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Clinton Fundraising For March

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April 03, 2008 3:20 PM

ABC's Kate Snow and Sunlen Miller Report: The Clinton campaign reports raising $20 million for the month of March, ABCNews has learned -- about half of what the Obama campaign says it raised that month.

The Clinton campaign will not officially announce its figure until the Federal Election Commission deadline of April 20th.

But the Obama campaign says it raised over $40 million from 442,000 contributors in the month of March.

"Senator Obama has always said that this campaign would rise or fall on the willingness of the American people to become partners in an effort to change our politics and start a new chapter in our history," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said.

The Obama camp also claims that more than 218,000 of those donors were first-time contributors, giving an average of $96 per donor.

On a conference call with reporters earlier today, Clinton campaign Communications Director Howard Wolfson downplayed the fundraising gap.

"We knew he was going to outraise us.  He has for the last several months," Wolfson said.

Wolfson insisted -- as the campaign has repeatedly said-- that Clinton has enough money to be competitive and successful moving forward.

The Clinton campaign has said Obama was outspending them by 4 to 1 on television ads in Pennsylvania and will probably continue to outspend them by about 2 to 1 between now and primary day in the keystone state.

"He outspent us 2 to 1 in Ohio and Texas, but we were able to win.  We expect to be successful going forward despite being outspent.  Both campaigns are raising a lot of funds.  We are both outraising McCain," Wolfson said.

Campaign insiders did not want to reveal details about the amount of debt Clinton might be carrying at the moment.  In February, the campaign reported holding nearly $9 million in debts. It was recently reported that debt included her own alma mater -- Park Ridge High School  -- where she had held a campaign event.  When news of that debt was reported, the debt was immediately paid.  Campaign officials said many of the debts owed in February have since been cleared off the books, but they acknowledged that there are new unpaid invoices for March.

In a campaign email solicitation sent out over the weekend, former President Bill Clinton encouraged contributions by pointing out that the media and others would be quick to judge his wife's financial health.

"Our opponents and the media will scrutinize our fundraising reports and look for any sign of weakness," Bill Clinton wrote to supporters.  He then asked them to donate.

"Even as little as $5 can make a difference," he said.

April 3, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (164)

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Well if their numbers were OK they would release the number now rather than wait at the last minute
How much of that 20 million do you suppose is for the general election for example ?

Just sayin'

Posted by: benjamin | Apr 3, 2008 3:23:50 PM

Yep. Buying CNN ain't cheap.

I heard Tim Russert say the election comes down to the money. That isn't much of a dream is it. That means nothing changes. Business as usual.

As a Democrat, all I want is a competent executive. Instead I get A Movement, A Statement and very likely, McCain in the White House. Well, at least he was an officer who served honorably and knows leadership means more than promises and speeches. It means hard decisions and when unlucky, having to run like hell from an airplane on fire on a hanger deck. No one can say he doesn't have character.

I won't like it, but I won't have any trouble throwing one lever in the Republican column as long as I throw the rest in the other column.

Posted by: len | Apr 3, 2008 3:41:41 PM

No What is sad is that Obama is wasting over 200 million to mislead Americans.

Posted by: Michael | Apr 3, 2008 3:41:49 PM

why hasn't Hillary released her tax info?

Posted by: tiredofthelackofknowledgeofvoters | Apr 3, 2008 3:42:37 PM

First of all Obama won Texas. That is a fact. The reason Barack Obama has to outspend the Clintons is because he is unknown. Hillary is running off her husbands name.

Posted by: Tiffany | Apr 3, 2008 3:43:29 PM

I wonder sometimes what is behind those donors I wonder...20 is not sad and is true Gerry most of Hillary supproters are not Internet savvy.

Posted by: Yolanda Diaz | Apr 3, 2008 3:43:59 PM


You are saying that's sad. I bet some of you hadn't contributed a cent. He wouldn't have raised that much either if
God knows where the money is coming from.

Posted by: jstern | Apr 3, 2008 3:44:49 PM

Sounds like Oprah opened up her purse again. She wants to be president but realizes she doesn't have the intellect to ever aspire to the position. So, she is doing the next best thing, buy a puppet so she can rule the world. It was her plan all along.

Go Hillary.

Posted by: Jill Mitchell | Apr 3, 2008 3:44:54 PM

And that Tx. spend or ad buy campaign was brilliant!!!! He didn't win the state. He wasn't expected to win the state. However, he did blunt her steam rolling over him. The results of that night were 51-47, hardly what I call a blow out. Anything less than 10 points may as well be a tie and it should really be one considering she led by more than 20 points! Ha, I knew my fellow Texans would come thru. And for the people who wonder how Hillary won in the evening but not at night; well - you see - the Repubs. wanted her to beat Obama so they voted for her. Afterall, they had nothing to lose and no one to vote for. However, they weren't willing to return to those long lines, overly crowed buildings, brave the traffic, forgo dinner, etc to CAUCUS for her though so - she suffered a loss as Bill predicted she would. Now, with friends like Repubs. who needs enemies. Anyway, when all is said and done, she really did win the state, for it is he who will walk away with the majority of the delegates not her. Therefore, if he can repeat his ad buy in other states as he did here in Texas and keep her victory to single digits(I mean we are talking in the marign of error here folks), even if she WON every single state, IT WON'T MATTER. She is finish. Old people, women, etc. can get mad all they want. Any other spoil children can cry foul, he won't make a bit of difference. Obama has already won. He doesn't have to win ANYTHING else, not the nom and not the general. He has beat THE ALMIGHTY CLINTONS and the so called "CLINTON MACHINE" HA! Grass roots is what it's all about, either create or join a revolution or live out the rest of your days in ignorance.

