I'll vote for you, but I am giving money to the other guy.

Campaign contributions are the life-blood of a campaign. Anyone who wants to be considered a viable candidate has to prove that he or she can raise funds, and lots of them, first. That is a tall order for someone not tied to the political establishment.

When you go into the voting booth and cast a ballot, no one knows what you are doing, but everyone knows when you write a check to a campaign.

There are a lot of people out there who have been investing in the current political machines and dynasties for a long time. The ability to go back to these donors election after election is a giant advantage for these dynasties.

The last thing many of the donors want is to have their name pop up on the list of donors to a rival campaign. All of that prior investment would be for naught then. So in addition to having the advantage of a rolodex filled with the names of potential donors, dynasties have the added advantage of being able to chill donations to rivals simply because of the fear of retribution should the rival not be victorious.

Obama and Edwards seem to be running into this same dynamic. Are people giving out of loyalty or fear? "Both, says Hindley. 'When [Clinton fundraiser Terry McAuliffe] gets up there and says, 'If you don't give, and she wins, we'll remember you, 'that's very unnerving.'"

Mike