DCCC keeping score

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) is tracking how helpful Democratic presidential hopefuls are to candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), he told his colleagues at a recent political dinner.

The effort is similar to a system he has set up to track how much his fellow House Democrats help the party committee, both financially and in such non-quantifiable items as mentoring and travel.

Topping the list now is Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who donated $500,000 to the DCCC and has helped in numerous individual campaigns. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) described Kerry’s efforts as “phenomenal.”

Other standouts include retired Gen. Wesley Clark and former Vice President Al Gore. Clark held fundraisers with Kentucky Democratic candidate Mike Weaver and California Democrat Steve Filson. He also sent out an e-mail singing the praises of candidate Eric Massa. Gore raised over $200,000 for the DCCC, which Emanuel chairs.