Obama's attorneys defended him in 3 of 62 eligibility-related lawsuits. See this link for details.
Tell me how one could logically assume that 8 total items filed by Perkins Coie would cost $1.7m or anything even close to it. Then tell me how Organizing for America, for which Perkins Coie is general counsel, would NOT have legitimate legal expenses separate and apart from the 8 filings in the eligibility lawsuits.
Looking at FEC reports, that detail nothing, and concluding that all/most of the money paid to Perkins Coie is for defense in the eligibility lawsuits is illogical, and frankly, ludicrous.
P.S. The twelve-fold difference that you mention is easily explained, IMHO, by the fact that Organizing for America merged with the DNC and continues to operate today. McCain's campaign organization did not merge with the RNC and therefore would have no major projects that would require significant legal expenses.
“Obama was not listed as a defendant or the DOJ provided the defense.”
Yup, US attorneys are doign the defense work. We the taxpayers are probably paying for much more of obama’s expenses on these than any of Obama’s political supporters.