Candidates' Dollars and Cents

Disclosures show everything from Taco Bell tastes to pricey plane rides.

ByABC News
February 18, 2009, 3:47 PM

Oct. 17, 2007 — -- Since announcing their respective White House bids, 17 presidential hopefuls have crisscrossed the country spreading their message and raising millions to contend in what's turning into one of the most expensive elections in history.

But on what exactly are the candidates spending their supporters' hard-earned cash?

Among the millions in traditional expenses flights, hotels, maybe a radio or television ad and a little something for their hardworking staff there are quirkier items, no doubt necessary, but eyebrow-raising nonetheless.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., who leads the fundraising pack with $35 million on hand, dished out $11.88 to iTunes. (That's one way to get a copy of Celine Dion's "You and I," which won out as the former first lady's campaign theme song earlier this year).

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, the feisty defender of the Constitution who raked in more than $5 million in summertime donations, spent $7.60 at the International House of Pancakes.

And, ever blazing a new age path, Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., campaign paid out $20 to Blue Turtle Yoga in Charleston, S.C.

All told, campaign spending estimates already total more than $230 million and the election is still a year away.

To journalists, the receipts to those expenditures can sometimes tell the story of a campaign well managed or collapsing; provide a sneak peek into spending habits; and perhaps reveal campaign personalities. For opposition researchers, they can be political gold.

Within hours of the Federal Election Commission's release of the third quarter fundraising files, the Republican National Committee circulated numbers from Obama's finance report suggesting his campaign had sent opposition researchers to dig up dirt at the Clinton Library in Arkansas.

Indeed, financial reports show the Obama campaign spent $9.30 on printing at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., an additional $27 on printing at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock, and $207.75 on Travel/Lodging at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Little Rock.

In another twist, the Clinton campaign paid out $15,000 in what it described as "office rent" to the William J. Clinton Foundation.

Not to be outdone, the Democratic National Committee quickly pointed out apparent Republican foibles, including the expensive tastes of former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson's campaign.

Thompson, according to the financial documents released by the FEC, amassed $120,000 in catering expenses, $14,000 of which was spent at Dallas' tony Crescent Club.

In a separate expense, Thompson's camp paid $5,500 to a Cape Cod eatery Chillingsworth, which bills itself as four-star French fine dining.

And on a third occasion, team Thompson billed $7,500 in catering costs to the Young Republicans 2007 National Convention.

Thompson's campaign also showed an affinity for Flemings Prime Steakhouse in Nashville, Tenn., the state where he has spent most of his time campaigning this summer.