Q3 Money Haul Positions Clinton as Democrat to Beat

Oct. 2, 2007 — -- Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York made headlines Tuesday morning when she announced her third-quarter haul: $22 million in donations since July for her presidential primary campaign, far outpacing the $19 million collected by her chief party rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

Campaign fundraising has been an area in which Obama has made strides, but third-quarter tallies solidified the New York senator's status as the Democrat to beat.

The Clinton campaign credits low-dollar events in the last quarter as key to bringing in 100,000 new donors over the last three months. It's what Obama has been doing all year -- appealing to record numbers of donors and leading in fundraising, until now.

Last weekend in Oakland, Calif., thousands amassed at Clinton's largest rally yet; the crowd was so huge that snipers were posted on rooftops in case things got out of control. Though the event was free, supporters who contributed $20 were given access to an area directly in front of the stage.

A Clinton fundraiser in September with author John Grisham followed a similar tack: Billed as "A Conversation With John Grisham and Hillary Clinton," tickets went for $25 and up.

While Obama has outraised Clinton this year in primary money, reading between the dollars and cents of third-quarter totals, there's no getting around the fact that Clinton outpaced Obama both in third-quarter donations and in attracting new donors.

ABC News political consultant Mark Halperin said it was advantageous to the Clinton camp to show it could best Obama at his fundraising game.

"Psychologically, this is huge," said Halperin, "It shows she can outraise him. This was fundamentally his strength."

Out on the trail, Obama consistently criticizes Clinton's most controversial vote to authorize the Iraq War. He did so again today in Chicago at DePaul University.

"We need to ask those who voted for the war: How can you give the president a blank check and then act surprised when he cashes it?" Obama charged.

Still, Clinton's position on the Iraq War has evolved enough to satisfy strong anti-war sentiments within her party: -- She leads in every national poll.

Though the election is still 13 months away, Clinton's positioning as the inevitable nominee has already made for shrewd satire on the late-night comedy circuit. Her biggest stumbling block could be the first nominating contest in Iowa, where Democratic rival John Edwards is happy to point out, she's not leading.

"She certainly has not pulled away," Edwards said, "She and I are either tied or I'm a little bit ahead of her. … So I think that the race is very much still on."

Edwards had sharp criticism for Clinton at last week's debate, and all the other campaign's are hoping for her fall.

Democratic strategist Anita Dunn says front-runners face a different kind of scrutiny.

"Once you look like you're inevitable, people tend to take a much closer look at you," Dunn said, "because it's no longer can she win. It's what kind of president she would be."

The Clinton campaign itself continues to play the expectations game, citing that while the New York senator can weather criticism, it's still a long road to January.