Posted by: Brianna | Apr 3, 2008 3:47:53 PM

Obama lost in Texas primary and popular vote. This is the fact...

His outspending in Penn will be trashed since he just can't win Penn....

He just wasting YOUR money.....

Posted by: True Truth | Apr 3, 2008 3:48:22 PM

Bill Clinton made 47 million dollars last year. Instead of asking Americans who have to stretch their dollars for donations, why doesn't he donate or loan his wife's campaign some millions? Its because he knows this investment is a lost cause. Shame on you Bill!

Posted by: Peter Baudach | Apr 3, 2008 3:51:12 PM

"He outspent us 2 to 1 in Ohio and Texas, but we were able to win." BALONEY! OBAMA WON TEXAS! When the caucus results finally got counted this past weekend the final tally shows Obama won 5-6 more delegates than Clinton. OBAMA WON TEXAS.

Clinton needs to drop out of the race so the party can unite behind Obama and focus on November. This is getting ridiculous. Clinton has NO CHANCE of closing the delegate gap. It is statistically impossible. She is harming the Democratic party by selfishly choosing to carry this charade on.

Posted by: Eric | Apr 3, 2008 3:53:45 PM

Well hopefully all those small businesses and working folks who were owed $$$ by HRC will get paid now. No reason not to pay these good hearted and decent people any more.

Also hope those HRC campaign workers get the insurance premium paid, too. Health Care is important.

Posted by: The Commander Guy | Apr 3, 2008 3:55:25 PM

Remmber, Clintons are still one of the most powerful and capable politicans in Dems.....

Obama can't win GE without Clintons' support - simly true...

He will be defeated in GE even worse than Al Gore in 2000 and kerry in 2004..

Posted by: True Truth | Apr 3, 2008 3:55:25 PM

You need to read my post. He was never going to win the state of Tx. The fact that he kept her victory so low, makes him the overall winner. Oh and in case you didn't know, he WON more overall delegates THAN she did. When you combined the primary contest from the morning with the caucus results from the evening, HE WON overall. So, yes that was money well spent.

Now if he does the same thing in Penn. and runs ads 2-1 or 3 3-1 he blunts her victories. Which do you think the Supers would be more impressed by, her single digit victories or his massive blow out victories. She needs to start blowing him out but 15 or more points. She needs to begin doing it NOW. Otherwise, her argument of being most electable is a joke.

But, again, it doesn't matter b/c a simple Jr. Sen., and I mean a no-body to go up against the Special Royal Clinton clan and make them look stupid both at home an abroad, to knock them off their almight pedestal, etc. is AMAZING. I am grateful to Obama for that alone.

Posted by: Brianna | Apr 3, 2008 3:58:17 PM

To me, $20 million isn't exactly pocket change. I realize that in the realm of politics, it's relatively little. This article is just another one of those ways that the media is attempting to backhand Hillary. If they wanted to, they could just as easily pull this on one of the other two. Obama was a nobody a year and a half ago. It's only because of his smooth talking and him repeating the word "change" fifty billion times that he's been able to accomplish what he has.

Seriously, watch any one of his speeches and you will find that he says the word "change" an average of about 35 times in 7 minutes. The same is true with Hillary and the phrase "Health Care."

Point being: the media controls everything.

Hillary won Texas. The delegate system is completely moronic. It should be held on one day just like the General Election, then we'd see what would have actually happened.

I support her, but I know that she is going to lose. Obama is still WAY better than McCain. McCain is just George Bush III.

We should give the person who is our new President a chance, no matter who it is (O,C, or M). At least... until they blow it, then we can tear them to shreds like Bush.

That's what we do.

Posted by: Josh | Apr 3, 2008 3:58:29 PM

SuperDelegates,
With that huge and mighty war chest why hasn't Obama been able to close the deal? Sounds like votes for Hillary has been a better investment return for each dollar invested.

I'll tell you why. He's not electable. He is politically immature, and he will be crushed by McCain due to his inexperience. Big surprise: Bill Richardson himself was telling this to Super D's before Obama cut him a deal to cap that conversation off.

The money pouring in to Obama's coffers rrepresent a desperate attempt by the Daily Kos Mafia and the MoveOnOrgees to buy an election. Those guys are worse than the corporations they cuss, because they are so arrogant about it.
=======================================
Obama got $250,000!
Rezko gets jail!
Obama is a member of the Harvard elite!

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Apr 3, 2008 3:58:38 PM

True Truth: I suppose that logic explains how he is defeating the "Clintons" (plural) without their support? Because they are so critical that they can't convince the super delegates, the DNC or the general public?

Posted by: Elijah112668 | Apr 3, 2008 3:58:43 PM

This is sad because most Americans are hurting finacially, these politicians are lavishing is millions even if it's not there personally wealth. The doors to the white house are closed and an equal fair election for a candidate unrelated, no longer exists. We the public get to hear there truimphet monies received to continue this corruption. This corruption and the rich run this country at the servants expense.

Posted by: regionfive | Apr 3, 2008 4:00:35 PM

Do you think Obama is super smart so he can fix all the issues in America?

No, he is just listening to his advisers and read out script to public.

He is just a listener and speaker with Zero experience of executive in city hall, state or ferederal. Maybe he can count his leadership from his community church organizer....

It is just simple fact...

Posted by: True Truth | Apr 3, 2008 4:01:42 PM

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