SNEAK PEEK: Cash Money Millionaires
The presidential candidates file details of their February finances with the FEC
March 20, 2008 -- In an election year, presidential candidates are required to file monthly reports with the Federal Election Commission. Midnight is the deadline for the campaigns to file their reports of receipts and disbursements for February.
We know the overall totals that Hillary Clinton ($35 million) and Barack Obama ($55 million) raised, but the FEC reports are where we get fun facts like what they spent their money on (haircuts, makeup, Hyvee grocery stores).
A few things to look for:
- Did Clinton lend her campaign more of her own money than her campaign has disclosed?
- How much of that $55 million did the Obama campaign burn through in 29 days during his win streak and as they laid the groundwork for the March 4 primaries?
- Mark Penn's February salary (so we can compare it to Geoff Garin's March salary in a month)
Some early numbers for those of you (ahem, us) who like stats and spent the day hitting refresh on the box scores on espn.com:
RNC:
Cash on hand: | $25,002,762.30 |
Raised: | $10,268,811.06 |
Spent: | $10,601,168.37 |
Debt: | $0.00 |
DNC
Cash on hand: | $4.7 million |
Raised: | $6 million |
Debt: | $0 |
NRSC:
Cash on hand: | $15,290,000 |
Raised: | $3,940,000 |
Spent: | $1,890,000 |
Debt: | $0 |
DSCC:
Cash on hand: | $32,805,724 |
Raised: | $4,789,848 |
Spent: | $2,460,248 |
Debt: | $500,000 |
Michigan Mulligan
No progress out of Michigan today. The state senate adjourned around 2:00pm ET, and there was no action taken on a possible do-over primary there.
ABC News' Teddy Davis reports that Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R) said Thursday that "no progress is being made" on the current Michigan re-vote proposal.
"Without a valid and viable proposal, another primary in Michigan will soon not be an option," said Bishop.
Clinton stepped up her Michigan rhetoric today against Obama and was, dare we say, fired up and ready to go for another primary.
"I have as the Democratic National Committee has come out in favor of an effort to re-vote in Michigan. I do not know what Senator Obama is afraid of. But it is going to hurt our party and our chances in November so I would call on him to once again to join me in giving the people of Florida and Michigan the chance to be counted as we move forward in this nominating process."
Tivo Alert!
Obama spends a full hour with Larry King tonight on CNN. The interview was pre-taped from Beckley, WV, ABC News' Miller reports.
And John Edwards drops by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Keep an eye on. . .
whether Rev. Wright is used by the Clinton campaign in their wooing of superdelegates. The Senator herself did not deny that her campaign was pushing the story to argue against Obama's electability, ABC News' Eloise Harper reports.
When asked at a press availability in Terra Haute, IN if her campaign was pushing the Wright story to those remaining uncommitted superdelegates, Clinton ignored the Wright portion of the question. "Well my campaign has been making the case that I am the most electable, that I have said that for a year or more, that I am the person best able to make the challenges that our country faces as commander in chief."
When Clinton was then asked specifically if her campaign was pushing the Wright story –- she shrugged and took the next question, ignoring the reporter.
This evening, Clinton spokesman Doug Hattaway tells ABC News' Harper that Clinton "was and is unaware of anyone on the campaign pushing (the Wright) issue with super delegates. She wants anyone who is talking to super delegates to focus on our message, which is that she's best prepared to be president and beat John McCain."
When asked if Clinton has asked her surrogates and those reaching out to Super Delegates on her behalf to stay away from the Rev Wright issue specifically Hattaway said "Since she is unaware of anyone doing that, I assume it hasn't come up."
A poll from Fox News found that 72 percent of those polled had heard about the Wright comments and 35 percent have doubts about Obama because of his relationship with Wright (26 percent of Democrats and 27 of independents). The poll also found that 24 percent think Obama shares Wright's controversial views.
On the campaign trail. . .
BARACK OBAMA
-- 12:30 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Portland, OR
-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Salem, OR
-- 12:00 am ET: Attends rally with voters, Eugene, OR
HILLARY CLINTON
-- No public events scheduled
BILL CLINTON
-- 12:30 pm ET: Attends event with veterans, Charlotte, NC
-- 4:15 pm ET: Meets with seniors at event, Cary, NC
As for the Republicans. . .
JOHN MCCAIN
-- No public events scheduled
At the White House. . .
PRESIDENT BUSH
-- No public events scheduled
POLITICAL NEWS STORIES AT ABCNEWS.COM
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Clinton Gets Voting Rights Fever LINK
ABC News' Rick Klein, Karen Travers and David Schoetz Report: Obama's Bracket: The Politics of Nope LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Hillary Clinton's NAFTA Sincerity Problem LINK
ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Reynolds Retirement and the GOP Housecleaning LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Team Clinton Hits Obama on Wright LINK
ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama Focuses Iraq Attacks on McCain LINK
ABC News' Teddy Davis and Talal Al-Khatib Report: Michigan Do-Over Primary 'Dead' LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Ferraro Returns to the Scene of the Crime LINK
ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama Expresses Support for Superdelegate Primary LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: McCaskill: Obama the First Black Leader to 'Come to the American People Not As a Victim But Rather As a Leader' LINK
ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Clinton Doesn't Deny Campaign Is Pushing Wright Story to Superdelegates LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: The Do-Over Dilemma LINK
ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Clinton Says Obama Is "Afraid" LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: ABC News Polling Unit on Clinton's Pollster's Memo: 'Full of Overblown Claims' LINK
ABC News' Sunlen Miller and Eloise Harper Report: Obama-Clinton: Trade Wars LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Obamagirl Responds to Anti-Obama/Anti-Obamagirl Harlem Pastor LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Democrats Gone Wild LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Obama Talks More About 'Typical White Person' Grandmother LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Kerry: Obama Could Help US Relations with Muslim Nations 'Because He's a Black Man' LINK
POLITICAL VIDEO AT ABCNEWS.COM
Michigan Efforts Failing?
Can Clinton make up her delegate gap with the race fro the nomination so tight? LINK
Obama Hammers McCain on Iraq Policy
Sen. Obama looks forward to the general election during a West Virginia speech. LINK
Scooter Gets Stripped
Lewis "Scooter" Libby can no longer practice law in Washington, D.C. LINK
Is Clinton Out of Luck?
Sam Donaldson and Matthew Dowd discuss the plausibility of primary revotes. LINK
Clinton's Challenge
Do-over primary voting in Michigan and Florida appears unlikely. LINK
Michigan Do-Over Debate
George Stephanopoulos discusses another primary in the Great Lakes State. LINK
Clinton Dirty Laundry Aired?
National Archives released documents from Hillary Clinton's time as first lady. LINK
Intern for the ABC News Political Unit:
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The internship begins Monday, May 19, and runs through Friday, Aug. 22.
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