Sneak Peek: Clinton Wins Third Quarter Cash Contest

October 2, 2007— -- Hillary Clinton raked in $27 million last quarter to beat her near closest Democratic rival, Barack Obama, by a cool $7 million.

The Clinton campaign announced their fundraising numbers on a day when the Obama campaign was looking to grab the headlines by drawing a sharp contrast with the Democratic frontrunner on the war in Iraq. (Hmm…coincidence?)

When pressed today about comments he made to the New York Times in 2004 about being unsure of what he would have done if he was in the Senate at the time of the war authorization vote, Obama said:

"The only time when I said I'm not sure what I would do if I were in the Senate was right before the Democratic convention when we had two nominees that obviously I did not want to be criticizing right before they got up and received the nomination." LINK

ABC News' Kate Snow reports that the Clinton camp was busily lowering expectations for their fundraising totals last week, telling reporters they expected to announce numbers in the ballpark of $17 million to $20 million.

"In the past, when Obama has out-raised Clinton, Clinton campaign officials had argued that fundraising wasn't everything.  But today, Clinton insiders say they are very pleased.  They say this suggests support for Obama is losing steam 'big time,' as one Clinton aide put it." LINK

ABC News' David Wright posed that question to the Obama campaign and not surprisingly, they have a different take on the numbers.

"I don't see it that way at all," Obama's senior political adviser David Axelrod told ABC News.  "The fact is we have raised more than any other candidate in this race and we have more small contributors than all the other candidates combined."

Now we wait for the results from the frontrunners on the Republican side – Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani still have not announced their campaigns' third quarter haul.

On the campaign trail…

Romney has no public events scheduled.

John McCain makes a military day of it in South Carolina as a part of his "Straight Talk Express Day." He addresses cadets at Camden Military Academy in Camden, SC at 9:00 am ET and meets with ROTC cadets at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC at 12:00 pm ET. McCain wraps up his day at the College of Charleston's Bully Pulpit Series.

Rudy Giuliani travels through New Hampshire, meeting with the residents of Manchester at 11:15 am ET, Derry at 12:30 pm ET, Nashua at 1:30 pm ET and Salem at 3:30 pm ET. For his last stop, he delivers remarks at a town hall meeting starting at 5:00 pm ET.

Fred Thompson starts his day with an event in Des Moines and then takes a 10:20 am ET tour of Lincolnway Energy in Nevada, Iowa. After that, it is off to a 1:15 pm ET lunch in Dubuque, Iowa before moving a bit east for a 6:30 pm ET fundraiser in Chicago, Ill. Thompson's day concludes with a appearance on Fox News Channel with his wife, Jerri, at 9:00 pm ET.

Mike Huckabee is a guest on Glenn Beck's syndicated radio show at 11:05 am ET.

Sen. Brownback will be on Capitol Hill attending to Senate business.

The Democrats. . .

Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Mike Gravel are at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. to attend the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's Presidential Candidate Forum, which begins at 9:00 am ET.

Sen. Barack Obama has a foreign policy town meeting at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, at 12:00 pm ET and another town hall meeting at 2:45 pm ET in Washington, Iowa.

John Edwards details his plan for Iraq and his response to Blackwater situation, which his campaign calls a "bold new direction for security contractors in Iraq." The Seacoast Media Group Forum on Iraq starts at 3:00 pm ET in Portsmouth, N.H. But before that he has several stops at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, N.H. starting at 11:00 am ET and at 11:40 am ET. Edwards meets with teachers at WHS at 12:00 pm to discuss his K-12 education plan. His last pre-forum stop is Seavey Island in Kittery, Maine to meet with workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard at 1:30 pm ET.

Biden heads to Iowa for an 8:30 pm ET town hall meeting in Jasper County.

Dennis Kucinich attends to congressional duties back in his Ohio district.

Gov. Bill Richardson is in Washington, D.C., for a 6:00 pm ET fundraiser.

Representatives of the Edwards, Obama and Kucinich campaign are in Costa Mesa, Calif., for a 10:00 pm ET DFA Candidate Forum.

At the High Court. . .

The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in New York Board of Elections v. Torres, which looks at whether a state can choose a party convention instead of a primary as the nominating process.

POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM

ABC News' Kate Snow Reports: "Clinton Beats Obama in Third-Quarter Fundraising" LINK

ABC News' Jennifer Parker Reports: "Pelosi Calls Thomas Book 'Revisionist'" LINK

ABC News' David Wright Reports: "Obama Draws Contrast with Clinton on Iraq" LINK

ABC News' Jason Ryan Reports: "Testimony Reveals Secrecy Over Wiretapping Program" LINK

POLITICAL VIDEO ON ABCNEWS.COM

Blackwater: 'We Did Everything Right' LINKCEO Erik Prince defends the company responsible for U.S. security in Iraq.

Blackwater: Moral Crisis in the Military? LINKThe security company says it favors a law that allows for more oversight.

Obama Takes a Dig at Clinton LINKOn the fifth anniversary of his criticizing the Iraq War, Obama criticizes Sen. Clinton.

Anita Hill: 'What I Described Happened' LINKThe woman who accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment stands by her story.

Obama Calls for Nuke-Free World LINKSen. Obama outlines a new nuclear posture in a speech at DePaul University.

Obama Promises to End Iraq War LINKDuring a speech at DePaul University, Barack Obama steps up his foreign policy.

Anita Hill Fights Back LINKAnita Hill responds to criticism from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Blackwater on Capitol Hill LINKThe founder of the private security firm testifies before Congress.

Conservative Frustration LINKSocial Conservatives Consider a 3rd Party Candidate