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.
I don’t think that Obama would be ‘the death of us all’. My faith in the (horse sense of the) American people and the constitution written by giants won’t permit me to think that. Having said that, I’m not going to give a penny to McCain regardless of who the VP is. I will, with much reluctance, vote for him regardless of who the VP is only because I want fervently to keep our troops from having to serve with either Obama or Hillary as their commander in chief. And that is the only reason that McCain has my vote. I love our troops much more than I despise McCain.
yes, the troops are foremost. I do at least respect the fact, that unlike any other candidates (or MOST DC officials), he has one son who just came back form Iraq, one likely about to go, and an older son who was a fighter pilot in the gulf war. So he and Cindy have, past present and future, personal currency in the fight.
Agreed. Along the same line, how about that belligerent, blustering Bob Beckel who so often counters on Hannity, “a Republican is never, will never be, elected after they’ve had the white house for the last eight years. Unheard of, won’t happen.” Just to see his nose rubbed in it would be huge satisfaction.
I was being euphemistic with the Ridge/abortion remark :-) Yes, you’re right and it’s a shame, because he could be marketable to the masses otherwise. I like Sanford as well, but the vast uninformed, clueless “don’t care” ADD public needs to see a VP runner with some pretty high name recognition, I fear. Maybe I’m being too cynical, but I sure see what’s been happening with the BHO zombies in record numbers.
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