Remember when $55 mill was astonishing? I know $30+ mill does not sound like much in comparison, but it's still a whole lot of dollars. And it was the month of March. Kinda dead. Nothing was going on. Most of my friends gave on the last day out of sheer paranoia and fear thinking he might not have raised enough. I know that I flew the intertoobz over there and gave small donations every time he got gobsmacked.

I gave, and will again.

I'd just like to point out that Evainne and ChronoSpark both have really near avatars.

This truly is campaign reform. I've always known if you let everyone donate a little, the guy with the most supporters would prevail. SO BASIC!

The unreported detail in Hillary's woeful finances is that she can only access 1/3 of the money she raised in February. That means 2/3 of the money came from the big-wigs that financed everything from the beginning (maybe the same people who threated Pelosi). There is a stark contrast, even in her larger numbers, from the actual numbers involved in the groundswell of Obama's support.

30 mil in a month of bashing. Excellent.

Viva La Obama and Democratic Majority in congress and senate.

$30 million is quite a bit for a month with no big primaries after the first week or so. And nothing but sniping between the candidates. I gave something in each month from January on and I'll probably give another $100 in April.

Keep 'em rolling. Will be interesting to see if Hillary's donors start drying up given the hopelessness of her position. If Obama was in her position, I wouldn't still be giving.

He's all over the TV here in PA - she's finally up too, but not nearly as much as him. He has a couple of good spots too - hers are fine but pretty forgettable. I don't think he can beat her here, but if he can get it below 10 points and keep the pressure on in North Carolina, she'll be hurting for cash.

I hope.

The $30 million that Obama raised does not count. Only the $20 million that Hillary raised counts. Since Obama's $30 million does not count, Hillary comes in #1 having raised the most money. Also the Hillary debt does not matter either. Most of her debt is from states that she lost and as we all know, sates that she lost do not mater, including any debt incurred in those states. Since it is all about Hillary, Hillary can't lose!

Now all Hillary needs to do is to convince the SDs to over turn the will of voters and she can have a coronation to be crowned queen for stealing and looting the primary.

Hillary for Hillary 2008!

You mean in one of those phone-in "polls" where freaky losers who actually believe in these things keep calling back over and over and imagine they've had a meaningful impact on the race?

Wow. Next time you call say hi to "Greta" for me.

I have to say, the campaign wasn't overly aggressive in fund raising compared to previous months. They sent out a few emails and what not but not the daily ones I was getting in Feb, no counters on the front page of their site etc.

I think they raised what they needed but didn't push it. Smart (don't kill the golden goose) and respectful.

Monsieur idotic, s'il vous plait?

What determines what money can and can't be used in a Primary?

Does anyone have any information (hard figures) on how much of that money is "real." I am curious what can be spent in the primary and what must go to those poor vendors who are still waiting to be paid?

Thank you.

I'm not sure you should report that "20 million" by the Hillary campaign without some strong caveats, given how fast and loose she's been playing with them.

Her fundraising figures are the new sniper fire.

In the past Obama's announced fundraising numbers have usually only included primary money. Hillary's numbers have always included both primary and general election money, so that $20 million needs to be discounted, substantially. My bet is she raised less than $15 in primary money. That is not nearly enough. Remember she went into March with significant, multi-million dollar debt. She has a payroll that has to be in the millions for each month. Those chartered jets add up too, and we know Penn is spending lots of money on polls for every possible issue. Not much left for TV and radio. The fact that she is essentially broke will become clear as she fails to advertise in Indiana or North Carolina over the next few weeks and tries to take advantage of free media like the Tonight Show.

An honest question: Was it Dean in 2003 who started the whole go for many small donors instead of the fewer rich donors tactic? And to do it over the web? I seem to remember him doing a "Have a Sandwich With the Candidate" web donation drive around late summer 2003. Eat lunch in front of your computer with his site up, donate $25 or so. It was to compete with the $1,000 a plate dinners that were fueling the Bush reelection.

It seemed revolutionary at the time. Now, it just makes sense. The many, with their small donations, can outnumber -- in people and $$$'s -- the rich and powerful, and show how much more powerful they are.

While Clinton has stepped up her internet fund raising, I'm still curious to see how much of it is for the primary and for the general. By releasing it as one number, she obfuscates how much money she actually has raised for the primary. Plus, she has vendors in OH she hasn't paid--I forget where I read that, sorry in advanced for no link. She has a pattern of not paying vendors--see Iowa. I'm wondering if that is why she held her Dallas rally in a Bank of America parking lot. Dallas vendors usually insist on getting paid up front for even planning. Also, as a side question, is she allowed to use the money raised for the general to pay these vendors down the road? I know she can't now, but if after the convention--no matter what happens--can she use general election money to pay off debts accrued in the primary? Or does she have to pay them off with primary money only?

Conversely, I would also like to see how much money Obama has raised for the general. I think the number they release is only for the primary--and his rate of spending also suggests that--but I would like to know if they have raised any money for the general. It would actually put the question of electablity into context. Also, I'd like to know how much money he has on hand and how he's paid his vendors.

Aww, good to see you dembillc. What would a thread be without your sour hijack attempts? **hugs**

What a great fundraising effort by Obama.

I'm not sure, though, that a bigger ad budget translates into more votes. (It's certainly better than a smaller ad budget.)

Was it Ohio where Obama outspent Hillary 3 to 1, and the Clinton campaign bragged that even with that much advertising, he still lost the state? (correct me if I'm wrong about the state).

And consider this: the Clinton's big donors would be smarter to pace their contributions, or lower them when there's only one or two contests all month, (one of which Hillary is going to win by double digits anyway.)

And it's better PR to create the perception that, after a big win in PA, people have regained their faith in Hillary. The proof?Announce that April's fundraising was nearly double that of the lower reported numbers in March.