Posted on 04/20/2008 10:27:44 PM PDT by The_Republican
WASHINGTON - Barack Obama raised $41 million in March and had $42 million available to spend against debt-ridden Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in April, campaign finance reports filed Sunday show.
Clinton reported raising $20 million in March and had $9 million for the primary available at the beginning of April. But she also reported debts of $10.3 million, putting her in the red.
Overall, Obama had $51 million in the bank at the end of March, with nearly $9 million of that available only for the general election.
The money positioned Obama to undertake an expensive April campaign in Pennsylvania, where he has outspent Clinton and cut into her lead. Pennsylvania votes on Tuesday.
Obama's fundraising in March led all candidates, but was still lower than the mark he set in February, when he raised more than $55 million. He has raised $235 million in his campaign.
Clinton was expected to file her report with the Federal Election Commission by the midnight deadline.
Republican John McCain's report showed he raised $15.2 million and had $11.6 million in the bank. The Arizona senator's March figures were his best fundraising performance of the campaign.
Obama spent $30.6 million in March a month that began with tough contests for the Illinois senator in Ohio and Texas. He lost the popular vote to Clinton in both state primaries even though he outspent her, but he emerged with more delegates in Texas.
His report showed he spent $9 million on media advertising, an amount mostly spent in final days before the March 4 Ohio and Texas primaries. Obama did spend money in March for ads in Pennsylvania and Indiana, which votes May 6. But he held off on most of his big ad spending until April, permitting him to build up his cash on hand.
Obama reported owing more than $660,000 to various vendors. Beside advertising, his other major expenses were nearly $5 million in telemarketing and $3.6 million for travel and lodging.
In keeping with his trend, California was Obama's go-to fundraising state, generating nearly $4.6 million in contributions in March. New York was next with nearly $3.2 million.
Clinton spokesman Jay Carson said $15 million of Clinton's $20 million was raised over the Internet. He said the campaign has raised $60 million over the Internet since Jan. 1. The surge of online support suggests she is attracting more small-dollar donors, but contributors who give larger amounts could also be encouraged to give online.
The March figures do not include the $2.5 million she raised last week at an Elton John concert in New York. Carson said the event's total sum included money from 6,000 new donors.
Clinton spent $22.2 million in March.
McCain in March refunded donors about $3 million in contributions, most of it money he had received for the general election. The refunds set the stage for McCain to accept about $84 million in public funds for the fall campaign. Candidates who accept public financing cannot raise money from donors for the general election campaign.
McCain's biggest expense of the month was $3 million to Fidelity & Trust Bank to finish paying off a $4 million loan that had become the focus of a stalemate between McCain and the FEC. Campaign finance regulators want to make sure McCain did not use the promise of public financing in the primary to secure the loan. McCain was eligible for public financing in the primary, but his lawyers said they did not use that eligibility as collateral.
In March, his operating expenses were $5 million, his smallest monthly expense so far this year.
McCain's March expenses ranged from $758,000 for air charters to $151.55 to a Los Angeles florist. The campaign reported a debt of $707,000, much of it outstanding American Express billings. McCain had his most fundraising success in California and Florida, each of which yielded more than $1 million.
So, so far Obama has spent about $200m?
So that’s where the 3.50 a gal is going!
Scary when a President Obama will truly be disastrous for the entire U.S.(not that either a President Hillary Clinton or a President McCain will truly be a lot better)!
Barack Obama's battle has gone into extra innings, while McCain threw a shutout.
Meanwhile, John McCain is traveling, acting presidential, while Barry is finally being vetted by the treasonous MSM.
When the conventions are history, the Republicans will come through with the cash.
The Real Obama Story Exposed!
by JB Williams (4/14/08)
...What About All that Obama Campaign Money?
Obama has set historical records in campaign fund raising. But where is all that money coming from since it cant be coming from the poor American citizens he claims to represent?
For starters, Obamas campaign site asks donors which country they are from, openly indicating that campaign contribution to the Obama campaign are coming from all over the world, not just all over America. The Obama campaign MUST disclose which countries he is receiving campaign contributions from and why
Just as Obama through his Friends of Obama organization sent almost a million dollars to support his cousins campaign for socialist power in Kenya, it appears very likely that socialists and anti-American thugs are also participating in the American election process by sending foreign funds to the Obama campaign here in the states.
Short of forced full disclosure from the Obama campaign, it is not easy to establish the money trail beyond any reasonable doubt.
Fortunately, Obama has been campaigning as a full disclosure agent of change. So his campaign and his minions should have no objection to immediate full disclosure regarding where all that campaign money is coming from, specifically out of the country....
I bet befoire Indiana Primary and tries to make hay out of it. She can’t afford to lose Indiana.
Sure Obama would have no choice but to bring up the entire History of Klintons treasons.
However, that hurts him because that works against his pitch of being a “different kind of candidate”. Gutter politics always favors Klintons and they would LOVE negativer campaigning from Obama.
Besides, if Klinton picks up on this “foreign donations” theme, FNC, and Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity would dedicate entire time to hammer him on this theme. Obama’s shaky reputation with respect to Patriotism would get weaker.
Hildabeast’s crew must not be reading FR lately. If they did, they would be on top of this.
I’ll throw Lamar Alexander out there.
Obama NEEDS the $41 million for damage control.
My guess is tht this is Soros’ and lord knows who else’s money being funneled through online donations using bots.
Nah, they're reading us. But they probably figure it's a double-cross -- planted to make them do the wrong thing. LOL.
I hope you mean under a bus. I look forward to that RINO’s retirement ASAFP.
He will be a player, just wait. Maryville HS Grad who will be pushed by the electorate. He has a flat-tax coming out soon and well see how that gets recepted. :^)
Obama is supported by the worst of America’s enemies. They love his message of “hope.” Their hope is to destroy America as a world power. They see Obama as the means to achieve that goal. His supporters include Hamas and their friend Jimmy Carter, George Soros who has vowed to cut this country down to size, Farrakhan, Reverend Wright, Al Sharpton and Jane Fonda. The list of his America hating supporters is endless. Obama is the greatest internal threat to our freedom and way of life that I’ve seen in my lifetime. The American people must be made aware of the truth about this wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The only “problem”:) with the math is the Rats are spending all their money .
Actually, McCain is doing pretty well. The trick here are that the Clinton and Obama numbers include money they’ve been raising for the General Election - which they can’t spend during the primary. McCain isn’t raising GE money because he’s taken the public funding for the fall.
Indeed, reading between the lines, McCain might well be in a better financial position than Obama - in terms of cash on hand.
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