How can a couple working on "government salaries" make $35 million?

Can someone please take a closer look and explain?

Ann,

The $35 million comes after leaving office, so book deals, speaker's fees, etc. add up quickly when you're a former first couple.

But the money issue has to be a serious concern.
First Obama announces $32 million in January. Clinton camp is silent.

Next, Clinton meekly announces about $13 million for January, which has, by all accounts, been spent already.

Today, rumors that Clinton may loan the campaign personal money, even after Bill said in November that such tactics violate the spirit of democracy.

After the rumors surface, we find out that SURPRISE! Hillary has already loaned her campaign $5 million and may dump more money in.

Obama has a serious fundraising advantage on two counts - first, less than 3% of his donors are maxed out (Clinton's percentage is significantly higher), and second, he's just flat-out outraising her.

This is big trouble for her campaign, and explains why she's clamoring for debates, even after there have been 17 to this point - they're free media.

I want to know if ALL of the donations of the Rezko guy to the Obama campaign were given back......last I heard, the Obama camp had said that they didn't remember how much money Rezko had donated.....(how can you NOT know? Aren't candidates required to keep strict records on this?). Apparently this Rezko guy gave money to other campaigns, too. All candidates' campaign funds should be monitored by an objective, outside source, to also make sure that the candidates are not receiving PAC money, like from MoveOn.Org, and then the candidates go and say that they aren't taking PAC/Special Interest Money. I don't trust candidates with regard to money, no-how----no matter WHO they are.

To Ann B.
Well Ann, in case you had not noticed one of them has not been a government employee since 2000. B. Clinton has been making a lot of money giving speeches around the world. A practice first perfected by Sen. Obama's "transformative" R. Reagan after he left office. ($1.5+or- million for two speeches in Japan in 1989)
Both Clintons also wrote best selling books and cashed in. Two things #43 is not likely to accomplish. That is either "writing" or "selling books". There is no question he will "cash in" with someone like Halliburton or Blackwater.
Actually, I'm sorry for the snarking tone, but I'm very weary of the current outbreak of Clinton Bashing. Brave young American soldiers continue to die, almost daily, and it seems to me the media and people are obsessed with creating controversy and not helping us solve problems.

Utterly Amazed,

I have to say that I'm hurt by your characterization of my support for Obama as sexist. I've been a registered voter for ten years and have been proud to vote for women in local elections, for House, Senate, Governor, state offices, etc. I would be happy to vote for Hillary if I truly felt she were the best candidate, but that's just not how I feel.

And if you're going to make the argument that Obama won so-called Red States, note that Hillary herself tried to claim victory in Missouri (my home state) by claiming she won rural counties that were "pretty red" (her words, not mine), even though Obama won the state by carrying Democratic strongholds by better than a 2:1 margin. You can't have your cake and eat it, too.

I personally like the prospect of record turnout in Red State areas, meaning that a broader coalition can be put together come November, as opposed to the Bush-like, 50%+1 strategy that Clinton seems to be running.

Kudos to Hillary's Senior staff!!! THAT is dedication and belief in Hillary, and is admirable. So many others believe in Hillary this way, too, and I believe they'll come through for her. It's NOT who has the most money, however-----money is nice, but MONEY DOES NOT BUY VOTES---else we'd be the "other" political party. "If you don't stand for Hillary, you'll fall for Obama". We've got your back, Hillary----GO FOR IT!

5 million to buy US Presidency, that is against democracy, anticonstitutional and against liberty. Nobody should buy the US Presidency, every US citizen deserve to be president with people's voice but not with money. Now Hillary is in Romney's column.

She calls the $5m a loan. So, she expects to have the money given back to her when the campaign gets some contribution? She also calls the money 'my' to indicate that Bill is not part of it. Are they not a married couple or is what they have a political arrangement? That $5.0m might have come from Kazakhstan, and she doesn't want America to know.

Hi Jake,
It's nothing personal dude, but I stand by my assertion. If Hillary was a man, she's be ahead by double digits. I know Obama has a lot of supporters (Men and Women) who have honestly and carefully chosen him based on the issues. Kudos to those folks. However, he also has a lot of other voters who are claiming to be "republicans" who are crossing over to vote for him. What they are really doing is voting against Clinton. Hey, I have men in my own family in this camp. They are really republicans, dude, and they are going to vote for McCain in the general. They don't agree with Obama on one single issue. They are supporting Obama now to kill Clinton. Most of them are white males, who are just a little too afraid of Hillary.

Look, if Obama wins, and I think he will, I am on board. I will even put a sign in my yard. But I stand by my statement that it's Clinton who is more electable.. if we'd get behind her. The fact is, she's running against an awesome competitior like Obama (I like him a lot, nothing against him), the entire mainstream media, the far left talking heads, and the far right talking heads. The media has shown no mercy. I will go to my grave asserting that a big part of that is because of her gender. Men just don't treat other men that way. Men respect other men. But it's still okay to be a little chavenist and to put a woman down. Pay close attention to the media and you'll see it. Even my republican husband agrees with me.. but I had to point it out to him.

