“This is my life”

Whether you’re Liberal or Conservative, Republican or Democrat; no matter how high-minded your campaign; no matter how clever your tactics; whether you’re running for parliament, city council, president, senate, congress or dog catcher—in the end, there’s only one thing that matters in electoral politics: money. And getting it—even giving it—can be pretty unpleasant (just ask Eliot Spitzer’s dad or Tony Rezko).

Lately I received a copy of an e-mail from a prospective candidate (I promise his or her political orientation isn’t the issue) who wrote the following to a group of intimates. The clip taken from The Wire is self-explanatory:

Subject: “Hit your number, or die in this room”

This is my life—

• McCain Faces Test in Wooing Elite Donors [New York Times]