation company, acquired Coinstar, and a series of subsequent initiatives... We are very proud of you,"

"Hehe, have you all noticed? The things I do are not as important as what Barack will do in the future,"

Hearing what Michelle said, Xiao Aohei blushed a little. From the time he received Feng Yiping at the airport to now, he only cared about telling Feng Yiping about himself, and never asked about Feng Yiping's recent situation.

"Tomorrow's meeting, do you need me to accompany you?" He said, "I have also dealt with many executives of McDonald's,"

"No, I am worried that this will have a bad influence on you, and, like you, I am absolutely sure about tomorrow's meeting."

ps: A group has been established, 454, 231, 228, everyone is welcome to come and give more valuable opinions. I look forward to having the opportunity to communicate with you!