What was Bill and Hillary doing taking photographs with Rezko if not that they are gaining something from him? Or is it because Rezko himself hasn't said so. One day, someone who knows will expose Rezko's deal with the Clintons. I can't believe I used to love this couple even supporting them during Monica Lewinski and Paula Jones sagas. That was because I didn't know how bad they are. They can do or say anything to win votes.

How many Monicas and Paulas do we expect to see in the Whitehouse if Bill Clinton becomes a jobless first man? I WONDER.

NOW THE REPUBLICANS ARE IN DISAARRAY, but that will end if Hillary wins the Democratic nomination, which I pray she doesn't. She is a polarizer and will DEFINITELY unite the Republicans for a Whitehouse win. It will be DISASTER FOR US. Trust me.

DON'T BE SURPRISED SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON WILL WIN THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN LOS ANGELES THEY HAVE A BIG EVENTS ON SENATOR OBAMA - ENDORSERS LIKE:OPRAH WINFREY, MARIA SHRIVER, CAROLINE KENNEDY, STEVE WONDER AND SO ON.... WELL, SHE WON IN CALIFORNIA EVEN THOUGH SHE PLAYING AGAINST ALL ODDS. SAME IN STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS - SENATOR TED KENNEDY, CAROLINE KENNEDY, PATRICK KENNEDY LOOK SHE WON AGAIN.. EVEN IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK CITY. PEOPLE VOTE FOR HER FOR THEY KNOW SHE RUN OUR COUNTRY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND SHE IS THE MOST QUALIFIED, SMART, TESTED LEADER AND GOOD EXPERIENCE! SENATOR OBAMA MAY HAVE ALL THE MONEY BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE - FOR THEY CANNOT TAKE CHANCES TO ELECT A WRONG PRESIDENT AGAIN AND ON THE JOB TRAINING PRESIDENT AT THE RATE OUR COUNTRY PROBLEMS: ECONOMY, IRAQ WAR AND IMMIGRATION....OBAMA IS ALL BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH NO SUBSTANCE AND LACK EXPERIENCE.

Sam Lim,

Clinton was ahead in California by nearly 20% for the past 7-8 months until late January.

She won because of early voting. She may have still won without that, but it would have been 2-3%. If Super Tueday was on Feb 10th she would have lost California and 3 other states.

You can't spin that. You didn't even know who Obama was last February, but you knew her, right?

She got owned. Now watch her shrink in these next few caucuses and primaries.

Oh, BTW, while she's "loaning" her campaign $5 million, Obama has raised nearly $5 million on line just TODAY!!!

People are voting...with their hard earned $. The returns show that Obama represents the future while Clinton only the past. The Clinton campaign is in danger of imploding over the next few weeks while Obama has the money necessary to get his message out...stay tuned...good times.

Dear Sam Lim,

What is experience without good judgment? So, a secretary in a law office has experience as a lawyer because he/she worked in that office for many years? Or a nurse can practice medicine after working with a doctor or in a hospital for years? Be careful what you ask for.

Experience is good, but has to be the right experience. First Lady has no access to the presidency more than a messenger in that Whitehouse. She did not even have security clearance for the eight years as first lady. Her experience is only pillow talk.

We all have to look before we leap or else we are doomed by our own making. To have a woman as president is very appealing, but let it be the one with good judgment. I don’t think Hillary is the one. Two times she voted to send us to war in Iraq. That war has cost us many lives, billions of dollars, and has caused the real war against terrorism to suffer.

Bin Laden is still somewhere in Afghanistan plotting against us – United States Of America, all because of those votes.

Senator Clinton will win in November.

The thing we all need to remember is that America is fed up with the Republican administration which led us into such terrible straits. The bungling of Iraq and Afghanistan, their ignoring of Katrina victims, the view of America the rest of the world has now, and the crippling deficit can all be laid at the Republicans' door. It's not Hillary Clinton who can't win. It's John McCain.

Can't manage the campaign or the economy I see...

Utterly Amazed,

Am I afraid of Clinton, yes certainly. She strike fear into my heart. As a republican, I will vote for Obama in the primary. Even in the worst case I won't be pledging my allegiance to Hillary.

So now we are suppose to believe in the economic policies and then vote for a person who can't manage her own campaign finances? I don't think so. If Hillary Clinton has bankrupted her campaign then she has no business being our president and be given the opportunity to bankrupt our government!

Just as an update on the financial data. About 2 hours ago the Obama campaign sent out an email to supporters asking for donations to match Hillary's 5 Million dollar check. It is now 10 o'clock, and Obama has managed to raise 5 million dollars since the polls closed last night. 5 Million in one day. (He could hit 6 Million before midnight)