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.
Dims outraising Pubs 4-to-1.
Yikes!
Hope you’re right, DC!
Let the fringe left bankrupt itself.
Another $1Billion won’t get his fool elected.
well, of course you’ve heard about the new subsidiary corp. George Soros (billionaire moveon.org founder) just formed with $40 million solely for the purpose of smearing McCain from now through Nov.?
Can’t Buy Me Love.....
It likely won’t be Mitt. But the VP choice will indeed be particularly important. It has to be someone with public recognition, not someone obscure, not matter what a true conservative they are. But it would be good to have a governor, granted. There’s talk about Tom Ridge, first head of Homeland Security (and governor) - he’s a straight-up guy with clean background and impressive credentials - BUT, “his stand on abortion is shaky,”... hey, guys, how picky, picky, picky can we keep being in quest of the perfect, pristine one. I think, come November, the GOP will unite just as the Dems will - we’ve GOT to win this one for the country’s sake. Obama would be the death of us all - permanently. As I’ve said before, this is not a parlor game.
Truer, more prophetic, words have never been spoken. BHO’s followers are totally mesmerized and blind (in huge numbers), so to all conservatives and lovers of this great country, get a grip and work together to DEFEAT this dangerous threat before it’s too late, past the point of no return.
For all the folks that said Fred was too old, Lamar! da RINO is older. Plus, if he was the VP nominee, his Senate seat is up this year, and that would be one more problem for us (no doubt Junior Ford would jump on that in a heartbeat).
Ridge’s stance on abortion isn’t “somewhat shaky”, it’s solid. He’s pro-abort and a Catholic to boot. Way to go to piss off a crucial segment of voters as if McCain hasn’t already. That’s the reason Ridge wasn’t chosen for VP in 2000. He needs to go with the solid Mark Sanford of SC.
Save your money, my bet is that the pick will be Floriduh's "Charlie Crist - the Glory-Hole governor". If they can pry hom out of that public stall...
"Are you going to eat that? I mean your security detail..."
IMHO, if Obama has at his disposal so much more money than Clinton, why hasn’t he knocked the nomination out of the park. My conclusion would be he’s either running a failed campaign or he’s a failed candidate. Raising money is one thing, making the money count in terms of political gain is another.
Obomba campaign ads every 5 minutes on every station and channel, thirty Obomba robocalls per day, endless Obomba paper mailings, Obomba signs every 10 feet along every major road.
How many votes will he lose this way?
Superdelegate support doesn't come cheap any more.
Not to mention how much FUN it's going to be watching the libs go stark raving mad. It'll be like 4th of July with all those heads exploding!
>> Barry is finally being vetted by the treasonous MSM. When the conventions are history, the Republicans will come through with the cash.
Donations increasing for McCain is a hypothetical.
A “for sure”, however, is that after the primaries the treasonous MSM WILL proceed to “vet” John McCain.
>> my bet is that the pick will be Floriduh’s “Charlie Crist - the Glory-Hole governor”. If they can pry hom out of that public stall...
That would be rolling on the floor funny... if it weren’t so depressing. I sure hope he doesn’t pick that fudgepacker for veep.
amen
Amen. United we stand. Divided we fall.
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